Wearing a pair of salmon-colored Ralph Lauren swim trunks, he’s tan with a hint of a slight sunburn on his shoulders. He’s sitting on the beach lounger next to me, the ones only hotel guests are allowed to sit in, looking quite comfortable as he looks at me.

“Alex? What are you doing here?”

He smiles. “Hey. I texted Skye and she told me where you guys were staying.”

Interesting. He and Skye had lunch together a few times last week.

I sit up and ease my sunglasses off, propping them on my head where my hair is tied up in a messy bun. I’m without makeup and my eyes are puffy from crying into my pillow last night.

He tilts his head down toward the north end of the beach. “A couple of guys from the team are staying in a house a few resorts up.”

“Cool.” I really don’t have much to say; I’m too depressed and just blah.

“Skye says you and Maverick are having problems?” He squints at me.

“Maybe.”

His eyebrows go sky high. “Well, you are at the beach without him.”

I nod, feeling the pressure of the headache I’ve been nursing since I woke up this morning. I slip my sunglasses back down. “He broke my heart. Happy?”

He frowns. “Of course not, but it does explain his bad mood after the scrimmage.”

I stiffen, worried. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah. He and the AD exchanged words, and then Maverick left the party.”

“He left? Why?” My heart is in my throat. Did he tell them about the fighting?

Alex looks up at me. “I don’t know, but there are rumors going around the team. Nothing concrete, but I’ve heard gambling tossed around.”

I stand up. “He has never gambled! It’s your friend Muffin who’s stirring this pot.” I’m glaring at him. “You really know how to pick ’em, Alex. She’s a liar and a lunatic.”

He holds his hands out in a placating manner. “Look, Muffin is nothing to me, and I’m just telling you the rumor, that’s all.” He stares at me. “I only want the best for you, and if Maverick is what you want, then I want you to be together—I really do.”

I sigh and sit back down. “She hates Maverick…and me, and…” I let my voice drift off. It’s not my story to share, and the less that’s said about the fighting, the better. “You can’t trust her.”

“I know.”

Skye appears with a sardonic expression as she juggles a cooler and a margarita. Her red hair is a riot of curls around her face, and a sheen of sweat covers her forehead.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Silver Spoon.”

Alex grunts. “If it isn’t Miss I Only Date Baseball Players.” He goes to help her with the cooler.

Skye watches him critically as he situates it between the two loungers, underneath the two umbrellas so it doesn’t get hot.

“Nice job, Cheater.”

“You’re welcome, Home Run.”

Skye snorts. “You’re such a douchebag. You wish you could get a home run.”

Alex brushes at a patch of nonexistent sand on his chest. “You wish I’d try.”

Oh. My. God.

I forget my own melancholy as I watch their bantering like I’m at a tennis match.

Skye and Alex? I blink. Wow. My best friend and my ex might actually have some chemistry.

I look at Alex. “So you wanna hang with us girls today or do you have a hot babe to get back to at your beach house?”

“I’m free.”

Skye smiles and bumps him out of the way with her hips as she grabs me a water out of the cooler. “Here, sweetie, for your headache.”

Impulsively, I grab her and give her a big hug. She’s been waiting on me hand and foot and giving me pep talks for the past few days.

Alex is watching us as I set her down. “Nothing like seeing two chicks rubbing up on each other at the beach.”

Skye darts over and tackles him, and I laugh.

Maverick’s face comes to mind, and I bite my lip, hoping wherever he is, everything is okay.

Delaney

“Let’s watch a movie!” Skye calls out as we walk in the door of our hotel room.

“It’s two in the morning!” is my reply.

She shrugs and bats her lashes at me. She looks at Alex, who’s clearly had too much to drink judging by the way he’s weaving.

I blow out a breath. Ugh. I’m not even buzzing, yet somehow she and Alex are like the Energizer Bunny, still ready to party.

They’ve worn me out dancing, and all I want to do is crash. It’s the only way I can turn my head off and stop thinking about Maverick.

They follow me into the room and I head to the mini fridge to grab water.

“Get me a glass of wine, will ya?” Skye requests as she points herself in the direction of the bathroom. Her face is flushed and lined with sweat from dancing. Knowing her and her penchant for cleanliness, she’s headed in there to spritz on more deodorant and powder her nose.

“Red or white?” I ask, looking at the two boxes of wine we bought at the liquor store.

“White.”

I give her a nod as she stumbles into the restroom, already fluffing her red hair as she walks in.

“Alex? You want anything?” I ask.

He turns his gaze from watching Skye to me, and I bite back a smirk. Maybe a normal person would be jealous about their ex sending lingering looks their best friend’s way, but I’m not. He made a mistake with Muffin, but maybe he learned from it.

“Um, I’ll take a wine too,” he says. He flops down on the bed spread-eagled, his hand over his face. I’m beginning to wonder how he’s going to make it back to his house.

After chugging half the bottle of water, I get to work on making their drinks. Once I have them ready, Skye still isn’t out of the bathroom, and I make a mental note to check on her.

I walk over to Alex and nudge him with my hand after setting his drink on the nightstand. “Dude, wake up.”

I get nothing but a soft snore.

Dammit.

I decide he’s Skye’s problem and once she comes out of the bathroom, she can decide what to do with him. He’s on her bed, so she should be the one to deal with him.

There’s an abrupt knock at the door, and I figure it’s the pizza guy from the place across the street. Skye called in an order right as we left the club, and even though it’s late, my stomach grumbles.

I fling open the door with cash in my hand and freeze.

Maverick is standing there in the hallway, his head bent as he stares at the floor. There’s a slump to his shoulders that breaks my heart.

His head flies up and his eyes are haunted.

“Delaney.” My name on his lips is like a benediction to my ears. I’ve missed him so much, and it’s only been a few days. I want to run to him, cup his cheeks, and take that anguish off his face.

A heavy exhalation comes from his mouth as he straightens. “God, thank fuck. I had to bribe the desk clerk and sign three autographs to get your room number, and I still wasn’t sure he told me the truth.”

“Are you okay? Is anything wrong?”

His eyes cloud over. “Everything’s wrong. I came here to—”

His voice abruptly cuts off as he looks over my shoulder into the room where he has a clear view of a set of feet on Skye’s bed.

He walks in, brushing past me. “Who the fuck is in your room?” He halts mid-stride, his face paling as he sees Alex. I send up a prayer that he’s still out and doesn’t have a clue that a hulking man is glaring at him like he wants to yank him up by his ankles and toss him over the balcony.