Snapshot: Chapter 11

Three Years Earlier

Las Vegas

Iswear on my life, she wore that sexy black bikini to torture me.

I emerge from the locker room shirtless with two fresh towels. One for me, one for Lennox, who is sitting at the edge of the pool, lazily stirring the water with one foot.

She watches me approach, and when I’m close enough, she exhales heavily. “Dude, I’m exhausted.”

“Breath control will do that,” I say, then throw my thumb over my shoulder, pointing to our discarded regulators and tanks resting behind us. “And the equipment is heavier than you think.”

She says, “Thank you,” as she reaches for the towel, but she sets it aside and continues to disturb the pool water with her toe. She even goes as far as kicking against the water line and splashing me across my chest.

I plop down next to her. Leaning forward, I scoop a handful of pool water, lobbing it at her exposed stomach. “You don’t want to play that game.” I nod toward the deep end of the pool. “I’ll drag you right back in.”

She smiles and rubs her eyes like a sleepy child. When she opens them, they look slightly red. “Hey, let me see,” I instruct her, leaning closer to her face. “Your eyes look irritated.”

“It’s the saltwater,” she says. “I’m used to chlorine pools.”

I squeeze her shoulder. “I know. But saltwater pools are better for practicing your buoyancy. I have some eyedrops. Let me go grab them.”

She seizes my forearm as I try to rise. “I’m okay. Just sit with me for a bit.”

I do as she asks. Lying backward and flattening myself against the ground, I tuck my hands behind my head, creating a makeshift pillow. From this angle, I can admire Lennox’s silhouette from behind. The way her waist narrows before her hips curve outward. It takes every ounce of restraint not to reach up and yank on the black bow of her bikini top. Because fuck… I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s been three months since I met her. The fantasies won’t cease. Her smile…her laugh…her naked. I’ve never been in this position before. Usually, it’s about three dates with a woman before I realize the sex isn’t worth the company.

I could fall asleep talking to Lennox. That’s how comfortable I am with her. It’s a different kind of love, I suppose. Friendship. Something you don’t risk by getting sloppy in the sheets. What would happen? When Lennox finds out what I’m worth, either she’ll change, or our friendship will. It’s what always happens. The moment the word billionaire is floating around…people change. I like the way things are.

“So, what’s next?” she asks, resting her elbow on her knee and cupping her chin.

“You know what’s next,” I quip back.

She narrows her eyes, one corner of her plush lips curling into a smile. “Right. I need more practice on the test where I lose my mask in the water and have to find it. I panic when I can’t see. I should work on that.”

I close my eyes and shake my head. “Nope, you’re solid. It’s natural to be nervous when you’re blind underwater. And you recover very nicely.”

“What about learning to use a dive watch?”

“Those are most helpful when you’re diving solo or mapping out a dive. You’re not ready for either of those things.”

“Well, maybe next week we could⁠—”

“Lennox,” I singsong. “Dodge it all you want, but it’s time to get into the ocean.”

“I’m not ready.”

“Yes, you are,” I assure her.

I’ve been giving Lennox private scuba diving lessons for months now. She’s a natural. Strong swimmer, quick learner, and she handles her tank like a master. Her breath control is that of an experienced diver. She could probably even dive with me, stretching a single tank out to over an hour at a thirty-meter depth. She doesn’t need more lessons or pop quizzes. It’s time for Lennox to get into open water. Except, she’s still scared.

She’s stalling. Maybe a better instructor would encourage her to conquer her fear. I, however, have been savoring my Lennox time. So, we meet at the Lakewood community pool after hours once a week, going over the same technical skills. At this point, I think we’re both pretending like this is useful. I like to think she looks forward to spending time with me, too.

If I planned to stay in Las Vegas, I would’ve told her how I feel about her. But I don’t want to be one more guy who recklessly falls for her and then leaves her high and dry. But what if…

What if bringing her to Miami was an option?

I sit up and nudge her shoulder with mine. She flinches when my bare skin touches her. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Would you ever consider leaving Las Vegas?”

She raises one eyebrow. “Odd question.”

Shit. Yeah, that was tactless. I make up a lie to quickly recover. “My family’s company had a job become available that I think you’d be good for, but it’s in Miami. I was just curious.”

“Oh,” she responds, easily believing my weak excuse. “Thanks for thinking of me. But no, I’m stuck in Las Vegas.”

I’m relieved when she doesn’t ask more about the fictitious job I just made up. Honestly, there’s not a corporate job in the world I think Lennox would enjoy. All Hessler Group has as far as open positions are accounting and legal, which I’m sure sounds mind-numbingly boring for a girl like her. But curious, I ask, “Why are you stuck? Love the Strip that much?”

