Chapter 15 #2
Heath felt his cheeks grow hot. “Oh, no, it’s fine. I mean, we’re around one another constantly. A little time alone is good.”
The more alone time, the better, honestly.
In less than a week, he’d started recognizing the quirks and patterns in Evan’s tone and behavior.
He knew how he liked his coffee (just a little cream, no sugar), and how he didn’t like tea in the least (scandalous).
How objects the slightest bit askew made him twitchy, and how he used his left and right hands interchangeably for nearly every activity, which was… educational.
This was a problem. A huge, dangerous problem, and he could feel it clawing at his ribcage. A monster that needed to be wrapped in chains and tossed overboard immediately.
Evan turned from the bow and sauntered back to refill his glass before moving on to chat with Nate. As he passed, he caught Heath’s eye and asked, “What’s a pirate’s favorite letter?”
Heath bit his lips and shook his head. “Don’t you da—”
“Arrrrr!”
Heath forced his eyes closed against the blinding temptation of Evan’s smile and let out a heavy sigh. The women were looking at him when he opened them again.
“You are so smitten,” Isabella accused with a smile.
Olivia waved a hand. “It’s been a while since I’ve been around newlyweds. I’d forgotten how painfully cute they are.”
Heath paused with the flute of wannabellini pressed to his lips. “Beg your pardon?”
Olivia squinted, as if she were using telepathic powers to gaze into his mind. A ridiculous concept, of course, but he still turned his thoughts toward summoning a kraken, just to be safe.
“You have that man wrapped around your finger, and you know it.”
“I… do? Not! I totally don’t.”
Isabella found this especially amusing. “God, yes. It’s so obvious. He tries to be such a playboy, but there’s a reason he snapped you right up when he saw you.”
What was happening?
Heath shot back the entirety of his beverage, hoping that putting his brain on ice would slow its melting. He was successful in creating an immediate headache, but the panic and confusion lingered.
“Did you ladies begin drinking without us this morning?”
He felt the sharp arch of Olivia’s eyebrow in his soul. The woman was using his own tactics against him, and it was clear who the master was.
“You don’t think your husband is crazy about you?”
He swirled the empty glass carelessly, going for nonchalance. “I mean, he married me, so obviously…”
Isabella squeezed his knee. “Honey, trust us. You have nothing to worry about with that man.”
Danger! Danger!
“No, I don’t—I mean, I wasn’t really worried. Mostly. It’s just… um.” Olivia smiled, and he tried to twist away from the topic. “Am I being billed for this conversation? I don’t know if I can afford your hourly rate, Dr. Spencer.”
Olivia leaned into the plush leather and wrapped her slim fingers around her crossed knee. “Nonsense. This is a freebie.”
“Oh. Good.”
“You two have such electric chemistry, but there’s this physical distance between you. I don’t know how you can do it. Nate and I couldn’t keep our hands off one another when we were first married.”
“You still can’t,” Isabella quipped, earning an amused glare from her aunt.
Heath cleared his throat. Where were the damn orcas? “I’m just used to being cautious. Public affection isn’t always the safest idea.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie. When out in unfamiliar public spaces, he was certainly careful, but around people with whom he felt comfortable? Safe to say that were he and Evan actually together, the family would have been begging them to stop already.
“I can understand how you might be unsure, since we have only just met. I want to assure you that you are free to be yourselves here, with or without us in residence. Provided you feel comfortable doing so, of course.”
Heath added more peach to his glass and gave himself another headache as punishment for being a terrible person.
He abhorred lying, especially to people who didn’t deserve it.
Olivia and Isabella, and their wonderful and welcoming family most certainly didn’t, and he felt like a grifter for ingratiating himself into their happy anniversary celebration.
“I… thank you. Truly. I think I’m still just having trouble relaxing after the big day. You know how stressful weddings can be.”
The pressure mounted. He’d be a diamond by morning if he kept it up.
