Chapter 20
RECON AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
Thane
“Well, actually, I have two plane tickets with our names on them to the Bahamas, and the flight leaves first thing Wednesday morning. I figured we could use a fresh start somewhere amazing,” he says with a smarmy smile. “What do you say?”
Sera’s mouth drops open from what I hope is shock, but before I can stomach her reply, I jump up from my chair. “I’m going for a walk,” I grumble, and head down the path to where Bash is staying.
My blood is boiling! I cannot believe that Fina would give that guy the time of day, much less her heart.
She is so much better than that jerk, and even though he treats her like garbage, she is still trying to be nice.
I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her pretty little head, then toss him into the lake.
The whole way down to Jamie’s lake house my mind repeats the horrible way he treated her, and I’m so worked up that Bash immediately puts down his fishing pole when he sees me coming toward him.
“What’s gotten into you? You look like you’re ready to punch someone’s face in,” Bash says as he jogs up the dock toward me.
“It’s because I am,” I say through gritted teeth.
Bash laughs. “Is my sister that terrible?”
“No, it’s not her. Her douchebag of an ex-boyfriend, on the other hand…” I trail off.
“Oh boy. We need a drink for this,” Bash says, reaching into the cooler and tossing me a bottle of Dr. Pepper. “Come, sit.”
We wander over to a quiet spot on the dock and find two camp chairs. I twist the cap, take a big swig, and swallow before I begin.
“He’s the absolute worst.”
“He can’t be that bad, can he? Sera’s judgment is pretty good most of the time.”
I nod in the affirmative. “Usually, but do you remember that guy who took her to Homecoming the year after we graduated?”
Bash makes a face. “You mean the guy who was two hours late picking her up, refused to pay for dinner, then made out with another girl in the parking lot?”
“That’s the one. Well, Brad makes that guy look like a saint.”
“So his first impression was a mess, huh?”
“Catastrophic. He showed up uninvited and unannounced, and has done nothing but criticize her and belittle me. Honestly, I don’t care how he treats me. But he fat-shamed Sera right in front of everyone at the fire pit! You should’ve seen her face, man. I wanted to deck him.”
“Get in line, I want the first swing,” Bash says, standing. “Hey Jamie, we’re headed down shore to my parents’ lake house. We’ll be back in a few,” he calls up to his fiancée.
I jump up from my chair and jog down the trail behind Bash. “Wait, are we gonna fight him?”
“Nah, man. I have to be careful about assault. The Secret Service frowns upon things like that.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
“Recon and psychological warfare are free game,” Bash says, and punctuates it with his “mischief smile.” I haven’t seen that expression in years, and it makes me all giddy inside, like we’re about to stir up a bunch of trouble. “Tell me more about him.”
I slap Bash on the back. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. I’m glad you finally came home,” he replies with a grin.
I take a deep breath in as we reach the lake house, still trying to decide whether coming home to New York was a good idea or not.
I mean, mending fences with Fina hasn’t been easy, but it has been healing.
The jury’s still out on how it’ll turn out in the end, though.
At this moment, I’m not sure if she still wants to shave off one eyebrow when I sleep, or if we can at least be friends again.
But as long as Bradley is here, no progress will be made in that department, I’m sure of that.
Sera runs out to greet us, and wraps Bash in a hug before slugging him in the arm.
“Hey, big brother, it’s been too long! How is your oh-so-important job with the Secret Service?”
Bash slugs her back, but not nearly as hard. “Secret,” he says with a laugh.
“Do you get to guard the president?”
Without missing a beat, he replies, “That’s classified,” and we laugh.
That is, until Bradley wanders down toward us. The tension he brings sucks everything but the humidity from the air, and I clear my throat.
Sera stiffens when he puts his arm around her, and when she tries to slide out from underneath him, he holds onto her tighter. “Bash, this is Bradley… my… ex-boyfriend.”
Bradley lets out a laugh. “I’m not your ex-boyfriend, Serafina.
This whole thing has just been one misunderstanding.
