CHAPTER 10
The cold salty breeze licked at his face dragging, him from his sleep. Stefan rubbed his hand over the stubble on his chin and remembered where he was.
Last night after dropping Sasha off he knew there was no way he was going to get any sleep. His body was throbbing for her by the time they stopped at her apartment. He knew he could’ve convinced her to invite him up if he wanted to, but for some reason he didn’t.
In the recesses of his mind he knew it was because he was respecting her, something he had never considered with another girl before. He had never thought twice when he wanted to seduce a woman and he never let an opportunity pass him by.
Instead of spending the whole night thinking about Sasha and her delectable body only a few blocks away, he had driven to his beach house in South Hampton in the early morning hours.
He glanced at the cold cup of coffee on the small side table. When he had arrived, he didn’t feel tired so instead he’d opened the sliding doors to smell the sea and made some coffee. He must’ve passed out shortly after, the cold coffee testifying to the fact.
He pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was almost nine am. Perfect, that meant he was in time to crash breakfast at Anna and Cayden Lee’s.
All his friends had fallen in love and settled over the past year and Stefan was the only remaining bachelor in the group of five friends.
Cayden and Anna had gotten engaged over New Year’s and to celebrate everyone had gone over for a champagne breakfast the following morning to celebrate the engagement and to nurse their hangovers.
Somehow months later an impulsive breakfast had become tradition. Every Saturday morning whoever was around would pitch up at Cayden’s beach house and everyone would help to prepare breakfast while they caught each other up on their lives.
Stefan hadn’t been by for a Lee breakfast in quite some time and was looking forward to it. After a quick shower and shave, he grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and stood on his back deck overlooking the ocean as he sipped it. Stefan had always loved the beach house in the Hamptons but for some reason his mother didn’t.
When he was young they would come out here every summer and stay for eight weeks. Those eight weeks a year were the highlight of every year for Stefan. Eight weeks when he could see his father every day. They would go fishing and play ball and generally just goof around, something that never happened in the Park Avenue apartment. There, business always came first.
As soon as Stefan finished school, his father wanted to sell the beach house. Stefan had objected and bought it with money from his trust fund. Even all these years later it was still his favorite place in the world.
A figure came jogging towards him and waved. “You coming to breakfast at the Lee’s?”
Stefan laughed as Garret jogged backwards waiting for an answer. “Yeah, you?”
“Yeah, Skye’s just finishing the little man’s feed then we’re on our way.”
“See you there.” Stefan shouted and drank the last bit of coffee in his cup.
He still couldn’t believe that serious Garret had gone and found himself a wife and was now a father. Both suited him, Stefan thought watching his friend jog towards his house on the other end of the beach.
Female voices chattered about the baby and feeding schedules even as they gossiped about FAWN’s latest rival on the music scene. HONIE, young, blonde and a voice that was nothing spectacular.
Cayden, Seth, Cole and Garret were standing on the back-deck drinking beer when they spotted Stefan walking through the door.
“Well I’ll be…” Cayden called out. “Anna get out the good stuff; we’ve got a full house this morning. Stefan’s here.”
Stefan stood in his spot just beyond the door where he had been standing for the last five minutes watching his friends. “Hi everyone!”
“Stefan! It’s good to see you,” Anna laughed. “Although I’m not taking out the good stuff since I only have good stuff.” She answered glancing at Cayden.
FAWN sat by the kitchen island on a stool holding little Duke. The little man was almost four months old and already a looker like his mom. “Hi little man,” Stefan said tickling the baby’s soft cheek with his forefinger. Stefan glanced up to see that Garret had moved inside and was now standing with his arm around Skye’s shoulders. Stefan met his proud gaze. “What are you so smug about? There is no way this kid is related to you. He’s too cute.”
Everyone laughed and took turns hugging and welcoming Stefan. God, it was good to be back with his friends, Stefan thought as he was handed a beer.
“You know one of these days your women are going to start nagging about breakfast beers.” Stefan said holding up the beer.
FAWN had given baby Duke back to Skye and had joined them on the deck with her hands on Seth’s shoulders. “I can’t speak for them, but in my opinion nothing starts a weekend like a breakfast beer on Saturday morning.”
Seth smiled at her fondly before tugging her hair closer and kissing her. “See, that’s why I keep her.”
“So, what brings you out this weekend?” Cole asked seriously. “Roman giving you trouble again?”
Everyone had moved outside and platters stacked with scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit were piled on the table.
Stefan shrugged. “I just needed to get away and besides, I don’t think Roman is wrong for giving me trouble most of the time.”
Rose, Cole’s fiancée, who was normally reserved, laughed. “Look Cole, he’s growing up,” she chirped fondly.
Everyone laughed before Cayden turned to Stefan with a serious expression. “What’s going on Stefan, you don’t sound like yourself.”
Stefan watched as Skye burped baby Duke and Rose refilled everyone’s glasses with champagne except Skye’s.
“I don’t know, just something someone said this week had me thinking.”
“Someone?” FAWN asked, twirling her pitch-black hair. “That’s sounds more to me like some girl.”
“It was a girl,” Stefan held up his hands. “Before you start planning another engagement party or a wedding it’s not serious, we just had one date.”
“What did not serious girl say?” Rose asked, biting into a piece of sliced pineapple.
Stefan tried to word the sentence in his head. With his gaze over the water he noticed a couple of dolphins playing in the surf before he turned back to his friends.
“She said that Roman’s only giving me hard time because my dad got me the position and that by not doing my work I’m justifying him giving me a hard time.”
Rose, Skye and Anna gasped as the others burst out laughing.
“Sounds like one hell of a girl Stefan, you should ask her on another date.” Cayden said before pulling on his beer.
“Yeah well, enough about me; what’s new with you guys?” Stefan asked changing the subject; he came to the Hamptons to forget about Sasha not to spend the whole morning dissecting the few conversations they’d had.
“Well, FAWN’s working on a folk tour starting in summer, so we’re pretty busy. We’ve built a studio in the basement so we can rehearse while we’re here for the next three months.”
“Duke’s teething so we’re not sleeping.” Garret yawned.
“Duke’s teething so I’m not sleeping and Garret’s got an addiction to the pinball game on his phone, that’s the reason for his sleep deprivation.” Skye said narrowing her eyes at Garret.
A few of the girls chuckled at Skye’s comment but the guys rolled their eyes in support of Garret.
“And you Cole? Have you caught any big fish lately to invest with you?” Stefan probed.
“Actually quite a few but it’s confidential. The latest news with me is that Rose resigned her job and is now my assistant with benefits.” Cole said seriously.
Rose slapped Cole on the thigh before addressing him professionally. “Speaking of which you need to finish, the fundraiser is starting in thirty minutes.”
Cole glanced at his watch. “Shit! Listen Stefan, unless you have any plans like sunbathing or getting drunk on your own, come with me.”
“To what?” Stefan asked pushing his plate away from him.
“I’ve got to go to a fundraiser, hopefully catch some big fish. There’ll be lots of food, pretty girls and booze.” Cole answered.
Stefan stood up tugging his collar right. “You had me at pretty girls.”