I have to smile to myself, though.
No wonder she thought our hikes were tough and came back sore all over.
This is a walk in the park compared with the trails I took her on. The path is mostly flat and runs smoothly along the cliffs. We won’t even cover the entire trail today. This is nothing more than a scenic walk, but I bite my tongue, keeping that thought to myself.
About an hour in, Grey disrupts the silence between us, which was only filled once in a while with some laughter and screams from Amelia’s nieces. “What the fuck are birds so excited about at ten a.m.?”
“They’re seagulls,” Oliver murmurs, barely lifting his head.
“Even worse,” Grey shoots back.
I grin, my eyes darting to Amelia. She smirks, too, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her smile today. She looks exhausted. Without her now-usual layer of makeup, the dark circles under her eyes are just as pronounced as mine.
She’s obviously not sleeping much.
When our eyes meet, there’s a brief flash of something deeper, something raw, but she quickly averts her gaze, hiding behind a curtain of hair.
My body craves sleep, my mind seeks peace, and my heart—it yearns for her.
We need to fix this.
Ineed to fix this.
As we trek further along the path, I glance at Oliver, whose homebody self is trying its best to enjoy the hike. Occasionally, he stumbles, his attention more on Amelia than where he’s stepping. Behind us, August, Abigail, and the girls are managingto keep pace, albeit a little slower. Daniel, just like Grey, wears a scowl.
This whole situation is far from what I had in mind for today.
The grumpy heads start to lag behind, and I let myself fall back, too, sensing that I may have to step in soon, given the looks they’re casting each other.
“So,Donovan,” Daniel starts, the tension clear in his tone, and I already know this won’t end well. “When are you guys planning on dragging yourself back across the pond? I imagine they’re missing their star-spangled heroes by now.”
Grey shoots him a glare, unamused. “Probably not in a long while. We’re quite enjoying seeing how the rest of the world lives. Besides, I wouldn’t want to miss watching you fumble around nature like it’s your first day out of the city.”
“Grey,” I caution.
I don’t know Daniel, but Grey is about to kick his ass. With words. And honestly, a small part of me wants to see it happen.
“Touché,” Daniel responds dryly, a humorless smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Though I must say, I’m surprised you’re so willing to stick around when you’re clearly redundant. She’s now under my purview.” His gaze drifts meaningfully toward Amelia, who is talking softly with Oliver a few feet before us, oblivious to the brewing storm behind her.
Daniel, you dickhead.
Grey’s jaw tightens, the muscle twitching visibly as he steps closer, his words coming out in a dangerous growl. “She’s none of your fucking business.”
Daniel chuckles, shaking his head as he reaches back to grab a water bottle, unscrewing it with deliberate slowness. “Oh, she will be. And just some friendly advice, mate,” he says, his tone anything but friendly. “Holidays end, but the mess youAmericans leave behind? That tends to linger. So do her a favor and just fuck off already.”
Grey steps forward, his posture stiffening as he closes the distance between them. “Listen here, you pompous ass,” he hisses, his words loaded with venom. “Amelia is not some territory to be claimed or debated over. She makes her own choices… who she talks to, who she spends time with. You’d do well to remember that.”
I brace myself, ready to physically intervene if needed. The air between them crackles with hostility, and I find myself hoping we can make it through this hike without any bloodshed, verbal or otherwise.
“Grey, come on,” I murmur.
This is not like him. I’ve never seen him with such a bold, verbal outburst like that. But to be fair, it usually only takes a simple glare to have people backing away.
Grey shoots a quick glance my way, a brief flicker of acknowledgment crossing his face before he turns back to Daniel. Reluctantly, he takes a step back, his body language shifting as he attempts to shake off the anger.
Catching up with the rest of the group, the atmosphere remains charged, and the earlier words still echo in my mind.
Daniel, the dickhead, can’t seem to resist getting in one last jab, his smirk all too telling. “Just remember, this isn’t Hollywood, Donovan. Not every story has a happy ending.”
