Ismay hadn’t wanted to join Bastian and his friends for lunch. But she’d had no other plans. And it’d seemed too self-indulgent and maudlin to continue to sit around crying. In that moment, she’d decided she should make more of an effort with Remy’s brother.
So far, she was glad she’d come. Bastian’s friends seemed to genuinely like him. He’d gone to college with Jace and Terrell, the two guys. Holly, who was a few years younger, maybe twenty-five, was Jace’s girlfriend. Like Ismay, Bastian was meeting her for the first time.
Ismay learned a lot by listening to the conversation. While Remy had gone to UCLA for even his undergrad years, Bastian had attended San Diego State, where he’d stayed long enough to get a degree but didn’t actually accumulate many credits. He freely admitted he’d spent most of his time on Mission Beach playing sand volleyball with Jace and Terrell, among all the other enthusiasts who hung out there looking for a pickup game. Ismay got the impression Bastian wasn’t close enough to these people to invite them to stay at the cottage or show them around during their visit, but he knew them well enough to have a meal with them while they were on Mariners—and maybe see them once or twice more before they left.
Ismay liked Terrell the best. He’d played football for the Aztecs, had a close-cropped Afro, an engaging smile, and warm brown eyes. Jace wasn’t quite as tall as Terrell, but he was almost as muscular. He looked like so many of the other people who came to the island—affluent—with his blond hair pushed up off his forehead using a bit too much gel and a pair of designer sunglasses on his chiseled face. He’d played on the football team, too. That was how he and Terrell met, and they’d started rooming together their sophomore year. Despite the lure of Mission Beach, they’d both managed to graduate.
They still lived together in San Diego, despite being from other places, and worked in marketing, Terrell for a local investment firm and Jace for a beer company. Holly, a petite brunette, was an Instagrammer, an aspiring actress, and an exotic dancer. Ismay got the impression she’d attained some success on Instagram, maybe had a lot of followers, but it was mostly the dancing that paid her bills.
“What made you decide to visit Mariners?” Ismay asked Terrell, Jace, and Holly while Bastian placed his order last.
Jace lifted his water glass. “Hearing Bastian talk about it, I guess. To be honest, I wanted to go to Mexico, where our money would stretch a bit further. It was Terrell who was stuck on crossing the entire country to visit this place.”
“You hear about Long Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Mariners all the time,” Terrell said. “I wanted to see what it’s like.”
They were sitting out on the sidewalk under a bright yellow-and-blue-striped umbrella with flowers pouring out of pots hanging on poles that also supported a string of lights. Ismay gestured around them. “Well? What do you think?”
“I think it’s nice here—Old-world—but as expensive as we were told,” Terrell said with a laugh.
“Good thing you make the big bucks,” Jace said.
Terrell grimaced. “I don’t make that much more than you, bro.”
“Well, this meal won’t cost you anything,” Bastian said, joining the conversation again as the waitress, who now had all their orders, left. “It’s on me.”
“Damn. Then call her back so I can order some more,” Terrell joked.
“You can order whatever you want,” Bastian said magnanimously.
Ismay knew he honestly didn’t care. He wasn’t paying for it. He had his parents’ credit card. Remy had one, too, and used it just as freely. “Where are you staying?” she asked the three of them.
“At the Hotel Mariners,” Holly replied, and that was when Ismay recognized her error. There were so many other hotels in town. She hadn’t expected them to be staying at the one where her brother was supposed to be.
“Ismay’s brother Jack is at that hotel, too,” Bastian piped up, right on cue.
“For a short time,” Ismay added. “There’s a neighbor who’s leaving for the mainland to see her kids and grandkids for most of the summer. He’ll soon be house-sitting for her.”
“What neighbor?” Bastian asked.
“Honey Wellington.”
“You know Honey?”
“Not really, but when I learned Jack was coming, I asked Bo if he knew of any places Jack could stay, and he told me Honey might need someone to house-sit.”
“Wow,” he said. “Bo does look after you, doesn’t he?”
Terrell and Jace glanced at each other over Holly’s head. Hearing the sour note in Bastian’s voice seemed to make everyone uncomfortable.
“It was nice of him,” she mumbled.
“Why didn’t your brother join us for lunch?” Terrell asked.
Ismay was grateful to him for jumping in. “He’s helping to rebuild a fence that was blown down in the recent storm.”
Holly moved back as the waitress arrived with their mimosas. “I’m glad we missed that.”
“It was bad,” Ismay told her. “Felt like a hurricane.”
Bastian rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t a hurricane. It’s not even hurricane season.”
That didn’t mean one couldn’t come up, not with all the changes in weather patterns that were happening all over the globe. Besides, he wasn’t even on the island at the time. He didn’t know what it had been like. But Ismay wasn’t interested in arguing about it.
