Chapter 3 #2
I wasn’t sure I’d heard her correctly. “Come again?”
Her face flushed scarlet. “You know who I’m talking about. Chase is your best friend.”
“Yesss,” I drawled. “But I’m having a difficult time figuring out what any of that has to do with me. Or my dive class calendar.”
Julianne primly laced her fingers together in front of her. “Lacey and Daniel have decided on an underwater wedding. The wedding party—four of us, that is—all need to get certified to dive.”
“What? You’re in Lacey’s wedding?” Chase had never mentioned anything about that to me. But then again, why would he? I was there to listen to him bitch about the wedding, not get the finer points of it.
She took a big step forward to stand on the other side of the glass counter, her eyes blazing. “Is it so impossible to imagine that I have a friend? Or that she wants me to be her maid of honor?”
Frankly, it was hard to believe, but I managed to wrangle my mouth into not saying that. “I guess not. You caught me off guard, okay?” Then it dawned on me why she was here, and my eyes went wide. “Hold on. Do you want me to certify you guys?”
“You’re the natural choice,” she asserted as she fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve.
“Natural choice, huh?” I leaned forward, unable to resist a smug smile. “So you’re finally admitting my exceptional diving skills?”
“Very funny.” She shifted from foot to foot, and I tried not to notice how her high heels showed off her legs. “The wedding is important to Lacey, so we all have to get certified. And Chase has assured her you are the only guy for the job, damn him.”
“Right, because nothing says romance like bobbing around in the ocean with a tank on your back.” I laughed, getting ready to refuse.
There were plenty of instructors around.
Calypso Key Resort came to mind first. I was about to tell her to try her luck there because I’d rather certify a thirty-foot great white shark than her when my mind exploded with the most brilliant idea I’d ever had.
It was the answer to my prayers. I struggled to keep an even expression. “Let’s say I agree to do it.”
She nodded. “Thank y—”
“I’m not done yet,” I interrupted. “If I do this favor for you, I expect you to do one for me. Quid pro quo. Got it?”
Her brows drew together, suspicion flashing in those bright green eyes. “What do you want?”
“You know what I want. Approval for my new dive computers.” The wicked grin finally escaped to spread across my face. “You sign off on them, and I’ll give you guys, including the bride and groom, a thorough course on how to properly sink at their own wedding.”
“How dare you!” Her face turned beet red, which only made me smile more. “You should be happy to do this. It’s your job, Eli!”
I shrugged, leaning back again and folding my arms. “Think of it as a win-win. You get a certified wedding party, and I get my shiny new gear. What do you say?”
“You’re unbelievable,” she replied, staring at me like my head was covered in slime.
“Only in the best way,” I quipped, relishing the moment.
“C’mon, it’s practically destiny. Underwater weddings need certified divers, and I need dive computers to keep my operation afloat.
I’ll even volunteer to keep a watchful eye from afar during the ceremony to make sure no one freaks out.
We both know I’m the best man for the job. ”
She actually bared her teeth at me. The weight of her decision hung in the balance, and I was dying to find out if she’d say yes or no. As much as it killed me to stay silent, I kept my mouth tightly closed.
“Is that all this is to you? A business transaction? You’ve known Lacey for years!
I would think decency alone would make you thrilled to help!
” She parked both hands on her hips, and I had to admit the flush on her face didn’t detract from her looks at all.
I had known Lacey since she was a grasshopper, but I’d never paid her much attention or cared at all about her friends.
I met Julianne’s furious gaze head-on, not giving in. “Four certifications in exchange for ten new dive computers. Take it or leave it.”
Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought she might actually explode.
“You are such a complete, manipulative asshole!” she spat, her voice rising as she took a step closer.
“You’ll stoop to anything to get your way, won’t you?
This isn’t just about equipment for you—it’s about power.
You know how important this wedding is to Lacey, and yet here you are, holding it hostage like some kind of pirate. ”
I lifted one shoulder, feigning innocence. “Pirate? That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?”
“Dramatic?” Her hands shot up in exasperation. “You’re using my best friend’s wedding as leverage! And your best friend’s sister. What kind of person treats their friends like bargaining chips?”
I didn’t respond, keeping my arms crossed tightly over my chest. Her words stung more than I wanted to admit. But I couldn’t back down now. Not when I had her right where I wanted her.
“Go to hell, Eli!” Julianne spun around with military precision, and her heels echoed in the room as she stormed out of the dive shop.