Chapter Eleven
“I’m afraid tomorrow is not available.” Juliana scowled over her computer screen, a knot of frustration appearing between her brows. “Tuesday is booked as well, and Wednesday there are storms forecast. We don’t have a free slot for either of you until Friday.”
Kayla raised a hand to her lips as if in distress. In reality, it hid her smile. “Oh no.”
Juliana’s eyebrows danced higher on her forehead. “I’m surprised you didn’t book your preferred date ahead of time. When we spoke on the phone, I mentioned how busy we are this time of year.”
Skye turned an angry look on Kayla. “You didn’t mention that to us.”
“Didn’t I?” Kayla’s face seemed to be rebelling against her, ignoring her attempts to stem her smile. “I’m sure I did.”
“No,” Amy said in a monotone. “You didn’t.”
Kayla forced a shrug and apologetic look.
Of course she hadn’t mentioned it to Skye when they’d spoken.
She’d hoped that if they waited until they arrived, everything would be booked, and she was having trouble containing her glee.
The very first point in the Plan of Seduction went off without a hitch.
“The whole point was to get married early so the rest of the week was a honeymoon,” Skye said.
A tell-tale whine had appeared in Skye’s voice.
The path of her annoyance was easy to predict.
Soon she would raise her voice, followed by a pouty silence.
When Amy tried to get her to calm down, Skye would shout, misdirecting her anger at Amy.
The only danger was that Amy would react the same way she had during her years with Skye.
If Amy snapped back and called her on her bullshit, Skye would back down and apologize.
All Kayla could do was hope it didn’t lead to the earth-shattering makeup sex Skye was so good at.
Before Kayla could revel in her success, Amy reached over and gave Skye’s hand a supportive squeeze. “It’s okay, babe. Who says a honeymoon has to be after a wedding anyway? We can do the honeymoon first, so we all have good tans in the photographs.”
To Kayla’s surprise and horror, the anger vanished from Skye’s face. She turned another of those obnoxious smiles on Amy and flipped her hand over, interlocking their fingers. “You’re totally right. Honeymoon first sounds like a great plan.”
They laughed together, and Kayla wanted to barf.
What the hell was that anyway? Skye didn’t listen to reason when she was annoyed.
She lashed out verbally, and anyone around was likely to be caught in the crossfire.
This was a major part of her plan to break them up, and somehow it had brought them closer.
Panic started to set in. Her mind filled with the sound of her father’s voice, telling her how the team couldn’t afford to give up a goal early in the game like this.
He’d been her first coach when she first started playing in the recreational league for toddlers.
They weren’t supposed to keep score, but he always did, and that meant Kayla did, too.
As her breathing picked up, Kayla recognized the start of a panic spiral setting in.
She couldn’t afford that now either. She had to push it down.
Had to focus on the next step. Focus on the plan.
But the harder she tried to focus, the less she could control either her body or her mind.
What was she going to do? How could she come back from this?
Just as her vision began to tremble with the frantic beating of her heart, Mack’s hand slid on top of hers.
It wasn’t until she felt that touch that she realized she’d been gripping her hands together so hard that little half-moon nail marks were visible on her wrists.
Mack rubbed a thumb across her knuckles, and she relaxed her grip.
She tore her eyes off Skye’s profile with difficulty and looked over at Mack.
Mack was calm and solid, her jaw set in a firm line but not clenched.
It was Mack’s determined face. Her mask of calm.
Just the sight of her allowed Kayla to release the rest of her panic.
Her breathing and heart rate slowed as she fell into Mack’s eyes.
Her lips turned up in a half-smile, and she gave an almost imperceptible wink.
As her anxiety dropped away, she slid one hand on top of Mack’s, sandwiching it between her palms. Was this what Skye had felt at Amy’s touch?
Because damn if it didn’t make everything feel better to have the touch of someone you loved.
Of course, best-friend love was amazing, but it made her crave a more intimate touch.
The thought of intimacy brought her back to the room.
She whipped around to find Skye staring at them.
Her expression was hard to read. Was that happiness or jealousy?
Surely, she’d tell herself it was happiness.
Contentment that her ex had found someone new.
By the end of this week, she’d realize it was something else entirely.
Kayla shook herself internally and got right back into the game. She applied her most wicked smile and said, “I always told you that you look like a 75-watt lightbulb, Skye. A tan would do you good.”
Skye’s smile was teasing and wide, and it made Kayla’s heart ache. “And I always told you that you aren’t exactly much better. You need to get out more. Get some vitamin D.”
“I never was much of a fan of D,” she said.
