Aubrey woke up to the scent of bacon, cheese, and something else delicious cooking. One of the bonuses of renting a house with Sky Jenkins for a week was that her chef bestie made fucking next-level meals. Still, they ate out most of the time at the quirky restaurants scattered in the area. After all, the whole crew was on break from work here.
She thumped out of bed in a sports bra and a pair of running shorts. She should’ve been out there jogging at daybreak, but after last night, she’d let herself sleep in. She checked her phone. No updates from Chels, which could be a good or bad thing. Fuck. She’d have to tell everyone this morning.
Last night had been an escape she’d never expected. Whatever demon possessed her tongue to invite Selina Beckett on a walk to the beach had also pushed her into word vomiting her issues all over the woman she spent most of her time teasing. And yet, Selina’s company had been the exact medicine she needed. The woman didn’t dole out the sad puppy eyes that made her skin crawl or the pitying “ohs” at the mention of the big C. Instead, her honest, frank responses were a welcome dose of realism.
Except their truce had been one night only.
Aubs strode down the steps, following the scents to the kitchen. Sky stood behind the skillet, fast assembling toasted English muffins, eggs, bacon, and sharp cheddar into breakfast sandwiches that looked mouthwatering. Mia sat on the couch in the main room, a sketchbook out in front of her as she doodled. Kyle lounged in her running shorts and sweaty tank top, staring at the ceiling.
“And she arrives at last,” Sky announced, glancing up to meet her eyes. An impish grin played on her lips. “How was your spin in the sheets with blondie last night? Usually you at least swing by before you vanish.”
Aubs opened her mouth, not sure what might spill from her mouth. She should tell the others about the phone call from Chels, but everyone looked so cozy here. She didn’t want to splatter wet paint all over the scene yet. Maybe later in the day. Maybe tonight she could tell them. The idea of dealing with the mopey sad eyes made her want to keep on avoiding the topic.
Kyle glanced at her. “Didn’t see her walking home with blondie last night.” Their gazes met.
Well damn, Kyle must’ve spotted her and Selina returning from the beach. They’d been out for a while, but she’d thought the others were still at the bar.
“Ah, yeah, blondie and I weren’t meshing, so I chatted up someone else.” Aubs didn’t miss the pointed glance Kyle gave her with those sharp, all-seeing sparrow eyes. Of course, they’d be having a conversation later. Given a little time, Aubrey might be able to spin some believable bullshit. “You go for your run, Kyle?”
Kyle plucked the saturated shirt off of her chest. “I already went, Aubs. Not all of us had strenuous nights. I sent a chick running away from me in tears and gave the hell up after that stint of mortification.”
A slight pang of disappointment thudded in Aubrey’s chest. Last night set her off-kilter from the others, and this distance she didn’t like had spread between them. Could probably bridge it easy enough, but that required opening her big mouth. Later. She’d bring up Mom’s situation later.
“What did you say?” Aubs asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“That her nail color looked like blood.” Kyle heaved out a sigh, spearing fingers through her hair. “I meant it as a compliment.”
Sky met eyes with Aubrey, and the both of them tried to hide their snorts. Kyle was a goddamn catch, but she needed to start as friends with a potential partner so the chick could understand Ky and her sense of humor. The bar approach had never been her forte, and yet Aubrey didn’t know many other options. Not everyone had their high school best friends waiting in the wings to fall for them like Sky and Mia.
“All right, ladies, eat up,” Sky said, plating the breakfast sandwiches and passing them over.
Aubrey’s stomach rumbled as she snagged a plate, the scent of crisp bacon, salty cheese, and toasted English muffins making her salivate. She sat at one of the seats by the kitchen table and took a bite, relishing how all the deliciousness danced across her tongue.
Oh, fuck it. She needed to tell the girls.
“Okay, guys, I’m going to bring this up once, but take all of your concern and shove it, because I’m still planning on enjoying this vacation.” She could feel the stares bearing down on her, their gazes curious, but she didn’t look up, romancing her sandwich instead. “Chels called last night because Mom passed out and got taken to the hospital. No, we don’t know what the issue is. Also, no, she doesn’t want visitors. I’m doing okay. I just wanted to let you all know now.”
