Reese was even better at tennis than Marlow had expected, but it was impossible for even a great player to compensate for having a partner who couldn’t hit the ball. After she and Aida won the first two games in only a few minutes, Claire said she needed to find Reese’s boss so she could ask about teaching yoga classes at the club. She looked so relieved to be off the court that Marlow didn’t have the heart to ask her to return.
Fortunately, Reese recognized a teenager named Grant who’d come to practice his serve and roped him into playing with them. Aida had Reese as her partner, and Marlow had Grant, which meant she lost the entire set. Reese dominated the game that much. But at least Grant knew how to play and the games were more competitive than when they’d been playing with Claire. Frustrated that she hadn’t really found her stroke or any success so far, Marlow wanted to keep going, but Grant said he had plans with friends and had to leave.
Although Claire had returned from her errand and was sitting in the stands, watching them, Marlow didn’t want to bring her back out. She assumed they’d have to quit—until Reese suggested they take a break and get a drink while he gave his next lesson. He said he’d be available at five, and he’d have another competent player by the time they came back.
Claire was so excited that the manager of the club was interested in hiring her that it was all she could talk about as they ate fish tacos and drank margaritas at the club’s small café.
“I can’t believe they don’t already offer yoga,” Aida said. “Yoga’s so popular.”
“Phil, the manager, said they used to, but the instructor moved to Orlando to get married.”
“I’ll sign up for one of your classes,” Aida said.
Claire smiled at her support and generosity. “Thank you.”
Marlow was relieved to see them still getting along so well, but she knew there had to be a lot going on under the surface.
Aida checked her watch as Claire gathered up the trash. “Reese should be done. You ready?”
Marlow grabbed her racquet. “Let’s do it.”
“Would you rather go home while we play for another hour or so?” Aida asked Claire as they started back.
“No,” she said. “I like watching.”
She veered into the stands with the small bag of chips she’d purchased at lunch as they walked onto the courts. That was when Marlow spotted Walker. He was standing next to his brother dressed in tennis shorts, a club T-shirt and tennis shoes.
And he was holding a racquet.
“Oh, no,” she murmured under her breath.
“What is it?” Aida asked, but Marlow couldn’t respond. The few steps they’d taken had brought Reese and Walker within hearing distance.
“Look who it is!” Reese gestured proudly toward them, but Walker obviously wasn’t pleased. His brother must not have mentioned who he’d be playing.
“You got Walker to come over, huh?” Marlow said.
“Oh, yeah. He’s great. But it wasn’t easy to convince him to change his clothes and take the time off. He’s a workaholic these days. I knew my only shot was to tell him I have two beautiful women who want to play, and we need him as a fourth. Fortunately, he’s usually pretty good about helping me out when I get into these types of situations.”
Walker sent his brother a withering look, but Reese laughed. “At least I wasn’t lying about the beautiful part.”
The hard set to Walker’s jaw made Marlow wonder if he’d walk off. But, to his credit, he managed to overcome whatever he was feeling.
Aida treated him to a welcoming smile. “How should we arrange the teams?”
Marlow was grateful her friend had jumped right in, because she wasn’t ready to address Walker directly.
Reese gave his brother a sheepish grimace—an apology for upsetting him. “Why don’t you and Walker take on me and Marlow?” he said. “Marlow and I haven’t played together yet.”
Marlow wondered if Reese had arranged the teams this way because he knew Walker wouldn’t want to play with her as a partner.
“Sounds good,” she said and took the cover off her racquet.
While Walker and Aida rounded the net to the other side, Marlow thought she and Reese would easily win. She and Aida were evenly matched, but Walker hadn’t had the hours of training his brother had. For some reason, her father had encouraged Reese to take tennis lessons. Marlow was pretty sure Tiller had paid for them. He’d paid for quite a lot when Reese was growing up, including braces, but he was generous that way.
After reaching deuce, she and Reese won the next two points on her serve to put away the first game. Marlow was relieved to have played so well. After her encounter with Walker last night, it was more important to her than it probably should’ve been to beat him. She could tell it bothered him, which made it even more enjoyable—so enjoyable she couldn’t help shooting him a triumphant smile.
