CHAPTER 41
Quinn
A king-sized bed fills the space, sheets crisp, pillows stacked high. I take it in with a wry smile—we’ve done this before, after all. Sharing a bed isn’t new for us, but the setting makes it feel different.
“Best decision ever.” I chuckle and tug his hand. “I want to go to the beach right now.”
He grabs his towel and board shorts. “Lead the way.”
“Let me get changed quickly.”
“Okay,” he says, heading to the spare bathroom.
I dig through my bag and pull out what I thought was my high-waisted swimsuit, but when I unfold it, it’s my sunflower-patterned bikini.
Definitely not the high-waisted one I thought I'd thrown in. I hesitate, glancing toward the bathroom mirror, heart ticking faster. It’s just Cole. Just my friend.
Still, the idea of him seeing me in this makes my stomach twist. After a deep breath, I slip it on under my dress. I can do this.
Cole’s in the living room when I step back out, towel over his shoulder, hair mussed.
“Got everything?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, then, let’s go.” He holds the door, and we step into the elevator.
As soon as the beach opens up, I take off.
Cover-up tossed to the sand, I rush to the water, waves lapping at my ankles.
Cole splashes after me, water spraying in wide arcs as he barrels into the shallows.
His grin is wild and breathless when he catches up, droplets glinting on his skin.
And fuck me, he has the body of Adonis. Sun gilds his skin, wet hair pushed back, and the sight steals my breath.
“Do you think there are sharks?” I call, breathless with laughter.
“Most definitely,” Cole shouts, sprinting to scoop me up and dump me into the water.
“But the sharks!” I shriek.
“They’d spit you out.” He grins. “Allergic to pineapple-on-pizza girls.”
I squeal and splash him back, water stinging my eyes as I laugh so hard my stomach aches. “You’re ridiculous,” I manage between giggles, wiping my face with one hand.
He scoops me up again, holding me close. “You really are cute,” he says, voice lower. His arms stay around me just a beat too long, the warmth of him soaking through even as water drips down my skin. I wriggle free and dart up the sand.
He catches me, laughter spilling out, and I can’t help but laugh with him. “It’s good to hear you laugh,” he says, eyes sparkling.
Then it hits me—it’s been so long since I’ve laughed like this, freely, without forcing it. The realization knocks into me harder than the waves.
For a moment I wish I could reach back to that sad version of myself, the girl who sat waiting around for Josh, and whisper that it gets better. That laughter, real friendships, and days like this would come back and be brighter than she ever believed.
I grab the towel and wrap it around myself as I sit on the warm sand.
Cole drops down beside me, and I tug the fabric wider to cover him too.
Our knees bump, his thigh warm against mine, and when his arm settles around my shoulders, it feels less like just keeping out the breeze and more like something quietly his, steady and close.
His fingers brush mine under the towel, lingering there, impossible to ignore. I lean into his shoulder, closing my eyes as the world fades and the chaos in my head quiets.
“I haven’t done this in years,” I murmur.
“Done what?”
“This.” I gesture to the beach. “Just picking up and doing the things I want. I didn’t realise there were parts of me I still loved.”
“I’m glad you’ve found her again,” Cole says softly. “It makes me happy to see you happy.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
I look at him, really look. The sharp line of his jaw softened by the light, the curve of his mouth still holding a smile, the depth in his forest-green eyes when he’s this close.
The wind lifts a strand of my hair, and he brushes it back, tucking it behind my ear. My gaze flicks to his mouth before I force it back to his eyes.
“Thanks.” The word comes out in a whisper.
“Anytime,” he husks, pulling me in tighter, his breath warm at my temple when I shiver.
The crash of waves fills the space between us, the moment teetering on the edge of something more, like if either of us breathed the wrong way it would tip over.
I break it with a shaky laugh. “I’m cold now. Let’s go back.”
I stand and hold out my hand. He takes it, laughter still lingering on his lips as the familiar jolt runs up my arm, sharp, electric, impossible to ignore.
“Okay, drinks?”
“I have a better idea,” I say, standing up with a grin before grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the hotel, laughter bubbling between us as we run.