“It’s true you’ve been better. Okay, look, if you won’t look yourself, just listen. That fight I emailed you about was confirmed on three different sites, but an ‘insider’—”

“Dammit, Jazz, you know better than that.” I turned my head away and stood up. An ‘insider’—Jack had told me once that was code for someone who wants to make up shit about you.

She grabbed my arm. “Listen! Something big went down. Even his agent’s been fired.”

“I don’t care!” I yelled.

T H I R T Y – S I X

I couldn’t remember the last time I was mad at Jazz. If ever. After about twenty minutes of us arguing back and forth, Colt strolled outside and immediately pulled the kayaks from under the house.

“You wanna go for a paddle?” he asked, pointedly ignoring Jazz. It was chilly out, but I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more right then. I smiled at him gratefully. And in about five minutes flat, we were peeling out of the driveway in my truck leaving an open-mouthed Jazz on my porch.

It was cold on the water, but since we were both in jeans and sweaters and life vests, it wasn’t too bad. Our bare feet were pretty cold though. Neither of us thought paddling in our cowboy boots and loafers respectively was very wise.

“You want to talk about it?” Colt asked as soon as we were out on the water. I shook my head. Jazz’s words were pounding through my mind, and all I wanted was for them to be quiet. I had shut her down as spouting trash, but in my gut I knew it was true. I had run through a million permutations in my head of what I’d feel in this scenario. Now that it was here, my reaction was not pretty. Rather than the surge of hope I thought I’d experience when I fantasized that Jack and Audrey’s relationship would finally run its course, I felt absolutely terrified. I was filled with ... dread, and I had no idea why.

It was beautiful and peaceful out on the water. And I found a little more peace inside me with every pull of my paddle. We glided and pulled through the marshes for over two hours until the combination of hunger, choppy water, and icy toes sent us heaving with exertion back to the dock at Broad Landing.

We arrived back at the house hungry and ruddy-cheeked to see Joey had arrived, and he and Jazz were talking in circles around each other. The tension was thick as pluff mud.

They managed to shut up for a few hours while we all ate and sat around for a game of spades after lunch, but they were back at it when I finally got ready to leave for work at the grill.

I had a feeling their arguing was based on more than disagreeing on whether Jazz should have told me all that shit about Jack. I was refusing to listen any time she brought it up, and I was still so mad at her. Some birthday.

“C’mon, I’ll walk you over to the grill,” Colt said, looking me up and down with appreciation as I stomped down the stairs, freshly showered and made up. I’d dried my hair into natural looking waves, and I was wearing a snug pair of jeans. I was already in my boots instead of the sneakers I usually wore and would later change out of my black tee into the sexy red ‘cold-shoulder’ top I’d appropriated from Faith after she said it was too small for her. I was as close to ready for my party as I would be able to get and still be comfortable at work.

Colt cleared his throat. “Damn, you smell good. And you look—”

Jazz came out of the kitchen. “Okay, Keri Ann. You win. I’m not going to say another word tonight. I wish you’d hear me out.” She huffed and glared at Joey who wandered out behind her looking stoic. “I’m letting it go. For now.”

“Good,” I said. Then I walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. “You’re an idiot, but I love you,” I said into her hair.

“You’re an idiot too, and you’re stubborn.” Her muffled voice came back. “Just like your bull-headed brother. But, I love you, too.”

I gave her another squeeze and winked at Joey over her shoulder, before pulling back. “We’ll talk about it, I promise. Just not today. Not tonight.”

“Liar,” she huffed. “But anyway, hurry up and get home so we can celebrate. Plus, I can’t wait for you to see your present.” She looked me up and down and turned me round. “Damn, those jeans make your ass look like a Brazilian infomercial. Spectacular.”

My cheeks throbbed with heat instantly, but I needed the confidence boost. I gave her a small smile of thanks.

“Come on,” said Colt slinging an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here so we can get this place decorated.”

* * *

Colt left me at work promising to come get me at nine. I could walk myself home without a problem, but I didn’t have the energy to resist Colt’s attention after the strange day I’d had.

There was an Ohio State game on at the grill so it was relatively busy. After years of vacationing, far too many from that wholesome state had retired down here for it to be a quiet evening.

Time flew by. Brenda came in at about eight thirty, ostensibly to transition me out. But it was busy enough that we were both working hard at nine when I felt the breeze from the main door opening and heard the change in atmosphere. Thinking it was Colt, residents loved to see their high school football star return home, I turned with words to apologize for not being ready on my tongue, but froze.

Devon Brown stood comfortably in the entryway looking slowly around the restaurant. Dressed casually in a blue checked shirt hanging out of faded jeans and brown work boots, he looked comfortable. And actually not that different than some of the locals from the surrounding countryside who pulled in here from time to time.

But his shaggy blonde hair and tanned and rugged features were too familiar for him to be mistaken for anyone else but the movie actor-turned producer who was rumored to have bought a house on the island.

Conversation had died down and then whipped up again.

His eyes scanned over Brenda then came to settle on me.

I still hadn’t moved from my position near the bar where I’d been collecting more napkins for table seven. The adrenaline spike I’d experienced upon seeing him, my closest link to Jack, had now washed away leaving me feeling slightly faint and nauseous. My pulse throbbed heavily in my throat.

His brown eyes furrowed slightly then cleared, and he gave a tiny nod. What did he see when he looked at me? And how did he know who I was? Because I could tell he did. I had no doubt. No doubt at all.

“Would you like a table for one?” Brenda’s voice jarred me from my trance.

Devon looked at her, and then at me and cleared his throat. “I’d like Keri Ann to serve me, please. So if she has a section, I’d like to be in it.”

I swallowed. Brenda looked confused for a moment and glanced back at me. “You’re leaving aren’t you, Keri Ann?”

I was saved from having to answer as the door at Devon’s back opened again, and Colt stepped around them and strolled toward me. “Ready to go, sweetheart?” he asked. I glanced at him but couldn’t answer—I still needed to find my voice—and then back at Devon, whose face had just gone altogether unreadable.

“You know what?” Devon said to Brenda, his eyes still on me and now Colt. “I don’t think I need that table after all.”

“Oh, Okay,” Brenda said, obviously confused. I was too. Did he want to talk to me, is that why he asked to sit in my section? There was almost too much going on here to process. Devon turned to leave. I realized how Colt’s endearment must have sounded. But why should it matter? Unless ... unless he thought we were together, but even so ...