To make things worse, not only did Felix come up to her from behind and wrap his arms around her, they held hands all the way to the resort. They hadn’t done much of either lately. Gio knew because he’d been watching. Just what had happened in that bedroom?
Gio caught the way Noah watched him guardedly. Abel and Hector fumbled around trying to walk on their boards. Felix took extra time helping Jack who had to be practically dragged out there. The moment Noah realized he was alone with Gio he started in on him. “Dude, maybe it’s just me because I know, but you’re being pretty f**king obvious.”
“Am I?” Gio turned, his jaw clenching as he glanced in the direction where the girls sat watching them.
“Yeah, you are. Hell, I thought you were gonna say something when he hugged her back at the cabin.”
“It’s just ‘cause you know. I’ve been dealing with this shit for weeks now. I doubt anyone else has noticed.”
Noah turned back to where Felix still had his hands full with Jack. “Did you forget Roni and Nellie noticed from day one? And I wasn’t the only one that caught the way you all but froze today when she walked in from wherever she’d gone.” Noah lowered his voice. “You gotta be cool, G. He’s her boyfriend, not you. Did you ever talk to him about that? Is he real serious about her?”
“Nah, I started to but…” Gio wouldn’t get into how he couldn’t even stomach hearing him call her his girl. “I don’t know. Somehow the subject changed to something else. But…” He stopped, wondering now if he should tell Noah. It sounded so absurd now that he was thinking of saying it out loud.
“But what?”
Gio peered at Noah for a second. If he could tell anyone, it was Noah. “She told me she’s not sleeping with him anymore.” Noah’s eyebrows flew up. Gio knew he’d be surprised, if not disbelieving, and he was ready for it. “She promised actually.”
“And you’re buying this shit?” He turned back to Felix and lowered his voice again. “She’s been staying at his cabin for two months. He’s her boyfriend. Aren’t they sleeping in the same bed?”
Hearing it put this way made Gio sound like an idiot. But Noah couldn’t possibly understand what he felt when he was with her. She was the most genuine in-your-face person he’d ever met. He would’ve never guessed that Bianca had stopped sleeping with Felix but he’d seen the change. Seen how she acted completely different around Felix now. Everything had changed since their day at the meadow—until today. But even today’s show of affection had been minuscule compared to the way things were between her and Felix before. He just didn’t understand why anything changed today. Had it been his text that morning? Had something changed in that bedroom?
“I’m assuming they do,” he said. “I don’t go in their room.”
Gio glanced back at the girls, suspicion and doubt sinking in fast. He didn’t want to be mad at Bianca. He knew how ridiculously unreasonable that was. But she was the one that voluntarily promised not to sleep with her own damn boyfriend. He would’ve never had the nerve to demand something like that but since she had he was holding her to it. He couldn’t help but wonder now if when she’d said it, it was on a whim. That morning she’d responded immediately like she always did to his texts but stopped responding the moment he mentioned things couldn’t go on like this much longer. Did she really expect him to continue this shit forever? Maybe Noah’s theory was right after all.
“Look at me, G.” Gio turned back to Noah then followed Noah’s gaze. Jack and Felix were coming toward them but they were moving slow and Jack was really struggling. Still, Noah spoke fast. “Whether she’s still sleeping with him or not is beside the point. He brought you here as a favor. You’re my friend but what you’re doing is a huge disrespect to him.”
Gio dropped his head back exhaling through his mouth. Noah was right and Gio couldn’t argue there, but he was too far gone to try and fight this thing, whatever it was, no matter how wrong he knew it was.
“I know you’re not as close to him as you once were. But you’re still his friend. Now I don’t know what she’s thinking,” Noah continued adamantly as Jack stopped walking to take a breather. “But she’s staying in his cabin—sleeping in his f**king bed. If this is really what she wants, then maybe she should move out. Have you two talked about that at all?”
“I haven’t had a chance. We text when we can but since the last time he left I haven’t had a moment long enough to talk to her about anything like that.” Gio glanced around making sure Abel and Hector weren’t within earshot either. “It’s not like I’ve slept with her. I’m telling you it’s not even about that. I don’t know what it is about her but I can hardly think straight when I’m around her.” He stopped, letting out a frustrated sigh. “You know me, man. I’d never do something like this to any of you guys.”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, I know you wouldn’t. That’s why I’m still shocked that I’m standing here having this conversation with you in the first place.” He turned back to the girls. Roni waved at him, blowing a kiss and he waved back. “And Bianca seems so damn innocent. Even now that she’s older—so damn sweet.”
“She is!” Gio insisted, leaving out the fact that she could also be sexy as shit when she wanted to be.