you to your door.”
Honestly, I’m not comfortable leaving her alone at all. This isn’t how I’d hoped to get invited inside, but I’m not going to feel good unless there’s someone watching out for her.
“It really won’t be necessary.” She bites her lip and glances back toward the cabins. “I’m certain he’s harmless.”
She doesn’t look certain, and I’m sure as hell not.
“I don’t think you should be alone.” It sounds like I’m hitting on her. Like I’m making excuses to get into her house.
Iz doesn’t take the bait. “It’s only a few feet away.”
The shadowy figure moves again, and the danger alert in my brain starts to ding. “What if you went to Mark and Chelsea’s?”
Izzy frowns. “I don’t want to impose.”
“Iz, there are bad guys out there.” Or right here, in the shadows, watching us talk in the truck. I’m not trying to scare her, but I don’t like this. “I’m texting Mark right now.”
She doesn’t argue as I draw my phone out and find Mark Bracelyn in my contacts. I type the words quickly as Iz watches.
Saw strange guy in shadows outside. Can I bring Izzy to you?
I hit “send” and look back at Izzy. “If I know Mark, he’ll be out here in fifteen seconds or less.”
Iz gives me a weak smile. “That long?” She bites her lip again. “Bradley?”
“Yeah?”
She hesitates. “I really like you. I like you a lot, okay? Too much. That’s the problem.”
I’m missing something here. “How is that a problem?”
“It just is.” She shakes her head a little sadly, then glances back toward the cabins.
The creepy guy has disappeared, which means he could be anywhere. Mark’s front door flies open and he lumbers outside with—okay, that’s an axe.
“You’ll be safe with your brother.” There’s an egotistical part of me wishing I could be the one protecting her, but Mark will do. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Mark’s almost to the truck now, and I lean toward Iz to greet him through her open door.
“Hey.” I nod toward James’s place. “It’s probably nothing, but I saw a guy in the shadows over there.”
He frowns and reaches for his phone with the hand not gripping an axe. “I’ll call security.”
Before he can dial, Chelsea appears in the doorway of their cabin. Spotting Mark’s wife, Iz nearly sags with relief. “Thank you, Bradley. I had a great time.”
She’s out the door and hurrying toward her sister-in-law before I can respond. Mark looks at me, holding his phone without dialing. “What’d you see?”
“Hard to tell. Looked like someone I’ve seen before.” Is it a dick move to rat out a hotel guest? “Bald guy. Something about him seems a little…off.”
Mark nods once, but doesn’t acknowledge one way or another if he knows the guy. Resorts probably have rules like medical offices do with privacy.
“We’ll look into it.” Mark’s brow furrows as he glances back at his cabin. Through the front window, I see Chelsea leading Iz into the kitchen. “There’s technically no rule about resort guests wandering into this part of the property, but…”
“It’s weird, right?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “Kinda weird.”
Hell, maybe I’m being paranoid. Maybe the guy’s just a socially awkward recluse here for a little R&R. It’s not like I’ve seen him doing anything especially menacing.
“If I see him again, maybe I’ll strike up a conversation.” If nothing else, it’d give me a better sense of what the guy’s up to.
Mark shrugs. “Hell, maybe we invite him to poker night. Interrogate the son-of-a-bitch over five card stud.”
I can’t tell from his expression if he’s kidding or not. “That’s one way to get to know someone.”
He nods. “Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.”
I’m still not sure he’s joking, but the thought of having Mark Bracelyn as an enemy should scare the shit out of anyone. “So, you’ll look out for Iz.”
Mark nods once. “I’m on it.”
That’s my cue to leave, but I can’t seem to. “I just—she’s been through a lot, you know? The kidney transplant, finding out she’s got this whole other family…” I trail off, hesitant to say anything that might hint at my feelings for Iz. “I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
“Same.” He shifts the axe in one hand as he regards me with a curious look. “You’re hot for her?”
I swallow back a startled laugh. “She’s a great lady.”
“Yeah.” He studies me some more. “Anyone who’d hurt my family has to get through me.”
I get the sense that threat isn’t meant just for Baldy. Coming from a scowling, six-five lumberjack, it’s not an