Isabella clasped her hands together. “Was it a big wedding? Oh! Do you have pictures? I would love to see you both all gussied up. Evan said you were dashing in a tux.”
“He is. Not as handsome as me, of course, but close.”
Heath startled as Evan dropped onto the seat next to him. He’d no idea his wannabehubby had been listening.
“Can we analyze him now?” Heath begged, getting another serving of peach. It was times like this when he wished alcohol didn’t do terrible things to him.
“I think Evan is a little too deep in the bubbly for analysis,” Olivia scolded with a wink.
Oh, of course. They couldn’t examine the tipsy guy. That would be unethical. Unlike trapping a man in the middle of the ocean and questioning his poor life choices.
“Anybody hungry?” Olivia asked, pulling a wooden serving board from a recessed cupboard Heath wouldn’t have noticed at gunpoint. He wondered if boat builders redesigned condos from the early 2000s, and if they would do it for the price of a Fiesta Burrito from Taco Bell.
Olivia put together a fabulous breakfast tray of fruits, pastries, and jams, which she passed around the guest cockpit before sauntering it over to Nate at the helm.
Evan helped himself to a fat strawberry. “You guys talking about me?”
Heath shoved a raspberry-laden hunk of puff pastry into his mouth to cover the involuntary sound he made watching Evan’s lips wrap around that berry.
Isabella watched them with intense amusement. “Oh, you know us. Can’t get enough Evan gossip.”
“I’m an open book, darling. What would you like to know?”
“Oh, really?” Isabella laughed, playfully tapping her chin in thought.
Heath chewed frantically. Evan had no clue what they’d been discussing, and one wrong answer could bring the entire operation down.
“We don’t have to be nervous around them,” he blurted before common sense could stop him.
“Oh… kay?”
“You know. The… um, touching and stuff.” Lord, where was the Bermuda Triangle when you needed it?
“The touching. And stuff,” Evan repeated, laughter bubbling just beneath the surface. That was another thing Heath had learned. Evan found his discomfort incredibly amusing. The jerk.
Isabella leaned forward to give both their hands a squeeze. “It didn’t even occur to me the two of you might not feel comfortable around us. I’m sorry. We should have said something sooner. You’re on your honeymoon, for God’s sake. You should be able to make out whenever you want.”
Heath sensed the encroaching darkness of his imminent demise. He was absolutely about to die of mortification. If Isabella’s earnestness hadn’t ensured it, the look of pure glee Evan gave him absolutely did.
“Well, thank you for your blessing, Iz. We will ruin every meal going forward.”
She rolled her eyes and went to join Olivia and Nate at the wheel. The moment they were alone, Evan snorted out a laugh. “I leave you alone for twenty minutes…”
“It’s not funny.”
“No? I think it’s hilarious.”
“We are lying to these lovely people!”
Evan leaned forward and took his hand the way Isabella had. It took all his strength not to yank his fingers free. They shouldn’t be touching like this. Like anything. Ever. This was a horrible pantomime, and they were taking advantage of people’s generosity with it.
“We are lying about who we are to one another, not about who we are in general. They like you because of you, not because you’re with me. Maybe they’re Chihuahua owners or something.”
“What does that—”
“Stop worrying so much. Be yourself and have fun. If you never see them again, what does it matter?”
It was honest, rational advice, so why did it feel like a dagger to the chest? “You don’t think I’ll see them again?”
Evan’s eyes darted to the side. “I mean, I guess you might, but—”
“But it’s unlikely, because why would they want to socialize with someone like me if they don’t have to?”
It was more of a statement than a question, because of course that was what Evan had meant.
People of their stature, of his stature, didn’t mingle with someone who couldn’t keep up.
Once the vacation was over, Heath would return to his shabby little condo on the subway line, and they’d never think of him again.
“That’s not what I said.”
“But it is what you meant, Westin.”
He sighed and opened his mouth to pile on more lies, but Heath was done listening. Holding up a hand, he stood and moved toward the hatch leading below deck. “Don’t. Go play with your friends and leave me alone.”