I’d just managed to choke down the drink as another employee showed up, escorting the men to the club’s steam room. I had sat in the one at my gym back home on occasion, but this place was state of the art and huge. There were two levels of horseshoe-shaped benches lining the walls. Everyone was naked, but the steam was so heavy that we didn’t have to worry about a lack of modesty. I wasn’t too worried about that sort of thing anyway. I had always been comfortable in my own skin.
“So Briggs, how are things going with you and our girl?” Faith’s dad asked. I didn’t know him very well, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. “You know, you’re ruining Elise’s plans to marry her off to the son of her best friend.”
There were a few chuckles around the room, and I realized that everyone was aware of the set-up with Cole.
“Now, that’s not true,” Sage’s dad cut in, shaking his head. “Elise just wants to see Sage as happy as Faith is.”
“So, no pressure,” Michael said, punching me lightly on the shoulder.
“Hey, you aren’t the only one that knows how to treat a lady,” I told him, grinning.
Michael had cornered me this morning to ask what was going on with Sage. I had the feeling that he was protective of her, and I assumed that was because of her relationship with Faith. They were closer than average cousins, with a sisterly relationship.
I told him the truth, that we were faking a relationship, but I was interested in her for real. He didn’t have to worry about her, because I was working on making that my job now.
The conversation changed after that, with everyone discussing sports. I didn’t follow many teams, but I’d always been a big fan of baseball. Golf had been my way to connect with my step dad, but my real father had taught me to love the Yankees. We’d gone to at least one game a year from the time I was eight until my dad passed away when I was eighteen.
Most of the men in the steam room with me also lived in New York, and when we talked about baseball, there was a big disagreement about which team was better, the Yankees or the Mets. I was happy to find that Sage’s dad was on the side of the Yankees. At least we had that common ground.
We were in the steam room for about an hour before a few of us were ready to get out. Michael and I were the first to leave. But as we were getting dressed, the others started to come out too. I enjoyed the steam, it left me feeling refreshed, but my stomach was rumbling.
“Any plans to feed us?” I asked Michael, checking the clock on my phone and seeing that it was about time for dinner.
“That’s part of our last stop for the evening. We’re going to a variety show at a dinner theater.”
“A variety show? What’s that exactly?”
“People singing and dancing, I guess.” He shrugged. “Faith arranged it.”
We left the locker room and found that the women were done with their nail treatments. Sage’s fingers and toes coordinated in a bright red color that matched her vibrant personality. She came straight to my side, looping her arm through mine. It felt natural to have her at my side like this, and I was pretty sure that she wasn’t just doing it to show the others that we were together.
We left the country club after that, heading back toward the hotel. The place we were staying was right on the beach, but the street was obviously a busy one. There were tons of restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops. It turned out that there was also a theater.
When we walked inside, there were already people seated at the round tables, waiting for the show to start, but there were six of them that sat empty right in front of the stage withReservedsigns.
Those were for our party, and Sage and I ended up at a table with Faith and Michael. The food was brought out first, and I was thrilled to see that it was fresh seafood. Cedar-smoked fish filets and wild rice with broccoli. In a place like this, I had no interest in eating anything that didn’t come straight from the nearby ocean.
While we ate, the people in the variety show started to walk through the room in their costumes, which included everything from glittery dresses to eighties-style rock clothes. There were women dressed as famous singers that were easy to identify—like the young blonde in the exact outfit that Britney Spears wore in herBaby One More Timevideo. There were also three men in tuxedos, carrying red roses that they gave out to women at the tables. When it was Sage’s turn to receive one, I couldn’t help noticing that the man giving it to her lingered for a moment longer than necessary before handing it over, his smile more flirtatious than friendly.
“A rose for a beautiful lady,” he said in a smooth voice.
A disturbing jealousy flared to life inside of me. I was starting to think that I needed to lay a real claim on this woman soon or I would be beating men off with a stick.
“Thank you,” she said, smelling the rose.
I shifted my weight in my chair so that I was closer to her and put an arm around her waist. Sage looked at me quizzically, and I leaned over even more to place a kiss on her temple.
“And for you,” the man said, turning to Faith.
It didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t pull that “beautiful lady” stuff with her.
“Are you okay?” Sage asked.
“Sure.” I nodded stiffly, but I could see that she wasn’t buying it. I was a little embarrassed about the way I felt, but Faith and Michael were having their own conversation so I knew that they wouldn’t hear if I told her the truth. “Okay, fine. I didn’t like the way that guy was looking at you.”
“And how was he looking at me?” she asked with a small, amused smile.
“Like he wanted to eat you up. And that’s my job.”