You Were Mine (Rosemary Beach #9)(28)

He nodded. “True, but I figure I can get a few drinks in you and loosen you up.”

He was teasing me. I shook my head and reached for the glass of champagne that had been placed in front of me. “There isn’t enough alcohol in the world, Thad,” I informed him.

He slapped a hand over his heart. “Ouch. That’s painful.”

Taking a sip, I took one last glance at Tripp and Charity. Their heads were closer together now as they chatted away.

Awesome.

Tripp

This was not how I’d foreseen my night going. I couldn’t believe Della had provided a date for the weekend. Why would she think I wanted that? Did I look like I needed a f*cking date? Hell no.

Charity was attractive. I’d give Della that much—she had good taste. But I wasn’t looking. I listened as Charity told me about the golden retriever puppy she’d just bought getting kicked out of doggy school for trying to hump a poodle. She laughed as she told me the story. If I weren’t in love with Bethy, I’d be totally into her. She had a good laugh. Her brown eyes danced with amusement.

Woods had forced me to sit when I’d tried to tell him I was switching with Thad. He’d whispered in my ear what I already knew about Charity. “She’s Braden’s cousin, and she’s had a bad divorce. She needs some attention. Do this for Della.” His tone meant it wasn’t a request.

I had sat reluctantly, glancing back at Bethy, who was once again being entertained by Nate. The kid knew a good-looking woman when he saw one. Thad’s sorry ass would get to be with Bethy tonight. He’d get to talk to her. Hear her laugh. He’d tell her stupid jokes that I knew she’d be amused by. Thad was good at charming females.

Damn player.

With his stupid pretty-boy looks.

I should have broken his nose years ago and evened the playing field. If I saw him touch Bethy tonight, I’d do more than break his nose.

I took a quick peek and saw Bethy listening to Dean Finlay. She seemed amused. At least it was the old man making her smile. Not Thad. Wait . . . No. Dean Finlay slept with women younger than me all the time. Maybe this wasn’t good. He was a f*cking rock god. Shit.

“Stop looking at Bethy like she’s your last meal, dammit,” Woods growled in a low voice beside me.

I turned my attention back to my table and glared at him. He met my angry glare with his own. Della cleared her throat loudly enough to get the attention of both of us. I let Woods deal with his woman as I reached for my drink. I needed something more than pink f*cking bubbles.

“Do you surf, too?” Charity asked beside me.

Were we talking about surfing now? Shit, I didn’t know. I was so checked out of this conversation. Focusing was an issue, with Dean Finlay and Thad both flirting with Bethy.

“Uh, yeah. I mean, I did back in the day. I haven’t in a while. We don’t get the waves in the Gulf to make it really worth it.”

“Didn’t you live in Myrtle Beach for a while?” she asked.

Had I told her that? “Yeah, I did. It was short-lived,” I replied.

I looked over at Della, who was watching me with her bottom lip between her teeth. She was concerned. I knew that look. I’d spent a lot of time with Della back when she and Woods were figuring things out. When you spend two solid weeks on the road with someone, you get to know each other well.

I was being selfish. This was her wedding weekend, and I was worried about me. I forced myself to relax and turned my attention back to Charity. I could do this. Bethy wasn’t going to hook up with Thad or Dean. I knew better than that. My stupid jealousy was rattling my brain.

“Why? Do you surf?” I asked Charity, hoping she hadn’t already said she did.

She laughed and shook her head. “No. I’m extremely uncoordinated. But if you wanted to give me lessons, I wouldn’t turn them down.”

Oh, hell. I’d walked right into that one. I cut my eyes at Della, who was listening with a nervous expression. “Sure. I can do that if you want,” I agreed, hoping I never saw her again after we left the island on Sunday.

Charity looked giddy with delight. “Yes, I’d love to!”

“Good idea. Why don’t you take her out in the morning for a lesson?” Woods said.

I opened my mouth to spout some bullshit excuse for why that wasn’t happening. But Charity clapped her hands and beamed at me. “Oh, how exciting!”

Well, shit.

I danced with Charity twice before I was able to extract myself to find Bethy, but she wasn’t at her table or on the dance floor. Scanning the crowd and tables, I didn’t see her anywhere. Then I looked for Thad and realized he was missing, too.

What the hell?

I started moving for the door. I wasn’t explaining my exit to Woods. He’d do something else to screw it up. I had done my job all during dinner, and then I’d danced with Charity. Not to mention that I had to take her surfing in the morning. I was done with my goodwill for the evening.

I stalked out of the building and across the sand, keeping my eyes open for a sign of Bethy.

A giggle stopped me, and I turned to walk around the building and into a small thicket of palm trees.

“Got a famous mouth, now, don’t you,” Thad teased, and I tensed up. I followed the rumble of his voice as he made a groan. “Fuck, yes, take it all the way in. Back of your throat, baby,” he encouraged.