Zev stood stock-still, processing his words. “I thought that was Char’s idea.”
Beau motioned for Zev to walk with him, and they headed around the side of the house toward the front yard. “I dropped hints, and my beautiful wife ran with them. The way I see it, you owe me big-time.” He clapped a hand on Zev’s shoulder and said, “Tell me it doesn’t feel fucking fantastic to love someone so much you hate leaving them.”
“I’m done telling you anything. You’re either full of shit or…” He looked at his brother’s playful grin and said, “Nah, you’re definitely full of shit.”
Beau laughed loudly.
“Prick,” Zev muttered with a chuckle as they rounded the front of the house.
Bandit bounded toward them.
“Hey, you guys!” Charlotte waved from the hood of Beau’s truck, where she sat with her legs outstretched. “I’m working on my tan!”
“Do you think she realizes she’s wearing knee-high rubber boots?” Zev asked.
“Of course. Absolutely nothing gets by my girl. She just beats to her own drum, and I love her for it. Come on, we have to get to the airstrip.” Beau jogged toward Char, and she slid off the truck and into his arms, kissing him. “I have to run Zev up to the airstrip to meet Jack. Want to come?”
“I would love to, but I can’t,” Char said. “I’m giving myself fifteen minutes in the sun, and then I have to tackle emails.”
“Then get in here and give me a hug.” Zev pulled her into his arms. “I’m glad you had a great honeymoon. I want to see the pictures, so hook me up with them, okay?”
“Of course,” she said sweetly. “I’ll email you a link to them. When will we see you again?”
“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. We’re still figuring that out, but it looks like I’ll be around more this winter.”
“Really?” Beau asked.
“Carly’s here, so yeah, really. Noah and I are bouncing around the idea of partnering for a shipwreck exhibition at the Real DEAL. I can’t believe I forgot to mention that to you. Nothing’s set in stone, but it’s one of the things we’re considering. Carls and I are also thinking about heading home for a couple of weeks over the holidays.”
Beau looked at him skeptically.
“A couple of weeks? That’s great!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Forget the inn working its magic. Carly must have her own brand of wizardry.”
Zev smirked. Hell yes, she does.
A mischievous glimmer rose in Charlotte’s eyes. “I need to call Carly and see if she’ll share some of those tricks for my next book.”
Zev laughed. “Speaking of those kinds of tricks, your thief dragged your leather whip in from outdoors. It was pretty dirty, so I cleaned it up and put it in Char’s office.”
“I told you Bandit stole it,” Charlotte said to Beau. “I’ve been looking all over for that thing so we could—”
“Whoa, stop right there,” Zev said, waving his hand. “I don’t want to know the kinky shit you and my brother do.”
Beau gave him a deadpan look. “She uses it to work out the mechanics for the erotic scenes in her books.”
“I bet she does. The fuzzy handcuffs, too? Bandit dropped a pair beside the tub when we were in it. You’ve trained that dog well, bro.”
Charlotte blushed, and Beau pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest and said, “Caught!”
“Don’t worry, Char. Your secret is safe with me.” Zev whipped out his phone and said, “Last-time-we pic?”
“Yes!” Charlotte said.
As Beau draped his arms around Charlotte and Zev, Zev held up his phone and said, “By the way, you’re out of multisurface cleaner. I didn’t have time to replace it, but at least the inn’s kitchen table is sanitary.” He took the picture, capturing Beau’s scowl and Charlotte’s happy eyes.
“Tell me you didn’t,” Beau said as Zev pocketed his phone.
“No can do, bro. I just dropped the hints, then I ran with it.”
ZEV STOOD ON the bluff overlooking Fortune’s Cove on Silver Island Sunday evening, taking his first break since he’d stepped off the plane. He was wound so tight, even the sights and smells of the sea, his go-to tension relievers, didn’t ease the strain in his corded muscles. When he’d landed on the island, he’d gone straight to his boat to review the legal documents Jeremy had sent for their meeting tomorrow, as well as the nondisclosure agreements for Cliff and Tanner. That had brought his mind back to Carly and what she’d said about the