Blue 2

Chapter Twelve

I'm so shell-shocked that I freeze on the spot, unsure of what to say or do in this very unlikely situation. I stare at the scene playing out in front of me. Blue is lounging among Declan and his group of friends as if he didn't want to gouge his eyes out a few days ago. I immediately think he's doing this to spite me, or to shove it in my face that he's ready to fool around with other girls. It's just like him to overhear Catherine and I whisper about the spa and come in hopes of cornering me to preach his apology. Knowing he's only here to piss me off, I should turn around and not entertain his childish antics. But I can't move my eyes from the beautiful girl underneath his arm.

Blue can mess around with whatever girl he wants. I'm not going to stop him... but that girl. From here, I can see her dimpled smile and tiny pink bikini adorning her even smaller body. I'm hit with a burst of insecurity as I look down at the white fluffy robe around my body. I'm not surprised she's exactly his type: small, pretty, and clingy. I move my attention to Declan as he talks loudly with his guy friends, the ones that aren't chatting up a beautiful girl or ogling over the one underneath Blue's arm. The more I stare, the more I want to rip his arm off and chuck it into the mountains.

Oh my God. I can't think so violently. I think I need to leave. Now.

I turn around on my fluffy white slippers, prepared to walk back to the spa before anyone can spot me, but before I can even take one step, my name is called behind me. Panic immediately courses through me and I stand extra still, stupidly thinking if I don't move an inch, he won't think it's me or read my frantic thoughts and be merciful enough to let me go.

"Hey, Lily! You made it!" I can practically hear Declan's warm smile.

I contemplate acting as if I didn't hear him and speed-walking out of here before Blue's noticed me if he hasn't already, but I can't do that to Declan. He's too kind for me to be rude to, even if my ex-boyfriend decided to seduce an unsuspecting, gorgeous girl into his arms. I wonder if he's drawing up another game to occupy himself on vacation. But he's probably waiting to finish having his fun torturing me before moving on to other victims. I want to run to them, pry Blue's hands off her, and shake her by the shoulder, warning and screaming at her to go, to escape while she still can before he can break her heart.

Great. Just act normal, I instruct myself and take deep breaths to calm my flaming nerves. Plastering on a fake smile, I turn on my heels and conjure the confidence to stride over to small but frisky group. One of the guys is coercing a girl to sit on his lap. She looks to be struggling a bit, but, overcome with the drinks from the empty glasses on the floor, straddles his lap and kisses him, hard. I cringe.

"I thought you weren't coming." Declan reaches out to give my shoulder a little rub. I think to come off welcoming and affectionate. Either way, it makes me nervous and I laugh. Just above my shaky laugh, I hear a growl, but when I look at Blue and his beau for the day, they're lost in conversation as he moves her hands through the air and he looks directly into her eyes, chugging down his beer.

I want to push his head into the hot tub.

Declan's hand touches mine. "Hey there. Are you okay? You look a little pale."

Blue clears his throat harshly, and when I look over at him, his eyes are narrowed but he's looking at the girl's face. I can't tell if she said something that pissed him off or he noticed Declan's hand on mine, but I have no time to decipher the answer before I have to responds to the boy wearing tropical-themed trunks in front of me.

"Oh. I'm fine. Completely okay. More than okay, um, relaxed would be the better word." Declan's concern melts into amusement as I gesture to my complimentary fluffy robe. "I was at the spa a few minutes ago. I decided to slip away from the mani/pedi's and naked older people walking around to say hi." And now that I'm here, I wish I hadn't come.