Chapter 43

Once we reach the beach, I slather sunscreen on Adam before he dashes into the water. He calls for me to watch him, so I stand at the water’s edge, hands on my hips, letting the cool waves lap over my feet.

Suddenly, Andy leaps onto my back, nearly causing me to stumble. I recover quickly, steadying myself. Adam and Noah are diving in the water, glancing back at us for approval. We cheer them on, encouraging their repeated dives.

“Noah is just adorable. I can’t handle it. He says the sweetest things to me,” Andy gushes over my shoulder.

“I know, it’s the same with Adam. They’re the cutest little boys I’ve ever seen. They’ll grow up to be such sweet boys, unlike these idiots.”

A roar and a squeal behind us make us turn around. Kyle is chasing Eden, their antics making us giggle.

“Knox, help me!” Eden pleads. Knox, ever the hero, scoops her up with ease and carries her over to us. Kyle follows, tickling Eden and making her squirm in Knox’s arms. She wraps her arms around Knox’s neck, laughing over his shoulder at Kyle’s silly faces.

“You’re so cute,” Andy comments.

“She is, isn’t she?” Knox agrees, lost in thought with the little girl clinging to him.

“Well, yeah, but I meant Kyle.” Andy’s comment earns her a look from Kyle that widens her smile. She slides off my back as he approaches, taking his hand as they wade deeper into the water.

I can’t help but smile at them. They’re so perfect for each other, it’s almost surreal. That leaves me, Knox, and Eden standing in the water together.

I look down at my feet, shuffling them in the water, stirring up small waves and moving the shells beneath the surface. The sea is calm today, so surfing will have to wait.

“Baby doll,” I hear Eden call. I turn to see her arms open, ready for me to take her. I lift her from Knox and settle her on my hip.

A silence falls between us, broken only when Eden asks, “Alex, are you mad at Knox?” I shoot him a deadpan look, earning a grin in return.

I lean in close to Eden and whisper, “Tell Knox I will be if he keeps using kids to talk to me.” She giggles and leans over to relay the message to Knox, causing me to tighten my grip on her.

“She says she will be if you keep using kits to—um—talk to her.”

“Kids, sweetie, not kits,” I correct her, laughing along with Knox. “How about you go find some rocks and we can paint them later? Hmm?” I suggest to Eden. She wriggles out of my arms, nearly taking my bikini top with her, and runs off to collect rocks in her bucket.

“That was a close one!” I mumble to myself, adjusting my top.

“Not close enough, unfortunately,” Knox comments. I slap his arm, giving him a stern look, but he just laughs it off. I glance over at Andy and Kyle, where she’s perched on top of him, legs wrapped around his waist. He’s whispering something against her lips, making her smile and throw her head back in laughter. I can’t help but wish I had that with someone.

When you’ve just broken up with someone, all you see are couples in love. Like the ones out in the distance, practically dry humping each other in the water, sucking each other’s faces off. That’s a bit much.

All I can hear are the sounds of laughter and the waves crashing further out. It’s so serene. This is what I miss about this place.

The wind blowing through your hair, the sun beating down on your skin, the spray of seawater when people run by chasing each other.

“What’s on your mind?” Knox breaks the silence between us. I shake my head, looking out at the sea, then turn to face him. My eyes widen at the sight of the girls crowding the beach behind him.

He follows my gaze, then shrugs his shoulders. “Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Yeah—” he admits, looking down at his feet shuffling in the shallow water, “but I ignore it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s flattering and all, it’s just... I’m not interested.”

“Knox, you could have any woman on their knees begging for you to look at them, and you’re not interested?”

“Nope, I only want one woman, but it’s complicated.”

“Why do you keep saying it’s complicated? What’s so complicated about it? Just ask her out, I’m sure she’ll say yes. You’re making it complicated.”

“It’s complicated because... look, she’s not like normal girls. She’s....”

