Forty-five minutes later we were all standing on the beach. I had called Hayley already. She had answered with, “Hello, married chick, how's it going, still flat on your back exchanging vows?” She giggled merrily.

I said, “We took a break for sustenance before the next round, and oh my god, it's — whoa.”

Her giggle grew to a cackle. “Awesome, I can't wait to hear stories.”

I told her we no longer needed the nurse, but I wanted her to call Quentin and offer him a job and ask him to start right now.

“Quentin?”

“Yep.”

“The guy who rarely takes anything seriously and is always a piece of work?”

“Is going to be the head of my husband's security team. If he wants the job.”

“He is out of work, has been for months. Okay, I'm calling him now. He's going to be psyched. Today?”

“Yep.”

“I'll call you later after I figure this out.”

Then I asked Emma what exactly this “security drills” thing would entail. She told me to wear yoga pants, because it would be, “kinda excercisey and swordfighty.” So I put on yoga pants and a crop-top tank.

Magnus had a small pile of bamboo training swords. He and the other security guard, who arrived for the morning shift, went first, sparring in a circle. It was thrilling and cool and a little dangerous to watch. Magnus was good, and he was well matched with the guard, who from the looks of it was the best of us all. I rooted for Magnus. Then Zach and Magnus fought. Finally, the guard returned to the house to keep watch, and Zack and Emma ran through some forms together. Magnus gave me a real, heavy blade. “Tis a dirk, Kaitlyn, I want ye to wear it under your—” He raised a brow and grinned. “You haena a place for it.”

“I can keep it in my bag. Show me how to use it.”

He taught me to grab it, pull back, and thrust forward. It was exciting to thrust toward him, and have him deftly push my blade away. Then he'd ask me to do it again.

I was exhausted. I hadn't exercised in a while, and it was aerobic and repetitive. “Again, Kaitlyn!” I would grab my blade, swing, and thrust. He would deflect and tell me to try again.

Zach and Emma returned to the house, and it was our turn to swordfight. He showed me how to do a basic attack swing and a defending stance, and then had me do it over and over and on...

Finally, out of breath and with wiggly arms, I collapsed on the sand in a sprawl.

He stood over me, casting a shadow across my stomach. “Twas verra good, Kaitlyn.”

I grinned up at him, squinting in the sun. “Am I ready to defend myself?”

He chuckled sadly and shook his head. “Nae, you arna close.”

“Really? Because my arms are really tired. I'm super sweaty, and I think I tried really hard.”

“You tried, but if someone comes at ye consider runnin' instead of fightin'. You need more lessons.” He offered a hand to help me up and slung the bag of gear over his shoulder.

I walked ahead of him, then turned, and walked backwards. “What or who exactly am I fighting?”

“Nae body, you arna fightin' anybody, because I shall be right there tae protect ye.

“You know, here on Amelia island there isn't a lot of need for swords and drills and grandiose statements like 'I'll protect you.' Back in LA even, I had a pepper spray canister in my bag, but soon forgot where I put it, and it doesn't matter. People are mostly good, you know.”

“Mostly. Some are nae so. Twill be good for ye tae know how tae fight so you can if needs be.”

“You look like you can use a shower. Want to shower with me?”

“Och aye, verra much.”