“Not for the nightlife or anything. I’m really close to my family. Finn’s not just my cousin; he’s my best friend. My mom, Aunt Hannah, and I still do a weekly lunch. And most importantly, my dad…” Her face flattens, and she stares out across the pool for a while. Then, hastily, she yanks her feet out of the water and hugs her knees. “I couldn’t leave my dad.”

“Why?”

Her eyes snap to mine. “How are you with secrets?”

She doesn’t understand the irony of her question, seeing as I’m basically keeping my entire identity secret from her. “Excellent.”

“I’ve never told anybody this because I don’t trust anyone to understand. But maybe…” She studies my eyes. “Just don’t let me down and go blabbing. Especially not to Finn because he’d worry sick. This is a burden I have to carry alone.”

“Promise. My lips are sealed.”

She gazes back across the pool. “My parents used to be very well off until my dad lost his job. I was in my sophomore year of high school when things dramatically changed. Everything he worked for over two decades was gone like that”—she snaps her fingers—“and it broke him. I did what I could at sixteen. I got part-time jobs and tried to take care of my own lunch and gas money. I studied hard, knowing I needed a scholarship if I had any chance of going to college. My mom reentered the workforce. She got a job at an insurance call center and has been working her way up in the company. But it wasn’t enough. Eventually, they took the house, our cars, and his retirement. My parents went bankrupt.” She lifts her shoulders then drops them as if they’re heavy.

“This economy,” I offer as a lame excuse. “It’s rough right now.”

Lennox’s face twists in disgust. “It’s not the economy. It’s evil, corporate greed, and finance assholes. My dad was spectacular at his job. He got screwed over. Then, all of his supposed friends, who he broke his back helping for decades, turned on him when he needed them most. If I’ve learned one thing…never ever trust people with money.”

I wish I could disagree. But I’ve learned much the same lesson. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I muster out. “It sucks about his friends, but it sounds like he has a really supportive family.”

“He did…he does. I just think he had this ridiculous notion that it was his fault, and he let me and my mom down in an unforgivable way. It was so far from the truth. But he felt so bad. I’ve never seen anyone so down on himself. It’s like someone sucked the life right out of him. I think he was too proud to admit he was depressed, but I remember not seeing him smile for months in a row—almost as if he completely forgot how to. And just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, one day I came home from school, and Dad was napping, or so I thought.”

My stomach sinks, understanding where this story is going. “Oh, no. You don’t mean…”

She still doesn’t look at me but nods. “Mom was working a late shift… By the time eight o’clock came around, I realized Dad was going to sleep right through dinner. So, I made him mac n’ cheese and brought it to his room. I tried to wake him up, but he wouldn’t budge. That’s when I noticed the empty pill bottles on the nightstand.”

She suddenly hunches forward, bending at the waist so her face is inches from the water. Lennox splashes her face and hair like she is suddenly burning up and needs to cool off. But I don’t buy it. The pool water drenches her face, enough to cover any tears.

“What happened?” I ask when she sits back upright.

“I was hysterical. Shaking him, wailing, smacking his cheeks, pouring ice-cold water on his face. I had the phone in my hand. I started dialing 9-1-1 when his eyes popped open. I’ll never forget the look on his face. Like he was shocked to wake up and even more surprised to see me. The way he reached out to touch my face like he wasn’t sure I was real.” Lennox touches my cheek to demonstrate. Gentle fingertips across my cheek, tracing my jawline. “He told me later that he thought he died, and he couldn’t believe that he made it to heaven.” She drops her hand, returning it to her lap while muttering, “So fucked up,” under her breath.

“He thought you were an angel?” I ask.

She closes her eyes and nods in response.

My heart beats in slow, steady knocks as I watch her compose herself. She presses her lips firmly together. It looks like she’s trying not to cry. Here’s a woman who tries so hard to make lemonade with all the bullshit life seems to throw at her.

“Anyway, it messed me up for a while. I couldn’t sleep. I was paranoid, glued to my phone, and physically ill whenever he didn’t text me back right away. I should’ve told someone. That was too much for a sixteen-year-old. But…”

I grab her hand, cupping it tightly. “He begged you not to tell anyone, didn’t he?”

“Yeah.” She tries to take her hand back but I hang onto it tightly.

“It’s okay. I won’t tell a soul, Len.”

“I would’ve told someone if I saw any signs. I swear. But he seemed to get better, like what he did was just a moment of weakness. He had to hit rock bottom before he could start climbing back up. And he found peace with being broke. Eventually, Dad stopped worrying about his reputation or getting his fortune back. Things mellowed out… But there’s still a part of me that can’t unsee that look on his face.”

