Million-Dollar Consequences

She was so stunned when he waited for her to respond, it took her a second to answer. “Five minutes? Sure. Yes.”

He dipped his chin before heading upstairs. Kendall excused herself to help him change and ran after him.

Isaac took the chair next to Meghan, his eyes on the staircase. “Think they’re doing it? In five minutes?”

“God knows they haven’t stopped since I arrived. You should hear the excuses. ‘I have to brush my teeth. Want to brush your teeth, Max? I can’t find my sneakers. Kendall, can you help me find my sneakers?’” Meghan grinned when Isaac laughed. He had a great laugh. Low and inviting. “I reminded her this morning that I’m not twelve years old, and I know exactly what they’re doing.”

“Let me guess. It had nothing to do with teeth-brushing or sneaker-finding.” He grinned.

“I highly doubt it.”

Tenminutes later, Max jogged downstairs behind a rosy-cheeked Kendall. Meghan prepped her guests, reassuring them that if they said something they didn’t mean, it could be edited out. She then gave them a rough idea of the types of questions she’d be asking, though she didn’t go into great detail. She liked authentic moments on her show. Too much preparation endangered the spontaneity.

The moment she hit Record on her laptop, she slipped into professional mode. Using the notes on her screen, she quizzed Kendall and Max and Isaac alike, focusing on the show and the cast’s reunion. She asked her sister if she found it awkward representing both brothers, one of those brothers being her boyfriend. Kendall had laughed and stated that she was more than happy to have both Dunn brothers under her charge.

While she was about to burst from curiosity, Meghan didn’t ask Isaac to divulge the whereabouts of his girlfriend. She mentioned his free time and asked how he spent it, leaving a wide enough gap for him to mention his mystery woman if he wanted to. When he didn’t, she opted to take the high road.

Once she had a good amount of content, and she was confident she could whittle down the interview to an hour-long show, she pressed the stop button and took her headphones off. “That’s it, you guys. Great job.”

“Good. I need a beer.” Max stood. “Anyone else?”

“Wine,” Kendall said. “I’ll get it.”

“Beer is fine,” Isaac and Meghan answered in unison. They met each other’s gazes for an extended beat.

Isaac shook his head. “I like you more and more every second I’m around you.”

Meghan couldn’t help it, she floated on that compliment to the patio after she and Isaac had their beer bottles in hand. Settling onto wicker chairs facing an autumn mountain view, they sipped their drinks. Isaac let out a sigh.

“Long day?” she prompted.

“Yes, but a fun one. It’s not every day I can work with my brother.”

What a great answer. She could return the compliment he gave her a few minutes ago. The more she was around him, the more she liked him. “And now one of my favorite actors is preparing my dinner. Incredible.”

She turned her head to watch her sister and Max through the slatted blinds in the kitchen window. They were side by side at the countertop, sprinkling seasoning on meat and mushrooms alike. Kendall smiled and Max leaned down to kiss her, and then, holding their seasoned-covered fingers out to their sides, they made out for a moment.

“You’re right,” Isaac said. “They don’t stop. Have you thought about renting your own place in town to avoid them?”

“God, yes.” She wasn’t about to tell him why she hadn’t, which was that Million-Dollar Mountain and the town of Dunn only offered incredibly expensive rooms for rent. “Can I ask you something I didn’t ask on the podcast?”

“Uh-oh. Here I was convinced you weren’t the bloodthirsty type.” He craned one eyebrow as he raked a longer bit of hair from his forehead. He was too attractive for words.

“I won’t tell anyone. I just want to know for my own fangirl heart.”

“When you talk like that you weaken my resolve, Squire.”

It was the first time he’d addressed her by her last name. Paired with his teasing tone and a knee-weakening half smile, she nearly forgot the question she wanted to ask.

“I’m an open book.” Belying his words, he folded his arms over his chest and straightened his back. Rather than point out he looked more like a closed book, she asked the question that had been on her mind for months.

“It’s about the woman who stole your heart while you were vacationing on your private island. You’d mentioned you wouldn’t reveal her identity until she’s ready, but can you tell me anything about her?”