Until Then (Cape Harbor 2)

“Floral tasting, like you’re eating flowers?”

She pointed her spoon at him. “Yes, that’s it. I do like it, though. Can I try yours?”

Graham pushed his spoon into his cream-colored ice cream and scooped some out. He held his spoon near Rennie’s mouth. She kept her eyes on him as she wrapped her lips around the plasticware until the ice cream touched her taste buds. “Mmm.”

“You like?” Graham asked.

“So good. Definitely my preference of the two.”

Without hesitation, Graham swapped their cups. The act seemed so innocent yet stuck out profoundly for her. She didn’t have to ask; he just did it, because that was how good of a man he was.

“We can share,” she told him and pushed her cup to the middle of the table. She was all set to start eating, when Graham held his spoon out again. This time, both flavors sat there. “Seriously?” She leaned forward and took the offering. She smiled and covered her mouth. “You know what would be even better?”

“Chocolate,” he said.

She pointed her spoon at him and nodded. “Yes. You know me so well.”

Graham didn’t reply, but he winked. And sometimes a wink meant more than anything.

TWENTY-FOUR

After they stopped for ice cream, Graham and Rennie strolled the streets, going into boutiques, where Graham became the catchall for their bags while Rennie shopped. They laughed at the whimsical names for the coffee shops and delis, such as the Bait Shop, which promised the best fish and chips for miles. Considering the town they were in was only one square mile, Graham and Rennie found the claim humorous. Graham told Rennie everything he knew about Friday Harbor and San Juan Island, which mostly boiled down to “When we come back this summer.” He really wanted to take her to see the lavender fields. To him, they rivaled Skagit Valley’s tulip festival.

By the time they arrived back on the boat, they were both exhausted. Rennie took her books down to her room and hollered over her shoulder that she was going to take a nap. The idea of a nap sounded like a good idea to Graham. He waited for her door to shut before he decided what to do, but she left it open—his thoughts started to run rampant. He was back to playing the what-if game.

All throughout the day, they’d flirted with each other, and it felt good. For the first time in forever, Graham felt a deeper connection with her. They were a cohesive unit, always aware of where the other person was, thoughtful, and flirtatious, and she made him feel desirable by the way she would lean into him, stroke his arm, and always look at him with parted lips, which was a tell for her. Rennie didn’t have to be a casual hookup; they could build a strong relationship. Of course, she had said she wanted financial independence and didn’t want children—but if he was being honest with himself, having children was an idea his mother planted and not one he had ever really considered. Otherwise, he could be the right man for Rennie. He loved the idea of her working in the bar with him, and he could easily return the favor if she needed the work.

Work.

For the past few days he had forgotten about the possibility of someone suing him. He had a sudden urge to know more and made his way down the small flight of stairs and into Rennie’s room. He knocked once, even though the door was open, and found her lying on her side, flipping through a book.

“Hey,” she said as he entered. Graham sat on the bed and mirrored her position.

“Can we talk work for a minute? I know you’re on vacation, but I’m curious about a couple of things.”

“Of course.” Rennie closed the book, and when Graham saw the cover, he smiled. It was the book he had shown her, which featured his bar. The fact that she chose to read his book sent his heart soaring. “What’s going on?”

“This case against me. How will I know when they’re suing me?”

“My criminal law is rusty, which is why I’m going to ask my colleague Jefferson to help me again. But from what I remember, the other side needs evidence. You can’t just go to a lawyer and say, ‘I want to sue someone’ without having facts and evidence to back up your claim. I’ve seen the notes, and unless Donna is hiding information, that’s all there is so far—just her notes on what the client has told her.”

“How do I defend myself?”

“You’ll answer the claim in court, but before that happens, Jefferson, myself, and my private detective will know everything. When we face the judge, and they present their case, we’ll prove them otherwise.”

“Not gonna lie, Ren. I’m scared.”

She nodded and ran her fingers through his hair. “I know you are. Part of me thinks I should’ve waited to tell you, but I wanted you to be prepared.”