“She’s what? Why are you so afraid of asking her out? Lots of girls pine after you—”

“Not her, that’s why... I like her—”

“Alex!!” A familiar voice calls out. I see a flash of blonde hair and a blue bikini. My best friend, Hannah, is making her way towards me. “Hannah!” Andy and I shout in unison. She navigates through the crowd, hopping over the small waves until she reaches us. She pulls me into a hug, and we jump up and down together, our laughter echoing across the beach.

“Look who’s here!” she exclaims, her face lighting up at the sight of them. She rushes over to embrace Kyle, then Knox. “I swear, the death glares I got just from hugging you two!” she teases Knox, playfully poking his chest. He rolls his eyes and saunters over to me, standing close.

I glance up at him, offering a reassuring smile. “We can talk later if you’d like,” I whisper. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything, but sometimes you’ve got to take the risk. If you like her enough, she should be worth it.”

His smile is warm as he looks down at me. “She’s definitely worth it.” His words send a slight twinge through my heart, but I’m happy he’s found someone he likes.

“So guys,” Andy begins, addressing the group, “Kyle and I were thinking we should chill tonight at the house after dinner and play some drinking games. What do you think?”

I shrug, not particularly caring what we do. I’m here to relax. Hannah gives a thumbs up, her fatigue from the journey evident.

Hannah takes off, sprinting towards Noah and Adam to join their antics. Kyle and Andy return to the sand, hand in hand, navigating their way through the large crowd that’s gathered, waiting for Knox to make an appearance.

As time passes, the crowd grows larger and closer, making me feel a bit uneasy.

“Want to swim with me?” Knox asks, and I agree. We head out to the deeper part of the ocean, splashing and playing around.

A few minutes later, a familiar blonde calls out Knox’s name, and my heart leaps into my throat. ~Fuck, why is she here? Is she stalking him? So much for a quiet day at the beach.~

“Is she following me?” Knox mumbles, and I stifle a laugh.

“Knox! Fancy seeing you here!” Lauren swims over to us, and I avert my gaze to the open ocean. ~This is so awkward.~

I tread water, making circles with my arms and feet. ~I should just drown right now. It’s tempting.~

“Hey, Lauren! Yeah, what a surprise. What are you doing in Savannah?” Knox asks, his face a mask of skepticism and irritation.

“You’re not going to greet me properly?” she pouts.

Knox swims over to her, giving her an awkward side hug. ~Please let there be a big wave soon so it can take me back to the shore or drag me out to sea. Anywhere is better than here.~

“No silly, where’s my kiss?” she asks mid-hug.

“We’re not together, La—” Knox starts, but she cuts him off, pressing her lips to his and grabbing the back of his head. I hear the sound of cameras clicking from the shore.

Knox pulls back as soon as he can, glaring at her. I look down into the water, watching my legs move in circles.

“What the f—”

She kisses him again, wrapping her long, smooth legs around him. He pushes her away, distancing himself from her as quickly as he can.

“Stop doing that!” he grits out through clenched teeth.

“Um, I’m going to leave you guys alone. I’ll see you later, Knox,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Thank god, I didn’t want to ask. I just can’t keep my hands off him. You’ve gotten even hotter, babe. I didn’t know it was possible,” she purrs, trying to seduce him.

Knox reaches out to stop me, but I duck underwater and swim away. I reach the shallow part of the water without any interruptions.

I start to make my way out of the water, realizing the crowd is still waiting for Knox. I continue walking, hearing some girls getting a little too excited for my liking.

I turn around to see Knox swimming away from Lauren and coming after me, but I keep walking towards the towels to dry off. As I feel the sand beneath my feet, I’m immediately bombarded with questions from girls and reporters.

“Where did you get your swimsuit?”

“How do you feel now that Lauren’s back in the picture?”

“Is it over between you and Knox?”

“Is it true you’re pregnant with his child?”

“How come you’re not wearing the ring he proposed with?”

