Page 56 of On the Rocks

I couldn’t fight back my smile at the thought. It was a classic Anthony move, to surprise me and make a show of himself in the process. He loved to be the center of attention, and I knew him volunteering at a nursing home on a Sunday would be candy for the film crew.

With that thought in mind, I practically skipped to the pool, ditching my backpack at the front desk on my way out. Annie was still smiling like a loon, and I thought I finally understood why. She was in on the whole thing, the whole surprise.

But when I scanned my key card at the pool gate and flung it open, I stopped dead in my tracks, the smile sliding off my face like a limp noodle off a wall.

Noah Becker stood in the shallow end of the pool, leading a group of women and one brave man in a charade of water aerobics to an old 70’s disco song.

His smile was blinding, hair wet and glistening in the sun as he pumped his arms and legs to the music. He shouted out instructions, laughing at all the women who were attempting to follow and giggling like a bunch of school girls in the process.

Betty was front row.

Noah threw his head back on one particularly loud laugh, elicited by something Betty had said that I couldn’t hear, and when he was facing her again, his eyes flicked up to me.

Everything muted in that moment — the splash of the water, the bass of the music, the laughter of the women and the men lined up on the sides watching them. Noah watched me for what felt like an eternity — but was actually only a second — before he smiled.

That smile turned my knees to putty.

“Alright, take a break, ladies. Grab water, lather on some sunscreen, and meet me back here in fifteen.”

Everyone let out various sounds of disappointment as Noah climbed out of the water, turning the music down on the pool stereo and swiping a towel off the back of one of the lounge chairs before he jogged over to me.

It was like a stupid scene out of aBaywatchepisode, the way his pecs bounced as he ran, the water dripping slowly down every lean, toned, tanned muscle of his body. He shook the water out of his short hair right before he reached me, and when he did, his grin doubled.

“Hey there, Legs.”

“Noah,” I seethed, crossing my arms and ignoring his attempt at an adorable nickname. “Whatare you doing here?”

He just smiled wider, toweling his hair and a little of his abdomen before hanging the towel over his shoulders. He held it at each end, letting his arms hang in a way that accented his biceps.

Asshole.

“I volunteer here,” he offered innocently.

I narrowed my eyes.

At that, Noah barked out a laugh, the hands holding his towel lifting as he shrugged. “Look, I came here to call a truce.”

“I didn’t realize we were at war.”

“Oh, didn’t you?” he countered, one thick eyebrow climbing.

I didn’t respond, just shifted weight onto my other hip, keeping my arms crossed as I waited for him to continue.

“I know I crossed some lines, and I know I said some things that upset you.”

“You already apologized for that.”

“And clearly, all is forgiven,” he shot back, still eyeing me with a cocked brow. “Would you just let me talk, Miss Stubborn?”

I pursed my lips. “I likedLegsbetter.”

Noah chuckled, taking a step toward me, and the way his smile was shadowed with sincerity as he spoke his next words softened my heart. “I like having you as a friend, Ruby Grace.”

I swallowed, eyes searching his as the sun above danced in the ocean blue waters of his pupils.

“I have to admit, my life was pretty boring before you showed up. It was work and family dinner and cards with my brothers and some random girl in my bed Saturday night. Wash, rinse, repeat.”

I tried not to be affected by the mention of a woman in his bed. I had no right to be, but it still made my neck hot at the thought. I wondered if he’d taken Daphne home after the Soirée, and as soon as I thought it, my chest tightened painfully.