was embarrassed to tell you that I don’t live alone like an adult woman probably should at thirty two-”
“You should definitely be embarrassed,” Rina teases between sips.
“And you should definitely start explaining what happened and how you plan to pay Ax back for the money he put up.”
“Don’t worry about the latter.” He slides one hand into his slacks and sighs, “Focus on the former.”
Everything inside of me prepares to command that she rightfully fixates on both when his fingertips find their way to fold with mine. The small action of support and solidarity has me momentarily surrendering to his request to concentrate on the, obviously, more pressing topic as well as grateful he’s not nearly as angry at me as he could be.
Ax’s attention plasters itself on Rina. “Please describe in your own words what occurred leading up to your arrest followed by how the arrest itself unfolded.”
Sunshine and seashells, he really does sound like a fucking lawyer.
“I’mma guess you know very little about me considering the fact you had no clue I lived with Brook.”
“She hates to be called Brook.”
“Which is why she does it,” I quietly mutter under my breath.
“Brooklyn has mentioned you often,” Ax politely defends. “I’ve heard several stories from her, your parents, and your grandparents.”
Shock sweeps Rina’s expression. “You’ve met our grandparents?!”
“Met. Ate with. Danced with. Got into a drinking contest with.”
Grandfather is not a man to be outdone.
And he wasn’t.
Driving a drunk Ax home was equally hard and hilarious.
He croons old boy band toons when he’s too far sunk.
Oh…and he also isn’t opposed to throwing up in his own bushes and passing out on his couch instead of his bed when he’s that wasted.
I throw another disapproving stare her direction. “You’d know that and much more about Ax if you ever bothered to show up to family dinners.”
“You act like what I’m doing doesn’t matter, Brook!”
“You act like your family and what we do for you doesn’t matter, Katrina!”
“It’s Rina!”
“It’s whatever the hell I call you!”
“How oppressive!”
“You really wanna hammerhead, shovelhead me right now?”
Ax lets out a small chortle over the shark version of a trite phrase.
Later we’re gonna discuss how amazing it is that he caught onto the comparison without needing it to be explained in detail.
The number of men I’ve gone out with that fail to realize the shark they saw in the Jaws franchise isn’t the only kind to exist is embarrassing.
“How about we focus the conversation back to the island known as Rina?” the man I can easily label a dream come true cleverly states. “Why don’t you tell me what you feel I need to know about you in your own words?”
Her grin grows dangerously flirtatious. “With pleasure.”
Ax’s thumb gives the back of my hand a loving stroke before my body can fathom responding any other way.
He’s right.
I know I have nothing to worry about in that department even if she is probably closer to his old branded “beach trash” type than I am. While Rina thinks highly of herself, the truth is she isn’t exactly much better than the irresponsible and insouciant females my boyfriend used to allow in and out of his boardshorts.
Wait.
Are we there yet?
Are we calling each other names?
Is that something we also should’ve discussed prior to me riding another O wave?
“I,” Rina motions inward, “like my big sister, have a deep, unwavering connection to the ocean.”
My lips press together to stop from inserting that that connection is undeniably tethered to whoever is befriending her, feeding her, or fucking her.
“However, unlike my bureaucratic-obsessed sibling, I actually care about the ocean enough to do something about it.”
Maintaining my silence grows in difficulty.
“I’m an activist.”
“You’re an anarchist.”
“Sometimes they have to go hand in hand, Brook!”
“Have you ever tried letting go of that hand to try to hold another, Rina?!”
Ax stifles his urges to smile over our squabbling at the same time he gives my hand a calming squeeze. “You’re trying to communicate that you support marine conservation?”
“By any means necessary.”
Her words have my face scrunching in irritation.
Loves to sit high up on that fight the power ship, yet hates the idea that there may be another, possibly peaceful route to take to achieve many of the same things.
“I’m a part of an ocean conservation group that, at this time, I prefer to protect the identity of until I believe that your actions align with my best interests,” Rina casually states prior to having another sip of her coffee.
Ax, to my surprise, nods his comprehension. “Understandable.”
“Ludicrous,” I