Blatant

Paul looked up in shock, staring at the two people who casually sat beside him. However, Renly made no introductions. His demeanor was so composed that it was as if no one new had joined them or, perhaps, as if the four of them had been there from the start, making the situation entirely unremarkable.

Paul felt a bit lost.

He glanced at Andre, seeking an explanation, but Andre appeared entirely nonchalant, clearly accustomed to Renly's behavior.

Scarlett sat down cross-legged, noticing both Andre and Paul's curious looks. With a smile, she introduced herself, "Scarlett."

Following her lead, Andre and Paul introduced themselves one after the other.

Scarlett chuckled softly, her slightly raspy voice naturally exuding a hint of sensuality. "I hope I'm not interrupting your boys' gathering."

Andre's response was smooth, instantly lightening the mood. "The only way you'd be interrupting is if you plan to take Renly away. But if you're here to join us, that's cause for celebration."

Scarlett turned to Renly with a meaningful look. "In fact, I did just try to invite Renly to leave with me, but he refused. So, I'm not quite sure whether I'm here to interrupt or join in."

Her straightforwardness made Paul burst out laughing, though Andre remained much calmer, his eyes gleaming with mischief. He playfully waved his hand in mock panic. "This is just a boys' gathering, not a date."

The teasing remark seemed to poke fun at Renly, but contrary to Andre's expectation, Renly didn't react nervously. Instead, he slowly turned his head, scanning Andre up and down with a scrutinizing look, as if judging, "My taste isn't that bad." His silent gaze left Andre flustered.

Scarlett laughed even more heartily. "Don't worry, whether it's a gathering or a date, I'm open-minded enough to understand." Her comment left all three men taken aback, and Scarlett, noticing their ambiguous expressions, lifted her chin slightly in triumph.

But when she glanced back at Renly's calm, unruffled expression, the playful glint in his eyes caught her attention. "Open-minded?" Renly said, arching a brow. "So what's the most number of people you've tried at once?"

His simple remark carried layers of implication, causing Scarlett's pupils to contract slightly as she prepared a retort. Yet before she could speak, Renly unexpectedly leaned in, catching her off guard. Instinctively, she raised her hands, trying to keep him at bay.

Without meaning to, her hands pressed against Renly's chest. The warmth of his body seeped through the thin summer fabric, and the fresh scent of wood lingered under her nose. In that unexpected moment, their space felt compressed to the extreme.

Just as Scarlett was lost in thought, Renly's voice murmured near her ear, "Three o'clock—paparazzi."

Her chaotic thoughts froze instantly. Holding her breath, she followed Renly's gaze, spotting Elliot Court scanning the crowd, casually strolling along the beach, yet clearly hunting for them, edging closer by the second.

"What should we do?" Scarlett asked, a bit irritated. The paparazzi were like gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe—impossible to shake off.

If they were spotted together, the situation would only escalate. Scarlett started reconsidering—perhaps she should have ditched Renly and left on her own. Wasn't that the smarter move? She must have lost her mind to think Renly could evade the paparazzi!

"Do you want to go surfing?" Renly's response made Scarlett blink in confusion. "What?"

"Surfing," Renly repeated, stepping back slightly to create space between them. Scarlett noticed the playful, youthful grin on his face, reminiscent of golden sunlight reflecting off the tips of ocean waves.

Before Scarlett could process further, Renly stood up, nodded toward Andre and Paul, and said, "I'm heading out. Got plans tonight." Then, without waiting for a response, he walked briskly toward the beach's nearby shack.

It wasn't until then that Scarlett realized what was happening. All along, she had held the upper hand, but today was different, and she wasn't used to it. Yet, she didn't dislike the change.

Nodding at the two stunned men, she stood up and followed Renly.

As they watched the pair enter the beach shack, Andre grinned, intrigued. "Did Renly just ditch us to leave with a beautiful woman?"

Paul, mouth agape, dumbly nodded, "Uh... it seems that way."

Scarlett trailed Renly into the shack, where an array of surfboards lined the walls, standing tall in a neat row. The scent of wax mixed with the salty ocean breeze filled the small space. Renly was casually chatting with the shop assistant. "Yes, I can return it at Waikiki. A few hours will do."

"What a strange request. But sure, that's fine. I'll give the Waikiki branch a heads-up."

Scarlett, full of questions, remained silent, watching Renly pick out a surfboard with care. In such an urgent situation, he still took his time making a choice. Scarlett glanced outside the shop and saw the paparazzi inching closer.

She quickly turned back and pretended to browse the surfboards.

"Let's go," Renly's voice called from behind her. Scarlett spun around to find him holding a massive surfboard, clearly picked to match his height. The white board with green palm tree patterns and light blue detailing was the result of his meticulous selection.

"And then?" Scarlett asked, puzzled by Renly's odd logic. Were men and women just wired differently, or was Renly simply unlike anyone else?

"We're going surfing," Renly replied, hoisting the board onto his shoulder. "So, interested in learning?"

Finally, Scarlett understood. She glanced at him for confirmation, and it was clear—they were using the surfboards as cover to make their escape.

In the setting sun, amidst the surfers, it was the perfect camouflage. No one would notice two people carrying surfboards, and with boards large enough to block one side, they could slip right past the paparazzi.

No wonder Renly had been so particular about the surfboard.

"Yes, I'm very interested in learning to surf," Scarlett replied, flashing a wide smile and opening her arms as if welcoming the idea.

Under Renly's guidance, Scarlett hoisted the surfboard onto her shoulder. The weight made her joke, "Isn't this height difference a bit unfair?"

"That's why I'm in front," Renly quipped, leading the way and shouldering most of the board's weight. It was sized for him, so it posed no challenge, but for the sake of their escape plan, he needed Scarlett's help.

Following Renly, Scarlett exited the shack.

Just as they stepped out, Scarlett saw Elliot approaching from the opposite direction, making her instinctively lower her head to avoid being seen. But Renly, unfazed, adjusted his angle slightly, completely shielding her from Elliot's view. He continued walking steadily.

Scarlett peeked out from beneath the surfboard, catching sight of Elliot's legs. He had stopped and was scanning the area, but Renly's calm stride pushed her forward, guiding her past him.

They brushed past Elliot, so close that Scarlett could feel his gaze sweeping over her arm. Her back tensed—what if he recognized her from behind? They were too close. What if he saw her profile?

Her nervous steps wobbled, causing the surfboard to tilt slightly. But Renly's voice called back, "Hey, steady. Don't get too worked up."

His steady tone, laced with humor, made Scarlett chuckle, regaining her balance as they walked on. Soon, they had distanced themselves from the paparazzo. No one called out after them, and Scarlett's heart began to settle.

To her surprise, they had slipped past Elliot so easily—without a single hitch or raised suspicion.

A smile tugged at Scarlett's lips as she took in the surroundings. "So, where are we headed now?"

"Surfing. Didn't I already say?" Renly's playful voice carried over with the breeze, making Scarlett burst into laughter. "But I see we're not heading to the parking lot or the beach. Where exactly are we surfing?"

"Here," Renly said, coming to a stop and planting the surfboard upright into the sand.