As I pull my shirt off and toss my hat toward her beach bag, Sadie follows my lead and steps out of her shorts. She effortlessly drags her tank top over her head and tosses her sunglasses onto her chair. My eyes trail from her painted toenails up her lean frame to a simple yet sexy black bikini. I swipe my hand down my face, trying to get my body to calm down as my heart thumps so loudly I can hear it in my ears.
Sadie is sleeper-hot—she keeps it on the down-low how downright breathtaking she is. I’ve always known. But seeing her here with my people, looking like this all while I know how brilliant and kind she is… It’s taken a lot of self-control to make it through this day.
"Ready?" She links her fingers in mine, and we walk toward the edge of the water.
"I’m sorry." Glancing at the side of her face, I wait for some sort of reaction, but Sadie remains stoic. "They’ve been through this before, and we all just want to support you. But I should have asked for your permission first."
We push past the initially brisk temperature of the water, wading in silently until Sadie is almost neck-deep.
"It’s okay that you told them. They’re your people, and since you’re involved, it seems fair that you would." She bounces up and down in the water, leaping each time a wave passes. "I’mactually sort of thankful I didn’t have to do it, that I didn’t have to watch their reactions."
That makes me chuckle thinking back to the coffee shop. "Ari’s was the funniest. But I didn’t share anything else, nothing about your work situation. I promise."
"Oh, I know!" Sadie narrows her eyes at me. "I’ve gotten the whole rundown about how I should keep in mind that you’re leaving, as if I’m not. Your sisters are kind of terrifying. And Ari has made it widely known that she thinks I should… hmm, how did she put it?" Sadie places a finger on her temple and taps lightly. "Oh yeah, fuck you as many times as possible for all of womankind. And then report back."
I step toward her, wrapping my arms around her and spinning her in the water until her back is pressed tightly to my front. Brushing my lips over the shell of her ear, I whisper, "Is that so?"
Sadie laughs but pushes off of me playfully. "She’s lost her mind if she thinks I’m—"
Pulling the hair tie out of her ponytail, she sinks under the water, leaving me hanging. I thought I was feeling a vibe between us. I mean,shekissedmeearlier. But maybe she really just wants to have friendly fun without benefits?
When she resurfaces, her hair is slicked back away from her face, water rolls down her chest, and she’s laughing. Sadie wraps her arms around my torso, and I hold her so close I can see the tiny droplets of water that dot her eyelashes. "Sorry, forgot to finish my sentence," she says coyly. "I’m not sharing any details with her."
Leaning in, I press a soft kiss to her lips, tugging the bottom one with my teeth slightly. "That was cold, Sade. I thought for a second I had misread the vibe."
She rolls her eyes, but laughs cheerily. "Nope, I’m embracing the vibe." Sadie pulls away from me and spins in the water. "Look at me, practically the definition of carefree."
I should have known she’d take this whole thing to another level. The woman is top-speed all the time. Give her a test, and she’s studying for it even after she’s memorized the book. Ask her to have fun, and I guess she’s suddenly a clown.
"We should probably get back up there. It looks like most of them are packing up. And I still need to help you solve your next clue."
Sadie nods, moving toward the beach. Once we are clear of the water, we trek up the sand to our towels. My sisters and Thad waved their goodbyes while we were still knee-deep, but Howie, Sam, Olive, and Ari wait idly.
"Sadie, it was so nice to spend the day with you. Please let me know if you need anything." Olive pulls her into a tight hug, not seeming to care about getting wet, and Sadie shudders a little. She’s affectionate with me, but I haven’t seen her be that way with anyone else aside from her nieces.
Sam nods, echoing the sentiment, before slapping me on the shoulder and shooting me a skeptical look. He’s always been our protector, so I’m not surprised that he’s being cautious about this whole situation.
"Sade, I’ll see you on Sunday for family dinner. Call me if anything comes up." Howie gives her a side hug, and she punches his arm lightly. I can tell from just a few hours that they have a special bond, that they used to be tight and probably still would be if she weren’t so busy with the Flames.
Ariella smirks at me, nodding between the two of us and tossing me a thumbs up. If Sadie notices it, she doesn’t acknowledge it. There’s some tension there, I’d guess over the man with red hair.
Once everyone has left, Sadie and I pack up our belongings and begin our walk back to my truck.
"Did you have fun?"
She tightens her grip on the bag she refused to let me carry. "Yeah. You have a lot of people. It’s nice." Her voice goes up an octave when she says it, like the words are uncomfortable.
"Do you have a lot of friends in Golden City?" I chance the question, knowing she’s shared her lack of a social life. The answer is one I can probably guess, but I’d like to know for sure.
"Hmm, I have a roommate, Meg. And a couple of friends at work, but we don’t really hang out outside of the arena." Sadie steps up next to my truck. "I don’t think you understand how busy these jobs are. You aren’t going to have a ton of free time either."
I’m sure that’s true, but I can’t imagine being in Washington without anyone. Making friends—people I can count on—is a priority for me. It’s hard for me to reconcile why it isn’t for her. But I also don’t want to dig too deep, as that’s not what this is.
"Maybe. I guess I’ll find out," I say instead. "Do you have the puzzle book with you?"
"No, I left it at my mom's house."
I hit the key fob, unlocking the door, opening it, and hoisting Sadie inside. Once I’m tucked in next to her, we head toward her house.