7. River

7

RIVER

B y the time we checked into the hotel, I was more than ready for a shower, a nap, and a drink, and not necessarily in that order.

“How about we drop our stuff off and meet at the bar in half an hour?” Lex called over his shoulder, already heading toward the elevators, holding Emery’s hand.

“Make it forty-five,” Noah said, winking at his husband.

“Great. I guess it’s you and me, buddy, because those four are going to spend the week in their suites,” Adam muttered as we walked toward the elevator.

“That’s a weird image.”

He scoffed. “In their separate suites. Bah, you know what I mean.”

I laughed. “I do, but you’re cute when you’re all bratty.” I mimicked his voice in an exaggerated deep tone. “I’m Adam, and I’m upset because my brothers want to hook up with their partners, leaving me all on my?—”

He pushed me so hard I almost tripped over his suitcase while laughing.

We were still laughing and messing around when he opened the door to his honeymoon suite, and it dawned on me that it was the honeymoon suite.

There were flower petals all over the king-size bed. An ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and a complimentary snack tray with cheese, crackers, and chocolate-covered fruit were arranged on the coffee table.

Adam stood like a statue by the bed, gripping the handle of his suitcase and staring at the arrangement.

“I forgot to tell the hotel,” he said, his voice tight as he brought his hand up to his chest and rubbed it.

I dropped my suitcase, walked over to the bed, and picked up each corner of the comforter before bunching it up and dragging the whole thing to the balcony.

I released a sea of flower petals on the guests sunbathing on the loungers near the building.

Sorry for the mess.

Without skipping a beat, I took the comforter back into the room, folded it neatly at the foot of the bed, and turned to Adam. “How about we each grab a shower to freshen up from the flight before we meet the others?”

“Sure.”

Adam went first, so while he was out of the room, I looked around and ensured there were no other “gifts” from the hotel for a honeymooning couple.

By the time we got down to the bar, we found Noah and Lior already there, settled comfortably. Noah leaned back against his husband with a roguish grin, and Lior had his arm draped around Noah’s shoulders.

“Adam, baby bro!” Noah said, raising his glass in salute. “In the words of the great King Jaffe Joffer, are you going to sew your royal oats this week? It’s your honeymoon, after all, and there are plenty of beautiful women here.”

“He's sharing a room, remember?” Lex chimed in, appearing behind us with a smirk on his lips and Emery under his arm.

“Ah, but who says the fun has to be exclusive to the ladies?” Noah’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I mean, no one’s saying Adam and River can’t have their own kind of fun.”

A wave of heat flushed my face at the implication of the word fun, and I caught Noah’s gaze. Adam’s brothers teasing about the true nature of my friendship with Adam had never affected me before. I mostly ignored their quips because it was all playful joking.

The fact I wished down to my core that it was true played no part because these feelings would only ever be one-sided.

The problem was that with Adam’s impending wedding, it had become harder to be close to him, even as a friend. Maybe he hadn’t noticed, but his light had dimmed a little since he started his relationship with Victoria.

It had been hard for me to see it happen and not be able to do anything about it.

Now I didn’t know anything anymore. The decisions I’d made before the wedding were back on the drawing board because, right now, I needed to be my best friend’s best friend, which included making sure he had the time of his life.

“Let’s grab those drinks,” I said, motioning toward the bartender.

“Good idea,” Adam agreed. “I’m in the mood for something alcoholic with an umbrella.”

The bartender, a sunkissed man whose shirt clung to his toned chest like a second skin, leaned in with a practiced smile as I approached the bar. “What brings you to paradise?”

“Escaping reality,” I replied with a chuckle.

“You’ve come to the right place,” the bartender said. “How can I help you escape?”

Adam cleared his throat. “We’ll take two pineapple lychee-tinis,” he interjected, claiming the space between the bartender and me with a subtle lean.

I glanced at Adam, but all he offered was a shrug masked by casual indifference.

Did the attention I received unsettle him? And why? He’d never been the possessive type, especially not over random people, even if we were as close as brothers.

“Coming right up,” the bartender said, undeterred by Adam’s interruption, his smile persisting as he prepared our drinks with a flourish.

