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Apparently, there would be no dinner, which was fine. I didn’t have the income it would take to satisfy a woman like that. I had no idea why I’d even made such a ludicrous suggestion. I sighed. That was a lie. I’d taken one look at her sad eyes and I’d forgotten she’d trapped me into a weekend alone together. My frustration at being cornered had disappeared. All I thought about was easing her suffering. To do that, I needed to understand the cause.

I rode back to the marina with Bodhi after work. At first, I stared silently out the window, until he initiated conversation.

“So, what’s with you and Isla?” he asked as he studied my reaction.

With a shrug, I muttered, “Nothing.”

“Really? A few days ago, you two were on the road to hot and heavy. All of a sudden, you’re hitting the brakes and hitting the ocean?” Bodhi shook his head. “Does not compute, man. I know Isla can be a handful, but the right guy can rein her in.”

I could feel my blood pressure rising. “The very last thing Isla needs is someone to ‘rein her in,’ as you so delicately put it. What she needs is for someone to let her shine, someone to encourage her interests, someone to support her dreams,” I growled.

Bodhi smirked and I had the sense that I’d fallen into some kind of trap. “Someone like you?” he asked with a grin. “I’ve seen the way you look at her, the way she looks at you. It’s really something.” He shook his head. “No one holds Isla’s attention.”

“Right.” I stared back out the window, pretending I cared nothing about what he had to say.

“No. That’s part of why Max invited her. He’s always afraid of her getting into trouble. She has gone to great lengths to get our father’s attention; to no avail, I might add.”

“Not that it was necessary,” I muttered as I crossed my arms over my body.

“You like her,” Bodhi noted. “I can tell. I’m good at these things.”

I eyed him curiously for a moment. “You’re good at what? At the risk of jeopardizing the tenuous relationship we have, all I see you do is surf and drink.”

He shrugged. “And both activities are great for people watching, people analyzing, and relationship building.”

“When was your last relationship?” I raised a brow in challenge.

“Whoa. Hey, this isn’t about me. This is about you and my sister.”

“In that case, there’s nothing to talk about.” I huffed.

“Oh, so we’re not going to bond over your weekend away together? I’m hurt.” Bodhi smirked and I squirmed under his gaze.

“What makes you think we’re going away together?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Well, a few days ago, you told Max you had to leave town for the weekend and wouldn’t be available to pick up any shifts. I know he has had you around a lot, helping set everything up, move everything into place, and assure that security is moving the right direction. I’ve seen how he relies on your input as he hires people.” Bodhi blew out a breath as he pulled into the parking spot.

“So?” I reached for the handle and prepared to exit the vehicle. Naturally, Bodhi did the same, eager to finish our conversation.

“So, you’re sailing away.” He shrugged. “Which wouldn’t seem like much, except that I heard Isla talking to Victoria. She mentioned she was going out of town for the weekend, one last hurrah before they were all super-focused on the final touches for the wedding.”

“This is your proof?” I laughed.

Bodhi leaned on the roof of his car and stared at me. “I know my sister. And where she’s concerned, there are no coincidences.”

I stood silent, giving nothing away.

“And I’d like to think I know you a little too.” He clasped his hands together. “I think you need this job and don’t want to rock the boat. I think you’re intrigued by Isla. And I think she would do anything in her power to get you to do what she wants, even if it means holding this job over your head.”

I chuckled. “So, you know nothing.” I walked around the car and clapped him on the shoulder. “Nice talk.” I wandered down the dock toward my slip.

“You can talk to me!” Bodhi called out after me.

I waved over my shoulder, but didn’t turn back. Instead, I stalked the rest of the way to the sailboat. Climbing aboard, I unlocked the hatch and ducked below to undress. I needed a swim to clear my head. Dropping my clothes in a heap on my bed, I grabbed my trunks from the top of the door to the head. I didn’t use the bathroom unless absolutely necessary because then I’d have to have the tank drained. No one wanted that kind of mess or inconvenience when the marina had bathrooms and showers. In preparation for my return, I hauled my shower caddy and towel topside so I could grab it and go. Showering off all the salt would feel great once I’d worn myself out in the ocean.

I set everything down on the bench and dove off the back of the boat. My strokes were clean and strong as I swam out of the marina, through the bay, and down the length of the rocky beach. By the time I returned, my lungs burned, my legs ached, and my shoulders nearly screamed. I was blissfully exhausted, as I intended. Climbing back onto the boat’s swimming platform, I shook off as much water as I could before I climbed into the aft of the vessel. As I brushed my hair back from my eyes, I felt around for my towel.

Someone passed it to me and when the wind shifted directions, I had a pretty good idea of who had boarded my boat while I was gone. Who else did I know that smelled like vanilla and flowers? “Dammit, Isla,” I grumbled as patted my face dry.

“I thought you wanted dinner,” she whispered quietly.

I groaned. “And I thought you wanted to keep me at arm’s length.”

“Well, a girl needs to eat.” She sighed. “Hope you like steak…and the works.”

I threw the towel over my shoulders and opened my eyes. She stood before me wearing a flowing magenta sundress. Her hair was thrown over one shoulder, her neck exposed and ready to be kissed. I swallowed hard. Looking past her, I saw a glow coming from below deck and imagined the worst. “Fuck. Fire!” I started toward the hatch and realized the fire was from container candles and my highly polished triangular wood table in the v-berth was covered in a white table cloth and food. “You did this?” I asked quietly.

Isla laid a hand on my back and pressed her head to my bicep. “Yeah. I thought…since it seemed to mean so much to you…we could talk.”

I nodded numbly. After all, I had suggested it. Only now, seeing her here, I had no idea what I should say.