Walker sat sipping his Hawaiian something punch and watched Scarlett from the corner of his eye. He could barely see her and Kurt through a window. They were having an animated conversation, and it unsettled him that he was so invested in this little talk of theirs. What was happening? Was Kurt being a jerk to her?

He clenched his fist. If Kurt did something to hurt her, he was gonna get it. He had the sneaking suspicion that the guy wanted her back. Didn’t most jerk faces get even worse when they were fighting for the woman they loved?

Marissa slunk into the chair next to him. “He wants her back, doesn’t he?”

Walker was careful not to give anything away. Leaning back, he took another sip of his drink. “I don’t know. Maybe they’re just hashing out old crap.”

She barked out a laugh. “Yeah. They have a lifetime of crap. That’s why I’m thinking I was just something to be added to that list of crap of stuff between them. The key is them.”

He didn’t like what she was saying.

Marissa glanced at him. “Sorry. I guess that means you and I will be on the same list.”

Brent turned and gave Walker a worried look, then lifted his eyebrows in question.

Walker shook his head, but his worry turned up a notch. Was her brother worried about her talking to Kurt?

“I think Kurt is worried she’s been keeping secrets,” Marissa said.

“What?” Walker scowled. He didn’t like the snide way she said it. Heck, he didn’t like the fact she was using the word “secrets” at all.

Marissa snorted. “Do you have secrets?” When he didn’t respond, she let out a derisive laugh. “I would think you do. I mean, you guys seem so close, right?”

“We are close.” It came out defensive, and he hated that he felt that way.

Looking skeptical, she gave an impish smile. “It’s your story. I’ll let you tell it.”

Irritation coursed through him. Before, he couldn’t really see Marissa as anything more than a victim, having the misfortune of being Kurt’s fiancée, but now, he saw jealousy in her eyes.

It felt like she was testing him somehow.

His heart rate pounded like a thousand elephants stomping around in the Amazon, but he stayed still. “Anything you want to tell me?”

The fire in Marissa’s eyes dimmed. Leaning back, she looked miserable. “Oh no, I’m sure you know it all.” She shrugged. “All I know is Kurt’s really mad at her.”

Walker turned to see them in the window, still talking animatedly.

“Bro!” he heard someone call out.

He turned and saw his brother Grant approaching the table. He wore a white shirt and khaki pants, but his hair was in dreadlocks and his skin was very tanned.

Walker was confused, but stood and took a couple of steps to meet him. “Man, you look like Aquaman.”

They embraced. It felt so good to have Grant pounding on his back.

Grant flashed him a smile. “I think you get bigger every time I see you.”

Walker playfully punched him the shoulder, forgetting the drama of the night for a moment. “You’re not the smallest guy around.” Truthfully, they were a pretty even match, except Walker had about thirty pounds and an inch on him. Grant was tough, though, and he was a Kent.

Grant went into play-boxing mode and did a one-two at him. Walker dodged and playfully punched him in the gut. Pretending it hurt, Grant clutched at his “wound.”

“What have we here?” Liz slunk up next to him, staring at Grant in an even more sultry way than she had stared at Walker the first time he’d met her. “Grant Kent. One of my favorite movie stars.” She put her hand out to him in the same manner she greeted all the peasants.

Graciously, Grant took her hand and kissed the back of it. “You must be Liz.” He let her hand go.

Tyrone gravitated to his wife’s side, putting his hand out. “Grant, nice you could make it.”

Grant shook his hand. “Tyrone, thanks for having me.”

In an epiphany, Walker noticed the exact thing he and Scarlett had been talking about the night before in regards to her behavior with her father. This was all acting. Grant had slipped completely into “fake” mode.

Tyrone pulled his hand back and looked from Walker, then back to Grant. “I was just talking to the producer of Cherished last night. You did an outstanding job.”

Grant nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

It bugged Walker that his brother played this game. Everyone had to, he knew that, but it was sad. And stupid. Walker never would have imagined himself in this position, worried about whether a billionaire movie tycoon liked him or not. But he did like Scarlett.

Scarlett! Turning, he tried to catch a glimpse of her, but his vision was blocked. “Excuse me,” he said to Grant and Tyrone. Taking a couple of steps up the dock, Walker strained to look until the window came into view again, but what he saw did not make him happy.