Devin couldn't explain the restless pull in his chest. His eyes swept lazily over the two strangers settling onto the sand.
For a heartbeat, his gaze locked onto the blonde.
Something shifted inside him, leaving a sudden chill. He shook his head to clear the nagging weight and looked away.
Sam's grin was effortless. "I swear the dark-haired one is tracking my every move," he said, adjusting his stance to catch the light. "She's got taste, I'll give her that."
Devin forced a hollow chuckle, trying to shake the static from his brain. "She's your problem, then."
But his mind refused to settle. His gaze drifted back-not to the dark-haired girl's loud energy, but to the blonde. There was something in the tilt of her head, a ghostly familiarity he couldn't quite reach.
Impossible. Allison was in Spain, thousands of miles away.
Sam stretched, his joints popping. "They look friendly," he hummed in that low, confident tone he used when he spotted a girl he liked. "Or at least like they need company."
Devin knew that tone. "Man... no way."
But Sam was already on his feet, brushing sand off his shorts.
"Where are you going?" Devin asked, a sudden edge of panic in his voice.
"Inviting them over," Sam replied with a wink.
Devin groaned, grabbing his shirt like a shield. "Forget it. Let's go before you embarrass us both."
Sam caught Devin's shoulder, stalling his retreat. "Please, man. Just this once? I'm tired of talking to your miserable face. I need a buffer."
Devin hesitated. After a sharp, defeated exhale, he slumped back onto his towel. "Fine. But I'm not here to play entertainer, Sam."
Across the sand, the world dropped out from under Allison.
"Anna," she whispered, a frantic gasp. "He's coming. Sam is coming!"
Anna didn't flinch. She smoothed her dark waves and settled into a poised curve that showed off her silhouette.
"Relax, Ali," she murmured, her smile a magnetic trap. "Deep breaths. You're a tourist. A stranger from New York. God bless America."
"Does he recognize us? Does Devin know?" Allison gripped Anna's arm like a vise. "We can be at the car in thirty seconds!"
"No! Stop it," Anna hissed, peeling Allison's fingers off.
Sam reached them, stopping a few feet away with the posture of someone who had never been told 'no' on a beach. Before he could speak, Anna cut him off.
"Hi," she said, sounding dangerously bored. "Are you lost, babe?"
Sam blinked, caught off guard. He laughed, the 'player' persona cracking. "Lost? No. But we were wondering if you'd like to join us? It's too nice a day to sit in separate circles."
"With random strangers on a public beach?" Allison interrupted, her voice clipping each word like a cold blade.
Sam's smirk faltered. He actually stepped back. "Woah, what?"
Under the sand, Anna delivered a sharp pinch to Allison's arm.
"Don't mind her," Anna said, her voice a sugary lilt. She flashed a blinding smile. "She's just protective. And a little... cautious."
Sam laughed with relief. "Well, my friend is the opposite. Biggest loner you'll ever meet. He's moping over there like he lost his best friend."
The words 'best friend' hit Allison like a blunt force, shattering her script.
"Alright," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "We'll join you."