37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Sam
T he boarding goes smooth, and my buddy system partner passed out one hour into our very long flight. I don’t want to know what they had to pay to get a direct flight out. Makes me wonder what all these other people on the plane do for a living. Looking out the window, I start to see peeps of blue.
“Babe, wake up.” I shake her, noticing the drool sticking to my shoulder. Nice touch to my tropical button up that I am wearing, despite my hour of begging Addie to not make me.
She blinks slow, and then quicker. Sitting up straight and in a hurry, she asks, “Are we there?”
“No, but we are flying over the ocean, and I thought you might enjoy that.”
“Aw. Thanks.” She cozies up to my shoulder. Noticing the drool, a flush rises to her cheeks. “Oops, sorry. I, er, drooled a little here.” She tries to wipe it away, which just causes it to spread further. Probably still the least embarrassing thing to happen to her today.
“Wow, I didn’t notice.”
She nudges me. It appears the little demon that had entered her body pre-flight has been exorcised now that she can visibly see she will not be missing this trip. And she has let go of the whole TSA debacle.
“What’s the first thing you want to do?”
Leaning over my shoulder, she looks out the window and the miles of blue ocean beneath us. “Swim in the ocean. I’ve never done it.”
My head rears back in surprise. “What? You’ve been living by the coast for months now.”
“Yeah, but the water was so cold, it would literally freeze my tits off.” Fair point. Our waters aren’t the warmest. If someone wants any chance of a good swim day, they better wait until mid-June, at best.
“I’m quite fond of your tits. So, thank you for sparing them. Okay, we can change, and then go swim.” The thought of getting Addie half-naked in a bikini isn’t such a bad idea either. Win-win for both of us.
It worked out perfectly that I was able to room with Addie. And it turns out that Isla and Cal had booked all the flights together, so I was still able to get a spot next to her. She isn’t allowed to drool on anyone but me. Even though it is absolutely gross.
The flight lands smoothly. Even with that, Addie’s nails anxiously dig into my skin with every minor bump. The airport here is nice and open, and the warm, Hawaiian breeze moves through. I’m not the overly excited type, but even I cannot wait to get into the water, or to hop in a car and go explore.
The wedding isn’t for three more days. So, we have some free time to enjoy before. After that, Cal and Isla are going their own way, and I will have Addie all to myself for the rest of the week.
We move through the airport like cattle. Cal and I stay back at the baggage claim, while Isla and Addie go work out the rental car situation. More people from our flight start gathering around the carousel.
“So, things are going pretty good?” Cal asks.
Unable to help it or hide it, I smile. “Yeah, things worked out just fine.” Better than fine. Addie’s been in my bed, or I’ve been in hers, every night. Right next to her, where I belong.
“Glad to hear it. Tomorrow, Isla insisted on having a girls day with Addie and Liv. Feel free to swing by our hotel. Tyler will be swinging by.”
“Will Dad be there?”
“Yeah, no.” He shakes his head. “Hard pass. I did have a talk with him about you, though. So, if he pulls you aside at any point, you know why.”
A little anger wants to flare in me, because why the fuck would he do that? This trip is supposed to be a good time. It’s the first time we’ve all gotten along and been together in years. And then, I think about the fact that my biggest complaint was that he never stood up for me. So, I can’t exactly be mad at him for doing exactly what I asked. Damn. Complaining to people really does come at a cost.
“I’m not holding my breath,” I say, and Cal chuckles because he knows Dad would rather gnaw off his own arm before showing any human emotion and admitting he’s in the wrong. But I’ve been wrong before. So, time will tell. “You excited for the big day?”
“Yeah, it’s her day, though. I let her run wild.” He smiles at her from a distance as she and Addie walk to get our cars. Something like that before would have annoyed the shit out of me. But now? I get it. When your whole heart is walking outside your chest, it’s hard to take your eyes off it. “Word of advice, avoid closets during the wedding.”
“What?” My head whips back to him, because what the hell does a closet have to do with anything?
“Just some personal experience.” Cal’s shoulders shake with laughter, and I feel like I’m missing the joke. This conversation has taken a weird turn.
Saved by the bell, literally. The little bell rings, letting us know bags are on their way through. By some stroke of luck, all of our bags are at the front.
“Where the fuck are Liv and Tyler?” I just notice that they aren’t with us. I look around at the faces darting past, grabbing bags, and waving at people waiting for them.