I watched the guy’s practiced moves with interest. After all, I was in the same industry and was always interested in seeing other people work, but when I glanced back at Adam, his expression was a little tight. Like he was annoyed with something.

“Okay?” I mouthed in his direction.

“Yeah.”

The bartender placed the glasses in front of us, taking a little longer to add the garnishes to mine. Okay, even I could accept that it was weird getting attention from two different guys on the same day.

“Thanks,” I murmured as we picked up our glasses, my attention briefly caught by the bartender’s wink before turning back to Adam.

“Let’s find a table,” he said, steering us away with a hand on my back. I didn’t want to think about what that meant.

“How about we find a table outside? The sun should be setting soon,” I suggested, and everyone followed us out.

As we settled into seats overlooking the ocean, I took a long, deep breath, inhaling the salty scent of the sea spray and listening to the sound of waves lapping against the shore.

When was the last time I’d had a real vacation? I couldn’t even remember.

I glanced at Adam. He stared at the ocean in front of us, but unlike the rest of the guys sharing loving smiles, his brows were pulled tight together.

“I hate to sound like a broken record…” I started, leaning closer to avoid his brothers listening and butting in.

“I’m okay. Just…thinking,” he admitted, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass, causing droplets of condensation to run down.

“About Victoria?” I pressed gently.

He shook his head. “Us. I mean, this—us being here, together.” He rushed to clarify.

I reached to place my hand on his arm and squeezed gently. “It’s strange, isn’t it? How life throws these curveballs.”

“More like grenades,” he muttered.

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the setting sun casting a warm glow over our faces. Adam closed his eyes, giving me the opportunity to drink in the sight of him, bathed in golden light.

“River?” Adam’s voice was low, tentative.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for being here,” he said sincerely, reaching across the table to rest his hand near mine. “For everything.”

“I’ll always have your back, Adam. Always.”

It was the coward answer because it was a lie. If Victoria hadn’t run, I would have broken my promise.

The clink of glasses and the low hum of conversation enveloped us as we mulled over the glossy brochures Noah had picked up from the reception desk, each promising its own brand of paradise. Adam’s fingers brushed against mine as he passed me a pamphlet featuring a snorkeling tour.

“Swimming with turtles, exploring coral reefs, deep-sea fishing…there’s certainly a lot to do around here.”

Adam smiled while his brothers buzzed with their own excitement, making plans.

“Can you imagine what it’d be like?” Lex asked, leaning back in his chair with a contemplative look. “Us, out there in the big blue, free from everything.”

I glanced at Adam again, watching him as he listened to Noah recount a story from his recent honeymoon in Australia. I admired the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed.

“Hey, River,” Noah called out, snapping me back to reality. “You in for the scuba diving? Don’t want to miss out on the chance to see some sharks up close.”

“Sharks?” My throat tightened around the word. “Definitely. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Adam snorted and then coughed “Liar” in my direction.

“Good man!” Noah raised his glass.

“Here’s to making memories,” Lex declared, his eyes sparkling with mischief before he pulled his boyfriend into a quick kiss.

“Memories,” I repeated softly, my gaze lingering on Adam once more.

“Cheers” filled the air as we each took a sip.

“All right,” Adam said, setting his glass down and meeting my gaze with an earnest intensity. “Let’s make this a time we’ll never forget.”

“Agreed,” I replied, my heart pounding with a blend of excitement and trepidation. “What are we doing?”

“Whatever you’re doing, you can decide tomorrow because we’re out,” Lior said, staring intently at Noah.

“Hell yeah, we’re out.” He stood in a rush and dragged his husband away. “See you at breakfast.”

“Those two,” Lex said. “I swear they fuck more than bunnies.”

Emery chuckled, his face going all red.

“Um…I guess we should probably head off too. Have to unpack and?—”

“Have all the sex. Yeah, yeah,” Adam said, interrupting Emery.

“We’re not…”

It was my turn to laugh. “You totally are.”

Emery’s face was redder than the wild curls on his head, but he met my eyes and nodded.

With Adam’s brothers and their partners gone, we were left on our own to decide what to do for the rest of the evening.

“What do you say about checking out the other bars in this place, roomie?” Adam asked.

I stood and held my fist up for a bump. “Let the bad decisions begin.”