~Chapter 12~
The silence following Devin's question was heavy, the kind of suffocating quiet that comes right before a storm breaks.
Family business.
The words hung between them like a tripwire they'd both just snapped, a thin, vibrating line of tension that made the air feel suddenly too thin to breathe.
Allison felt the blood drain from her face, the "Lisa" mask she'd spent all morning building starting to crumble at the edges.
"It's a boring real estate thing," Anna cut in smoothly, her laugh acting like a physical shield between Allison and Devin's narrowing eyes. "That's why—um—we came here for some air. Right, Lisa?"
Anna didn't wait for an answer. She stood up, brushing the sand from her legs with a decisive flick. "Actually, I'm melting. Sam, you promised us the water was perfect. Are you a man of your word or just a talker?"
The challenge worked. Sam's competitive streak flared instantly. He was a man of simple pleasures and direct action, and the heavy atmosphere snapped for him like a dry twig. "A talker? Low blow, Maria. Catch me if you can!"
He scrambled up, kicking a spray of grit behind him as he sprinted toward the turquoise shoreline.
Devin didn't move.
He remained anchored to the spot where he sat, his broad shoulders tense. On the surface, his attention seemed fixed on the distant horizon. But his gaze kept betraying him. He was stealing glances at Allison, his eyes darting to the sharp line of her jaw every time she looked away. He looked at her as if he were trying to remember a dream that was slipping through his fingers.
Sam emerged from the first break of the water, gasping as the cold hit his chest. He shook the salt from his hair, his laughter carrying across the sand like a taunt. "Come on! It's incredible! The water's perfect!"
Anna didn't hesitate. She was done with the heavy lifting of the conversation. She stood and peeled off her cover-up in one fluid motion. Her bikini was minimal, a bold, electric contrast against skin the sun had turned into a deep, honeyed bronze. She didn't look at Sam directly, but she felt his heartbeat from thirty feet away. Every movement was a deliberate pull on his attention, a smoke screen designed to give Allison space to breathe.
Sam's breath hitched. His focus snapped to her with the kind of helpless, "Wow," he breathed, the word escaping before he could catch it. His eyes followed the curve of her stride all the way to the surf, where she dove into the waves with the effortless confidence of someone who owned the ocean.
Moments later, Anna emer
ged, water cascading down her skin like liquid diamonds. She was radiant, her smile utterly unselfconscious as she beckoned them. She and Sam began to play—splashing, laughing, and chasing each other through the shallows like they'd known each other for years instead of hours. The chemistry was undeniable, a wildfire fueled by salt and adrenaline.
Allison watched from her spot on the sand, feeling more isolated than ever. The sight of Anna flirting so successfully with Sam almost made her feel like she was drowning while still on dry land. What are you doing, Anna? she wondered. Is this part of the plan, or are you actually leaving me here to die?
"Come on, Lisa!" Anna called out, waving her over. "The water's amazing! Don't be a bore!"
Allison shook her head, her posture rigid. "No. I'm fine here."
"You sure, Lisa?" Sam added, his tone suggesting he'd very much like her to join them so the group dynamic would feel balanced again. "The salt will do you good."
"I'm sure," Allison said, her voice clipped and cold. "I'm not really in the mood for a swim."
Anna hesitated for a heartbeat, reading the waves of tension radiating off her friend. But Sam was already splashing toward her, his presence loud and distracting. Anna shrugged apologetically toward the shore and turned back to the water, her laughter soon mingling with Sam's again as they drifted further into the surf.
"Sam, come closer," Anna whispered, her voice barely audible over the crashing waves. It was a sweet tone, but it felt like a betrayal to the secret she was keeping.
"Yes baby... what is it?" Sam asked, his voice dropping into a husky register.
"Look at them. What have you noticed?" Anna chuckled, nodding toward the two statues left on the beach.
Sam squinted back at the shore. "They're, um... Wait. What the heck, man."
"Um... Why is that?"
"I don't know. Both were shy, I guess? Unlike us." Sam reached out, his hand grazing Anna's waist. "It's like the moment we saw each other, we knew it was gonna work. Why can't they just be normal?"
Anna couldn't hold the laughter back. "You crazy! Sam, I'm serious. Look at them. They are so uncomfortable with each other, and I'm the only person here who knows the real reason why." She leaned in, the water swirling around their waists. "Sam, can you keep a secret?"
To make Sam her accomplice—and to keep him from asking too many logical questions—she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. The wet heat of their skin meeting sent a jolt through her.
Sam was completely under her spell. His pupils dilated, his world narrowing down to the woman in his arms. "Hey, stop it already, baby," he whispered, his forehead leaning against hers. "I might kiss you right now if you don't."
Anna's original plan was to tell Sam the truth—to explain that "Lisa" was actually Allison, Devin's long-lost love. But at that very moment, she halted. Her heart wasn't just racing; it was hammering a rhythm she didn't recognize. The sensation was too much to handle. She couldn't explain why, suddenly, she wanted to throw herself at this man despite a lifetime of playing hard to get. The smoke screen she had created for Allison was starting to smother her, too.
Back on the sand, the heat between Sam and Anna was so palpable it made Allison feel faint. But Devin just shrugged it off, watching them with the detached air of someone who had seen a thousand beach romances come and go.
Allison felt a surge of pure, unadulterated frustration. I had enough of this, she thought, her fingers digging into the hot sand. I planned this whole charade to get to Devin, but why am I losing to my own game?
She stood up abruptly, shaking the grit from her palms. The movement was sharp and sudden, finally snapping Devin's gaze away from the horizon. She wasn't going to wait for him to find a seam in her mask anymore; she was going to force him to look at it.
"Hi, Devin. Um..." she started, her voice steady even as she scrambled for the right words.
"Now what?"
The coldness in his voice was like a physical barrier. It wasn't just unwelcoming; it was dismissive. Allison swallowed hard, the "Lisa" persona feelinng heavier by the second.
"I'm just... wondering why you're acting this way," she managed, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the hurt. "So intimidating."
"Because you're annoying."
The reply cut her deeper than any insult should have. It was a personal blow, even though she knew Devin had no idea who she actually was.
In the water, Anna caught the shift in the atmosphere. She pulled back from Sam just as his lips were inches from hers, the magnetic pull of the kiss broken by the high-stakes drama on the shore.
"Omg," Anna breathed, her heart skipping a beat as she watched the confrontation. "She's finally making her move."