Page 41 of Acadia Falls

“People sure do love their cell phones, huh?” Tommy watched as two young tourists shuffled by, both scrolling on their phones. “Put those damn things away and look up. I hate seeing people on ’em all the time.”

“I hear you.” I shook my head. “And that’s why Everly Reyes wants our rights so bad. So they can keep everybody scrolling and sell them shit they don’t need.”

Tommy arched an eyebrow. “Does that mean we’re not doing the deal?”

I had another sip of beer. “It means I don’t know what the hell to do. If we sell, what’re we going to do all day? Are we gonna just scroll on our phones? Get on TikTok or some shit?”

Tommy laughed. “Maybe. The thing is, we can’t say no to that kind of money.”

“I know.”

“But Dad wouldn’t want us to sell. So we kind of can’t say yes, either.”

I drained my beer. “I know that, too.”

“So, what’re we going to do?”

All of a sudden, Ryan jogged up next to the truck. He was tan, wearing a college T-shirt and his wayfarers. I hated to admit it, but he might be the best looking out of all of us.

Ryan scowled. “Where the hell have you guys been?”

I held up my beer. “After-work refreshment.”

“Tori’s having some people over tonight—her friends from LA have the best weed.” He smiled. “You guys feel like coming down to watch the sunset?”

“Yes,” Tommy and I said at the same time.

Drinking more beer, smoking a joint, and watching the sunset were much better than the alternative: trying to figure out what to do with the rest of our lives. Not to mention the legacy our father had fought so hard for.

And Blondie. Drinking more beer was definitely better than trying to figure out what I would do about her—and the fact that I’d been late for work for the first time in my life.

I was all-fish, and when you were all-fish, you never overslept. Nothing came between you and your route. Not the flu, not the birth of your children, and certainly not a big-city lawyer who was on the island just for the summer.

I’d broken my own rules by staying the night, and I’d paid for it.

With everything that was going on—Trey and Cuddy, the manganese, the offer from Everly Reyes hanging over my family like a billion-dollar dark cloud about to burst—I needed to keep my head in the game.

Maran was beautiful and nice, and I was damn attracted to her. But she was a distraction, a summer fling. Nothing more.

Paying the price for spending the night was one thing. But paying more than that?

I wasn’t sure that was something I could afford to do right now.

Chapter Fifteen

MARAN

“Hey!” Alex bounded into the house. She looked tanned and gorgeous, her hair in loose, beachy waves that spilled over her shoulders. “Tori’s having people over to watch the sunset. You need to come with me. I haven’t talked to you in days!”

“Um…” I checked my phone, but it was silent. Jack hadn’t called or texted me all day, even though I knew he was back from fishing by now.

“I’m sure loverboy will check in soon,” Alex cajoled me. “I heard all about you two being shacked up over here.”

“We weren’t⁠—”

“Aw, come on, you can’t keep secrets on the island. Don’t bother trying to deny it. But do get dressed! You can tell me all about it on the way to Tori’s.” She hustled to her room to change into something clean and probably cute, and I sighed.

I didn’t want to go to the Lookout to attend one of Tori’s get-togethers. I didn’t want to chat it up with her fancy Hollywood friends.