Flirting with the Frenemy (Bro Code #1)(47)

“I can’t—”

“And the lazy river? You love the lazy river.”

“Babe, you love the lazy river,” Jason says. “Let’s all go.”

“Yeah!” Tucker cheers.

Ellie tries to send Monica another meaningful look, but it’s completely lost on the bride.

“Nobody cares about your scar,” I tell her quietly.

“I care,” she mutters.

I study her a minute.

She’s not meeting my gaze, and her cheeks are going pink.

She’s soaked in the tub at least three nights this week, so I know the water itself isn’t the issue.

It’s the swimsuit.

“Give me thirty minutes,” I tell her.

Her brows furrow. “For what?”

“A solution. C’mon, Tucker. We’ve got a job to do.”

“You’re not bailing on us, are you?” Monica asks.

“Nope. Meet you there. Make sure Ellie’s with you.”

I don’t know if my idea’s even possible, but it’s worth a try. And if there’s anywhere that can pull it off, it’s Shipwreck.





Twenty





Ellie



I am in severe like with Wyatt Morgan.

The man found me scuba shorts.

He activated Shipwreck’s gossip network and found me scuba shorts that cover me down to the knee, completely hiding my scars.

We spend the entire afternoon at the water park, destroying our pedicures, Jason and Wyatt trying to out-cannonball each other, floating around on the lazy river, helping Tucker learn to swim, laughing as he climbs through the two-story pirate adventure sky fort with its water cannons and dodges the water that dumps out of the giant bucket on top, and soaking up the gorgeous afternoon sunshine.

I bypass the water slides, but Tucker and Wyatt go down them a million times.

Monica declares it naptime around five and gives me a gentle push toward Wyatt’s car. “Go home. Jason and I are having a pizza-in-the-room night and leaving the families to fend for themselves. We’ll see you for the rehearsal in the morning, okay?”

“Not The Grog?” We missed it last night with all the worry over Mrs. Dixon almost choking.

“Oh my god, Ellie, I am so tired,” she says with a laugh. “Besides, I think Jason’s feeling neglected.”

“If you need anything—”

“My mom’s here. And you know all I have to do is lift a finger and any of the Rock family will be right on it.”

“C’mon, Ellie,” Wyatt says. He waves at somebody on a bike, and the rider slows as he approaches, a double-handled plastic bag dangling from the handlebars. “Train’s leaving in three minutes.”

“Mr. Morgan?” the kid on the bike says.

“Yep.” Wyatt hands him a couple twenties, and the kid hands over the bag.

“Is that fried chicken?” I ask, sniffing the air.

“And potato salad, french fries, banana pudding, and a funnel cake. Ordered it all from the food trucks.”

“Jason, I’m sorry, I’m marrying Wyatt tomorrow instead,” Monica announces.

“Shut your mouth, he’s mine,” I retort without thinking.

She grins at me, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

And not because of all the sun this afternoon.

“Girls are weird,” Tucker announces. “I’m never getting married. Except maybe to my sister if I ever have one. Can I have a sister?”

For once, Wyatt seems to be speechless.

“You should ask Santa for a sister,” I tell Tucker while I herd him into Wyatt’s SUV. “Sisters are the best. I know, because I am one.”

“Sisters are annoying,” Wyatt corrects.

“He’s just jealous because he never had one,” I whisper to Tucker, who giggles while he pulls his seat belt over his booster seat. “Sisters are totally awesome.”

Tucker loops his arms around my neck and hugs me tight, and surprised, I hug him back.

“You’re awesome, Miss Captain Ellie.”

“Not as awesome as you.”

We make it back to Beck’s house without incident and dive into the food like we haven’t eaten in a week. Tucker tries two bites of banana pudding and declares it gross.

“Then I guess it’s my paternal duty to eat yours,” Wyatt announces.

“Hello, we share it,” I argue.

“He’s not your kid.”

“Tucker, may I please have half of your banana pudding?”

He looks between us. “It’s nice to share, Dad,” he finally whispers.

“It really is, Dad,” I agree.

“Bath time for you,” Wyatt tells him without answering either of us.

But he leaves half a carton of banana pudding in the fridge when he takes Tucker upstairs.

I clean up the dinner mess, realizing with a start that it’s been days since I cleaned up in here, yet everything’s nearly spotless anyway. Except for our small dinner mess, of course.

Because Wyatt takes care of things.

I’ve sometimes wondered why Beck stayed close with him. Once the guys started their boy band adventure, an entire new world opened up. Beck, Levi, Tripp, Cash, and Davis could’ve gone anywhere, done anything. They each lost a few friends along the way—money changes things—but Wyatt was the one constant outside immediate family.