My Champagne Problems

15: Pol Roger

'Our mind is a library of its own'

"We leave in five," Wesley says before leaving me to get changed, making it a point to drag Kayden back with him.

Shutting the door behind them, I move to gather my things. Changing into some shorts and a loose tank top, I don't bother with a bathing suit not having any intentions of actually going into the water.

Once satisfied with the amount of SPF I have on and making sure every visible inch of my body is lathered in it, I slip on my sandals and head down.

"I'm not changing," I declare as soon as I catch their gazes assessing my choice in clothing.

"You're wearing shorts," Kayden remarks unimpressed.

"So are you," I roll my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, little girl," Kayden reprimands taking a threatening step toward me. Against all my self-preservative instinct, I hold his gaze and don't budge.

"Alright, that's enough," Wesley says, with a grip on Kayden's shoulder pushing him backward creating some space between us.

Kayden doesn't move at first, but eventually gives in and takes a few steps backward, his eyes narrowed at me.

"You don't leave our sight," Wesley is quick to remind me pointedly. I just nod. With that, we exit the house.

"And Liv?" Wesley calls my attention as we set out on foot towards the beach. I wordlessly turn to face him with a questioning look.

"Do you have more clothes like this?" Wesley asks once we're out of the house. I shrug.

"Burn them," he instructs nonchalantly. I refrain from an eyes roll. 

The warmth of the sun spreads over our skin, as we step out from beneath the shade of the palm trees that had lined our route uptil here.

"Shit, I forgot sunscreen," Kayden grumbles rubbing his arms that are now exposed to the unforgiving harshness of the sun.

"Of course you did," Wesley rolls his eyes at his younger brother's predictability.

I hold my silence and wordlessly hand him the bottle of sunscreen I had carried. "Thanks, little sis, I knew I could always count on you," he ruffles my hair, only to have his hand smacked away by me.

'Why do I put up with him?'

We find ourselves a spot on the otherwise empty beach. Wesley's quick to retrieve a surfboard out of thin air, while Kayden breaks out in a sprint towards the waters, pulling off his shirt and discarding his shoes as he does so, and diving headfirst into the waters.

"Aren't you joining us?" Wesley asks when he notices I'm not advancing towards the notably calm sea. I shake my head negatively.

He frowns. "Stay somewhere we can see you then," he instructs and I nod, flopping down on the sand.

I breathe in the saline air, the sound of waves crashing on the shore finding its way to calm my anxious mind. And with what I'm planning, I need all the calming I can get.

I spend the next few minutes just basking in the morning sun and watching two grown men act like five-year-olds splashing water at each other while trying to evade getting caught by each other.

I finally conclude that's it time to put my rather well-scrutinized plan into play--for a plan I put together in less than half an hour, it is considerably well-thought-out and detailed.