You’ll see. And I’ll explain it all to you on the beach in Bimini on Wednesday.
” He squeezes her tighter, and it takes every ounce of goodness inside me not to unleash the ugliest side of myself onto him.
Bash is better at weird situations than I am, so he immediately sticks his hand out to shake the hand Bradley has around Sera. When Bradley releases his grip on her to shake Bash’s hand, she immediately puts a few feet between them.
“That’s quite a grip there, ‘Bash.’ Do you work out?” Bradley’s awkwardness at using Bash’s nickname is palpable, and I hold in a snicker.
“Sure do. Can’t protect the president if you skip the gym,” Bash says with a cocky grin.
“I knew it! You get to guard the president? What is he like?” Sera exclaims.
“He’s actually way cooler than people think. But that’s all I can say. He likes whatever privacy he can salvage.”
Brad nods thoughtfully, then turns the conversation back to himself. “I’ll bet I could beat you in an arm wrestle,” he challenges Bash.
“I could not be more disinterested in that,” Bash says. “But you kids have fun. I’m going back to be with my beautiful fiancée.”
I shoot him a look that says, Don’t leave me alone with these two, but Bash ignores my eyeball plea and turns down the trail.
I open my phone and shoot him a text as he disappears into the woods.
Thane: What do you think? Should we have the internet go out, or just lose his charging cable?
Bash: Let me mull it over a bit. See you tomorrow, Brother.
Thane: I can’t believe you left me alone with that douche canoe.
Bash: You can handle it. I believe in you.
I shake my head and turn off my phone screen.
Some friend he is…
The laughter from the fire pit pulls me from my thoughts and back to where I don’t want to be. I wander toward everyone with lead feet and slump down in a camp chair.
“So, Brad,” I emphasize the nickname and watch his jaw clench, “where are you staying while you’re here?” I ask.
“Well, since all the places in town are booked for the holiday weekend, I thought I’d stay here in your room with you, Serafina.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she says.
“Sera, be a welcoming hostess,” Mrs. Spencer cuts in.
“Your mom is right, Fina. Then we can all get to know each other better. I’m pretty sure we have an extra bunk bed open, since Bash is staying at Jamie’s.”
Sera’s eyes scream, What are you doing?! But I grin like the Grinch on Christmas Eve in response. “We all stay in the bunk room, and Sera and I have already claimed our bunks. I think there’s one left that’s not broken.”
Brad cringes. “Like, child bunk beds?”
“Yep! And one of them has your name on it, Big Guy. But I recommend a lower bunk for someone of your stature. These beds are twenty years old. In fact,” I say, standing, “let’s go get you settled in now.
” I put an arm around Brad, squeeze him until he grunts, and lead him toward his luggage still on the back patio from this morning.
I slap him on the back and head inside. I make it a point to grab his heaviest bag on my way past and take the stairs to the bunk room two at a time.
Brad throws his backpack on and rushes to keep up with me, which makes me push harder.
When he finally makes it up to the bunk room, he looks around with a cringey face.
When he notices I’m watching him, he switches gears.
“Which bed is yours, Serafina?” Brad asks suggestively. “I want to bunk by you.”
I plunk Brad’s bag on the farthest bed from Sera’s. “The bed under Fina’s is mine. But Bash’s is open. How’s this, Brad?”
He clenches his jaw. “It’s Bradley.” Then he turns his attention to Sera. “Serafina, do you want to take the bunk above mine?”
I answer for her. “She would, but that one is broken.”
Brad’s shoulders tense, and his fists ball up in frustration. “Fine,” he growls, throwing his things on his bunk.
“All we’ll be doing is sleeping here anyway,” Sera says, trying to calm the contention simmering between us.
Brad forces a smile and wraps his arm around her. “True. We’ll have plenty of time to be alone in paradise.”
Then he does the douchiest thing ever. He pulls her close, grabs her butt, and looks me dead in the eyes to mark his territory. His face says, Mine, but his actions challenge me to a duel.
Challenge accepted, Brad.