Come Out Swinging (Reach for the Moon Book 2), Sam Hall [leveled readers .TXT] 📗

“You’re…you’ve got a little…” Bridge leaned in to wipe away some imaginary drool. Well, I thought it was imaginary. I elbowed her away in response. “Look, would it be a bad thing to ring one of the blokes that asked me out, see if they want to meet us at the beach?” My eyes slid sideways, a grin spreading across my face. “What?”

“You’re feeling better. Surprisingly so.”

Her smile faltered, but I saw her determination when she reapplied it. “I had a moment last night. I was still buzzing after that run. It was like once I settled my body, my mind really kicked in. I hate my mother. Fuck, I hate her so much.” She shook her head, just sitting with that feeling for a bit. “Like, I’ve loved her in an abstract way, because I felt like I had to, because she was my parent or some shit, but…” Her chin jerked up. “But freed of that expectation, what do I have?” She held her hands up to indicate what she had—nothing. “What she did, it hurt, it fucking hurt. Seeing that complete absence of love in her eyes, knowing that was always the case…”

Her eyes met mine, burning bright silver. “I imagine it hurts chicks to tap their way out of eggs and it hurts caterpillars to turn themselves into goo and then transform somehow into bloody butterflies.” She didn’t flinch away from my stare, meeting it head-on. “I’m out of Lupindorf, I’m out from under Mum, I’m free. That still stings. It’ll keep stinging, but fuck it, if she’s gonna make the dumbarse decision to let me off the chain, I’m gonna make the fucking most of it. I want to work hard, play hard—”

“Fuck hard? Gav’s a nice bloke.”

“Yeah, that too. It feels like every bloody thing I knew to be true has been blown up, and I should be worried about that, but I’m not. I’m really not.” Her eyes dropped to her pocket, where she fished out her phone. “I’m gonna give him a call. What was his name again?”

I snorted and helped her find the details, watching the guys work out who was going in which car. Me and Bridge, we’d be in the same one, I vowed. But I stopped and listened to her make the call, smirking when I heard her initially tentative pitch, something that just got brasher as her eyes narrowed at me.

“So yeah, if you’ve got the time, come down for some sun, sand, a swim, and whatever else comes to mind that starts with an S.” Her expression became one of triumph when my mouth gaped. “What?” She jolted at his response. “Um…yeah. Hang on, I’ll just check.” Her eyes went wide when she asked, “Which beach are we going to?”

“Just tell him down near the jetty. He’ll know where to go.”

I watched her relay the message with a happy heart. I wanted, needed to see that smile.

Chapter 31

“What’re you smiling about?” Declan asked. We were strolling down the beach, hand in hand, kicking at the low waves that lapped in.

Of course I was smiling. The sun was hot, but the fresh breeze coming off the sea kept me at the perfect temperature. My hand was in his, held tight by those long, strong fingers. My eyes kept sliding sideways, taking in those broad shoulders, those well muscled arms, particularly as I’d lathered every inch of them with the highest SPF sunscreen money can buy.

“You, them, Bridge.” I looked up the beach to where Gavin was smoothing sunscreen on her bare back. “This.”

“And what’s this?” He pulled me to a stop, putting his arms around my waist.

“No stress, no fighting, no Nance, nothing but us. Coming here, it’s made me feel like this’ll work.” I let out a breath, feeling a whole lot of other stuff going with it, and when I smiled, there was a lightness to that. “In that apartment, I can see our future and I like it. What about you?”

“It’s gonna take some getting used to. We’d come up to the city sometimes for Adam, but not often. It’s beautiful here and ugly in some places, but…” His eyes met mine. “Any life that has you in it is a good one for me.”

I stared into those warm eyes, wanting to drag him down on me, on top of me, just to feel the welcome weight of him. Instead, I reached out, wrapping my arms around his neck, and went up on tiptoes to kiss him.

The beach was the perfect place to kiss Declan. He was warm, sweet, funny, and a whole lot dirty, and it kinda fitted with the beach. It was easy to imagine us having never split up, staying a couple, moving to the city, and building a life together. It was as if the separation had never happened.

“C’mon,” he said, grabbing my hand and tugging me after him, back to the others.

“Where are we going?” I yelped, stumbling after him.

“The theme park?” He walked us up the beach towards the big cluster of rides, booths, and games, the scent of fairy floss and Dagwood dogs being cooked flavouring the air. “What about the others?”

“I’m texting them,” he said, his phone in his other hand. “But having a head start?” He grinned at that. “I never took you out on that date. We went and…”

His smile failed as his words faltered, both of us remembering what had happened as we danced in front of his car. I squeezed his hand, needing to see that grin back.

“So this’ll be like that time you took me to the show?” I asked.

That had been early in our relationship, the two of us still awkward and weird around each other. But being smooshed together on wildly swinging rides had resulted in his arm being slung around me, holding me to him while I’d breathed in his woody scent and…

“Yeah,” he exhaled, his eyes shining silver, making it clear he saw