Page 86 of This Beautiful Lie
Thomas let out a booming laugh. “That’s always what people say when it’s exactly what it looks like.”
Dean reached over, fingers brushing lightly through my hair as he plucked out a twig I hadn’t realized was there. “George saw a rabbit,” he said simply.
Trisha arched her brow. “Mm-hm. I’m not sure how that equates to two adults rolling around in the woods, but—” she broke off with a knowing smile— “You know what, I don’t even want to know.”
Dean chuckled then moved on ahead, his hand curled around George’s lead as he fell into step with Thomas. He glanced back just once, offering me the smallest smile of reassurance before turning forward again.
Trisha gave my arm a gentle squeeze, pulling me back to the moment. “So…” she said, her grin returning. “Are you looking forward to the game later?”
“The game?” I echoed cautiously.
“Rugby,” Trisha clarified, her eyes narrowing like she was testing me. “You’re playing, right?”
I let out a nervous laugh and shook my head. “Honestly, I’ll probably sit this one out. I’m not much of an athlete, and I haven’t the faintest idea of the rules.”
Trisha’s jaw dropped. She gasped as though I’d confessed something sinister. “Sit this out?” She called out so Thomas could hear. “Can you believe this? Vivienne thinks she’s going to sit this out.”
Thomas spun around, walking backward with a grin. “Viv, honey, you’re not sitting out. Everyone who comes to the lodge plays at least once. It’s a rite of passage.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Dean stopped and nodded, his tone matter-of-fact. “They’re right. No one comes to the lodge without stepping onto the field at least once.”
Trisha pulled me in a little closer, her voice brimming with excitement. “You’re playing, Viv. Trust me—you’ll thank us later.”
Thomas gave me an encouraging nod, his grin making it clear this decision had already been made for me. It was three against one, and I wasn’t winning this battle.
Reluctantly, I sighed. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you… or that I won't trip over my own feet.”
Trisha clapped her hands together in delight, her eyes sparkling like she’d just won something great. “Oh, girl, this is going to be so much fun!”
Back at the cabin,I tugged the bright red jersey over my head, then turned toward the mirror to tuck the front edge into my shorts. The crest was bold, loud, and far too official-looking for something Trisha had promised would bejust for fun.
Across the room, Dean pulled his own shirt over his head, and my stomach sank when I caught sight of the rival black.
I groaned. “This feels like a setup. Like if I fail, I’ll be kicked out of the lodge.”
Dean’s mouth tugged at the corner, “That’s ridiculous. It’s just for fun.”
“Just for fun? You have team jerseys with custom crests.”
Dean looked down to his own shirt as though realizing for the first time how extreme it was. “Well, it’s kind of evolved over the years, I guess. And one of my cousins is a graphic designer.”
My eyes narrowed a little. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Guilty,” he admitted easily, tossing his towel aside and reaching for his sneakers. “But don’t worry. Rugby’s not as scary as it looks.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” I eyed him up and down. Taking in his long legs, the unfair width of his shoulders, and the fact that gravity seemed to work differently on men that looked like him. “You’re like seven feet tall?—”
“Six foot four,” he corrected.
“Plus, I don’t even know the rules. The way Trisha explained it made it sound like I was signing up for the gladiator games.”
Dean chuckled, crossing the room to stand in front of me. He reached out, adjusting the hem of my jersey where it had bunched up in the back. “Think of it like… a very chaotic tag. With a ball. You run it down the field, try not to get tackled, and pass to your teammates when your life seems threatened. That’s it.”
I blinked. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.” His eyes softened, like he could see the panic tightening in my chest. “It’s all in good fun. No one’s expecting you to know what you’re doing. Just stay on your feet, don’t run toward the people twice your size, and if all else fails…” he leaned in slightly, voice dropping low, “find me.”
Something fluttered in my stomach, my pulse stuttering at the promise tucked into his words.
