He places his hand on top of my head and tips me over, laughing. “Don’t be an ass.”
I chuckle. “I’m joking. This is awesome, August. Really. You must be excited about it.”
A sigh leaves his full, soft, pink lips, and I can’t look away. I can’t help but wonder what they would feel like on mine.
“I’d be more excited if I weren’t so stressed. My office is a mess, I feel like I’m about to lose my mind. On top of that, I’m trying to work with my dad’s ledger, and I absolutely hate it.”
I roll my lips in, forcing myself not to ask the question that I know will annoy him. Unfortunately, he can read my mind.
“No, I haven’t asked for help,” he says.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” He looks forward again. “It’s fine. I have it under control. I just need to get everything in order.”
All I can do is nod and go along with what he’s saying. I don’t want to be another person lecturing him.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I believe in you.”
Instead of saying anything in return, he keeps his blue eyes on me, searching my face. We’re inches apart from each other, close enough that with one small movement, we can hold each other’s hands.
His warmth radiates over to me, and I want more of it. More of him. Both of our hands are sitting in our lap, too far apart, but neither of us takes the chance to move them.
The only way to feel his touch is in my thoughts. And it’s not enough.
“You ready to go to Mexico?” he asks.
I groan as I lean my head back onto the wall. “You have no idea. I know we don’t have it as bad as other places when it comes to winter, but this sucks.” I look outside the window; the sky is dreary, gray, and uninspiring. “All I wanna do is lie on the beach while having my cocktail refilled without asking. What about you?”
“I’m gonna try and relax as much as I can and not think about work.” He grins at me. “Maybe we can take a stroll on the beach together? Talk about our existential crisis with life?”
“Oh, that definitely sounds like my type of vacation.”
Our soft laughs echo throughout the space.
“Riley, do you wanna go look at some furniture?” Ellie’s voice echoes in the empty space, and I scramble to my feet.
“Um, yeah, sure.”
August lifts himself up before walking toward the counter, grabbing his coat. “I need to get going anyway.”
“Okay,” Ellie says. “Text me if you need some help at work.”
“I’ll see you guys later,” he says.
“Bye, Augustus,” I say.
He turns to look at me with a cute smirk that makes the butterflies flutter around my chest.
NINE
RILEY
“I can’t believe we’re finally here.” I step out from the shuttle with the rest of the group and stand in front of the resort.
Warmth flows over me, the sun pouring onto my skin. A resort employee greets us with a tray filled with margarita glasses: bright orange inside the wide salt-lined glasses.
Beau’s the first to grab one, saluting it to the man.
