Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“Guess you fold as fast as everyone else when you’re with him. Early morning probably left you pretty tired, huh, little bro? Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you.”
I can feel Anna’s eyes on the side of my face. This is how it always starts with Alex, and whatever suspicion he has about my marriage will only make it worse. I know it’s irrational and a remnant of how we used to one-up each other for our dad’s approval when we were kids, but I want to beat him. At everything.
It’s an instinct that’s hard to shake.
Anna slams the brakes on this line of thinking by putting an arm around my back, resting the other hand on my stomach and gently scratching, just like she unconsciously did last night. I work to suppress a shiver. Turning, she looks at him over her shoulder.
“He probably is tired,” she tells him with a brazen smile. “My bad.”
Jake catcalls. My mother tells him not to encourage us, but I appreciate this save. I lean a little closer to her, breaking her gaze only when Eko calls our attention so she can go through the plan.
“We’ll be paddling about half a mile out to the reefs just past that small island you can see on the right side of the horizon.” She points to a little speck of green in the distance. “The only tricky part is getting past the waves right here, and you can see that they’re pretty calm now, so it’s a great time to get started. Once we’re out there, we can tie the kayaks together and everyone is welcome to hop in and do some snorkeling.” She looks around at those of us gathered and splits us into pairs: me and Anna; Alex and Blaire; Jake and Reagan; Mom and Dad; Charlie and Kellan; Kellan’s parents; and two of Charlie’s bridesmaids who I think arrived last night.
Eko goes through the basics of paddling, giving us tips about what areas of the reef to avoid as we approach. “Is everyone comfortable with the basics of kayaking?” she asks.
Alex squints out at the water. “Got a couple Nash Sea Hawks back home. Blaire and I take them out on the Back Bay most mornings.”
“Here we go.” Blaire rolls her eyes. “It’s not a race, babe.”
Alex and I exchange a look. We were raised by Ray Weston. Everything is a race.
I reach back, pulling my T-shirt up and off, tossing it to the side. Alex hesitates and then does the same, his expression turning homicidal when I smirk down at his soft little paunch.
Beside me, Anna claps obliviously, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I’m excited for kayaking!”
Alex snorts, looking at her derisively, like she’s an idiot. In a hot flush, my hackles are up, and every rational thought goes out the window.
“Course you are, sweetheart,” I say, steadying my voice and looking down at Anna. “I went running without you this morning and you really let me have it.”
She looks up at me, confused. “I did?”
I hum, letting my eyes drop to her lips.
“Does that mean what I think it means?” Blaire whispers to Anna.
“I… think so?” Anna says vaguely, still frowning up at me.
“We work out together every morning.” I’m speaking to Alex but holding Anna’s gaze. Maybe it’s the pent-up frustration from last night, or maybe my brother just brings out the worst in me and the best way to drag him is through his wife’s dissatisfaction, but I keep going. “Gets the blood flowing, doesn’t it?”
Blaire exhales a shaky breath. “Jesus Christ.”
Anna’s eyes go wide, and she nods enthusiastically. “Sure does.”
I kiss the top of her head. “This’ll be fun.”
“Regardless, Blaire and I can’t be beat on the water,” Alex says, more aggressively now. “We go out nearly every morning. We exercise together all the time.”
I nod, smiling in the condescending way he hates. “You said. Not sure we’re talking about the same thing, though.”
“I’m talking about kicking your ass,” he says.
My mother steps between us, hostess smile firmly tacked to her face. “I hope everyone has a lovely, relaxing time this morning. This vacation is chock-full of things to do!” Then lower, Mom Tone activated: “Let’s enjoy each other.”
“Eh, let them battle it out,” Dad says. “Alex has got his panties up his ass.”
Eko has clearly dealt with family bullshit before and rolls on as if she hasn’t heard any of this. “Everyone ready?”
Without further permission, I take Anna’s hand, leading her immediately to the best-looking kayak in the group.
“What the hell are you doing?” she mumbles when we’re out of earshot, stumbling after me.
“Nothing,” I tell her. “Alex just gets competitive.”
“Alex does? Really?”
“Just… let me do the paddling.”
“I can help once I figure it out,” she says, laughing. “I’ve been in a kayak once, when I was, like, seven.”