Aubrey stopped, and only silence echoed around her. Okay, maybe she’d overdone it.
Sky plunked beside her with her breakfast. “Glad to see nothing gets in the way of the conquest for you.” Despite the sarcastic response, Aubs caught the gentle look in Sky’s eyes.
“You know me,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders as she took another hearty bite of her food.
Mia chewed on her lip, meeting Sky’s gaze. Unlike Sky, who could skate triple axels on the superficial, Mia wanted to hug everyone around her all the time. Kyle took the seat across from Aubrey. She didn’t say anything, but their eyes met in the wordless communication they’d perfected over the years. Kyle was the only one who’d known Aubrey during Mom’s struggle with cancer. She was also the only one who knew her before she’d started finding a new bed to warm every night in a desperate need to escape, if just for a little bit.
Yeah, she’d killed the chill and cozy vibe here.
Aubs wolfed down her sandwich, trying to cram every last bit in her mouth. She needed to go for her morning run, now more than ever, if only to ditch the awkward tension. When she glanced up, Mia stared at her like she wanted to reach out.
“You keep giving me those puppy dog eyes and I’ll assume you’re flirting,” Aubs warned.
Mia let out a sigh and shook her head. “Christ, I understand why you and Sky bonded so fast.” She glanced at Sky. “Have any random facts you want to lob onto your unwilling victims, beautiful?”
“Space apparently smells like seared steak,” Sky volunteered with a grin.
Aubs snorted and finished the last few bites of her sandwich, far before anyone else was even close. “That was delicious, Sky,” she said through open-mouthed bites. “I’m going to go for my run now.”
If they needed to get their kumbayas out, they could do so without her. Last night she’d allowed herself the time to sit with it, but today, she needed to move, move, move.
She darted out the door and put her feet to the pavement, purposefully going the opposite direction of Selina’s rental next door. Maybe the gorgeous owner of Renegades lay out on the porch again reading her swoony romance book and maybe she didn’t, but Aubrey hadn’t figured out how to re-engage after their temporary truce had ended.
Her feet pounded the pavement. The sun beat on her shoulders as she began to find her rhythm in the run. The houses whizzed by her as she maintained speed, falling into the regularity of the motion, the way her calves flexed, and how her breath came in sharp intakes. Truth be told, in a single night she’d learned far too much about the mysterious owner of Renegades to be able to erase any of that information from her mind.
The way Selina darted back from the ocean like the water might bite her. The fact that she’d opened a bar just to find somewhere to settle down. How she’d given up a night of her vacation to keep Aubrey company even though they’d done nothing but bicker until now.
Right. Bickering. Annoying Selina. The status quo was safe, nothing like the prickling curiosity that swept through her after last night. Tonight they’d hit the bars, a club, anywhere, and she’d find some hottie to lose herself in, and order would be restored. Her legs pumped like pistons while she raced around the block, time dissipating as her body moved in the run.
She circled around block after block until she found herself running back down their road again, those familiar houses whirring by. Sweat soaked her chest, and her sports bra was glued to her skin. She slowed as she came closer and closer to the end of the block. Who knew how long she’d been out there running, but it’d been enough to feel the burn in her muscles that told her she’d gotten her workout in.
As Aubs slowed to a stroll, she came nearer to Selina’s house. The temptation reared up in a big way to peek at the front porch and see if her favorite Wiccan sat out there reading again. Not like she needed to see Selina or anything. She just had to return to normal, which meant descending upon her like the harbinger of irritation.
Drops of sweat slithered down her forehead, trickling down her neck and her back in the process. She was a gross fucking mess, but folks usually saw her at her sweatiest. Part of working as a kickboxing instructor meant she needed to show her clients she was just as capable of what she asked them to do. Aubs lifted on tiptoes to peek at the wicker seats, but they were all empty. Her chest sank, and she chewed her lower lip.
Enough. She’d be able to annoy Selina some other time.
Her exaggerated breaths heaved as she cooled down from the run. The scorch in her veins felt good, exactly what she’d needed. She couldn’t help one more glance as she passed by the front porch of Selina’s rental.
