Chapter 26
It’s windy the next morning. From the deck doors of the bungalow, I watch palm tree fronds thrash on the beach, as if they too are torn between two sides of an argument—one just heating up.
“I’m coming with,” Brody declares after Nate steps out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed for a day of filming.
“You’re injured,” I point out as I finish applying sunscreen. “You won’t be able to do the excursion.”
“If you’re there, who am I supposed to be?” Nate asks. An odd but pertinent question. With both Bannam brothers here, it’s hard not to feel it’s one too many.
A choice needs to be made.
I may have put off a decision last night, but I’m only delaying the inevitable.
“You’re still me,” Brody says.
Nate frowns. “Then who are you?”
“I’m Nate.” Brody runs his fingers through his loose locks and then extends his hand to his brother.
“Are you kidding me?” I look between the men. “You want to deepen the lie when we should be getting out of it? We’re lucky no one has caught us so far! Can’t we get through our last day without additional drama?”
Nate, whose hair is already in Brody’s signature bun, slaps his brother’s hand before shaking it, accepting the challenge. “Nice seeing you.”
“This is entirely absurd,” I plead, but both men seem intent on going to set. This is the only way it can happen.
“How’d you get injured?” Nate asks.
“Tennis elbow from too much…you know.” Brody moves his hand up and down in the air.
My cheeks heat as I process Brody’s action. “You are not saying that!”
Nate’s palm presses to his face in annoyance. “You’re supposed to be talking me into going along with your ridiculous plan, not giving me more reasons to back out of it.”
“Riiight. Book signing stress fracture?”
Nate scoffs. “Not believable when I haven’t had a book come out recently.”
Brody points to the bungalow door. “No one out there is going to know that.”
“Enough,” I interject, turning to Brody. “You were in a car accident. Relatively minor, but you’re still recovering. And if anyone asks, you’re not ready to talk about it.” Another narrative. Spinning a story for the public eye. Yet another lie to keep track of.
Brody nods in agreement, and I turn to Nate. “You invited your brother to set because you knew he was having a difficult time relaxing at home, and you thought Fiji’s fresh air would help.”
Nate nods as well.
“Why would I have trouble relaxing at home?” Brody asks, trying to better understand this character, though it’s literally his twin.
Nate rolls his eyes. “You’re on a book deadline, and your ex is using your injury as an excuse to come over all the time, even though she knows you’re never, ever getting back together.” Like ever, Nate mouths when Brody isn’t looking, an inside joke from karaoke when we sang Taylor Swift.
I bite back a smile, missing the ease of that night.
After what happened between us, I don’t want Nate getting back with his ex.
As I’m sure Nate doesn’t want me getting back together with his brother.
But how’s it possible I can feel so certain about us and still uncertain about what that means for Brody and me?
“I guess that makes sense,” Brody says, pulling my attention back to the moment. “I can’t do the excursions, but I can still put my acting skills to good use.”
Today, we’ll all be doing that.
The three of us grab a quick, notably quiet breakfast before meeting Dave in the lobby and following him to the beach from our jet skiing day.
The wind is stronger here, but even if the entire world is against me, I’m determined to pull off this excursion.
Open water will not best me this time. Neither will this tension with Nate and Brody.
“Oh my God, Nathan Bannam!” The excitement is unexpected from Corbin, who rushes over to Brody to shake his hand.
“I’m Corbin. I love all your books. I’m re-reading one now!
” He hurries back to his camera bag, producing Nate’s second novel—one I just finished reading and loved even more than the first, which is really saying something. “See?”
“I do see,” Brody says, shifting his weight back and forth.
This is an interaction he truly hadn’t expected, especially from a crew member.
“That was one of my favorites. To write, I mean. The way the brothers look out for each other and stand together, even when their uncle—” Brody stops, his eyes flicking to Nate before he clears his throat.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it so much.
Be sure to check out my next novel, coming soon to a bookstore near you. ”
The real Nate elbows Brody, but Corbin doesn’t notice. “A new book? I can’t wait! Is there a release date?”
Brody glances at Nate, who gives a slight shake of his head.
“Not yet,” I interject, not wanting them to botch this charade any more than they already are. “The publisher will release that information soon. If you follow Nate on social media, you’ll be the first to hear when there is one.”
