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“I don’t remember that one.”
“Eyes that are unforgettable.”
“Ryan?” My voice catches.
“I’m not sure if this one made the final cut by the yearbook committee, but we were voted the cutest couple that never was.” His lips play with a smile.
I inhale sharply and then realize what he’s doing. “You’re messing with me.”
He shakes his head slowly.
“Has the game officially started?” I ask.
“You tell me.” There he goes with that flirtatiousness, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Are you trying to warm me up so it seems like we had undying crushes on each other, but for complicated reasons, we couldn’t be together? Now, only when you were nearly going to tie the knot, you realized how much you loved me.” I tap the air like I found the winning answer.
Ryan smolders.
The lobby of the main resort building has a massive compass rose on the floor. Ryan stands over theNfor north. The corner of his mouth lifts slightly, but it’s not the flirty Ryan McGregor smile. Not the winning one. Not the silly one either. This is a different kind of grin that I don’t know how to read.
“I guess we’ll have to work on our story, but first, I need food.”
For a second, the flutters were tricking me into thinkingabout what he was saying when we were still on the bench about buried love had to do with us. I worried it was trying to unearth something inside me...never mind.
I have to focus on the fake relationship.
Even though we’re at a place of business, being here with Ryan reminds me of home—how this place was our playground.
“I can’t believe how different the Driftwood is, yet so much is the same,” I say as we pass a giant bowl with a layer of sand at the bottom and already starting to fill with seashells.
“Royal tried to keep all the good stuff and in other areas, make things better.”
“Please tell me the giant chess set is still out there.”
“And now Jenga too, plus loads of other outdoor games.”
“It makes me so happy to know that L—” I almost said that Luke will be able to have the Driftwood as part of his childhood memories. “lots of people will be able to come here.”
If Ryan notices my sentence delivery is strange, he doesn’t say anything.
“Here’s hoping.” We walk to the restaurant and grab a table outside on the patio, strung with lights.
“This is an upgrade.”
“It was Isla’s idea. She wanted it to be like a tropical paradise.”
“Achievement unlocked. I just hope we can restore the Plundering Pelican to its former glory. Well, in a kitschy, themed restaurant kind of way.” This place is next level. Then in slow motion, a dismal thought socks me in the stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Ryan asks as I slouch into my chair.
“I assumed Brando wants to fix up the restaurant. I thought my sisters were coming to town to help. That it would be like an Owens reunion.” My eyes widen to the size of saucers. “But what if that’s not the plan? What if they’re going to take steps to fix it up to sell or close it? Brando has his business overseas. Harper and Heather have their lives out of town. And I—” This would be a good time to look into my Lukey-boy’s eyes and be reminded to have hope.
Instead, Ryan’s bright blue gaze is on me.
“The family text thread has been blowing up with plans. My dad will be driving down next weekend with some of my things—between now and then I have to decide how long I’m staying and what he should pack of mine. But no one has said anything about their objective—the outcome of the game.”
“That’s because it’s not a game. This is real life, Harley. Whatever happens, you get a say. If you want the Plundering Pelican to remain open, maybe you can help facilitate that.”