She was rewarded with the sight of the woman lying sprawled out on a blanket reading a book, probably another romance. Aubrey bit back a laugh. Of course, that was how she’d stumble upon Selina. She learned new things about the woman left and right. Honestly, all she’d known before last night was that Selina was a practicing Wiccan, that she owned Renegades, and that the woman detested Aubrey.
Aubs stuck her fingers in her mouth to let out an ear-piercing whistle.
Selina glanced up from her book. For a moment, the woman’s gaze was curious, the way it had been last night. Then her expression shifted, those coffee eyes cooling off.
“Catcalls are passé,” Selina called back. She lay on her stomach, propped by her elbows as she held her book aloft. The angle showcased her sloping curves, including one magnificent ass. She might be short, but damn, the woman packed a punch in a small package. The deep purple sundress she wore exposed her mesmerizing hazel skin which glowed with a coppery hue under the morning sun. Her amethyst earrings glittered in the light, as did the purple glass pendant around her neck.
“You’re assuming a whole lot, Beckett,” Aubs called, strolling up to her. “I might’ve been placing a call for Lassie. There’s someone stuck in a nearby well.” She creaked up the steps with her approach, but Selina didn’t budge from her spot. Fine, then. Aubrey sank to the ground beside her and perched on her elbows.
“I don’t suppose it’s a gorgeous woman stuck in the well you’re trying to fish out?” Selina asked, even though her gaze still fluttered over the pages of her book.
Aubrey’s lips widened, her teeth poking out of her grin. “Come on, what else motivates me? I’ve long since been considered a cat lady.”
“Please spare me the grotesque pussy jokes,” Selina responded, her voice withering. “I just ate breakfast.”
This was the normalcy she’d been expecting.
The wry comment should’ve been a drop of relief in a pool of agitation, but instead it was a stirred stick in the pond, muddying the waters even more. Selina offered what she’d asked for, but that felt hollow compared to their walk on the beach last night, where a force more powerful than an uppercut had shifted things between them.
Aubrey leaned in, catching her scent of orange blossom and amber. Before Selina could react, Aubs plucked the book from her hands. She skimmed the words before her, ignoring Selina’s murderous gaze.
Her grin widened. “Oh, you were at the sexy parts.”
Selina flicked her in the shoulder. “Which I would’ve been enjoying if not for the rude interruption.”
“Why read about it when you could be experiencing the real thing?” Aubs asked, her voice growing husky without her permission. She couldn’t help the shiver that ran through her when her gaze met Selina’s. The woman was beyond stunning.
Selina pursed her lips, delivering a pointed glare in her direction. “Because unlike you, I prefer more than grunting in the dark with a stranger. These books aren’t one-night stands but slow, developed relationships, and after the crash and burns I’ve had, it’s nice to dream that the real thing exists out there.”
Aubs opened her mouth, the smart response dying on her lips. She passed the book to Selina and bumped shoulders with her. “Someone like you will absolutely find that,” she found herself saying in complete seriousness. “Even if I never do” remained stuck on her tongue, unwilling to budge.
Selina’s eyes widened for a moment, a flash of surprise there that returned to the same languid stare she often delivered with the steadiness of a cat. “Is Aubrey Moore saying something… not antagonistic? Color me shocked.”
The gentle teasing snapped Aubs out of her mini panic. “Don’t take it too much to heart,” Aubs responded, the words coming too fast. “I just didn’t want you out playing the field—the competition’s fierce enough as is.” Christ, that sounded half-assed, even to herself.
“Right,” Selina said, her lips curling in a knowing smile.
Aubs pushed up from the front porch and smacked at her legs to brush away the granules of dirt that clung to them. “What are you and the ladies up to for the day?”
Selina crooked an eyebrow. “Why, planning on stalking me more?”
Aubrey shook her head. “You wish, sweetheart.” She blew a kiss in Selina’s direction and sauntered away. “I’ve got an entire sea of women to choose from down at the beach. No need to beg.”
“Isn’t that half the fun?” Selina murmured, challenge in her elegant arched brow.
Holy hell, this woman. Heat crawled up Aubrey’s insides as she shook her head and began jogging the rest of the way back to the house. She needed to get out to the beaches and start flirting with women who didn’t fuck with her head like Selina Beckett did.
Aubrey needed to staunch the curiosity brimming inside her before it spread.