“Ismay’s brother’s wife just left him for another woman,” Bastian announced.
“No way...” Jace said, properly scandalized.
Bastian took a sip of his drink. “Yes, way.”
Jace turned to Ismay. “Was that a surprise? Or did he know something was going on?”
“It was a total surprise,” she admitted.
“That sucks,” Terrell said, shaking his head. “Do they have kids?”
“No.” She didn’t elaborate, didn’t feel her brother’s situation was any of their business. It wasn’t Bastian’s place to tell them about it, either, especially because he was using it simply for the sake of entertainment.
Their meals arrived, putting an end to the topic. Ismay was happy to focus on her food. The restaurant served gourmet burgers and fries, as well as a variety of large salads and sandwiches. She’d ordered a smoked salmon salad with balsamic and pesto dressing, and she enjoyed it while listening to the others talk about their lives, their plans for the summer, and the good old days at SDU.
Eventually, Terrell asked Ismay what she did for a living, and she told them about law school.
“Can you believe she’s going to marry my brother?” Bastian said. “She hasn’t yet figured out he’s a total dick.”
“Remy’s starting his residency this fall?” Terrell asked, ignoring the comment.
Finished with her salad, Ismay put down her fork. “Actually, his residency starts July 1st. He’s still in LA, taking the last part of the United States Medical Licensing Exam. Then he’ll be joining me here on the island, and we’ll go back to California at the end of June.”
“What kind of doctor is he going to be?” Holly asked.
Bastian answered before Ismay could. “He’s going into emergency medicine, which should be perfect for him.” He snapped his fingers three times in quick succession. “He likes it when things are hopping.”
“He’ll be doing his residency at Prime West Consortium in West Anaheim,” Ismay added.
“How long will that take?” Terrell asked.
The check arrived. Bastian signed for it before saying he had to go to the bathroom and leaving the table.
“Four years,” she told Terrell.
Jace finished off his second mimosa. “So you couldn’t leave LA even if you wanted to—not for a while.”
“Fortunately, I don’t want to,” she said. “I like it there.”
“Even though you’re a farm girl from northern Utah?” Terrell teased.
She’d told them where she was from earlier and, of course, Bastian had tied it back to Jack, saying he’d probably never even met a gay person, and then his wife had turned out to be gay. “Maybe because I’m a farm girl from northern Utah,” she joked.
It wasn’t until the waitress came to clear away some of the plates while Bastian was gone that Ismay realized she had an opportunity. These people hadn’t known Bastian that well—hadn’t lived with him or anything—but they’d known him when Lyssa Helberg was killed in that fire. There was a chance Bastian had talked about her...
“Did either of you ever meet Lyssa Helberg?” she asked as though they should recognize the name—and was gratified when they did.
“The woman who died in the fire?” Terrell said. “She came out to SD once and watched while we played some volleyball.”
“Terrible what happened to her,” Jace added.
Ismay braved a quick glance toward the restrooms. “I bet Bastian took it hard.”
“I think that’s what really came between him and finishing school,” Terrell said. “He was never the same after that.”
Jace seemed confused. “He told you what Remy did that night, didn’t he?”
“What Remy did?” she said.
Jace and Terrell looked at each other. “Yeah,” Terrell said. “You don’t know?”
“I know Remy and Bastian got into a fight over something and knocked over a candle. That’s how the fire got started.”
“That’s not what we heard,” Jace said.
Bastian came out of the bathroom. “Let’s forget it,” Ismay said, lowering her voice because she didn’t want Bastian to know what they were talking about.
But Terrell didn’t let it go. He turned to Bastian as soon as Bastian reached them and said, “You’re going to let her marry Remy without telling her what happened to Lyssa?”
A deep scowl etched itself into Bastian’s face. “Why would you have anything to say about Lyssa? You didn’t even know her!”
Terrell’s eyes widened as he leaned back. “I met her once and clearly remember what you told me,” he snapped. Then he got up and walked out.
Ismay’s heart was racing. She felt bad she’d caused a sudden blowup. But she was also curious—and frightened—about what Terrell had said. What didn’t she know about Lyssa? And Remy’s involvement?
“Thanks for lunch,” Jace mumbled tersely and, taking Holly’s hand, led her out of the dining area to join Terrell before heading down the street toward the hotel.
“Why’d you go off on Terrell like that?” Ismay asked Bastian once they were gone.
“Because it’s none of his business, that’s why. What makes him think he knows anything? I just bought the bastard lunch, and he calls me down like that, as if I’ve done something wrong?”
He was almost shouting, so everyone was staring at them, including the waitress who’d come out to finish cleaning off their table. There was a lot Ismay wanted to say. She needed clarity. But Bastian didn’t seem to care that he was disrupting a business and disturbing everyone’s lunch. “We can talk about it later,” she said softly. “Let’s go.”
