"Why are you smiling so much?" I ask.
Rava swings our hands lightly back and forth. Like we're twelve. "It's gonna sound dumb," he says, "but this is the first time we've held hands."
I freeze. I feel the words'oh my god I love you'crawling up my throat like bile. Hold it, Gio. Hold it down.
Don't fall to your knees. Don't grab a piece of seaweed and turn it into a ring. Don't ask him to marry you right here while he's sipping Malibu.
He'll choke. He'll die.
You'll have to bury him right next to the 'Tree Guy'.
I force a laugh. "Now that you say it, yeah. You're right."
He beams. I die. We make it back to our spot, and thank fuck, the universe gives me a distraction.
Lorenzo and Daisy are lounging like gremlins under the tree. Lorenzo raises his drink.
"See? Told you it was a good idea trusting Tree Guy. He's a real one." We sit down, sand sticking everywhere. Daisy grabs his drink. Rava immediately snatches it back. "Use your own, goblin," he says, deadpan. "Leave mine alone."
She rolls her eyes but doesn't argue. Lorenzo is next to us, leaning back on his elbows, staring at the stars with that glazed look that screams 'I'm not drunk, but I've definitely stoppedbeing fully sober'. "Guys…" he mumbles dramatically, "I think I'm starting to feel it…" I snort into my cup. "You think?"
He tries to flip me off but ends up smacking himself in the face. Beautiful. I sip my drink, watching all of them. I feel like I'm in a documentary about dysfunctional Mediterranean fauna.
Half an hour later
Daisy is deep into her musical era, giving lectures about love and the female psyche. She suddenly shoots up. "OKAY. I need movement. Movement or I'm gonna start oversharing and you'll all cry. Come on, beach rats, volleyball!"
Lorenzo lifts a lazy hand. "Whatever the lady says."
Rava hesitates. "I don't know…"
"You do know," Lorenzo says and grabs him by the wrist. "Up."
I groan, sprawled in the sand like a starfish. "Leave me here. Have mercy. My arms are sore. Unlike some people, I didn't quit working out."
Lorenzo turns, scandalized. "Excuse me?! I still have sexy back, thank you very much."
"You have something back there. Can't confirm the sexy part."
"Rude. Tragic. I'm hurt."
"Don't care. Not playing. I'm suffering." They ignore me and start doing a sloppy triangle toss. Daisy is flailing. Lorenzo is yelling instructions that make no sense. Then I see him. A new voice. Too friendly. "Sorry, are you guys playing? Mind if I join?"
I lift my head. No.
Nope. Hell no. It's him. HIM. The ginger bastard from the bar. The freckles. The eyes. The "I wanna eat your man" energy. Lorenzo, the welcoming idiot, says, "Yeah, come on in!" I shoot up so fast I almost throw my spine out. "Count me in," I yell.
Daisy looks at me. "I thought you said—"
"I changed my mind." Rava turns to look at me, confused.
This will be fun.
33) That Was So Hot
Gio
I step into the circle. Everyone's giggling. Rava's cheeks are flushed. Daisy's talking way too loud. Lorenzo is holding the ball. I'm looking at him. The new guy. The annoying ginger.
