“Hey, you. Here.” She passes me the bottle and I lick my lips.
“Thank you. This isexactlywhat I need.”
“It’s Australian.”
“All the best things are.”
Luke scoffs from behind me, but when I turn around he’s grinning.
“Don’t even pretend you don’t love the slang I’ve been teaching you.” I roll my eyes. “Amelia told me you’ve used some of my words.”
“Onegood thing then. I don’t know about ‘all.’” He uses quote fingers.
“Okay… What about Margot Robbie, AC/DC, Tim Tams, Heath Ledger, The Hemsworth Brothers, Pavlova—”
“Isn’t that from New Zealand?”
“Blasphemy.” I gasp audibly, shocked at his response. “You did not just say that.”
“Why? It’s true. Next thing you’ll be trying to add Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe to the list.”
“Nicoleisan Aussie. She may not have been born in Australia, but she’s an Aussie. Just ask her.”
“Sure, okay. I’ll give her a call now.”
“Do it. I bet—”
“You two are like siblings,” Amelia cuts in, shaking her head. “Do I have to separate you?”
“Honestly, I think that’s for the best,” I say with a shrug. “Let’s retreat to the gazebo.”
“Hang on.” Luke grabs Amelia’s arm and hits me with a fake scowl. “Why do you get Amelia? She’s my wife.”
“That’s why. She needs a break.”
Luke laughs and I throw a wink his way before reaching for Amelia’s hand, dragging her through the house and out to thepool. They recently had their yard remodeled and I love it here, though it’s been a while since I’ve come.
Given the chance, I could spend hours by the water, listening to the waves crash behind their fence. Much louder than it is from my balcony.
My phone vibrates when I sit down, and when I see Reed’s name, I smile preemptively, anticipating his message.
“Who’s that?” Amelia asks.
“Nobody.”
“Nobody?” she deadpans, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression calling bullshit. “Not a certain football player that looked after you last night?”
“Definitely not.” The lie slips easily from my lips, knowing that Amelia will see right through it.
“Well, ‘nobody’ has my approval for making you smile like that.”
I throw my phone in my bag without reading the message and give Amelia my full attention. Since I started working onJaded Beginnings, I’ve been busier than ever, and while Amelia has never once complained, I feel like I've been neglecting our relationship a little. Though I will say I feel better about doing that now that she has Luke by her side.
“So…” Amelia gets comfortable, tucking her knees up under herself and turning to face me, her expression beaming. “What are you andnotReed talking about?”
“Everything and nothing. I think we might be friends.”
“Ooh, I can definitely see that. You’re different but I think you’d get along well. He has a cheeky side that he hides away under all that seriousness. Not to mention his protective nature.Plus, I think the world of both of you so it makes sense.”