“Did you have a fight? Is it over now that Lauren’s back?”

I only answer the first question, telling the young girl it’s a Roxy swimsuit, and continue walking towards my mom, who stands up when she realizes it’s me trying to get through the crowd.

I pick up my pace when I hear loud screams behind me. I know it’s him. I grab a towel and sprint away from the beach towards the house. I hear my mom calling out for me, but I keep running.

I reach the house and dash through the hallway, nearly slipping as I grab a set of keys. I hear Eric say, “I’m coming with you.”

I toss him the keys and run out to the car. He follows, and I can hear my brothers and Andy calling my name.

Eric starts to reverse out of the driveway, and my breathing becomes rapid.

I lean my hands against the dashboard, trying to regain control of my breathing. It’s a combination of the run and the onset of a panic attack.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Just breathe,” Eric says calmly, rubbing my back with one hand while the other is on the wheel. He drives us away from the house, taking sharp turns as we race down the streets.

I have no idea where we’re going, but it’s away from the house. The car’s Bluetooth rings because Eric’s phone is connected to it. He answers it because it’s my mom.

If he ignored her, he’d face the wrath of Medusa.

“Is she okay?” she asks, urgency lacing her voice.

“Yeah, she’s just having a minor panic attack. I’m taking her somewhere to calm down. You’re on speaker, sweetheart.”

“Alex, are you okay, honey? I’ve never seen you bolt like that before!” Her words coax a laugh from me. I’ve never run that fast in my life either.

It’s like sprinting through a hotel hallway, your legs moving in a blur, feeling weightless, spinning like the wheels of a car. That’s exactly how it felt for me.

“You and me both, Mom. Yeah, I’m okay. I just... panicked. I needed to get away from all that.”

“Knox wants to talk to you, honey. Are you up for it?”

“Yeah, I’ll talk to him. I probably scared him half to death.”

“Alex! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Knox. Sorry, I just can’t handle that kind of stuff. I’m not Lauren who thrives on it—”

“I know you’re not like her, baby doll. Jesus, you scared the shit out of me! Don’t do that again! Where did you go?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—I just panicked. I don’t know where we’re going. I’ll be back soon. I just need some air. I need to think.”

“Alright, come back soon. I want to see if you’re okay. Fuck! Please don’t do that again,” he pants, laughing at the end.

“I’ve never seen you sprint that fast in my life. You gave me a run for my money there! You might get a contract from a team soon. I’m pretty sure people recorded it,” he jokes, causing me and Eric to laugh down the phone at him. We can hear laughter in the background on his end.

“Good to know I can outrun you, which means I can escape more often!” I smile, glancing over at Eric who’s eyes are focused on the road. I recognize the place.

We’re heading to the ice cream shop where not many people go. Exactly what I need. Some alone time.

“I can catch you no matter how fast you run, baby doll! You can’t escape from me.”

“Well, I successfully did a few minutes ago, so you’ll just have to run faster. Although, I don’t think I can run that fast again because I surprised myself by how quickly I made it to the house!”

I laugh with Eric, who’s shaking his head in agreement.

“Gimme! Alex, come home soon. And don’t do that again, please!” My mom is fighting for the phone back. “Yeah!” I hear them all shout down the phone.

“Sorry, everyone! But yeah, I’ll come home soon. I just need to calm myself down.”

“Alright, bye, sweetie!”

“Bye, baby doll.”

“Bye!”

“Bye, guys. And sorry.” I end the call and smile at Eric, who’s parked outside the ice cream shop.

“I’m sorry, Eric, I’m—”

“You don’t need to explain, sweetheart. I know you, and I know what went through your mind. I understand why you did it.” He places his hand on my leg, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

“See that bench over there? You sit down and I’ll get the ice creams. We can sit for a while without you being bothered,” he says, opening the car door and stepping out.

I follow suit, heading towards the bench to sit and wait for him.

