There was nothing as claustrophobic as two grown men sharing a six-by-eight-foot cell. The bungalow wasn’t big, but it still had a hell of a lot more room than that, so Bo didn’t consider having Jack in the extra bedroom a major sacrifice. Besides, Ismay’s brother wasn’t meant to be there very long. Bo was more worried about the time they’d spend together each day—and any telltale signs he might unwittingly give away to indicate his past wasn’t exactly as he’d represented it.
Fortunately, he was able to relax a little once he met Jack, who came off as immanently likeable.
“You hungry?” Ismay asked, lifting a sack from a local restaurant after she’d made the introductions. “I brought food, thought you might like to have dinner with us.”
“At eleven o’clock?” he said with a laugh.
“Jack’s been traveling all day, so he didn’t get much to eat. And I know how much you like food. I didn’t think the time would matter.”
He took the sack she handed him. “Thanks. You’re right, it doesn’t.”
He gestured to the table, indicating they should sit, and offered them each a beer. Jack declined, said he didn’t drink. And Ismay said she preferred water. “After seeing how much Bastian put down tonight, this might be a dry summer for me,” she said ruefully.
“What was he drinking?” Bo asked.
“Mostly whiskey,” she replied. “When I left him, I couldn’t believe he was still standing.”
Bo got them each a glass of water before bringing his beer to the table. “Hopefully, he’s sleeping it off by now.”
Ismay’s phone dinged, and he watched her pull it out of her purse.
“Don’t tell me that’s Bastian,” he said dryly.
“No. Remy. I told him Jack was arriving tonight, but from this text I don’t think it registered. He’s not keeping close track of anything until his exams are over.”
“Then what does he want?” Jack asked.
“He’s just wondering if I had fun today. I’ll reply in the morning. For all he knows, I’m asleep.”
Bo swallowed the fries he’d put in his mouth. “When will Remy be finished with his exams?”
“Not for a couple more weeks,” Ismay replied.
“I wonder if Bastian plans to stay that long,” he said, dipping more fries in ketchup.
She sprinkled malt vinegar on her battered fish. “So do I.”
Jack should’ve been the hungriest as Ismay had indicated, but he was barely touching his meal. “Are you sure you don’t mind me staying here?” he asked. “I really don’t want to put you out.”
Bo guessed he was having second thoughts about coming to Mariners. It couldn’t be easy for him to be in a foreign place right after his life had been turned upside down. But Bo felt it had to beat staying in Utah amid the rubble of his marriage. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. Won’t bother me,” Bo said and was surprised to realize he meant it. Maybe he’d feel differently later on, if Jack did something to get on his nerves. But Ismay’s brother seemed subdued, easy to get along with, and quiet. In a word—solid.
“I’ll pay for my stay, of course,” Jack said.
“Your sister’s already promised me you’ll pay with your labor,” he said with a grin. “The storm that just passed through here did some damage. I could use an extra pair of hands for the next few days.”
“Happy to help,” he said and sounded completely sincere.
Bo hadn’t been looking for free labor when he agreed to let Ismay’s brother use the spare bedroom, but it was kind of Jack to return the favor. “You won’t have to do too much. You should have plenty of time to be lazy like your sister,” he added jokingly.
“Lazy! I’ve earned a summer off!” Ismay gave him a mock scowl, but another ding from her phone drew her attention before the conversation could continue.
“Remy again?” Jack said as she checked it.
She frowned. “Bastian.”
“What does he want?” Bo asked.
“Says he’s just checking to see if Jack arrived safely. But he’s probably wondering what could be taking me so long.”
As far as Bo was concerned, Bastian had far too much interest in his brother’s fiancée. “Does he know Jack’s staying with me?”
She sent a message back before replying. “Not yet.”
Bo finished the last of his fish. “When are you going to tell him?”
“Not for a few days.”
Immediately picking up on the undercurrent of the conversation, Jack looked from him to Ismay and back again. “Why not?”
“It’s none of his business, for one,” she said.
“He won’t like it?” Jack guessed.
“He doesn’t have any say in it,” Bo clarified. “It’ll just be...less of a focal point if he thinks you’re staying at the hotel for now.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “So...what do I say if he asks me?”
“With any luck, he won’t even see you,” Ismay replied. “And if he does, just say you’re helping Bo out.”
Jack didn’t respond, but he shoved the rest of his food away as if he couldn’t finish it, and Bo knew he was probably wondering why he’d come.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” Ismay said, trying to reassure him.
“You’ll love the island,” Bo added and, assuming Jack had to be exhausted, Bo got up to show him his room.
“We’ll share this bathroom,” he explained after he’d led Jack down the hall and opened a cabinet so he’d know where to find the towels and extra toilet paper.
“I’m glad to be here,” Jack said, but Bo figured it would take a while until Ismay’s brother felt comfortable.
Jack put his suitcase in the room. Then he came out to say good-night to his sister before turning in.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Ismay whispered after his door closed, obviously concerned.
