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we opened, the three of us stood outside of the shop, looking at what we had accomplished. I stood between Chase and Kai and grasped both of their hands. “Let’s take a selfie!”

We turned around so that the shop was behind us. Chase stretched out his long arm and said, “Say honeybum!” He snapped the picture just as we all started laughing. I framed the picture and hung it behind the register.

It was a new beginning, and I pictured Violet smiling down on us, knowing that she brought us together, and together we were happy.

Chase

Three Years later

Sophia looked beautiful. She couldn’t see me watching her from my parking spot at the hotel, but I had a clear view of her auburn hair glimmering in the bright sunshine. She wore those tight shorts I loved and was smiling at a honeymooning couple, handing them a touristy lei before directing them inside. I didn’t mean to watch her like a fucking creeper, but it’s not like she was talking to me anyway.

My phone pinged with a notification.

Honeybum: Can you come over? I need to go over the new inventory for the shop.

I smiled at the text and quickly responded that I was on my way. Running the surf shop with my two best friends was fun. Kai loved working at the small cafe attached to the shop, and Breeze got giddy whenever she ordered new surfing gear. I just liked not feeling so goddamn lonely all the time. Sometimes I wanted to gag at how lovey-dovey they were, but I liked seeing them so happy. I just wished I could steal a little bit of that for myself.

I looked at Sophia one more time and flinched when I saw her bright green eyes fixed on me. Shit. I quickly pulled out of my parking spot and peeled out of there. Maybe one day she’d talk to me again, but I knew that day wasn’t today.

Breeze and Kai lived in a cute house on the beach, bought last year when our shop started booming. It was a dump when they first bought it, but Kai poured his heart and soul into renovating it. Now it was the most beautiful house on the beach.

It took a lot of work, but Violet’s Surf Shop was very successful. We could hardly keep up. Professional surfers frequented it, and a lot of tourists were flooding the doors, anxious to catch a glimpse of their favorite athletes.

I walked through the front door, not bothering to knock or announce myself. Breeze was sitting at the kitchen table, folding T-shirts and smiling to herself. Kai was making a grilled cheese at the stove top. The moment she saw me, her eyes brightened. “Hey!” she said. There was an unusual level of excitement in her tone. She must have gotten a new surfboard to test out. I was a goner for Breeze. Yeah, there was a time I could have probably loved her something fierce. But that love changed to something more important than getting my dick sucked. Breeze was more than a friend. More than a sister, even. She was a lifeline in this shitty world. I didn’t want to be a weirdo and call her my soulmate, but honestly I would be lost without her friendship. She was my person. Hell, I’d move into their spare bedroom if I didn’t have to listen to them fucking all hours of the night. I wonder how much soundproofing a room would cost…

No. That was crazy talk. I wasn’t that clingy.

Okay, maybe I was. I’d been debating on buying the vacant lot next door for the last month. I spent all my time here anyway.

“Honeybum,” I greeted before leaning over to kiss her cheek. Kai plopped the sandwich on a plate before handing it to her.

“You want one?” he asked.

“Nah, I’m good.”

Kai reached out and patted me on the shoulder. I wasn’t some pussy that announced his love often, but that dude was like a fucking brother to me. I never imagined I’d actually like him, let alone feel strongly connected to the asshole, but I did. Breeze and Kai were my family. Turns out, water might not be thicker than blood, but it kept us alive.

“I got these new shirts. Ordered one for you,” Breeze said before tossing me a teal tee.

I caught it and looked at the design on the front. I didn’t really care about the clothes we sold, but if she wanted my input, I’d give it. I