Skye threw her head back and laughed at the triple entendre. “You’re such a dork.”
“And you love it.”
“Yeah, I do.” Skye seemed to realize what she’d said, and the smile vanished. She gave a nervous chuckle and shot a look at Amy and then Mack. “D as in defense. In soccer. Once a striker, always a striker, right?”
Mack put on a good show as the jealous girlfriend. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Soccer. Right.”
Juliana cleared her throat and then jumped right into confirming the details of their Friday beachside wedding ceremonies.
She asked about family members attending, and Amy said something about being an only child with elderly parents.
Skye mentioned how her folks had passed when she was a teenager.
Kayla had a hard time paying attention. Skye hadn’t exactly said the words, but she’d definitely implied that she was still in love with Kayla.
Now the focus was on Juliana, but every so often Skye’s eyes would dart over to land on Kayla.
She made sure to return the glance each time, her sultry smile fully in place.
Actually it wasn’t only Skye’s gaze that landed on her more often than it probably should.
Have. Amy also glanced her way several times and Kayla was pretty sure there was a hint of saltiness in that gaze, though she didn’t know her well enough to be certain.
After that first meeting in the hospital, Amy had avoided her.
Kayla had been foolish enough to think she was shy after their light flirting.
Straight women got that way sometimes when they flirted with women and Kayla just assumed that’s what had happened.
Of course, Amy was decidedly not straight.
She was very queer and very much trying to steal Kayla’s wife.
At least Skye should have been her wife by now.
If she played a perfect game, she could be Skye’s wife before they flew back home.
All she needed to do was switch up the formations by Friday afternoon, and she could be standing at the altar next to Skye as the sun set.
Kayla felt the slightest tinge of guilt about wanting that.
Up until now, she hadn’t really thought about the woman Skye would be leaving behind when she came back into Kayla’s life.
All she’d thought about was whether it would be easy to get her out of the picture.
Now that she saw them together, she thought about what her happily ever after would do to Amy.
She’d be left, alone and heartbroken, in paradise.
That would suck. Even Kayla could admit that.
Still, it would be nothing to the heartbreak Kayla had felt when Skye had broken off their engagement.
When she moved out of their house after nine years together.
The two of them couldn’t have been together for more than a year.
Amy would be fine. Every game had a winner and a loser, after all.
As Juliana droned on and on, Mack shifted in her seat.
Kayla glanced over to see her fully engaged in the conversation from the waist up, but her knee was bouncing like a tennis ball.
Kayla slid a hand on top of Mack’s thigh, and the bouncing stopped.
Mack shot her an apologetic look, but honestly, Kayla kind of missed the tick after it was over.
Mack had never been good at sitting still for too long, and Kayla suspected she was eager to get out to the pool for a few laps.
Or maybe it was deeper than that. Mack kept shooting glances around the table, too, and she didn’t look any happier than anyone else.
Mack hated lying, and she hated to see people hurt.
Something told Kayla that it would be just as hard for Mack as it would for Amy when Kayla succeeded.
“Great. Thanks for your help.” Mack jumped to her boats hoe-clad feet the moment Juliana finished.
Skye said, “Yeah, thanks.”
She thrust out her hand, getting to the first shake moments before Mack, who was grinding her teeth so loudly Kayla could hear it over the distant roar of the ocean. As they all left the office, Mack pulled Kayla back to allow Skye and Amy to get a few steps ahead.
Mack hissed as she whispered, “Did you sabotage the wedding timing on purpose?”
“Of course. Although I was hoping it wouldn’t happen at all.”
“LaLa…”
Kayla stopped and yanked Mack behind a massive potted palm. How was it possible she didn’t understand this? “We’re planning a double wedding. If it happens before the Plan of Seduction succeeds, you and I would have to get married.”
Mack’s face went as white as chalk and she laughed awkwardly. “Oh, yeah. God, I definitely don’t want that. Okay. Good call.”
Mack hurried away to catch up with the others, but Kayla was slow to join. For some reason, Mack’s laughter annoyed her. Once they were in step again, Kayla said, “You don’t have to be so happy about it.”
“Happy about what?”
“Happy about not marrying me. What the hell?”
Mack’s smile warmed her insides against her will. She slid her hands into her pockets and leaned back into a strut. “I had no idea you wanted to marry me so badly.”
“What? I don’t.”
“Then why are you mad at me?”
“I’m not,” Kayla said.
“So we’re good. Neither of us wants to marry each other.”
“Exactly.”
Mack continued, quickly passing by a dozen tourists on the way to the pool, and Kayla tried very hard not to be annoyed at just how many eyes followed her not-fiancée.