idea,” I say, looking from her to Mia, who’s starting to turn a little green.
“No idea about what?” Graham asks.
Alison answers for me. “Ethan is dating Mia now.”
“Oh, dear.” Vivian glances at her daughter with a look of concern.
“Nonsense,” Graham says. “Bygones! Right, Ali? We’re all civilized human beings. Mia took the prize this time, but another young man will come along for my girl.”
Alison ignores him. “Ethan’s a great guy,” she says to Mia. “I mean . . . I’m sure you know that. I’m glad you two are together. And . . . happy and everything.”
“Thanks, Alison,” Mia says, but her expression is strained and a little panicked. Her hand flattens on her stomach. “Um, I don’t mean to change the subject, but do you guys have any Dramamine? I’m feeling a little off.”
“In the guest bath,” Vivian says. “I’ll get them.” But Graham’s hand reaches for her wrist, keeping her there.
“Weston!” he yells.
Mia hops up. “No, it’s okay. I’ll get it. I know where it is.”
I excuse myself and follow her inside. Right now, Mia’s priority one.
“Adam, it’s okay,” Mia says as we hustle to the head. “Really, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
I step into the small bathroom with her and shut the door behind us. She immediately bends over the sink and splashes water on her face.
“Shit. I’m sorry, Mia. Damn it. You should have said something. I’d never have brought you here if I’d known.”
She peers up at me, water dripping off her face. “This deal is so important for the company, and I thought I could do it. I didn’t think we were going to discuss Ethan. Dear God. Why is the floor moving so much? Did someone put acid in those drinks?”
“Hang on.” I open a cabinet and find a bottle of seasickness tablets, handing her one. Mia takes two more from me. “Wait, those are really strong. One should be—”
“I feel like I’m going to die.”
“We’ve barely been on the water fifteen minutes.”
“I know, but I’m a land animal. A chair animal. Beds. Couches. I’m a comfortable stationary-place animal. But don’t worry. I’ll survive.” Mia slumps against the door. We’re still on choppy water. The yacht is still moving around a lot, the floor pitching beneath us. “I’m the one who’s sorry for being a terrible date.”
“No. You did nothing wrong. I just wish I hadn’t dragged you here.” I should go back to the Quicks, but I have a second to process all of this now.
Ethan and Alison.
That was a surprise.
I want to know more, and I also don’t.
“Were they serious?” I ask, the rational part of my brain losing.
Mia pushes her hair away from her cheek and nods but doesn’t say more.
I think of the condemning look Graham just sent Alison. He blames her for the end of the relationship. Does that mean Alison left Ethan? Did she betray him?
I can’t picture it. I can’t see Alison as a girl who’d deliberately hurt someone. She’s a nurturer. She rescues horses. She hugged me when I was a complete stranger. Kindness is her default gear.
There’s a story behind this. Between Alison and Ethan. And even though it’s none of my business, I want to know it.
I’m about to ask Mia another question when she groans and bends over her stomach. “Ugh. Ow. Ahhhh. Adam, please get out. I’m going to be sick.”
“It’s okay. I’ll stay—”
“No! Please . Go.” She shoves me out of the bathroom. As she’s closing the door, I catch a glimpse of her whirling toward the toilet.
“Adam?”
I turn to the voice, and Alison’s right there.
Chapter 15
Alison
Y ou’d think it would give me more pleasure to see the girl who’s now sleeping with my ex hunched over a toilet bowl, but I’ve been that girl too many times to feel smug now.
“I’ve got this,” I say and nudge Adam out of the way. “Go on back up to my parents.”
Mia groans from her balled-up position on the floor. “Please . . .” she gasps.
“No idea about what?” Graham asks.
Alison answers for me. “Ethan is dating Mia now.”
“Oh, dear.” Vivian glances at her daughter with a look of concern.
“Nonsense,” Graham says. “Bygones! Right, Ali? We’re all civilized human beings. Mia took the prize this time, but another young man will come along for my girl.”
Alison ignores him. “Ethan’s a great guy,” she says to Mia. “I mean . . . I’m sure you know that. I’m glad you two are together. And . . . happy and everything.”
“Thanks, Alison,” Mia says, but her expression is strained and a little panicked. Her hand flattens on her stomach. “Um, I don’t mean to change the subject, but do you guys have any Dramamine? I’m feeling a little off.”
“In the guest bath,” Vivian says. “I’ll get them.” But Graham’s hand reaches for her wrist, keeping her there.
“Weston!” he yells.
Mia hops up. “No, it’s okay. I’ll get it. I know where it is.”
I excuse myself and follow her inside. Right now, Mia’s priority one.
“Adam, it’s okay,” Mia says as we hustle to the head. “Really, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
I step into the small bathroom with her and shut the door behind us. She immediately bends over the sink and splashes water on her face.
“Shit. I’m sorry, Mia. Damn it. You should have said something. I’d never have brought you here if I’d known.”
She peers up at me, water dripping off her face. “This deal is so important for the company, and I thought I could do it. I didn’t think we were going to discuss Ethan. Dear God. Why is the floor moving so much? Did someone put acid in those drinks?”
“Hang on.” I open a cabinet and find a bottle of seasickness tablets, handing her one. Mia takes two more from me. “Wait, those are really strong. One should be—”
“I feel like I’m going to die.”
“We’ve barely been on the water fifteen minutes.”
“I know, but I’m a land animal. A chair animal. Beds. Couches. I’m a comfortable stationary-place animal. But don’t worry. I’ll survive.” Mia slumps against the door. We’re still on choppy water. The yacht is still moving around a lot, the floor pitching beneath us. “I’m the one who’s sorry for being a terrible date.”
“No. You did nothing wrong. I just wish I hadn’t dragged you here.” I should go back to the Quicks, but I have a second to process all of this now.
Ethan and Alison.
That was a surprise.
I want to know more, and I also don’t.
“Were they serious?” I ask, the rational part of my brain losing.
Mia pushes her hair away from her cheek and nods but doesn’t say more.
I think of the condemning look Graham just sent Alison. He blames her for the end of the relationship. Does that mean Alison left Ethan? Did she betray him?
I can’t picture it. I can’t see Alison as a girl who’d deliberately hurt someone. She’s a nurturer. She rescues horses. She hugged me when I was a complete stranger. Kindness is her default gear.
There’s a story behind this. Between Alison and Ethan. And even though it’s none of my business, I want to know it.
I’m about to ask Mia another question when she groans and bends over her stomach. “Ugh. Ow. Ahhhh. Adam, please get out. I’m going to be sick.”
“It’s okay. I’ll stay—”
“No! Please . Go.” She shoves me out of the bathroom. As she’s closing the door, I catch a glimpse of her whirling toward the toilet.
“Adam?”
I turn to the voice, and Alison’s right there.
Chapter 15
Alison
Y ou’d think it would give me more pleasure to see the girl who’s now sleeping with my ex hunched over a toilet bowl, but I’ve been that girl too many times to feel smug now.
“I’ve got this,” I say and nudge Adam out of the way. “Go on back up to my parents.”
Mia groans from her balled-up position on the floor. “Please . . .” she gasps.
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