“You can take the Jeep. I’ll call an Uber,” he said and threw the keys at her.
She could hear the people around her murmuring as she rubbed her arm where the keys had struck her before bending to pick them up, and he stalked out.
Ismay was so shaken by Bastian’s outburst she didn’t want to go back to the cottage for fear that was where he’d gone. She didn’t want to call Remy, either—not after learning about Sam. It wasn’t just that he’d slept with another woman, although that was bad enough. It was more that he’d been seeing Samantha Whoever She Was since early January, and Ismay had never suspected a thing. Everything he’d told her during the past several months was now suspect in her mind.
That he could hide an affair that easily said something about his ability to compartmentalize and deceive. She could no longer trust him.
As she climbed into the Jeep, she thought about calling her mother. Whenever something upsetting happened, it was a natural inclination to want to call home, she supposed. She adored Betty. But she knew she wouldn’t get the consolation and advice she needed. Her mother would only hate Remy if she learned he’d been cheating. And she’d think Ismay was suffering the consequences of her choices—for leaving the church, getting involved with a man who wasn’t a member, and becoming worldly.
Bo was whom she wanted to talk to, anyway.
She started the Jeep and drove around the corner so the people at the restaurant could no longer stare at her. Then she parked again and messaged Bo.
How’s the fence-building going?
He didn’t answer, which meant he was probably still digging holes and mixing cement for the posts. She got out and meandered down the street—from shop to shop to restaurant to art gallery—until she heard her phone ding.
It’d taken nearly an hour—it was three thirty—but Bo had finally gotten back to her.
Just finished. Heading inside to shower. We’ll add the slats tomorrow.
What are you doing after you shower?
The dots that came on the screen when someone was typing appeared and then disappeared twice, as if he couldn’t decide how to respond.
Eventually, she got a message from him.
No plans. Do you want me to take your brother somewhere?
I was hoping you’d be able to get away alone. I need to talk to you.
Is something wrong? Just tell me where to meet you, and I’ll be there in thirty.
There’d been no equivocating on his answer. She wiped the tears that’d started rolling down her face.
I don’t know where to go. I just need to see you for a few minutes.
Let’s meet at the lighthouse.
She sniffed as she wiped away more tears. She could find the lighthouse easily enough.
After sending him a thumbs-up, she drove to the beach and took her time walking along the shore to the lighthouse, where she sat on a big rock and waited for him.
As he approached, Bo could see Ismay staring pensively out at the ocean and couldn’t help thinking how beautiful she was. He needed to be careful with her, couldn’t let his feelings—or hers—get out of control. But he hadn’t been able to forget about that moment when she’d taken his hand at the beach. That was something he’d never expected—and should never have allowed. While he didn’t want to see her with someone like Remy, he couldn’t get involved with her himself. She didn’t even know who he really was. And she deserved much better than he could offer—better than a man lying about his past and struggling to live with the scars.
As he approached, he steeled himself for the moment she turned those gorgeous green eyes on him. But it didn’t do any good. When she looked over, the desire he’d begun to feel for her only grew more acute. Maybe there was a silver lining in having to go to Louisiana to see his uncle. Maybe he’d be gone long enough to stop himself from destroying her future.
“Thanks for coming,” she said as she got up.
“No problem. What’s—”
He didn’t even get his question out before she threw her arms around his neck. He told himself to set her away from him, but he was pretty sure she was crying and that disarmed him enough that he couldn’t bring himself to do it. “What is it?” he murmured, his lips against her hair as he let his arms close around her.
“I don’t even know where to start,” she said.
He’d thought she’d release him after the embrace. But she didn’t. She just stood there, squeezing him tight, and before he could stop himself, he slid his hands up her back and kissed her temple. God, she felt better than anything he’d ever experienced. She smelled like heaven, too. Everything about her seemed perfect. “Why don’t we start with the reason you’re crying?”
“I don’t know what to do,” she replied.
“About...”
With a sniff, she pulled away and found something on her phone she apparently wanted to show him because she handed it to him.
It was a video taken in a dark restaurant. At first, he couldn’t make out what was happening, but then he realized. “This is Remy?” He glanced up to catch her nod before he finished watching—and then watched again. “When was this?”
“Last night.”
“Who’s he with?”
“He’s been telling me since January that he’s studying with a partner named Sam. Well, that’s Sam—or Samantha.”
“This doesn’t look good,” he admitted, cringing at the pain and humiliation it must’ve caused her.
“I’m fairly certain they’ve been seeing each other for months and I had no clue.”
He lifted the phone. “Where’d you get this?” Obviously, Remy wouldn’t have sent it to her.
“That’s where things get worse,” she said with a grimace. “The woman who texted it to me claims he was cheating on his former girlfriend with her—and got her pregnant.”
Bo felt himself stiffen in surprise. “He has a child?”
