“What?” Panic widens Bristol’s eyes. “What the hell?”
“It’s all here for the world to see.” He hands her his phone. “Someone took the time to document your night out.”
Bristol’s expression darkens while she reads the Spotted post. By the time she hands Max his phone, she’s smoothed her face into a blank, shiny surface.
“Wow.” She takes the spot Max occupied on the lounge chair. “Must be a really slow news cycle if that’s all they have to talk about. No news there.”
“Are you kidding?” Sarah leans forward, her face alight with salacious speculation. “You’re dating one of the most eligible bachelors, like in the world, Bris. How could you keep that from us?”
“Bristol’s business is just that.” Rhyson flips steaks over the open flame. “She works hard and deserves some privacy when she finally takes some time to play. So leave her alone.”
His words come casually, but we all know he means it. He knows his sister as well as I do. She may be playing it cool, but this is not the kind of spotlight Bristol enjoys. She’s uncomfortable, and he doesn’t like it. They exchange a look, and I suspect there will be a follow-up conversation.
Meanwhile, I may as well be that steak Rhyson’s flipping on the grill.
Raw. Tossed. Seared. Hot.
I’m hot as hell. Riled like a horse with a bur under the saddle. If I don’t get out of here, I’ll explode all over this sunny day. And then there will be no secrets left. There won’t be a person on our team who doesn’t know how bad I have it for Bristol. Or how little she cares. And how sick to my soul I am of all this shit.
“I’m gonna head out,” I tell Rhyson at the grill.
/> “Marlon, no.” He stops flipping meat and gives me a searching look. He knows what this is about. “Dude, stay. Food’s almost done. We can—”
“I actually have a flight to catch.” I lean over and do the man pound-thump to his chest.
“Flight where?” His eyes move over my shoulder, I presume to his sister, before settling back on me.
“I got a few days off. I’m going to New York.”
“But—”
I turn away from him and address everyone else.
“Yo. I’m gonna bounce, guys.” I fist pound Max and Simon. Give Sarah a quick hug. “Got a plane to catch. I’ll be back next week.”
I head over to Kai, ignoring Bristol as she gets up from the lounge chair even though I feel her eyes on me. I feel her eyes on me all the time, but maybe I imagined it was more than it really is. After seeing those pictures of her with Parker, knowing he wants to marry her, knowing that she’ll probably do it and be miserable for the rest of her life just like her mother, I’m sick of trying to crack her code. I’m done deciphering how what she actually wants differs from what she says she wants. She says she wants Parker? I’ll take her at her word.
“Take care of my niece while I’m gone.” I leave a quick kiss on Kai’s cheek.
“Don’t go.” She grabs my wrist to stop me from pulling away, her dark eyes worried. “Grip, I’m sure that—”
“I’m not sure.” I cut off whatever assurances she would offer.
“Not anymore.”
Brushing past Bristol standing there as still as a statue, I head back into the house, through the rec room, and up the stairs. I’m in the foyer at the front door when the clack of heeled footsteps catches up to me.
“Grip.” Bristol’s voice at my back stops me with my hand on the door. “When were you going to tell me you were leaving town?”
I turn to face her but don’t take my hand off the door handle. If I keep it in my hand, maybe I won’t lose sight of the reasons I need to go.
“Bristol, I’m leaving town.” I turn back to the door. “Bye.”
“Grip, wait. Talk to me.”
Her touch on my arm stops me. Scalds me. I hate wanting her like this. Constantly. Futilely. I lean against the door, indicting her with a narrowed glance. She wants to talk? Let’s talk.
“You fucked him, didn’t you?”