Chapter 35
CHAPTER 35
SIMON
B eating Abi in the next team challenge was going to suck, but it was what it was. Just after sunrise, I pulled up to the curb in front of her house and hoped like hell she’d still be spending time with me by this time next week, even if we would be on opposing teams.
Once again, her door opened before I could even get out of the car and I didn’t even try to fight the smile that crept to my lips. Abigail rarely missed anything, and the fact she always seemed to be ready, waiting, and knowing exactly when I was here was just another reminder of that.
This time, however, I didn’t just sit on my ass and stare at her. I climbed out and jogged the short distance between us so I could help her with her bags. She smiled and didn’t even try to stop me from taking them from her.
“I won’t even bother telling you that I can do it myself,” she said mildly, her azure eyes lingering on mine for a moment before they dropped to rake over me. “I like the suit. Powder blue is a surprisingly good color on you. It doesn’t look dumb at all.”
“Good morning, Abigail. It’s Italian powder blue, I’ll have you know, but thank you.” I made a point of openly checking her out in return. Decked out in all white with golden jewelry and low-slung golden sandals on her feet, I quickly flashed on a daydream I used to have about imagining her walking down the aisle to me, but I shut that down real fast. “Stunning as always. White suits you.”
“Why? Because it’s virginal?”
I laughed. “Nah. I think it’s safe to say that I know that ship has sailed.”
“Hey.” Her fist came up and connected with my shoulder out of nowhere, her cheeks flushing that perfectly deep shade of pink. “Thanks a lot.”
“Did I sound like I meant that as a bad thing?” I cocked my head at her and grinned. “Because I definitely didn’t mean it like it’s a bad thing. I just meant that white suits you because it’s also a peaceful color. Peaceful, pure, and elegant. Just like you.”
“You won’t think I’m so peaceful next week when I beat you in the team challenge.”
I sighed, tightening my grip on the handle of her suitcase and sweeping a hand out ahead of me to gesture for her to go ahead. “All I want is for you to remember how much of a gentleman I really am, even while I’m teaching you a lesson in humility next week.”
“Humility?” She let out a bark of a chuckle. “Really? You’re going to talk to me about that?”
I wrinkled my nose. “Yeah, you’re right. What do I know about humility? I definitely don’t lack pride and I’ve never been good at being modest.”
“You’ve also always thought that you’re better than others,” she pointed out with a big smile on her face. “I say that in the nicest way possible, of course.”
“Somehow, I don’t believe that.” I glanced at her as we reached my car. “This is probably something I need to work on, right?”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re not as bad as you were at one time in our lives.” Her gaze lingered on mine. “Back to being serious for a moment, you know you’ve grown into a man who’s kind of okay, don’t you?”
“Kind of okay.” I swiped my tongue across my lips, my eyes narrowing for a beat as I thought it over. “I think I’ll take it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She grinned and headed to the passenger door, winking at me over the roof of the car before she got in.
Once I joined her, I focused on getting us to the airport while Abi double-checked every aspect of our trip. “Okay, so our flight takes off in three hours, which means we should make it with lots of time to spare. Barring any unexpected hold-ups, of course. We’ll arrive in Miami just after lunchtime, but we don’t have anything scheduled with Fit Gal until the start of the event tomorrow.”
Which gave us some free time for either the beach or the aquarium. I grinned. “Do you know yet if either of us have been given a private pool?”
She shot me a faux-exasperated smile, way too much humor in her eyes for the exasperation to be real. “We’re going for work, remember? We don’t need a private pool for that.”
“No, but we do need one for our downtime,” I joked. “Did you pack the red bikini?”
My blood heated at the thought of seeing her in it again after all this time, but she just chuckled and shrugged in response. “I never said I even still had it. We won’t have that much downtime, anyway. The expo starts tomorrow and it looks like our schedule is pretty packed.”
All the way to the airport, Abi checked over the event itinerary and confirmed with people on the ground about the arrangements for our booth. After we’d checked into the special United club suite, I made a few phone calls to the office while she checked in with hers. Then I brought her back a drink and some appetizers when I went to our lounge chairs.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d had breakfast,” I said as I set down a platter I’d packed for us. “All the chocolate croissants are yours, by the way.”
“You still don’t eat them?” she asked, leaning over to grab one immediately. “I would’ve thought you’d come to your senses by now.”
I chuckled. “Breakfast is still meant to be savory. The only sweet options that should be served with it are fruit and yogurt.”
“What about donuts? Maple syrup? Cereal?”
“Still no.” I reached for a bruschetta and settled into my plush, comfortable armchair, taking in the quiet chatter and subdued bustle of activity around us. “Don’t you just love airports? None of the societal norms exist here. You can have whiskey and pizza at sunrise and no one blinks an eye. People in transit sleep wherever they can. It’s such a vibe.”
