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“You know.” Hudson gives me a pointed look. “Your revolving door policy. Or has being on Liberty forced a temporary abstinence?”

Parker coughs back a laugh.

For God’s sake. Yes, I have a healthy appetite for sex. Or I did, until I promised Eden I’d be celibate. But listening to them, anybody would think I was an addict, unable to control myself. Which I’m not.

Red teddy. Smooth silk. Eden, all long legs and doe eyes.

I blink that image out of my brain and shake my head.

“I’m too busy with this,” I mutter, pointing at the plans. “And anyway, this is Liberty. It’s not exactly teeming with eligible women.”

Hudson shrugs. “And yet that’s never stopped you before.”

I open my mouth to respond when Hudson’s phone buzzes.

He glances at it and sighs. “Skyler.” Then shoots an apologetic look at Parker and me before answering. “Hey, babe. Wait, she what? Seriously?”

He pauses, brow furrowed.

“She did what?” He rakes a hand through his hair. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll talk to her. No, I won’t laugh. I swear.”

He ends the call and shakes his head. “Sorry, gotta go. Dad duty. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “I just wanted to take you both through the plans before we move to the next stage.”

Hudson claps a hand on my shoulder. “Go for it. I trust you.”

He slides his phone back into his pocket and heads out of the field office, the door squeaking closed behind him. Parker lets out a little laugh before I turn to look at him.

I’ve never seen him look so calm. So happy. Being a dad-to-be suits him.

“Can I ask you something?” I say, my chest still feeling tight.

He raises a brow. “You? Asking for advice? This must be serious.”

I give him a look. “When Autumn first came back to Liberty, was she lonely?” She’d moved here from New York to oversee the interior designs of the original hotel. Parker was the only one of us on the island at the time. Hudson was fighting a custody battle in England, and I was in L.A..

His expression softens like the memory warms him. “Yeah. I think she was.” He leans forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “She only came back because Hudson asked her for help. But it wasn’t easy for her. Especially not in that hotel alone.”

“And how’d you help her feel less lonely?” I ask him.

He grins. “I married her.”

I grimace, because that’s not what I need to hear right now.

“You asked.” He pauses, eyes narrowing just slightly. “Why the sudden concern?”

I hesitate, then go for the easy answer. “Eden said she’s lonely. If she’s not happy, she might leave. And Hudson’ll lose it.” I bite the last part out, like I’m not choking on my own lies.

Luckily Parker doesn’t notice my discomfort. Or maybe he does, because a second later he tilts his head and gives me that slow, knowing look.

“Is there something going on with you two?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Me and Eden? Are you being serious?”

He shrugs. “Just checking. You don’t seem like yourself. And Eden’s beautiful, opinionated, chaotic as hell…”

“And my best friend’s little sister,” I cut in. “So that’s a hard no. And there’s nothing going on. I just don’t like her being unhappy, that’s all.”