absorbed in listening to a play-by-play by Reindeer—aka Brooke Sarson—my north team leader.
Now I’d sealed a win and gotten my head around the process, meeting every steward should become a priority.
“Hey, Wade?” I asked when he joined me at the patio above the pool.
“Baby girl?”
He wrenched to a stop at the balustrade, staring down at the spa. “Are you seeing that?”
I squinted in the same direction before remembering I had no need to squint anymore.
“Foley and Laura,” he hissed. “Sucking face.”
That was one way to say it. They looked to be doing everything but having sex. They’d scared everyone else out and the pool area was rapidly clearing.
“I thought he was exclusive with Rhona,” Wade said.
“So did I.”
My sister’s dark auburn ponytail was nowhere in sight, and a low anger unfurled in my stomach at Foley’s blatant disrespect. Even if they’d ended without my knowledge, this was bullshit.
I passed Wade my drink.
“Oh, shit,” he whispered.
Marching down the patio steps, I took hold of the calm, forest feeling cultivated through many hours of playing the saxophone. After forcing my wolf into a box, I knew that calm feeling was powerful and could be trusted. I was strong enough to control my wolf’s guest appearances.
My gums didn’t ache. My fingernails were normal length.
I crouched by their heads. Unnoticed.
Gross.
“Foley, dear,” I said sweetly.
He jerked away from Laura, and I smiled down at them.
“How are things going?” I asked.
Laura spoke female and established a convincing distance between them without delay.
“Have you seen Rhona?” I addressed the red-faced and, in my opinion, spineless man.
Foley stammered, “She broke up with me. This morning. Whatever you’re thinking.”
My brows climbed. “You sound angry about that. Is that why we’re getting this display in the pool? As payback.”
“No,” he burst out.
I didn’t need the telltale flush of his cheeks with my new nose. The earthy component to his scent took on a rotten edge.
His words were false.
Laura folded her arms.
“You’re a free man, Foley,” I said. “But this behaviour is beneath you. You may also consider that the stewards need Rhona to be on her best game, and something like this may distract her from fulfilling her roles. We have three grids now. It could be four, but everyone needs to put themselves aside to make that happen.”
He averted his eyes. “We’ll find a room.”
Laura scoffed and in a flurry of droplets left the spa.
Unfortunately, Foley did not speak female.
“Laura, wait,” he called.
“I’m sorry your heart is hurting,” I told him. “If you need to talk, it doesn’t matter that Rhona’s my sister, I’m here to listen and give what advice I can as your head steward too.”
Kudos to him, the guy managed what Rhona rarely could—to swallow his temper. Genuinely.
A wrinkle appeared between his brows. “Thanks, Andie.”
I stood and peered at Wade, who raised both of our glasses in my direction.
Couldn’t blame Rhona for making scarce with that display, but I didn’t hear from her during Grids, and now she was nowhere to be seen. She came over this morning and didn’t mention anything about the breakup—or that she intended to end things with Foley.
Don’t panic.
It meant nothing.
She was safe.
The first level hall was crammed with younger stewards who’d snuck in alcohol. Too absorbed with hiding their drinks, they didn’t draw me into conversation.
I’d check Rhona’s room. She may have retreated to punch something.
Passing my office, I backstepped and poked my head inside.
She was sitting behind the desk.
My entire body sagged against the door. “Rhona, here you are.”
She didn’t lift her head, absorbed with whatever she was reading.
I entered, and the voices outside muffled as I shut us in. “I was worried.”
“Why?” she asked.
Uh. “You weren’t answering my orders in Timber. I couldn’t find you afterward. Why are you in here?”
“I got sick of the party.”
Her tone was off. And her smell. Something was up.
Oh, duh. Of course.
I perched on the desk. “I heard about you and Foley. He was being a dick in the spa, but he’s stopped now. He was only doing it for your attention.”
Crap, Foley, Rhona, and Laura were in the same unit. I’d need to monitor them in the next grid and split them up if necessary.
“I don’t care about him.”
I studied her. “People fall out of love all the time.”
“I chose him because I’d never love him.”
Smart choice. I stilled at the thought and her words struck me in the gut. Sascha’s accusation flashed in my mind.
You use sex as a weapon.
Was there something to his words?
Rhona didn’t like to say goodbye.