His eyes narrowed when he saw her gloating, and he began to play harder. He’d been hitting his most powerful shots to his brother. She could tell he thought it was impolite to slam the ball on a woman, but her cockiness goaded him enough that he included her on a few tough shots, all of which she missed. When she and Reese lost badly in the second game, Walker treated her to the same “take that” smile she’d given him.
As they played game after game, the battle waged on and they all grew more serious. Even Aida seemed to know there was a lot riding on this match. At three games each, Marlow finally realized that Walker probably could’ve been a pro player, too—if that was what he’d wanted.
Before they started the seventh game, Reese turned his back on their opponents as he said, “We can’t let my brother win, or I’ll never live it down.”
“What are you muttering about over there?” Aida called out playfully. “Are you plotting against us? Sharing our weaknesses?”
“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Marlow called back with a laugh. But to Reese, she said, “I think I might’ve pulled the tiger’s tail. Your brother has it in for me.”
“He usually lets me look good, since I work here, but tonight he’s out to win,” he admitted. “I don’t know what it is about you. For some reason, you seem to bring out the worst in him. You two have more sibling rivalry than we do.”
“It’s not sibling rivalry,” she mumbled, but Aida was about to serve so Reese was already moving back into position, and she could tell he hadn’t heard her. She was actually glad of that, because she wasn’t sure how she would’ve answered had he asked her to clarify that statement.
The next game took the longest and proved to be her worst ever. They lost, but she and Reese won two after that, making it five to four in their favor. “This can’t come down to a tie,” she said to Reese. “We have to win the next one.”
“Agreed,” he said and, solely due to his skill, they did win and managed to avoid a stressful tiebreaker.
“That was fun,” Marlow said, meeting Walker and Aida at the net.
“Yeah, an absolute blast,” Walker said dryly.
Marlow had to laugh at his sarcasm. “You’re not a sore loser, are you?”
He arched one eyebrow. “We’re playing again. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
“Now?” she said.
“I can’t.” Reese bounced the ball and caught it again. “I have a student coming in ten minutes.”
“Tomorrow, then,” Aida said.
Reese drank some water from his Gatorade bottle. “I’m up for that,” he said once he’d swallowed. “But Walker works all the time. I doubt he can make it. Right, bro?”
“I’m off tomorrow,” Walker said.
Marlow got the impression he’d take the day off even if he was supposed to work; he was that eager for another crack at her.
Reese seemed to be as surprised as she was that he’d agreed. “Great,” he said. “I have back-to-back lessons all morning, but I could play over lunch. Should we meet at noon?”
“Aren’t you afraid you might lose again?” Marlow said to Walker, unable to resist needling him a little more.
“That’s not going to happen. See you all tomorrow.” He started to walk off the court, but Aida stopped him.
“Hey, we’re having another bonfire tonight,” she said.
Claire had come out of the bleachers to join them. “Your mother’s making shish kebabs and corn on the cob,” she added as she walked up. “And Reese will be there. Why don’t you join us?”
“Yeah, why go home and eat alone?” Reese said. “Mom promised to make some of her garlic mashed potatoes, too. And I’m cutting up a watermelon. It’s going to be a summer feast.”
When Walker opened his mouth, Marlow was sure he’d refuse. Although they hadn’t exactly made a pact last night, it was her understanding that they’d avoid each other whenever they could. So she was shocked when he said, “Sure. I’ll come eat. I’ll be over after I shower.”
He shot her a glance that seemed to say he wasn’t going to miss a great meal just because of her. But she didn’t care if he came. She was the one who’d suggested they be friends.
“You don’t mind that I invited Walker to join us tonight, do you?” Aida asked as they strode out to the car.
Marlow tossed her racquet in the trunk of her mother’s Tesla and waited for her friends to do the same. “Of course not,” she said, but she knew that she’d be far too conscious of his presence to relax and enjoy herself.
Why had he agreed to go to dinner at Seaclusion when he’d promised himself he’d stay away from Marlow?
Walker had no answer for that. He’d been asked while his competitive juices were flowing, and he hadn’t wanted to feel as though he was going to miss out just because Marlow would be there, he supposed. It was a group thing—and the group included his mother and brother. He should join the fun.