I know better than she realizes. “Once you know real grief, trauma, or betrayal, you can’t go back to living in a world where that doesn’t exist.”

“Exactly. That’s exactly it.” She squeezes my hand back. “You must’ve gone through something heavy, too, if you understand.”

I could elaborate on how my mom died when I was seven. I never knew my dad. My grandpa was on my ass constantly, trying to ensure I grew up to be a replica of him with his inflated, elitist ego. It eased up when he drank himself useless, but then I watched my grandma slowly begin to work herself to the bone. Maybe I should tell Lennox I feel so fucking lost in my own skin, and Miami feels more like a life sentence than a privilege.

But I don’t.

Because here I’m just Dex—the scuba diving instructor. That’s the guy Lennox likes. The guy she talks to.

“Not really. Just a guess,” I tell her.

“Oh, okay. Anyway, I don’t know…sometimes I wonder what if it gets bad again? What if no one knows what he did when he was sad, and therefore, no one else can protect him?” She hangs her head. “I should’ve told my mom, but I made a promise. Now, if anything happens to him, it’s on me.”

“That’s a pretty big responsibility to carry, don’t you think? How can you constantly breathe for someone else?”

She tugs on her bottom lip with her top teeth. “Well, that’s what happens when you keep secrets.”

I wrap my arm around her bare shoulder, pulling her close. “And now you’re scared to leave home.”

“Something like that. Las Vegas is just where I belong.”

And there’s my answer. A bond I could never come between.

“Lennox, I’m sorry.” I have her smashed up against me, but right now, I’m not paying attention to her half-naked body pressed against mine. I’m just trying to make her feel safe.

“When I was little, I used to tell everyone I wanted to have a high-powered career and be important. I mean I was an ambitious little thing. Screw doctor or lawyer, I wanted to be a surgeon or supreme court justice. But after what Dad went through…”

“Now, what do you want?”

She leans away from me, breaking free of my embrace. “To be happy. I don’t want to get caught up with money, things, status, or any of that bullshit that made my dad go to the pit of despair. I don’t want money to ever make me feel failure the way it did for my dad. It was painful enough to make him want to end his life.”

I think Lennox’s dad and my grandpa have quite a bit in common. Money ruled their lives, but it also ruled their emotions. Except there was a stark difference between Lennox’s dad and Grandpa. I don’t think Mom would’ve ever stayed anywhere to be close to Grandpa. In fact, she ran away from it all—that’s how she got pregnant with me.

“Your dad is far from a failure. He has a daughter and wife who love every single version of him. You stuck by him through thick and thin. He built a real family. That’s way more success than money can ever bring.”

Her face relaxes into a small smile. “I like that. He did, didn’t he? He built a real family. Thanks for listening.” She holds up her pinky. “Our secret, right?”

Hooking my pinky around hers, I promise her, “Our secret.”

A loud ring from behind us echoes through the empty community pool. It costs double to rent this place out after hours, but it’s worth it. These moments are precious…just me, Lennox, and the water. My favorite part of the week.

“Shit. What time is it?” she asks, grabbing my wrist and checking my dive watch.

“Eight-thirty,” I say as she reads the time for herself. “You in a rush?”

“That’s probably my date. I was supposed to call him at eight to let him know if I was still free tonight.”

“Oh.” I have no right to feel disappointed. I’m the one who said we should just be friends. Regardless, it feels like a slap in the face.

“I don’t mean to run out on you.” She looks over her shoulder at the equipment. “I still want to help you load everything up.”

I ignore the beast of jealousy roaring in my chest and try to approach this conversation like an actual friend would. “Is he a good guy?”

“Too soon to tell,” she says quickly. “But he has a nine-to-five, doesn’t drink, likes sitcoms. He volunteers at the children’s hospital once a month. He calls exactly when he says he’s going to.”

“So, basically, Charlie’s polar opposite,” I add.

Lennox taps her nose twice, then points at me. “Exactly.”

“And where the hell did you meet a guy like that?”

She widens her eyes. “The grocery store of all places. He saw me knocking on watermelons, trying to find a good one. He helped me pick one out.” She holds her hands shoulder-width apart, demonstrating the size of the watermelon mystery guy picked. “Then he gave me his number and told me if the watermelon was sweet, I had to call him.” She rolls her wrist, swiveling her hand in the air. “It was pleasantly cute and innocent. I kind of felt like I was in a movie.”

Fuck. Pretty smooth of him. “And how was the watermelon?”

