Lesson learned. From then until forever she’d trust her instincts that Angel would never risk what they had. No matter the circumstances she’d wait patiently until he had the chance to explain himself.

Chapter 16

Sarah

Last night when Sarah had finally emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see Monica already passed out in bed. Her stomach had turned a bit when she heard Valerie talking out on the patio still but then was relieved when she realized she was on the phone—with Alex. Sarah tried not to eavesdrop, but from the little she heard, their conversation wasn’t quite as sweet and satisfying as hers and Angel’s had been. Valerie sounded a little mad. Still, when Valerie walked back into the room and closed the patio door, Sarah could see she was smiling. Whatever Alex had said to her had her smiling once again. Somehow Sarah knew it would be a long time if ever that Valerie would give up on the guy.

Wanting Angel’s words to be the last she went to bed thinking about, Sarah had feigned the sleep of death when Valerie climbed in bed next to her. The next morning Sarah woke to a text from Angel.

Forever and always, baby. I love you. Be careful today! I’ll talk to you tonight.

That simple text had snapped Sarah out of the funk she was in for having taken off to Havasu on such a whim. It helped shake off what was left of the guilt she’d gone to bed feeling. She texted him back just as sweetly, telling him how much she missed and loved him then sighed in relief that he didn’t appear to be mad anymore.

She and the girls got up, showered, and went to breakfast. The lake was already bustling with Jet skis and every size and shape of boat imaginable. Most of them had bikini-clad girls either lying out on them or dancing and waving cups in the air—cups likely filled with alcohol even that early in the day.

Valerie had mentioned during breakfast what she referred to as Alex’s lame excuse for the photos with girls on his lap. It was the same as all the other times she’d questioned any photo she saw of him with one or more whores hanging on him.

“They’re not dudes. I can’t just physically push them off me.”

“In other words,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “he has no control over these girls who insist on sitting all over him or wrapping their bodies around him. It’s funny how guys like Angel and some of the other ones on the team in committed relationships don’t seem to have a problem with keeping the girls off them.”

“But you two are not in a committed relationship,” Sarah reminded her. “And you keep saying you’re okay with that. Remember?”

Valerie had stuffed her mouth with a forkful of pancake, and the conversation had ended there.

~~~

Now they were strolling down the lake shore where there were more and more boats docking into the lake.

“We have to find a way to get on one of those boats,” Monica said.

“I don’t know,” Valerie said, staring out onto the crowded lake. “Maybe we should just find a place to lie out and get a tan.”

Yes!

Whatever else Alex had said to Valerie last night and even this morning when Sarah saw her reading her texts and smiling silly had obviously changed her mind about how hard she’d party or how crazy she’d get today. Before Valerie had spoken with Alex last night, she was all for getting out today and making the most of their weekend. Sarah had planned on sticking to her guns and not getting talked into doing anything that might upset Angel, but she was also mindful of the promise she’d made of not being a dud.

“I’m all for working on our tans,” she said casually, looking around for an open space on the shore where they could lie out.

Valerie turned to her with a scowl. “How do you intend to do that when you’re all covered up?”

Sarah glanced down at her tankini, which covered her entire midriff. She’d brought another much more revealing bikini with her, but she decided that morning it didn’t feel right to wear it, given what a meat market this place was. She’d also wrapped a long sarong around her waist that went down to her ankles on the long side. It was still sexy because the other side exposed her leg all the way up to her tankini bottom. “I’m not all covered up,” she countered. “I’d take the sarong off, and I can push the tank up a little to get some sun on my middle.”

Her top did have a rather plunging neckline so her cle**age would be getting plenty of sun.

“Heads up!” Someone yelled from behind them and instinctively Sarah’s arms flew up to cover her head.

Valerie ducked into Sarah as a football flew by, narrowly missing Monica’s face, and fell near Valerie, rolling away a bit. A shirtless guy with a fabulous tan and chiseled abs ran up to them apologizing. “I’m sorry,” he said to Monica first then turned to Valerie and Sarah. “You guys okay? No one got hit, right?”

Another two guys walked up to them. “My bad,” one of the taller guys with equally impressive abs said with a big smile. “I give this guy too much credit. I should’ve known he’d miss that.”

Sarah did her best to smile as casually as Valerie but refused to smile as brightly as Monica. “You missed my head by an inch,” Monica said and the lashes were aflutter.

“Sorry about that,” the tall one said then added, “I’m Paul by the way.”

“I’m Graham,” said the guy who’d first approached them and since picked up the ball, bouncing it between hands now.

“I’m Edmund,” the third guy and only one holding a cup said, smiling, then winked at Sarah as he took a swig of whatever it was he was drinking. “Where you ladies headed today?”