Coldhearted Boss(64)
My stomach fills with dread, but Isla’s hand clamps down on my arm as if she knows I’m about to bolt.
Then Tanner rushes over like the happy camper he is, gifting each of us a big smile and a hug. He immediately takes the beach bag Isla toted from the cabin then throws a conspiratorial wink my way.
“Glad you didn’t let Mr. Grump keep you from coming today.”
I don’t trust my voice so I offer a tight nod and trail behind the rest of them as we make our way to the group.
It really is a fun setup. They’ve thought of everything we’ll need: coolers filled with drinks, bags of snacks, a portable speaker currently playing Twenty-One Pilots. And though I know they had no control over it, it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day, unseasonably warm, which will make it perfect for long stretches of sunbathing followed by dips in the lake to cool off.
Isla and Camille peel off to say hi to the guys and I wander over to the chairs, dropping my things on the ground behind one of them. I’m more glad than ever that I thought to bring a paperback. Chances are I’ll be spending most of the day reading and steering clear of Ethan.
I kick off my sandals and then nearly jump out of my skin as a red Solo cup hits my arm.
“Sorry.” Tanner laughs. “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
I smile and shake my head. “You’re fine. I was just in my own world.”
Tanner’s honey-brown hair is playfully disheveled this morning, and while he’s not as toned as Ethan, he’s not exactly scrawny either. His blue swim trunks have a wild pattern on them and there’s a tattoo stretched across the left side of his chest, an intricate abstract design. I immediately wonder if he drew it himself.
“Here, take the cup then laugh wildly as if I’ve said something really funny.”
I frown. “What?”
He forces the cup into my grasp and chuckles loud enough for everyone to hear. Then he leans closer. “You’re not very good at this.”
“At what?” I frown, looking down at the drink.
“It’s a mimosa. I figured you could use some alcohol.”
He’s not wrong. I take a long sip and then level him with a glare.
He’s nothing but smiles as he turns me slightly so my back is to the group. Now they only see him, and he looks as if he’s having the time of his life over here talking to me.
“The way I see it, we can be mutually beneficial to each other.”
“How?” I ask, still skeptical.
“You’re new to the group and clearly feel like you don’t belong, right? Especially because of Ethan?”
“Oh, I—”
“And it’s probably obvious that I’m in love with Isla.” My eyes widen as he continues. “Ah, you didn’t know? Yeah, well, to make a long story short, when I first started working at the agency with her, I had a girlfriend. Isla and I became good friends—only friends—but one day she worked up the courage to tell me she had feelings for me, feelings that went beyond friendship. But, you see, I was still with Britt and we’d been together a long time. I couldn’t just end things on a whim like that. I owed it to her to really put in an effort. We stayed together for a few more months—the worst months of my entire life, I’ll have you know. By the time I finally realized what a fool I was being and broke it off with Britt for good, Isla wanted nothing to do with me beyond our friendship. I’d hurt her, you know? She really put herself out there telling me how she felt.”
“It was a brave thing to do.”
He nods, agreeing. “I also think Isla feels like she doesn’t want me to rush from one relationship to another. She wants me to really have my head on straight if we’re ever going to date.”
“So how long has it been since you ended things with Britt?”
“Two years.”
“TWO YEARS?!”
He laughs again, and I can feel everyone’s attention on us.
“So now you see why I’m desperate. I’ve given her time. Jesus, I’ve declared my love for her dozens of times. A man only has so much patience, so I think it’s time for a different tactic.”
My brows furrow. “What kind of tactic?”
“Isla knows how I feel about her, and I think she’s comfortable with the way things are because I’ve made it too easy for her. So, I’m asking for your help today.” His smile unfurls into a sinister smirk. “I want to make her jealous.”
Admittedly, I don’t feel completely comfortable with this arrangement, especially considering how nice Isla has been to me. I feel like an adult conversation where we all sit down around the campfire and discuss our feelings would be the mature thing to do, and yet it’s totally out of the question once Tanner fills me in on all the details from the last couple of years while I finish my drink.
They’ve had stolen kisses, heated arguments. He’s done the grand gestures and subtle sweet clues.
I feel bad for the guy, especially when he shrugs and looks out at the lake. “I guess a part of me realizes I’m coming to the end of the line. If we aren’t meant to be, we aren’t meant to be. I just want to make sure I’ve done every possible thing I can do to get her attention and force her to make a decision, even if it’s childish.”
My heart shatters for him in that moment, so I stand, retrieve a bottle of sunscreen from a chair beside ours, and slap it into his palm.