“Sweet!” Corbin gives “Nate” an awkward wave before hurrying back to his bag with his book.
“You read my books?” the real Nate asks once Corbin and the rest of the crew are out of earshot. It’s like Nate is seeing Brody in a new light—one that makes his blindingly bright brother shine even brighter.
Brody shrugs as if it isn’t a big deal, even though it clearly means everything to Nate. Had he really thought his brother wouldn’t read his books? And had Brody really let Nate believe that?
“I may have read one or two,” Brody admits in a reluctant rush.
Nate’s brows rise either in surprise or a challenge, and Brody amends his answer.
“Fine, I read all of them. Of course I did! You’re family, and that’s what family does, I think.
” Brody looks to me for confirmation, perhaps forgetting my immediate family is notably small while he has a brother, sister, and both parents in the picture.
“Nate’s watched Rush,” I offer instead. Not to mention he rewatched the first two seasons to prepare for the twin-switch.
Brody misses the point. “Many do. Hopefully, many more will this season.”
“I wouldn’t say many currently do,” Nate jokes, “but this season is supposed to be the best yet.”
It’s almost like the three of us are back at the hospital, where Brody and Nate relentlessly teased each other the way only siblings can, and there was no complicated plan to execute. When I wasn’t a wedge driving two brothers apart.
The moment is short-lived. The brothers’ laughter fades and Dave’s voice cuts across the beach as he walks over. “We’re going out there,” he says, jutting a thumb toward the water. “Sorry, Nate, you’ll have to stay ashore, and Jamie’s going to need you to sign a waiver.”
“But—” Brody protests. I can’t pretend not to understand his yearning to get back to his sense of normal, but he also needs to rest and not get re-injured. Having him on board is a clear liability for the show and himself.
Dave holds up a hand. “Set rules. Brody gets it,” he adds, gesturing to Nate for backup as Jamie appears with paperwork.
“Sorry, Nate,” the real Nate says with a hint of a smile only I can see. “It’s not safe for you to be out on the water while you’re still recovering.”
Brody throws his good arm up in exasperation, which only proves the crew’s point. “I flew here, for crying out loud!”
“You sat on a plane,” Nate corrects. “Sitting requires notably less action.”
Brody huffs and opens his mouth to respond, but I cut in.
“Nate,” I say, placing a hand on Brody’s less injured arm. He stills at my touch. “You need to rest and recover. That’s why you came to Fiji, remember? Rest and recovery. Being on a boat while injured is the opposite.”
Brody studies me long enough to see I’m not messing around, and gives a reluctant nod.
He takes the waiver from Jamie, and I can’t help but watch the interaction between them.
Brody doesn’t read the familiar language over before signing and handing the sheet back to Jamie, who doesn’t seem to realize the true man of her infatuation is right in front of her.
Given the way Brody’s attention stays on Nate and me and then drifts to the boat bobbing out in the water, he may have been telling the truth about there being nothing between them anymore.
Too bad the truth revealed itself too late.
With a sigh, Brody plops down on the beach. “I guess I’ll work on my tan.”
“I’d offer you a book,” Corbin says, zipping up his camera bag, “but I only have yours on me. You’ve likely read that a million times, so you’re probably sick of it.”
“That’s right, Corbin. I am sick of it.”
“Maybe you should do some writing?” Nate offers. The joke is lost on everyone else.
“Yeah!” Corbin endorses.
Brody hugs his un-slung arm across his chest. “I’m sick of that, too.”
I crouch down to Brody and whisper, “I’m sick of your whining. No one made you come to Fiji, and all you’ve done since getting here is argue and complain. Did you forget your brother and I are doing you a favor?”
“Yeah, sounds like it’s been quite the chore.”
“Quit it. Let us get this episode shot, and then we’ll figure things out.”
At least I hope we could.
Brody looks surprised. “You’re hot when you take charge.”
My cheeks heat. “Might I remind you we’re over?”
“You could, but then I’d remind you we’re a dream team, Abigail. Can’t you see it?”
The sound of someone clearing their throat draws me back into the broader moment. The beach. A boat. Nate.
“Let’s talk about this later.” I stand before Brody can say anything else because when I’m headed into open water with Nate, I don’t need to be worried about his brother back on shore.