Olivia: Just a good friend in need. If she’s going to stick with Mitch, she’ll need good friends.
Elena: He dumped her ass.
Olivia: Only after he owned it.
Elena: He’s telling everyone how he’ll win you back.
I don’t bother replying. One of my closest girlfriends growing up, my wallflower best friend decided to get over her own disastrous breakup with a cheater by applying for a reality TV show. None of us expected her to apply—and none of us expected the show producers to see the beautiful person inside a real body. As far as I’m concerned, Elena is a gorgeous single woman and anyone who is matched with her is an idiot if he doesn’t appreciate her.
Elena: Gonna talk about him?
Elena: Hunter, not the other him.
Elena: Don’t do anything stupid. It took you long enough last time to get over him.
Problem is, I never did. Although, it seems all my friends have the same thought. I’m about to put my phone onto charge when a batch of cryptic texts arrive.
Jess: Surprise
Tash: Remember your promise
I guess one of my first house calls back in Sydney will be to tell Tash that she’s lost her chance with Hunter because there is no way in hell I’ll set them up.
Jess: Did you remember to pack sunscreen?
What?
The Devil Returns
Hunter
The asshole turned up.Not only turned up uninvited and unannounced but completely and totally, fucking unwelcome.
Mitchel-fucking-Hazel arrived at the reception desk, asking for directions to his room—the room I paid for even when it was still for his honeymoon.
“Mr. Williams,” the receptionist sounds unsure as she calls at midday, interrupting an afternoon nap. Olivia and I had caught an early morning swim and decided to spend a lazy afternoon between the sheets and in our private pool overlooking the coastline. Making love to Olivia from behind, enjoying each other and the incredible view, knowing the sheer drop from poolside to the beach is over fifty meters. Thrilling. Fan-fucking-tastic.
“Was there a cancellation?” I trace around the freckle at the top of Liv’s hip, hoping a spot has opened up on the glass-bottom kayak. She’d booked one for the second day but canceled. Now it’s another thing we want to cross off our bucket list.
Yes, we have a fucking bucket list. Her list, my list, and our list. All the things we missed doing together, time for a redo. All the things we wanted to do but didn’t, because the people we had been with were the wrong partners.
And all the things we individually want to experience.
Including, thankfully, we both want children. Two or four, it seems. I could compromise on three. As long as Olivia is content, I can be flexible on when and how many. As long as they are with her.
“A Mr. Hazel is here, asking for directions to his room.”
What the duck?
“Liv,” I hold my hand over the receiver. I wait until I have a full view of her eyes and body. A bastard act, but I have to see her initial reaction.
To him. To the fact he borrowed more money from somewhere to fly here and must have paid for a room. Surely he doesn’t expect to stay with us?
“Babe, what’s up?”
“We have a visitor,” I start slowly, needing to experience her full realization. To see if any part of her is excited or happy to see him.The bastard is fucking here.All I want to do is cup her face in my hands and convince her to stay with me. Keeping my tone even and devoid of the fire in my gut, churning and eating me alive even before I have any reason to be afraid.
“Who?” The longer I pause, the more her concern grows. I can hear the muffled sounds from the receptionist, but she is not my priority.