After a few long minutes, he returns with two tubs in his hands and a bright smile to cheer me up.

“Chocolate ice cream for you and honeycomb for me.” He hands me my tub and I start to eat it happily.

“Thanks, Eric,” I smile, touched by his kindness.

“Anything for you, sweetie.” He kisses my head and we sit in silence for a while before I start to talk.

“I’m just not used to everyone knowing me. It’s weird. Like they know who you are but you don’t know them. I don’t know how he deals with it. I’m just used to being in the background, you know?”

“I know, Alex. But he’s not used to it either. You really scared everyone, you know. Him in particular.” He giggles, licking the ice cream off his spoon.

“Please, he’s used to it. He tells me he doesn’t love the attention from all the girls, but I know he does. I’m not stupid... I got scared, so I bolted. I’m not used to the attention.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell?” he says sarcastically, poking my arm. “But listen, kiddo, you need to stop running away. People like you. Your commercial was a huge hit and the line sold out within minutes. Girls look up to you. Set a good example. Whether you like it or not, you’re known by most people in this country and you’ll be recognized wherever you go now. Just don’t let it get to your head like that girl... What’s her name?”

“Lauren,” I mumble.

“Yeah, Lauren. The fame has gone straight to her head. She’s as dumb as a doorknob,” he says, leaning back on the bench, laughing. I’m relieved that someone else sees her the way I do.

“I remember meeting her at a company function a few years ago. I thought to myself, ‘Looks fade when you get older.’ Ace agreed, saying she’s as dumb as a doorknob. Knox told Ace she only went out with him so she could get recognized and build a career from it. Which she did. She’s pretty big in this country, but she got that from a hard-working man, not by herself.”

“She’s a social climber.”

“Exactly! You’re intelligent, Alex. You could inspire young girls to pursue education in STEM fields. You could keep them engaged in math, physics, and the like.

“You’d be an incredible role model for them, and you’d look good doing it. Plus, you’re a talented surfer!”

“No, I want to be recognized for my scientific journals and published articles. I want to be known for my intellect and my accomplishments, not my appearance.

“I don’t understand the attraction to me. I don’t look like Lauren or Tori or any of the girls he’s dated.”

“Maybe that’s why people are drawn to you, Alex. You’re genuine, down-to-earth, and approachable. They can relate to you. But sweetheart, you’re beautiful, you need to understand that. There are plenty of boys interested in you, surely you’ve noticed?”

“I do see that I get more attention, but I’m just not accustomed to it,” I admit, laughing nervously and glancing over at him as he scrapes the bottom of his cup.

“You know what? You deserve all the boys chasing after you, especially after what you went through with that jerk cheating on you.” I snap my eyes up to see him staring intently at the water in the distance.

“You didn’t like Drew?” I ask, surprised. I always thought he liked him. Did anyone like him, or did they just keep quiet for my sake? I watch him shake his head.

“I never wanted to tell you this, sweetheart, but I saw him flirting with another girl when you brought him—”

“Back to New York with me? Yeah, Knox told me the same thing.” He takes my head in his hand and pulls me close, kissing the side of my head affectionately.

“I was talking with him when we both saw it. He thought nobody was watching him. But we had our eyes on him like hawks that night.

“I didn’t like him, and I especially don’t like him now that I know he cheated on you.” He frowns slightly, a rare expression for him.

“Damn, I was so oblivious to him and his ways.”

“His loss, kiddo. You’re one of the most special people in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Alex.

“You’ve grown into such a strong and beautiful woman, like the woman I’m in love with, and I’m glad I get to call you family.”

“Thanks, Eric. That means a lot coming from you. You’re special to me too. I don’t know what I would do without you either. You’ve been more of a father to me than my own dad.

“You’ve been through so much with us and still stuck around. I will forever be grateful you took us in as your own.”

I kiss him on the cheek and rest my head on his shoulder. We sit in silence, listening to the families playing music and the children screaming playfully.