Still, he’d hardly been able to look away from Marlow in that short tennis skirt—a clear sign of danger. That and the gloating smile she’d given him had made it difficult to make good decisions. Damn it. She had such a strange power over him. Even after all these years.
Like Samson and Delilah, he thought. But he wasn’t going to let her get the better of him. He’d been down that road too many times before.
After he got out of the shower, he pulled on a pair of trunks, assuming they’d probably go swimming, and a T-shirt, before reclaiming his flip-flops from the living room. Then he went out and fired up his Harley. Two miles wasn’t far to take the bike, but it beat driving his SUV, which reminded everyone that he was a cop.
When he arrived, the sound of the motor drew Claire and Aida out of the guesthouse before he could even put down the kickstand. Fortunately, Marlow wasn’t with them.
“I love motorcycles,” Aida said. “That looks like fun! Any chance you’d be willing to take me for a ride?”
He hadn’t thought to bring an extra helmet. He so rarely needed one. But as small as the island was, he wouldn’t be going very fast. He figured she could use a bicycle helmet. She went in search of one, which brought Marlow out of the guesthouse, too, but she didn’t say anything to him. She just went to the garage and got the helmet.
Aida was wearing white shorts with a man’s button-down shirt tied at the waist over a red bikini top. She was smaller than Claire and Marlow and pretty in a curvy, Dolly Parton sort of way. She seemed sweet. He realized he couldn’t hold the fact that she was a friend of Marlow’s against her.
The engine was too loud for conversation, so they didn’t say much, but she tightened her arms around his waist whenever he accelerated. Imagining the thrill it gave her made him smile. He loved his bike. The raw power of it. The freedom it symbolized. He was never happier than when he was racing down the highway with the wind ripping at his clothes.
He drove Aida around the island for fifteen minutes before going back to do the same for Claire, who was wearing a sleeveless top with a pair of denim cutoffs. She clung to him even more tightly than Aida had and, shouting above the roar of the engine, made it clear she’d never been on a motorcycle before. According to what she said, her grandmother, who’d raised her, wouldn’t allow it.
When they got back, he could tell Marlow wanted a ride, too, but she was too proud to ask for one—and he didn’t offer. They’d set some boundaries last night; if he didn’t want her to wreck his life again, he needed to be smart enough to honor them.
Turning off the engine, he pocketed the key and pretended he had to go inside to say hello to his mother so leaving her out wouldn’t look like a purposeful slight.
But he knew that she knew it was.
Her eyes narrowed as he stalked past her. Her gaze felt like it would burn a hole right through him, but he refused to acknowledge the attention. She was in some kind of pool dress. Long, straight and black, it was made of soft T-shirt material and had a slit up to her knees on both sides with a sheer panel above her breasts, showing just a hint of cleavage.
He’d always thought she had good taste in clothes, that she had class, but, once again, he reminded himself to quit noticing. She’d never been interested in him. Apparently, it was going to take a sledgehammer to get that through his thick head.
His mother was excited to see him. “Hey, you,” she said, hugging him tight. “When Reese said you were coming to dinner, I almost didn’t believe him. You turn us down more often than not.”
It was usually his work that kept him away. “I couldn’t miss out on your garlic mashed potatoes.”
“I’m glad I have something to keep you coming back,” she joked. “Can you help me carry the food out to the deck?”
“I thought this was going to be a bonfire.”
“Eileen is going to join us. She’ll be more comfortable on the deck. Then you kids can go down to the beach, light your bonfire and dance the night away, if that’s what you want to do.”
He wasn’t sure about dancing, but it was so hot out that swimming sounded good.
He carried dish after dish to the table. On his last trip, Eileen came out. “Walker, I thought I heard your voice,” she said when she saw him. “How nice of you to join us. I’m so glad you could come.”
Since Reese had commented on it some time ago, Walker had noticed that she consistently treated him better than she did his brother. He wondered why, but he supposed it was just that he was older and hadn’t been a pain in the ass quite as recently. “Good to see you again, Mrs. Madsen. Can I help you to a chair?”
