Page 85 of The Romance Adventure

A wave of relief washes through me as we pull up at Beans & Books. I don’t turn off the BMW. I’m afraid if I do, I’ll be wearing a crushed velvet tracksuit by this time next year.

“Why don’t you go inside,” I say, my voice gruffer than I mean.

Fingers wrapped around the door handle, Isla hesitates. “Are you coming back?”

“You still have news?” I answer, but that’s the best I can do as the rush of adrenaline leaves me with questions going up in my mind like the road flares.

Bean waves from the doorway, expression stark as if she saw the high-speed chase through town. I half expect lawn ornaments to signal the activity, but the plastic pink flamingos are nowhere to be found.

I go back the way I came to tend to my brother’s boat. The tide down here doesn’t fluctuate too much, but after helping me out, I’d hate to see his one possession go down in the drink.

Leaving the BMW on the side of the road, I untie the boat and push it out of the sand, chest-deep in the water, before I dare start the motor. It’s shallow here, but I know the contours of the shoreline despite not being a boating aficionado. I head toward the marina as a speedboat flies past, ignoring the low wake zone.

Giving my head a shake, I spot three lumps in the back, or maybe it’s trash. Idiots dump things in the water all the time. The van from South Carolina sits on the shoulder of the road and I spot my brother rifling through it.

I wave and he rushes through the shallows toward me.

“Thanks for looking after my girl.”

“You call your boat your girl? CJ, you should probably do something about livening up your⁠—”

“Oh, like you letting the love of your life get abducted? I’ll handle my personal life without your input, thanks.”

“Thanks.”

“Are we playing the echo game? I hope not because you know I can go all day.” He’s dead serious.

The edge of my lip quivers with a laugh because he was the most annoying little brother in the land. But also not a bad guy, as it turns out. “No, I meant thanks for helping me out back there.”

“That’s what family is for, right? You’d do the same for me.”

“You’d need to have a girlfriend first.”

CJ gives me a lazy, hazy look that I’m not sure how to read, then chuckles. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Where is Isla now?”

“Back at Beans & Books with her sister.”

“And why are you here?” CJ asks like I’ve taken on too much water.

“Making sure you’re okay.”

My brother claps me on the back. “While you’ve been out there building your empire, I’ve held down the fort just fine.”

“Have you been up to the Driftwood lately?” I ask.

“Yeah, it’s starting to look good.”

“I meant before I got back. Before Chip’s directive.”

“Yep. I’ve been over every inch of the place.”

“So that’s why it was practically in ruins.” No sooner are the words out of my mouth do I think about his comment about my empire. I thought I wanted one, but without anyone occupying the kingdom with me, it’s left me feeling empty. Could that be what Chip meant about When right is wrong, what do you do?

“Thinking about Isla?”

“Yeah, get out of my head.”