“He just needs to adjust, and that takes time,” Bo replied.
She looked up at him with an earnest expression. “This is so nice of you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”
“But you barely know us.”
Wanting to smooth the hair out of her worried eyes, he lifted his hand. She was so beautiful. He’d never touched a woman quite like her. But he caught himself at the last second and, hoping his intention hadn’t been obvious, raked his fingers through his own hair. “I guess that’s true, but...”
“What?” she prompted.
“Somehow, it feels as though I’ve known you a lot longer,” he admitted.
The sweetest smile curved her lips before she leaned forward and pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you.”
Bo breathed deeply as she brought her body into contact with his and closed his eyes as he allowed himself to tighten his arms around her. The embrace lasted only for a moment. It was something friends often did when saying hello or goodbye. But for him, it wasn’t nearly that casual. He wished he could hold her longer, move his hand up her back, and bury his face in her warm neck...
“Good night,” he said instead and released her.
“Good night,” she murmured and looked slightly embarrassed.
Once he’d closed the door, he stood at the window over the sink, watching her get into the Jeep, and knew this summer might prove to be his hardest yet. Just seeing her with Remy, and knowing he was unworthy of her, would be difficult. The existence of that hidden duffel bag and its contents—and knowing that photograph was of a young woman who’d died on the island—only gave him more reason for concern.
He needed to keep Ismay safe.
But the biggest challenge to overcome would be wanting her for himself.
Bastian had left the porch light on for her, which was decent of him, but when she got back, Ismay was even happier to find he wasn’t up and moving around. She didn’t want him to question her about Jack.
She moved quietly so she wouldn’t wake him and managed to get into bed without an encounter. The TV was playing in the master again. For all she knew, he slept with it on. Regardless, she was grateful for the ambient noise; it helped cover her movements.
She hoped bringing Jack to the island wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake. He’d looked so shell-shocked when she first saw him that it’d made her realize how dependent he would be on her—at least at first. She just hoped being on the island would really do him some good...
Her mind shifted to the hug she’d given Bo. He’d felt so solid in her arms. She closed her eyes as she relived that moment and wished she hadn’t enjoyed it quite so much. It made her feel guilty, as if she’d done something wrong.
It was just a simple hug, she told herself—the kind she gave a lot of people. Except she’d wanted to remain in his arms and was beginning to fantasize about what it might be like to kiss him...
“Shit,” she muttered. Even if Remy weren’t in the picture, she couldn’t allow herself to become infatuated with a guy who lived three thousand miles away from where she was now licensed to practice law.
She was being ridiculous. She barely even knew Bo. It was just that the unusual circumstances she’d found herself in since coming to the island were messing with her mind.
She eventually fell into a fitful sleep. She’d wake up, start obsessing about the growing desire she felt to touch Bo in a way that was decidedly not within the bounds of friendship, and after several minutes, drift off again. So at first, she thought she had to be dreaming when she heard a creak outside her door.
Lifting her head, she looked at the alarm clock, which read three thirty. That was when she realized she was indeed awake, and someone was in the hall.
Her heartbeat sounded like a bass drum in her ears as she slid up to lean against the headboard. It had to be Bastian. He was the only other person in the house.
She heard the hardwood floor creak again. Then the handle of her door began to turn.
She covered her mouth so she wouldn’t make any sound. Her mind went to that stuff hidden in the wall. Did he know about it? Was he the one who’d put it there?
Even if it was him, he wouldn’t dare touch her—would he?
Maybe he would. But if he hurt her, he couldn’t let her live to tell Remy. He’d have to kill her and dispose of her body.
She’d just had dinner with him. Something like being murdered by him was beyond imagination. But he could easily say she’d gone for a late swim in the ocean as he was going to bed, and he didn’t realize until the next morning that she’d never come back.
The knob jiggled more insistently when he couldn’t gain access. Fortunately, she’d felt uncomfortable enough that she’d locked her door. The question was...how far would he go to get in? And if he tried to force his way in, would she be able to stop him?
Her hand was shaking when she grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand. She could call for help. But she didn’t dare do it too soon. What could she say right now? That her prospective brother-in-law was trying to open her door? She doubted the police would rush to her rescue—especially here on Mariners, where the Windsors had such influence.
She held her breath as she waited, and the jiggling stopped. Then she heard some rustling and, finally, his footsteps retreated.
What was that all about? What was he even doing up at this hour?
She remained tense, gripping her phone while waiting to see if he’d come back. But she didn’t hear anything—other than a toilet flushing probably an hour later—and eventually the sudden adrenaline rush she’d experienced being awakened like that took its toll.
The next thing she knew, she still had her phone in her hand but it was morning.
Bastian had always struggled to sleep—even as a young boy, which was why he’d started drinking at fourteen. Sometimes liquor helped. He’d just drink until he passed out. Other times, it didn’t seem to make any difference. If he passed out, he’d just wake up again a few hours later.