“They only packed carry-ons and scooted out of here the second we landed.”
I would have done that, but Addie’s damn packing method has us prepared to be stranded in the fucking desert for the rest of our lives.
Addie and Isla rejoin us, giggling with keys in their hand.
“Do I even want to know what you’re laughing at?” Cal asks.
As always, in perfect unison, “No,” shoots out of their mouths. Which makes them laugh harder.
I look at Cal and he shrugs. How he survived living with this small pack of hyenas is beyond me.
When Addie and I get in our car, curiosity won’t quit in me. “Cal told me to stay away from cleaning closets. Do you have any idea what that’s about?”
Addie’s laughter adds to my confusion.
“Oh, he and Isla got caught banging in a cleaning closet at Liv and Tyler’s wedding. Liv walked in and got a broom and a show.” She wags her eyebrows at me, and I blankly stare at her.
My hand falters as I reach for my seatbelt to buckle myself in. “My brother, Cal, who has never broken a rule in his life, had sex in a closet? At our sister’s wedding?”
“Yup,” she says, popping the p .
Wow. Maybe he isn’t as prim and proper as I had imagined him to be. Good for him.
The drive to the hotel is filled with warm air swimming through our open windows. Everything here is so, so green. Palm trees line the roads, leading us to our hotel.
Check-in goes smoothly. Addie has it all handled, and we’re up to our room in fifteen minutes. We swing open the door and are welcomed by a cool, tile floor, the world’s smallest bathroom, and a fluffy, white bed.
“Oh my gosh, look how cute this is!” Addie’s excitement drips from her voice. She holds up a baby elephant made from a specially wrapped towel. “Oh, and chocolates. Wow, what a good day.” She drops the elephant and immediately makes her way to the sliding glass door.
The second the door is opened, we are met with a warm, salty breeze. Feeling the warmth on my skin has me gravitating to the patio with her. Honestly, it’s probably her calling to me. She always does. I could find her in a room while blindfolded.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Her eyes glitter as she looks out at the crashing waves.
Peeling my eyes off her, I look over the water. The color of the water is so different from what I am used to—bright turquoise into a deep navy in an ombré effect. My eyes drag back to her. It’s almost hard to believe she’s mine. Her natural beauty has me thanking my lucky stars every fucking day that she’s mine.
“Sure is.” My arms find their way around her, pulling her tight against my chest. The moment feels too good to be true. “You ready to go take a dip?”
“Yes. It would be good for me to wash some of today’s events off.” She twists out of my arms and darts straight to the bags. “Then, we’ll come back, and I will unpack.” She grabs out a hot pink swimsuit and a floral sundress from her bag.
Reaching my hand up to scratch behind my head, I say, “We’re only here for a week? Why would you unpack?”
She looks up at me, genuinely bewildered. “We can’t just live out of our suitcases like a pack of wild animals. Like, how would I know where my favorite swimsuit and sandals are?”
Raising my hands in question, I say, “I don’t know, dig through your suitcase like a normal person?”
“That’s a no from me.” She points both her thumbs back on herself. “We’ll come back and get organized.” I always thought I was an organized person, and then I met Addie and realized I am not.
“How exciting.” I put on the flattest smile I have.
The walk to the beach is short, and Addie takes off the second her toes touch the sand. She takes turns hopping on each foot to grab her flip flops. Her sundress ripples in the wind. Good news, if she ever gets chased by a bear, she can, in fact, run.
Her feet touch the water and she turns to look at me. The smile on her face could make my heart stop. I don’t have to wonder what Addie is feeling, almost ever. Every emotion is written on her face like a little map to her heart. And right now? My girl is feeling nothing but joy. Which makes me want to run. Be closer.
I slip off my sandals and join her in the water. She’s made her way knee-deep, the water lapping at the hem of her dress. I grab her hand and pull her to me. Her hands wrap around my neck, and I can’t fight the idea that comes. I pick her up, and like a reflex, she wraps her legs around me.
I start to move, and she immediately knows where I am going with this. “Sam, no. We’re going to get drenched. Let me take off my dress.” She looks over her shoulder as the water starts to climb up to my waist.
“It’ll dry.” I walk us deeper into the water. She tries to climb up me higher, but it’s a waste. Her laugh fills my ears as I fall backward with her wrapped around me. If her laugh is the last thing I hear, I could die a happy man.