“I don’t think she had the child. But she wouldn’t tell me much.” She gestured at her phone. “You can read the exchange.”
He took a few minutes to do that. “Wow,” he said when he was done.
“Yeah.”
“So...what are you going to do? Does he know that you know?”
“He does. I called and told him.”
Bo wished he could’ve heard that conversation. “And?”
“He claims it’s nothing. A mistake caused by all the stress he’s been under. Swears he doesn’t want to lose me. Insists no one can compare to me.”
He was right about that, but Bo couldn’t admit it.
“I also asked him about the panties in his closet.”
The hair on the back of Bo’s neck stood up. “You did?”
“I had to hear him tell me why those things were there.”
“Did he?”
“Claims he doesn’t know anything about them.”
Bo’s stomach sank. Of course, Remy would deny it. “Do you believe him?”
“How can I?” She took back her phone. “After this?”
“So...what are you going to do?” He wanted to believe she wasn’t in danger, but his life had taught him the worst could occur.
“Remy made me promise I wouldn’t do anything until he could get here, and we could talk. I don’t want to throw away the past three years any more than he does. And yet...”
“And yet?” Bo prompted.
“I was second-guessing our relationship before I ever arrived. This past year, he’s shown little interest in supporting me. It was always more about him—what he likes to do, when he has time to do it, if he’s ready to give me some attention—but it’s gotten so much worse over time. And yet, I felt like I was a bad partner for not being more understanding. He always claimed his classes were so much harder than mine. But if he’s had time to carry on an entire second relationship...”
Bo could hear the emotion in her voice and understood that she’d stopped talking because she was struggling to get the words out. “He doesn’t deserve you,” he said. “You know I’ve felt that way since day one.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. He reached up to wipe it away with his thumb and somehow ended up cupping her face with both hands and gently pulling it toward his. He expected her to push him away. Part of him wanted her to. He needed her to set the boundary he was having such a hard time maintaining himself. But she didn’t. Her arms went around his neck and her lips parted as their mouths touched—and then he was completely lost.
Bo’s kiss was unlike anything Ismay had ever experienced. She’d never really believed a kiss could be intoxicating, had never experienced that for herself, but now she understood. When he raised his head, she gazed up at him for several seconds—feeling slightly dazed—and could see that he was as taken aback by the impact of their kiss as she was, and that only made her want more. Lifting herself on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his again, and he kissed her more deeply.
When his palm came up to rest on the back of her head and he groaned in surrender, she felt completely swept away. She would’ve gone on kissing him until—she didn’t know what—if he hadn’t finally broken it off.
“Ismay, we can’t do this,” he said, but he didn’t extract himself. He spoke earnestly as he gazed down at her, his hands gripping her shoulders.
“Why not?” she asked. “I don’t owe Remy anything. He certainly hasn’t been fair to me.”
“And I’d hate to see you stay with him. I don’t trust him to treat you right. But...you don’t want to get involved with me.”
“I understand. I’d feel terrible if it cost you your job—”
“My job has nothing to do with it,” he broke in. Well, almost nothing. His job mattered; it wouldn’t be easy to replace the situation he’d found here on Mariners. But for her, he’d take the risk if that was all there was to it.
She blinked several times. “Then...is there someone else?”
“No. But you and I live a continent apart,” he said, choosing that excuse instead. “There’s no future in it.”
“I know. But...does that mean we don’t even take advantage of the time we could have together?”
“What are you saying?” he asked.
She raked her fingers through her long hair. “I don’t know. I’m heartbroken, but I’m not sure it’s for the right reasons. I feel like a fool for being so oblivious. I’m afraid I never really knew Remy, and yet I was prepared to marry him. And here I am, craving your touch when we haven’t known each other very long and before things are entirely over with Remy, which makes me think I may not be any better than he is.”
He pulled her against him and rested his chin on her head. “Trust me. You’re way better than he is.”
“Except... I wanted you even before I learned about Sam,” she admitted.
There was a moment of silence before he said, “You didn’t act on it.”
She’d held his hand. So, there was that. It didn’t sound like a lot, but there’d been plenty of emotion in it, so what she’d done was potentially worse. “With more time, who knows how far I would’ve gone?”
“You would’ve broken up with Remy before you did anything.”
She’d been on the verge of breaking off the engagement for the past couple of weeks, so she hoped that was true. “I’m off balance,” she said. “None of it really makes any sense.”
He pulled back enough to peer into her face again. “Which is why we need to be careful. I don’t want to make what you’re going through any worse.”
“Okay,” she said, but quickly, impetuously, kissed him again. It was just a peck; she had to have one last taste. But then he lowered his head and kissed her soundly, and it was even more satisfying than before. She’d thought maybe he’d changed his mind—until he wrenched away.
“Damn, this is going to be hard,” he said and stalked off.