He tried to trick his mind by watching TV. The noise kept him from being awakened by other sounds in the night if he did happen to nod off, but he’d become a regular night owl, always wide-awake and staring around while the rest of the world slept. He hated it; those long hours could be interminable.
When he heard Ismay downstairs, he rubbed his face and reached for the remote so he could finally turn off the damn TV. He’d managed to grab a few hours, but he still felt like roadkill. And he had a terrible hangover to boot. He couldn’t continue to live like this, he decided. He needed to see a doctor. Afraid the doctor would say something was wrong with his head and send him to a shrink—his parents had dragged him to enough of those when he was younger—he’d put off seeking that kind of help for as long as he could. But it was getting to the point that he had to do something, or he was going to lose his fucking mind.
With a yawn, he climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. The scent of bacon was beginning to permeate the entire cottage, but his head was pounding too hard, and he was too nauseous to find it appetizing. He thought about going right back to bed to sleep off the worst effects of his drinking—he found it easier to rest during the day—but he was afraid Ismay would leave, and he wanted to see her. He wouldn’t have all that long until Remy showed up, and he was going to need every possible opportunity to win her trust.
Shoving the hair out of his eyes, he brushed his teeth, pulled on a sweatshirt along with a pair of Nike shorts, and, moving carefully, eased his way down the stairs.
When she heard him approach, she turned but didn’t say anything.
“Morning,” he said, wondering why the look she shot him was filled with hostility.
“Morning,” she responded but her voice was so low he could barely hear her.
“How’d you sleep?”
She’d gone back to frying her bacon and didn’t look up again. “Not so good. You?”
“Good enough,” he replied.
“Do you want some breakfast?”
Just the idea of food made him grimace. He went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. “No. I think I’ll start with this.”
“Already?”
The irritation in her voice nearly made him snap back, but he managed to overcome that impulse. “It takes the edge off.”
She fell silent as she finished the bacon, made toast, and created a BLT.
“Did your brother get in okay?” he asked when she brought it to the table.
“Yeah.”
“How does he like the hotel?”
Her chair scraped the floor as she pulled it out. “It’s comfortable there.”
Was she mad that Jack hadn’t been invited to stay in the cottage?
After popping the top of his beer, he took a long drink and sank into the chair across from her. “What are your plans for today? Any chance you’d like me to show you around? Jack could come along if he wants.”
She opened her mouth to respond but gave him another hostile look instead.
“Is something wrong?” he asked. “Because you’re acting like you’re upset.”
She’d just picked up her sandwich. At this, she lowered it again. “I am upset. What do you think you were doing last night?”
He spread his hands to show she had him at a loss. “You mean...besides drinking?”
“Someone tried to get into my room in the middle of the night. It could only have been you.”
“It was me,” he said.
She seemed taken aback that he’d admit it so readily. “Why?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I was just going to peek in and make sure you were back safe.”
“Peek into my bedroom? That’s an invasion of my privacy, Bastian!”
With a wince at the caustic edge in her voice, he put up a hand to ask her to keep it down. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t heard you come in, so I was worried. But when I found the door locked, I knew you must’ve made it home safely and went back to bed.”
She gaped at him as if she didn’t quite know how to respond. “What if I’d been undressed?”
“It was the middle of the night, Ismay! I knew you’d be covered.”
“And if I wasn’t?” she persisted.
“It was dark! How much would I be able to see? I wasn’t being a lecherous bastard. I was just going to make sure there was a human-sized lump in the bed!”
She sighed and seemed to relax. “Don’t check on me like that in the future.”
“Okay, but... I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you while I’m here.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
He hadn’t seen any real fire in her before, but he liked it. A good challenge was always more tantalizing.
“You could’ve checked the garage for the Jeep...” she continued.
“You wanted me to go outside to look in the garage at three thirty in the morning?”
That must’ve seemed unreasonable even to her because she didn’t answer.
“It was just a quick is she here,” he said. “If you were awake, why didn’t you say something?”
“I don’t know,” she grumbled. “It...took me by surprise.”
“I’m sorry if I scared you.”
She finally started to eat. “Let’s just forget about it.”
“I’m certainly willing to do that. So...what do you say? Do you want me to show you and your brother around the island?”
“Jack’s not here on vacation. I don’t think he’ll be in the right frame of mind to act like a tourist. He might not even be willing to get out of bed. But if he’s interested, I’ll give you a call.”
It was going to be hard to get close to her if she wouldn’t let him. He’d thought he’d made some progress at dinner last night, so he couldn’t help being disappointed by this setback. The fact that he’d awakened her when he tried to open her door had cost him a lot of credibility. He’d have to be more careful. “Sounds good.”
After she’d finished eating and cleaned up her mess, she took his empty beer can and threw it away. Then she poured him a cup of coffee and put it down in front of him before walking out of the kitchen.