Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(24)

“What are you going to do?” I ask.

“I’ve decided that I’m going to leave the island tomorrow with Axel and join him in LA. Give us some time, just the two of us, to see if this is truly what we want,” Olivia says, dropping a huge bombshell.

No fricken way.

That’s huge.

I can’t believe she’s going to do this.

“My parents still think I’m here with you guys. Axel’s friends think he is here, so it’s the perfect opportunity for the two of us to be alone and work it out.”

“Do you love him?” Camryn asks.

“Yeah, I do. I want to make sure, though, before I blow up my entire life,” she adds.

That’s a good idea.

“We need to raise a toast to true love,” Camryn says, holding up her glass in the air.

We all clink our glasses together and have a drink.





“Alex has just joined Nate and Axel at the bar,” Camryn says, nudging me in the ribs. I was kind of hoping to see him tonight. It was the reason I chose this silver dress that has been hiding in the bottom of my closet because when I put it on, Steve told me I looked like a slut and made me change back into something more modest. Tonight, I’m wearing it as a big fuck you to the past, clearing out all the toxic energy and hoping to keep filling it with positive vibes.

“He looks nice,” Olivia adds.

“Guys, can you please be normal. Don’t embarrass me,” I tell them both.

“Do you like him?” Camryn asks.

“We’re friends—”

“You fuck your friends?”

Why is my sister so infuriating?

“We are friends who happen to fuck at a sex resort. It’s a little bit different to friends who sleep together back in normal life,” I say.

“Whatever you say to get you through.” My sister chuckles as she takes a sip of her cocktail.

“He’s coming over,” Olivia adds to the conversation through gritted teeth.

“Babe,” Axel says, kissing Olivia before picking her up and placing her on his lap. My friend lets out a contented sigh as she nuzzles into his chest. Damn, they are cute. Nate takes a seat beside Camryn, and they instantly fall into a private conversation.

“Hey,” Alex says, taking a seat beside me. “Told you I’d see you again.”

He says the words with a grin as he takes a sip of beer.

“Your friend not make it?” I ask.

“Nope! He’s having an early night,” he says, wiggling his brows over the edge of his glass before we both burst out laughing at his innuendo.

“Guess you weren’t invited then.” And as soon as I say the words, I want to put them back in.

Alex chokes on his beer because he’s laughing. “He doesn’t like the competition. Who can compete with all this?” Alex adds, which makes me smile.

“Nice to see you again, Alex,” my sister says, greeting Nate’s brother.

“Nice to see you again too. My brother’s told me much about you,” Alex states with a teasing glint in his eye. Nate is shaking his head at his brother.

“I can assure you it’s all true,” my sister declares while raising a brow at him, which instantly has Alex chuckling.

“She’s a handful,” Nate adds.

“I thought you said I was more than a handful?” Camryn jokes which has Nate clamping his hand across her mouth.

“Is she always like this?” Alex whispers to me.

“Yep,” I state categorically before taking a sip of my drink.

Disappointment begins to fester away because this is the moment that the guy I like or am seeing meets my vivacious sister and falls for her instead of her introverted sister.

“She seems perfect for my brother. She’s going to keep him on his toes. He’s never had that before. I can already see that when he is around her, he’s almost lighter,” Alex leans over and tells me. If I turned my face, our lips would meet, we are that close to each other. “I know he’s going to say they are just friends or something equally non-committal.”

“Cam is the same,” I add.

“But they look good together, and I’m fine with that,” he says.

“Did my sister get your approval?” I turn and ask him.

His eyes dip down to my lips before looking back up at me. “Yeah, I guess she did. And what about my brother?” he asks.

“He makes her smile, so I guess that’s okay.”

“Good.” His eyes dip again as my tongue darts out and licks my lips, drawing his attention even more.

“Liv and I are going to go. We have an early flight in the morning,” Axel says, breaking the simmering sexual tension between Alex and me. “Thanks for everything, Nate,” Axel says, shaking Nate’s hand.

“Good luck, babe,” I say to Olivia as I get up out of my chair and hug her tightly. “Call me if you need me, and I’ll be there in an instant, okay?”

“I will, I promise,” she says, hugging me tightly. “I’m so happy you are having fun. You deserve it. It feels like I’m getting my old friend back.” Tears begin to well in my eyes. No. I can’t cry, not here, not now. “Alex seems nice … and cute,” she whispers.