“Why not?” she said. “I couldn’t get a better offer.”
Her hand was cold on his arm even though it was probably eighty degrees out. He’d remarked on her cold hands before, and she’d told him it was part of her disease. She had poor circulation and was almost always chilled, which was why she loved the warm weather.
When Marlow and her friends came onto the deck, Marlow was careful to sit as far away from Walker as possible, and he didn’t mind. As a matter of fact, he was happy with the arrangement—until Eileen complained about a draft and Marlow offered to switch places with her. Then Walker found himself seated right next to his nemesis. Not only could he see the pretty nude-colored polish on her fingernails, he could smell her perfume and feel the heat of her leg so close to his under the table.
“Tell us about your job, Walker,” Claire said as they were passing the food around the table. “Is there much violent crime on the island?”
“Fortunately, not a lot. Not since I’ve been here, anyway. We’ve had some domestic disputes and some neighbors who’ve gotten into a rivalry over street parking and the like. And we have the occasional drunken brawls at various bars, especially in normal years, when we have a lot of tourists from January to April. But it’s quiet most days.”
“Weekends have to be the worst when the island is crowded,” Aida said.
“They are,” he agreed. “But we don’t have a lot of tourists right now, and I’ve got my best man working tonight. He’ll call me if anything comes up.”
Marlow’s hand accidentally brushed his as she passed him the shish kebabs, and she recoiled so fast she nearly dropped the platter. Fortunately, he managed to grab hold of it before it fell, select a skewer and pass them over to Aida.
“Being a cop must be hard,” Claire said.
“You definitely see things you’d rather not see,” he admitted, then turned the focus of the conversation on Claire so that he wouldn’t be the center of attention all night. “What about you? What do you do?”
She told him she’d owned a yoga studio, which she’d had to close because of the pandemic, and how she’d love to start another one.
“Is that what you plan to do this fall?” Reese asked.
“Once I get back on my feet,” she replied.
“Claire and I have both had a rough year,” Aida volunteered. “I think I told you I just went through a divorce, and Claire lost her house to the Malibu fire last year.”
“Yes...” Walker said as he ripped a piece of bell pepper off his skewer.
“Well, there’s a little more to it. My husband was having an affair with Claire. That’s how we met.”
Walker held a forkful of potatoes in midair. “What did you say?”
The two women exchanged a glance and somehow managed to laugh before explaining the situation.
“Is this the dude who threatened Marlow?” he asked.
Marlow blinked as though she was startled he’d said her name. They were being so careful not to acknowledge each other, wouldn’t even look at each other. “Yeah, that’s Dutton,” she muttered when all eyes turned her way.
Although Walker would never have said it out loud, he figured this Dutton should be glad he hadn’t acted on those threats. Walker could dislike Marlow himself. She’d earned that. But anyone who hurt her had better watch out for him.
The fact that he still felt protective of her made him as mad as everything else to do with her. He tried telling himself it was only natural, considering how generous her family had been to his. If not for the senator paying for all the coaching Reese had as a boy, he wouldn’t have a vocation as an adult. But Walker knew his devotion to Marlow went beyond that. He just couldn’t help himself where she was concerned.
“It’s hard to believe Dutton could keep that secret as long as he did,” Reese said.
Aida rolled her eyes. “No kidding. Makes me feel pretty gullible.”
“Me, too,” Claire piped up.
Marlow pushed her plate back, even though she’d barely touched her food. “Enough about Dutton,” she said as she sipped her second glass of wine. “We’ve come here to forget about him, remember?”
“You’ve already finished your meal?” Rosemary asked.
“I wasn’t very hungry,” she said, obviously distracted. “But what I had was wonderful.”
“She’s eager to hit the beach,” Claire said.
“Why don’t you kids go have your fun?” Rosemary said. “I’ll do the dishes.”
“I’ll help you clean up,” Marlow said.
Claire and Aida started to protest that they’d help, too, but Marlow insisted they couldn’t all be in the kitchen at the same time, anyway. She told them she’d join them soon, and as they headed down to the beach, Walker had to wonder if she’d stayed behind so she could avoid him.