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Logan’s eyebrows knitted together. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
A grin broke out over his face. “Forget our previous deal, you can have all the whiskey you can drink.” His phone pinged and he checked it. “Damn, I have to prepare for a party that will be arriving soon, but you should come back later tonight. I play poker with the boys upstairs on Fridays. If you’re keen to join, we could talk over options during the game.”
“I’ll be here,” Sterling agreed. He excelled at card games and was anxious to dive into his new pet project. “What time?”
“Around nine-ish. See you then.”
Sterling headed out the door without saying goodbye, already organizing ideas in his mind.
* * *
Kat adjustedthe phone against her ear. “What would a typical session with you look like?” she asked Jack Farrelly, the owner of Seafaring Adventures, who she hoped to hire to take her guests on tours. She rested an elbow on the surface of the desk and doodled a repeating pattern of koru on her notepaper with her free hand.
“There’s no such thing as a typical session with me,” Jack rasped. “I change it up depending on who’s in my group and what they want to get out of it. The one thing I guarantee is that they’ll have fun, and an adventure.”
Adventure was exactly what she wanted for her guests, but she wasn’t convinced Jack was the best man for the job. He had a reputation for being unpredictable, and while she wanted her guests to have fun, she didn’t want to risk them spending two unplanned nights in a cave on the side of a mountain, living off chocolate bars and melted snow.
“I’d need a certain amount of consistency,” she told him. “Perhaps two or three different trips or activities you could rotate between? That way people know what to expect and can be prepared.”
He scoffed. “Not knowing is half the fun.”
That attitude was what she’d been afraid of. She was pondering which angle to take next when Sterling strode into the foyer, his legs eating up the short distance between the front door and the hall. He didn’t raise his head, or even seem to notice her there. He was a man on a mission.
“Hang on a moment, Jack,” she said, then laid the phone down. “Sterling,” she called. “Where’s the fire?”
He stopped abruptly and glanced around, finally seeing her. His eyes flared with warmth, and he hurried over, then came up short, his expression growing hesitant. She obliterated the space between them, drawing him in for a hug, and resting her cheek above his heart. Whether or not anything further happened between them, she didn’t want him to doubt that the attraction was mutual. He’d put himself out on a ledge earlier by opening up about his feelings, and that deserved respect and recognition.
She pulled back, her lips curving as he pressed a swift kiss to them that ended far too soon. “Where are you off to in such a rush?”
He grinned, and it made him so blindingly handsome her pulse spiked. “I have a business plan to research.”
“A business plan?” She frowned, wondering if he’d cracked. Perhaps their kiss, combined with yoga, and the surfing lesson, had been too much for him to handle. “What for?”
“Logan’s side business. It’s a complete nightmare.” A fact he seemed inordinately pleased about. Kind of adorable, really. “I offered to help out, so I’m going back tonight and I need to learn a whole lot more about rental businesses and watersports.”
She smiled. He’d offered to help one of the locals? Perhaps she was having more of an effect on him than she’d dared to hope. Oh, but wait. “Isn’t Friday the boys’—”
“Poker night,” he interrupted. “Yes, I’m invited.” He glanced at her phone. “Are you on a call?”
“Oh, yes.” She’d forgotten about Jack. “I’d better get back to that.”
He nodded. “I’ll see you later?”
“Sure thing.”
With that, he turned and left. Kat stared after him, bemused. Not only was he helping a local, but he was joining poker night, a longstanding tradition between the local men their age. The corner of her mouth twisted up. It was nice to see him excited about something, and especially sweet that he was allowing himself to become part of the bay’s social scene.
For the first time since he’d arrived, it occurred to her that he was settling into local life with ease. Strange how that made her so nervous she felt like crawling out of her skin.
“Did I hear you talking about poker night?” Jack asked when she picked the phone back up.
“Yeah, it sounds like you’ve got a new addition tonight.”
“Always a pleasure to have fresh blood.” He sounded eager, like he was already counting the stacks of money he’d make.
“I wouldn’t make a down payment on those new harnesses you want yet. Sterling is a corporate shark. I’d say he’ll take you for all you’re worth.”