She pops the tip of her finger into her mouth and holds it between her teeth. There’s a dreamy look in her eyes, like she’s reliving the moment of that first bite… For fuck’s sake. Some random dude stole my girl with a piece of fruit.

“The sweetest I’d ever tasted,” she finally answers. “So, I owe him a date.” I really don’t like the way she’s smiling now. Obviously, she was charmed. “But I can see him a different night. I’ll help you get this all sorted.” She stands, stretching her arms overhead, then massages one shoulder like she’s sore.

“Nah, I got it. Get out of here.” I run my hand over my face, reluctant to add, “He sounds like a good guy. You deserve a good guy, Len. Good luck. I hope it works out.” What a bitter-tasting lie. He better not hurt her in any way, shape, or form, but I hope this dude is corny as fuck.

“Are you sure?” she asks. “I really don’t mind. We could maybe grab a bite on the way home.”

I tap her nose. “You don’t need to babysit me. Plus, I told Leah I’d call her this week.” I shrug. “Maybe tonight’s a good night.”

“Leah?” Lennox asks, unable to mask her surprise. “You asked out Leah? She’s been working at the dive shop for what—a millisecond?”

“A month,” I correct. “And I didn’t ask her out. She asked if I wanted to”—I tilt my head back, looking at the ceiling—“let’s say Netflix and chill.”

“Oh, I…”

“You don’t like her?” I ask, surprised. “You’re the one who recommended her for the job.”

“No, I do. Leah’s great, it’s…she just got divorced, and it was—” Lennox stops mid-sentence. “It’s not my place to tell you, but I don’t think she’s looking for anything serious.”

I raise my eyebrows, admitting to the uncomfortable truth. “Yeah, I know. That’s kind of why we⁠—”

“Ah,” Lennox interrupts. “Got it. Say no more. You guys are actually perfect for each other.”

I hold up my hands. “She was your friend first. I don’t have to hang out with her. I can tell her it’s unprofessional. Me being her boss and all.”

Lennox grunts in laughter. “Boss,” she mumbles.

“What?”

“I’m trying to picture you in a suit and tie.” She makes a square outline with her fingers, framing my face, then squints one eye. “I don’t see it.”

I’ve let this ruse go on too far. I own at least one hundred suits. And at least as many pairs of business shoes. Back home, a quarter of my closet is dedicated to ties. Whatever Lennox is struggling to picture is exactly who I am.

Rising to my feet, I hold my hands out for hers. As soon as her small palms are in mine, I tug her up. “I own a few suits.”

“Sure you do.” She winks before her playful smile fades. “Leah likes Junior Mints. Addicted actually. They’re her catnip. She buys two boxes when we go to the movies, and she inhales them before the previews even start. It’d be a nice touch if you picked a box up for her before you guys, you know…watch a show.”

I ruffle her damp hair. “I’m not an animal. When I say hang out, I do mean hang out. I’m not going to sleep with her tonight. Hey, actually, how about you call your watermelon guy? I’ll bring my Junior Mints girl, and we can bring this picnic to the movie theatre. We could double.”

I regret the words as soon as they’re out of my mouth. That sounds like torture, actually. I don’t want to watch Lennox all night cozying up to another man. I also don’t feel like Leah is actually interested in going out anywhere. She made her intentions pretty clear. It was refreshing at least. I like an honest woman.

“I think that’d be distracting,” Lennox says barely above a whisper. “Watermelon guy deserves my full attention on our first date.”

I agree about the distracting part at least.

“Yeah…makes sense. You’re considerate. One of my favorite things about you.”

“Thanks.” She nods but hangs her head, examining her painted toes. They were perfectly intact this morning. So much time in the pool tonight did a number on her polish, which is now chipped and peeling. “Hey, you know what?”

“What?” I try to find her eyes, but she’s still staring down.

“I think I’m ready to try the ocean.”

“Really? Wow, I thought I was going to have to resort to bribes.”

She finally looks up, smirking. “What kind of bribes?” Pointing to my dive watch she asks, “Do they make that in purple?”

“I’m sure it could be arranged.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m obviously kidding, Dex. No bribes necessary. I’m just nervous. Can we do a beach entry instead of rolling off the boat?”

“Definitely. We’ll pace ourselves,” I assure her.

“And you’ll stay with me the whole time?”

“I promise.”

“Okay, just let me know when.” She bends down to pick up her towel and wraps it around her already dry body. At this point, it’s just for modesty. “If you’re absolutely sure you don’t need me, I’m going to go return that call.”

I nod. “I’m sure.” Lennox is three strides away when I ask her, “Hey, what’s watermelon guy’s name, by the way?”

“Alan,” she calls over her shoulder.