Page 25 of Twisted Beauty

“So I’ll expect you then?” Nate sounded hopeful.

“Just try to stop us,” Katie said.

“I’ll have to check my schedule,” Liv joked, but it didn’t feel funny to her at all. She wanted to stay home and sleep. For like a month. Was that really asking too much?

“Uh huh.” Katie lowered her sunglasses and glared at Liv. “I’ll rearrange your schedule. We’ll be there.”

An older woman wearing an embroidered Puebla dress walked up from the beach with an armful of clothes. “Dress, señoritas? Sarong?”

“No, thank you.” Katie shook her head without even glancing at the clothes. Liv noticed a few other locals selling their wares to different tables. One with plastic beer mugs imprinted with the names of American sports teams, one with a stack of thick blankets on his head, and another carrying more dresses.

“I hope you like to shop, Liv,” Nate said. “It’s pretty much a nonstop parade of merchants when you’re seated on the beach.”

“Don’t talk to me about shopping,” Garrett grumbled, and Liv almost felt sorry for him. Maybe his wife was a shopaholic or something.

The woman held up a flowered sarong in front of Nate. “Para la señorita.” She gestured toward Liv, clearly suggesting he buy it for her.

“No, gracias.” He leaned toward Liv and said in her ear, “Unless you fancy one?”

“No, gracias, señora,” Liv said.

As the woman moved away from their table with her armful of clothes, the crashing waves came back into view. Liv saw a familiar figure walking up the beach toward them with a bouncy white dog.

“Jana?” Liv called out when she was close enough.

“Hey, Liv!” Jana said as she approached the table. She reached for an empty chair at the next table over and dragged it through the sand behind her. “I’m glad I made it in time. Katie told me you guys would be here this afternoon.”

“Oh she did, did she?”

Katie avoided Liv’s glare yet again, this time staring down at her drink and mopping up the moisture beneath her glass with a drink napkin. Liv tried to kick her under the table but missed and got Nate. Apparently he had his long legs stretched out between the chairs.

He looked up from his beer with a half smile and a glint in his eye, and cocked his head to one side. “Did I do something wrong?”

Damn it. She really didn’t want him to think she was flirting.

“Oh my god, no. I’m sorry. Foot spasm.”

“Hey, guys.” Jana set her chair beside Katie. The second she sat down, Lulu jumped into her lap and sniffed at the bowl of chips, wagging her fuzzy little tail and licking the air with her tongue.

“Jana. Good to see you again,” Nate said. When he looked at her, Jana’s cheeks turned pink and she looked away.

Huh. Maybe Jana had a thing for Nate?

“Hey, girlie,” Katie said. She pushed her margarita toward Jana. “Try this, it’s amazing.”

Jana took a sip and nodded, sliding the drink back. “I definitely need one of those.”

The conversation drifted off in all directions, from business to surfing to dog rescues, and Liv relaxed into her chair, taking it all in. Against the backdrop of sparkling blue, the rhythm of the crashing waves and the hum of conversation helped Liv unwind. It all felt nice for a change. Normal.

She watched Nate for a moment, and realized he was the whole package. Exactly what she’d want for herself if she made a list. Kind, thoughtful, funny, handsome. Hell, he was even a DJ, a surfer, and a businessman all at the same time. And he seemed genuinely interested in the people around him. On top of all of that, he had that whole panty-melting British thing going on. If that accent came out of Matt’s mouth, she’d be in some serious trouble.

Crap. Quit thinking about Matt.

Maybe she could will herself to fall for someone like Nate. The kind of guy who gave her his beer when she was thirsty, listened to what she had to say, and looked at her like she was the most interesting person in the room. If Jana really did have a thing for him, she was a lot smarter than Liv.

She heard a little whine and glanced across the table to see Lulu staring at her with big brown eyes and her fluffy little head cocked.

Katie cleared her throat, and Liv realized the entire table was looking at her in just about the same way.