Page 20 of Wilde About You

Ace said something to his dad and then hung up. I climbed out of the pool and was drying off when I felt Ace behind me.

"Hey, that was uncool," I said to him. "I don't know anything about your family dynamics but⁠—"

"That's right, you don't. You don't know what it's like to be in a real family because you grew up in chaos."

I stared at him. "Well fuck, that's nice. Guess I'm outta here." I grabbed my towel. Ace moved to block my path.

"Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you, Ace?"

"That's my sister. No Wilde is ever going to have my sister. Got it?"

"What are you? Her keeper or something? We were just swimming. But I guess I know how you really feel about me. Now get out of my way because I'm not going to fight you."

"Are you scared?" he asked.

I stepped closer. We were close in size, but he wasn't a match for me. Like he'd said a million times, I was a Wilde. I grew up in chaos, and chaos was real good at teaching you how to fight. "I'm not going to hit you because I will lose my spot on the team and your leather-loafered dad probably has his asshole lawyer on speed dial. See, that's what growing up a Wilde teaches you. That some pricks just aren't worth swollen knuckles." I stepped past him but not before clashing shoulders with the asshole.

I reached the glass door just as Sadie was heading out, her backpack on her shoulder and my sweatshirt tied around her waist.

"Need a ride? I'm going, too," I said.

"Good decision. Nah, I've got a car. Take care, Wilde. You're all right." She walked out.

I hadn't brought much, so it was easy to pack up. I grabbed my surfboard from the side of the house and carried it down to the end of the driveway where I'd parked my truck. I tossed everything in the bed and climbed in. Something told me I was going to be on the shit end of this with the team. After all, Ace was the reigning champ, and I was the guy who tore the crap out of his knee just moments before winning the title. Not sure my luck could have gone any worse last season, except now it was probably going to go further south.

"Shit, Ronan and Rachel—" I called my brother.

"What?" Ronan answered grumpily.

"How could you be mad already? I haven't even told you the bad news. I'm on my way home, so your romantic alone time just got wiped out. But I'll find some way to make myself scarce."

"Too late. Z is here. He and Nev had a fight, so he's cooling off over here. And Jameson is coming up to borrow your bike. His has a flat, and he's taking Rio out on a bike ride."

"Full house then. Guess your plans are history."

Ronan sighed. "Story of my life. Why you coming home already?"

"I'll tell you when I get there. Later."

I pulled out of the driveway and spotted a head of white hair walking down the sidewalk. I rolled past a small car that had quite obviously had all its tires slashed. I slowed and lowered my window.

"Sure you don't need a ride?"

Sadie huffed loudly, dropped her pack down to her arm and climbed into the passenger seat where she collapsed into a heap of sobs.

eleven

. . .

Sadie

Colin allowed me my meltdown. He didn't try to fix it or stop it or freak out because I was crying so hard and for so long. He just let the tears flow, and when I stopped to catch my breath and, of course, develop a nasty case of hiccups, he handed me his thermos of water and a napkin he had stashed in the console.

I grabbed the napkin and blew my nose, then was stuck in the awkward situation of holding a snotty napkin. "I'm sorry I lost it. Ace, my dad, slashed tires. Someone slashed all my damn tires. I can't believe it."

"I assume it has something to do with the photo," Colin said. He leaned his head to look in the side view mirror and then merged onto the freeway.

I looked over at him. "I guess so. Please don't mention the photo to anyone."