MM Series (#3)
Marriage has been easy for star hockey goalie Evan Henderson and his best friend's sister, Ellie. They both knew what they wanted from the start of their relationship.
The only problem is that they can't get everything they want.
Afte...
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Ellie lays flat on her back, my baseball cap over her face to block the sun as she naps.
I stare out at the crashing waves as I lean back onto my palms, my legs stretched out in front of me.
In the distance, seagulls scour for food, kids attempt to build sandcastles, and teenagers dig holes.
Bentley lifts his head from Ellie's still-flat stomach as a small dog walks by. He tilts his head curiously at the Boston Terrier before deciding he's not interested and lays his head back down. I reach over, scratching behind his ears, causing his tail to flip and hit my bare thigh.
"This dog is going to give me the weirdest fucking tan line." Ellie's voice pulls my attention away from the fairly empty beach.
I softly chuckle. "You think he knows there's a baby in there? He'd never laid on your stomach until recently."
Ellie lifts the Cubs cap off her face and sets it on her book beside us. "Animals always know that shit. They've got superpowers." She squints her eyes and I hand her her sunglasses. "Thanks."
"You hungry?"
"Starving." Ellie rolls onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow-which does not make Bentley very happy. He rests his head atop her bare thigh instead, and suddenly, I'm a little jealous of my fucking dog.
I reach back into the cooler and pull some soda cans out, along with the fresh fruit Ellie insisted I pack.
"Gimme." She snatches the cut pineapple from my hand as I dig around the ice, looking for the strawberries. After finding them, I turn back towards the ocean and push my sunglasses up my nose. "I can't come to the beach without thinking of Taylor Swift anymore."
I scrunch up my nose. "How can you think about snow when it's this fucking hot?"
Ellie giggles softly. "I dunno. The Queen herself can make you do that, apparently."
I'd be lying if I said I'm not a die-hard Swiftie myself. I can own up to it, unlike some guys. It's how Ellie and I bonded when we first met. Call me girly, I don't care, Taylor Swift is a fucking icon that I would bow down to.
I steal a piece of pineapple from the clear container beside Ellie and pop it in my mouth. Swallowing, I say, "She's just a princess. You're the queen." A crooked grin appears on my lips.
"Ew, cheesy." She scrunches up her nose like I had previously done and throws a piece of pineapple at my face.
"Did you just throw food at me?" I ask, catching it in my hand and tossing it into my mouth.
"Maybe..." Ellie smiles sheepishly, turning to look away from me.
I stare at her profile and fall to my side, mimicking her pose as I hold myself up on my elbow. "When was the last time we did this?"
