The Last Laugh novel Chapter 44

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Ace's POV:

I went into the fresh water for a swim. It felt good with all that heat. It made me miss the crib. There was a pool in the backyard.

I swam along with Keith for about twenty minutes.

"We could go join the girls and their mom now, right?" I asked him.

"Sure. Let's go."

We swam our way back to the shore.

Keith and I then headed for the spot where they were.

Christina's POV:

I watched them come over. They were both handsome young men but Ace was sexier.

They'd just finished swimming and I couldn't help it but notice how their swim trunks stuck to them.

Ace was a very fit young man. Handsome and well built. He had the kind of physique I liked. He had those soccer player, curved legs. Gosh! How come I hadn't gotten him in my bed yet?

"Y'all are done swimming?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay. Sit down."

They sat on the beach cloth with us. I gave them chicken salad sandwiches and fries.

"Thank you." they both said, taking the plastic plates from my hand.

"You're welcome."

Sawyer's POV:

We all discussed about everything and anything. We got to know a little about Keith too.

While we spoke, mom decided to go swim. Perfect. I turned to Heather.

"Won't you go swimming too?"

I wanted to speak freely with Ace.

"No. I don't feel like it." she continued eating. I rolled my eyes and continued discussing with the boys.

I made it in a way that Keith ended up discussing with Heather and I with Ace.

While no one really paid attention to me, I held Ace's hand discretely. He looked at me and I smiled. He smiled back.

I leaned close and whispered in his ear,

"You still haven't planned a second date for us."

"I've been so busy."

"Okay. If you say so. But don't forget that you still owe me a lot." I looked at the bulge in his sticky swim shorts. It wasn't little.

"You're very naughty, Sawyer." he said, noticing the way I was looking at him.

I giggled.

"Quite."

"Hey Ace, what time is it?" Keith asked, facing us along with Heather. I quickly withdrew my hand from Sawyer's before they could notice.

"Are you serious? I don't have my watch or phone here."

"Was just asking."

Heather's POV:

Keith was a friendly and social guy. He was funny too.

"So you and Ace have been close friends since when?" I asked.

"Since university actually. Ace has really changed. He wasn't social and didn't care about having friends."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He was kinda cold. I was the one who forced my friendship with him." Keith laughed and I followed, "And it worked."

"So you're his only friend?"

"No. When we became friends, it encouraged others to learn to know him and they got to like him too. He even joined our fraternity."

"A fraternity? Ace was a frat guy?"

"Yeah."

Not surprising at all. He did look like a frat.

"Wow. But it doesn't surprise me." I told Keith. He laughed.

"Yeah. He looks like one. He's handsome, sportive, well built too. All those characteristics. Frat guys always love to party and most of them are fuckboys." I said rolling my eyes.

"Oh no, no. There you're mistaken."

I looked at him.

"What, you wanna tell me you ain't a fuckboy?"

"Yes, I am one." he said honestly. I laughed.

"Then?"

"I am, but Ace isn't."

I stared at him.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I got no reason to lie. We were the ones who used to force him to go for parties. Girls have never actually been his priority. Unlike us, he hardly flirts."

I looked at Keith in surprise. He smiled

"And if he does flirt with a girl," he continued, "...means he really appreciates her."

I felt my face redden. I didn't know if Ace had been flirting with me or if he was just being playful. I couldn't tell. But if he actually was flirting, did it mean he liked me?? I hoped not. I was falling for Kevin and Ace was someone I didn't want to hurt. Luckily he knew I was already dating someone.

"That's nice to know. Means he's someone serious."

"Very."

I stared at him.

"You don't know how much you've changed the impression I had about him."

Keith looked at me.

"Positively I hope."

"Yes, positively."

And I who'd thought Ace was a common womanizer. I shouldn't have judged him like that. Maybe he was just being playful with me, and I thought he was flirting. I felt odd now. He truly just wanted to be my friend.

Ace's POV:

While I ate, Sawyer stood up too to go swim. Thank goodness!

"What are y'all talking about?"

I asked Keith and Heather.

"Oh, nothing serious."

"Hm, okay." I looked at Heather and smiled. She smiled back. Then her smile faded a little.

"You're smile seems familiar, Ace." she stated, my smile faded too. She didn't have to recognise me or have any clue. Nothing of the sort.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You make me think of– a family friend I had. My best friend."

I pretended to act surprised.

"Shirley?" I asked.

She laughed.

"No."

"She's your best friend right?"

"Yeah, but I'm talking about a friend I had as a kid. He's– He's dead."

I felt some pain in my chest. Heather had stopped believing in the fact that I might be alive.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine."

Minutes later, Sawyer and her mother joined us.