Let’s just enjoy our time together.” Jennifer laughed and hugged her. “Whatever you say, birthday girl.”
“That isn’t until tomorrow,” Elle pointed out.
They hadn’t taken two steps out of the ice cream parlor when Alex stepped in front of them.
Jennifer squealed and launched herself into his arms. For all the years Elle had known her, she had never heard Jennifer squeal about anything.
Elle sat back and watched as Jennifer and Alex hugged and kissed and whispered into each other’s ears. When they finally separated, she wondered if Jennifer had forgotten her.
“Do you mind if I steal Jen away for a few hours?” Alex asked her.
“Sure, go ahead.” _Bastard. This is our weekend. _ She put a wide smile on her face in hopes that he couldn’t read her mind.
Jennifer took her hand. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I’m heading back to the beach house to take a shower and get some of this sea salt off me.”
They all laughed as Jennifer tossed her the car keys, but the smile died on Elle’s lips as soon as they walked away. She turned toward the sidewalk and began the long trek back to Jennifer’s car.
While she walked she chided herself for being so mean to Alex, even if it was internally. The guy was sweet, and he treated Jennifer like a queen. What else could a friend ask for? No, she was just being selfish and bitchy.
By the time she arrived at Jennifer’s convertible BMW , she felt lower than a snake. She vowed to make it up to him when he brought Jennifer back to the beach house.
Elle pulled into the heavy traffic and made her way to the west side of the island.
She admired the beautiful homes being built along the beach and wondered if she would ever live in a house as grand.
By the time she pulled into the driveway of the beach house, she was tired and looking forward to their night of snack food and movies—more importantly Viggo Mortenson in
Lord of the Rings
.
Ah, to find a man like Aragorn, rugged, handsome, skilled with a sword and who spoke Elfish. Not that he existed, but it was nice to dream.
Elle unlocked the door and let herself in. As she pushed the door closed behind her, she flicked on the light switch and walked to the radio to turn it on. The rock station she and Jennifer had found last night came to life and one of her favorite songs was on.
Aerosmith blasted through the house, and Elle stripped off her sweat soaked bikini and headed for the shower to dream some more of Aragorn.
Chapter Three
Roderick shut off the motorcycle and glared at Val. “You just had to get one of these.”
Val grinned. “I thought it was better than the other option.” Roderick hated when he was right. If it hadn’t been for Aimery, he doubted he would ever have learned to drive the motorcycle, and even after nearly a month of riding it, he wasn’t comfortable. He much preferred a horse.
“Are you sure this is where she went?”
Val nodded and stuck his helmet on the seat of the motorcycle. “Come on.” After he unbuckled his helmet and placed it on the seat, Roderick followed Val.
They found the woman’s car easily enough. He wondered at her status in society since her car didn’t have a top on it like most.
Then he looked up.
“We have a problem.”
Val elbowed him in the ribs as he took the stairs to the front deck of the house.
“Val,” Roderick whispered, but the Roman was already knocking on the door.
Roderick stood beside the woman’s car and looked up through the cracks in the wood just as the door opened.
“Excuse me,” Val said and took a step away from the door.
Roderick would never have thought to do that to make the woman feel safe.
“Can I help you?”
Her voice was soft and smooth. Roderick wanted a good look at her, but the planks didn’t afford him the luxury.
“I was wondering if I could use your phone to call a friend. My motorcycle ran out of gas.”
She hesitated a moment. “You don’t have a cell
“That isn’t until tomorrow,” Elle pointed out.
They hadn’t taken two steps out of the ice cream parlor when Alex stepped in front of them.
Jennifer squealed and launched herself into his arms. For all the years Elle had known her, she had never heard Jennifer squeal about anything.
Elle sat back and watched as Jennifer and Alex hugged and kissed and whispered into each other’s ears. When they finally separated, she wondered if Jennifer had forgotten her.
“Do you mind if I steal Jen away for a few hours?” Alex asked her.
“Sure, go ahead.” _Bastard. This is our weekend. _ She put a wide smile on her face in hopes that he couldn’t read her mind.
Jennifer took her hand. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I’m heading back to the beach house to take a shower and get some of this sea salt off me.”
They all laughed as Jennifer tossed her the car keys, but the smile died on Elle’s lips as soon as they walked away. She turned toward the sidewalk and began the long trek back to Jennifer’s car.
While she walked she chided herself for being so mean to Alex, even if it was internally. The guy was sweet, and he treated Jennifer like a queen. What else could a friend ask for? No, she was just being selfish and bitchy.
By the time she arrived at Jennifer’s convertible BMW , she felt lower than a snake. She vowed to make it up to him when he brought Jennifer back to the beach house.
Elle pulled into the heavy traffic and made her way to the west side of the island.
She admired the beautiful homes being built along the beach and wondered if she would ever live in a house as grand.
By the time she pulled into the driveway of the beach house, she was tired and looking forward to their night of snack food and movies—more importantly Viggo Mortenson in
Lord of the Rings
.
Ah, to find a man like Aragorn, rugged, handsome, skilled with a sword and who spoke Elfish. Not that he existed, but it was nice to dream.
Elle unlocked the door and let herself in. As she pushed the door closed behind her, she flicked on the light switch and walked to the radio to turn it on. The rock station she and Jennifer had found last night came to life and one of her favorite songs was on.
Aerosmith blasted through the house, and Elle stripped off her sweat soaked bikini and headed for the shower to dream some more of Aragorn.
Chapter Three
Roderick shut off the motorcycle and glared at Val. “You just had to get one of these.”
Val grinned. “I thought it was better than the other option.” Roderick hated when he was right. If it hadn’t been for Aimery, he doubted he would ever have learned to drive the motorcycle, and even after nearly a month of riding it, he wasn’t comfortable. He much preferred a horse.
“Are you sure this is where she went?”
Val nodded and stuck his helmet on the seat of the motorcycle. “Come on.” After he unbuckled his helmet and placed it on the seat, Roderick followed Val.
They found the woman’s car easily enough. He wondered at her status in society since her car didn’t have a top on it like most.
Then he looked up.
“We have a problem.”
Val elbowed him in the ribs as he took the stairs to the front deck of the house.
“Val,” Roderick whispered, but the Roman was already knocking on the door.
Roderick stood beside the woman’s car and looked up through the cracks in the wood just as the door opened.
“Excuse me,” Val said and took a step away from the door.
Roderick would never have thought to do that to make the woman feel safe.
“Can I help you?”
Her voice was soft and smooth. Roderick wanted a good look at her, but the planks didn’t afford him the luxury.
“I was wondering if I could use your phone to call a friend. My motorcycle ran out of gas.”
She hesitated a moment. “You don’t have a cell
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