Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel by Bella Emy (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📕

Like I said, heavenly. “It was absolutely beautiful, and your sister looked breathtaking.”

Erin chuckles. “Yeah, she looked like Cinderella.”

“She did.”

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” She pops open the cap from her bottle of water and takes a long swig.

I shrug. “I’m good with anything. Honestly, I don’t mind spending the rest of this vacation lying right here and not moving an inch.”

Erin chuckles. “Girl, you’re not joking. I wouldn’t mind that either. But you know damn well there’s too much to do here than to just waste it away on the sand… not that there’s a problem with that.”

Erin’s right. There is so much to see and do out here that it would be a shame to let this time go to waste. Land tours, dining on the beaches, whale and dolphin watching, sea life safaris, submarine expeditions, scuba diving, and so much more.

I close my eyes and after only a moment, open them once more. “Why don’t we start off by checking out the shops and then grabbing some food later?”

She smirks and then nods. “Okay, fine. We can do that. I mean, I thought that was kind of a given, but I was sort of hoping we could hit some of the clubs tonight.”

I giggle. “Of course, I should have known.” I playfully roll my eyes.

Erin sits up on her towel. “Lexi, you already know, I’m all about that bass and liquor… and feeling good.”

She sure did love some beats and having a good time. Still, I raise an eyebrow and decide to edge her on. “You didn’t get enough to drink at the wedding?” I’m joking. Erin hadn’t drunk much at all last night.

She gasps and places a hand on her chest, feigning hurt.

I crack up and reach out to place a hand on her arm. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

“With all we had going on, I barely had a glass of water…maybe a sip or two of champagne during the toasts. That’s it.”

I chuckle. “I know. I was just teasing.”

Erin smirks. “Yeah, you’re lucky I love you, bitch.” She punches me in the arm softly.

“I know, but look,” I point to the right. “There’s a cute little Tiki bar right on the beach. Let’s get this party started right now.”

“Girl, I’m game. Let’s go!”

We rise up from our seats on the sand and only grab our phones. We decide to leave our towels and other items. The bar is not that far from where we’re sitting and if anyone needs to steal beach towels and some suntan lotion that badly, then they are free to take it.

We walk toward the bar as the sun beams down on us. It’s early in the afternoon and already hot as sin, but there’s a nice breeze blowing. The scent of the ocean brings back so many memories of my childhood. Hot summer days on the beach gave way to lazy summer nights.

Erin grabs my right hand. “Oh, my God, girl, don’t look now, but that hottie over there is totally checking you out.”

“Where?” I ask, looking around.

She pulls my arm down by my hand. We stop dead in our tracks and she forces me to face her. “Ugh! Don’t make it so obvious!”

I hold back a nervous laugh. “Sorry.”

Erin sucks her teeth. “Oh, it’s fine, but seriously, look. He’s standing near the pier and he’s fine as hell. Just try not to make it look too obvious that I told you to look.”

This time, I slowly turn my head and see the guy she’s talking about. Sure, he’s cute, and yes, he’s definitely staring at us—me—but something else catches my attention.

It can’t be, can it?

Oh, of course it can. And it is.

Sitting at one of the tables right outside of one of the hotels’ entrances in a black designer suit which screams Benjamins is Kalen Starling, owner of Starling Paradise, and from what I can tell right now, still the owner of my every waking thought since I first laid eyes on him again.

What the fuck is going on with me? I had said good-bye to Kalen the moment he broke my heart so many years ago, and I refuse to go down that route once more. The only thing I can say is that at least this time I’m not running for the hills, threatening to toss my cookies all over his perfect white sandy beaches.

Damn, he is so gorgeous. Even more so than what I remember him to be. When we were just a bunch of high school kids, he was fine. But now? Now, his looks intensified times a million. Not only did his looks stay just as charming with his amazing emerald green eyes, but add his increasingly sexy appearance that was brought on by the passing of time, and I’m done for.

“Lexi? Hello?” Erin’s voice brings me out of my musings.

I turn my head away from the perfect sight of Kalen Starling and when my eyes meet with hers, I nod. “Hmm?”

She furrows her brows. “Well, did you see the hottie at five o’clock?”

Nodding again, I reply, “Yes, but I also saw the hottie at eight o’clock.”

“Huh?”

I swallow hard. Even though the panic hasn’t set in again today after seeing Kalen like it did the other night, I still feel a bit uneasy. Nevertheless, I take a breath and respond. “Look.”

Erin looks in the direction I mentioned and when she finally catches a glimpse of who I’m referring to, she gasps. “Oh my God! Kalen? Are you okay, Lexi?”

I shrug. “I mean, I guess. I don’t know. I didn’t run off this time, but I’m still nervous.”

She nods. “Well, no running off, I’m here. Come, let’s continue making our way to the bar. This deserves a drink.”

I follow her lead and we finally reach the Tiki bar. She orders us a round of martinis and we sip on them.

Erin swirls her drink around in her glass. She never meets my gaze as she says, “Kalen Starling… I should’ve known.”

I give her a