Instead of responding to my question, she looked across the little coffee table between us with a soft expression settling across her delicate features. “I didn’t think I’d ever be discussing those societal norms with you again. Did you think we’d ever travel together again?”
“No.” I didn’t even have to think about it. “I’m glad we are, though.”
“So am I.” She bit into her croissant and let out a quiet moan that made me wish we were in that private pool already. Her eyes even closed as she savored the bite she’d just taken, the croissants apparently still a firm favorite. When she reopened them, she looked right at me. “Are you still one of those weird aisle-seat people?”
“Hmm-mm.” Slightly distracted by the mildly erotic way she’d just swallowed her food, I had to give my head a little shake to clear it before I shrugged. “Depends. Are you still a window-seat person?”
Her light brown eyebrows tugged together. “Yeah, why?”
“Then I’m still an aisle-seat person.” I stated it as fact, because that was exactly what it was. “When you start wanting the aisle seat, I’ll start taking the window, but until then…”
She regarded me for another beat before her eyes slowly widened. “Hang on a second. When you told me you preferred the aisle seat, was that only because I said I preferred the window?”
“Well, no one ever wants to sit in the middle.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
I set my forearms down flat on the padded rests of the chair and cocked my head at her. “It doesn’t not answer your question either.”
As she stared at me, clearly surprised by what she was learning, my phone started buzzing on the table where I’d put it next to our platter. My dad’s name glared at both of us from the screen and she sighed but inclined her chin at it.
“You can get that. I’ll just step away for a moment. I want to get more coffee anyway.” She glanced at the wide, floor-to-ceiling windows and the early morning sunshine outside.
Looking so gorgeous that I’d rather have used my phone to take a picture than to speak to the man who was determined to keep us apart, I shook my head. “It’s okay. He can wait. Go get your coffee if you want, but let’s talk some more about the trip when you get back.”
I didn’t think she meant for me to, but I saw the moment she realized just what a big moment this was for me. She swallowed hard and blinked even harder, her brow furrowing as she rolled both of her lips into my mouth.
Whenever Dad called, I answered. Pretty much no matter what. The only times I hadn’t immediately picked up had been when I was in class or these days, when I was in a meeting. But even then, I’d excuse myself to call him back.
It was easier to just get it out of the way than to have him keep calling and calling me, but it wasn’t just that. I’d also always prioritized his immediate needs, yet I was starting to care less and less about them.
After everything he’d done, he deserved to be kept waiting for a change. Maybe it would help drive home the message I’d left him with the other night.
Abi seemed uncertain, her eyebrows rising when the phone started buzzing again, but I silenced it and turned the screen upside down. Then I looked at her, making it clear that I was growing. Learning how to prioritize things that were not my controlling dad.
By the time we arrived in Miami, I had many, many more missed calls from him, but after checking with my mom that they were both physically okay, I decided I’d return his calls when I had time. For now, the old grouch could wait.
I was too busy arriving at the hotel I’d be sharing with Abigail for the next week. It was a stunning place, right on the beach with palm trees swaying in the breeze, seemingly endless green gardens, and the ocean glittering beyond a white sandy beach.
Abi’s huge, golden-rimmed sunglasses covered her eyes, but I could just about feel them widening as we walked into a huge lobby complete with water features and even more greenery. She smiled as we approached the front desk.
“This is amazing,” she murmured quietly enough that only I would hear her. “Seriously. Amazing.”
“Agreed.” I was looking at her though, acutely aware that we’d be under the same roof the entire time we were here. With hundreds of our, well, not closest friends, but complete strangers. Even so, it really was going to be awesome. I turned to the receptionist and flashed her a happy grin. “Simon Astor and Abigail Walker. We’re checking in with Fit Gal.”
“Of course, Mr. Astor.” The receptionist picked up two welcome packets and passed one to each of us. “We’ve got you in adjoining suites this week. The door between them is locked, but if you’re not comfortable with that?—”
“No, that’s fine.” I swiped my welcome packet up before anyone could tell me I couldn’t have the suite next to hers. “Thank you. Have a wonderful day.”
Abi just smiled—always playing hard to get these days. I sighed but motioned for the bellboy transporting the cart with our things to follow me.
When we got to our rooms, I briefly noticed a giant bed, a balcony, and a spectacular, one-eighty-degree sea view, but as soon as my luggage had been dropped off, I tipped the bellboy and went to knock on the door between our suites.
“Sorry, no one’s home,” she called from the other side.
Chuckling quietly, I took a step closer to the door and flipped the lock on my side in preparation for her to open it. “Ah. That’s a pity. I was just looking for someone to come to the aquarium with me before the expo starts tomorrow, but never mind. I guess I’ll go alone.”
Not three seconds later, the bolt unlocked and Abi appeared on the other side. “Are you being serious?”
“Yep, but we’d better call an Uber quick. They close in a couple hours and I know you’ll want as much time there as possible.”