I know being on the same team as Alana can’t be comfortable for her.
Setting the cup down, I swim to the other side of the pool to join Jake’s team. I can practically feel Alana’s stare burning a hole into me, but I ignore it, keeping my focus on Natalie as she reaches behind her to tighten her bikini top.
Fuck me… She’s the perfect distraction. I’ve barely even looked at my ex since Natalie stripped down to her bikini. The same exact one that she’s wearing. Also, the same one I told Alana I loved on her last year.
“…ready?” Alana clears her throat louder than necessary, before nodding at the ball when I look her way. With a scowl, Alana serves the ball in my direction.
Just to make a point of ignoring her, I let Jake go after the ball. She’s working too hard to get my attention. Even though a part of me still wants to give it to her, I’m fighting like hell this weekend to change that.
Jake hits it over and Alana and Natalie go after it at the same time, Natalie getting to it right as my ex swings out to hit it. The fact that Natalie got it instead of her has Alana giving the side of her head an evil glare.
“Nice hit, babe!” I clap my hands once, before hitting the ball when it flies in between myself and Seth.
“Nice, man!” Seth slaps my back, before returning his attention to the ball.
Walker and Riley both dive for it, Walker hitting just high enough to keep it above water so that Alana can tap it over to Jess, who hits it back over.
We volley for a while, the tension between the girls thick, before Jake finally misses it.
“Shit! That was a good one, everyone.” He claps. “Let’s keep it up. Drink anyone?”
“Me,” Alana says stiffly. “Make it a double.”
“I got ya, babe.” He points around. “Anyone else? Madden?”
“No, I’m good, man.”
“Natalie?”
She shakes her head. “No, thanks. We have one.”
This earns a hard glare from Alana, but Natalie ignores her and swims to the net to chat with Jess while waiting on Jake to get back.
“Dude. Is Natalie a pro or some shit?” Walker says from beside me. “I haven’t seen anyone that competitive in volleyball with Alana in like… well, ever.”
I nod. “She played Volleyball in High School for four years.” I know this because I heard her tell my brother about one of her old games last year when I stayed with him for a weekend. “She was the Speaking Captain.”
“Impressive.”
“Really, Walker?” Alana mutters from her spot. “Being able to hit a ball over a net isn’t that impressive. I never played in High School and I’m just as good as she is.”
“Drinks!” Jake yells from outside the pool. “Swim your asses over here and get them. I’m setting them down away from the game so they don’t get wet.”
Alana rolls her eyes, before swimming to her cup.
“Whatever, man. Ignore her. You know she’s just pissed that you brought another girl. She’ll eventually get over it.” He slaps my back. “She’ll have to. Especially since you’ll be bringing her here from now on, right?”
“Yeah,” I say softly, watching as Natalie laughs at something Jess says. I’m sure my brother would love that.
“Good. Let’s play!”
Thanks to Natalie and Alana being on the same team, we lose our asses off twice. It’s usually a close game even though Alana’s team always manages to win each year, but this time, with two powerhouses on their side, it wasn’t even a competition.
“Everything good?” Jake swims up beside me and leans against the edge of the pool. “How is Natalie handling things, and where the hell did you find someone so perfect for the part?’
“Good.” I take a sip of my drink, my attention focused on Natalie and the girls. “She’s my brother’s girl,” I force out.
“Fuck!” He runs his hands over his face in a hurry. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.”
“Shit, Madden. You do realize that you and Natalie will have to get pretty damn cozy, and real soon if you want Alana to believe this shit, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And your brother doesn’t care? Did you tell him you’d be kissing and touching all over her this weekend? That your lips—the ones that all girls crave to kiss—will be on hers?”
I nod and take a swig of my drink. “He knows and he’s fine with it. No tongue was his rule.”
He laughs. “No tongue? And you think that shit’s going to fly