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Max did not find Bodhi's comment amusing. Honestly, I didn’t either, but I wasn’t going to say anything.

Bodhi was the type of brother who gave me shit and treated me like one of the guys. He took me seriously as a businesswoman and didn’t censor his jokes or colorful commentary just because I was a woman, which I appreciated.

Max, on the other hand, treated me like all big brothers treated their little sisters: like I was a precious porcelain doll who needed protecting. Max, too, took me seriously as a businesswoman and he would ask me for advice if he needed any, not that he needed any ever, which made me feel needed. He respected my mind and my independence. But he was not as easygoing as Bodhi was about my dating history and, to be honest, it felt nice to be protected. Daddy didn’t really care what I did with my life because he was always going to see me as his little girl, and Mom, I think, resented me too much to put a vested interest in it. It wasn’t my fault Bodhi and I were the spitting image of Dad while Max had more of her features.  She never let us forget it, either.

“What’s he doing here anyway?” Max growled as he glanced over at Muscles, who still stood awkwardly on the deck. I wasn’t sure why he was still lingering there, his hands behind his back, but he looked like a little puppy dog, waiting for someone to throw him a bone.

“For one thing, he lives right there,” Bodhi noted, pointing to the sailboat in the next slip, “I drove him back here hours ago. It wasn’t like anyone knew princess was going to sunbathe topless.”

“I wasn’t topless,” I interjected. “I had the bikini top. It just wasn’t tied because I was sunbathing. So, when I sat up…”

“You’re wearing a string bikini,” Max pointed out flatly. “Why do you need to untie the things anyway?”

“I would still get tan lines, Maxi,” I told him. “If no one cares about me having a mind for business, then I might as well make the most of my body.”

He rolled his eyes and wiped his face with his palm.

“So,” Muscles asked quietly, “am I fired?”

“I’m debating,” Max responded flatly.

“No.” Bodhi shook his head. “Just because my brother owns the bar doesn’t mean he dictates my hiring process. I’m managing the place. You’re still hired, Hawk.”

“Hawk?” I gave the gorgeous specimen an odd look. “Is that your real name?”

“Hawkins,” he explained. “Logan Hawkins.”

Hmm. Not a bad name. Masculine. Kind of sexy, if I was being honest. Not that I would admit that to him.

“Rogers,” I told him. “Isla Rogers. Which I was trying to explain to you before you treated me like some trespasser. If I was trespassing, why would I go to a bar that hadn’t even officially opened anyway? That makes zero sense.”

“I’m not paying him to make sense,” Bodhi reminded me. “I’m paying to protect the place.”

“I can hear you, you know,” he said. “I actually have my bachelor’s degree.”

My brows shot up.

“Why is that surprising?” he asked.

I giggled before I could stop myself. Luckily, it didn’t appear as though he heard, but it wasn’t him I was worried about.

“Did you just giggle?” Max asked, shooting me a look.

“Uh oh,” Bodhi whispered.

“I did no such thing.” I pursed my lips angrily and arched a brow in challenge.

“Stop lying,” Max grumbled. “You giggled.” He looked at Bodhi. “That’s it. You heard it. She giggled. You need to fire Hawk.” He looked down at the guy. “No offense.”

Hawk tilted his head. “None taken?” He looked genuinely confused.

“Here we go,” Bodhi muttered under his breath.

I chuckled.

Max’s eyes widened. “Twice.” He held up two fingers. “Twice, Bodhi. That’s twice she’s giggled. You need to fix this.”

“You know I’m right here,” I huffed.

“Why are giggles the reason I’m getting fired?” Hawk asked. He looked cute with his face squinted in the sun and his arm raised, his hand shielding his face from the blinding light. “I’m not trying to make her giggle, if that makes any difference.”

I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from giggling again. Oh, God. I was in serious trouble.

“Bodhi,” Max snapped.

Bodhi gave max a long look. “No, bro.” He shook his head. “How is it Hawk’s fault that he came upon princess over here sunbathing topless?”

“It doesn’t explain why he’s here,” Max pointed out.

“I can explain that!” Hawk exclaimed. “I came to apologize for what happened today. With not letting her in. I was just doing my job.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, bro,” Bodhi called down to him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Bodhi,” Max growled. “Do you really want to work with someone who has seen your sister topless?”

I shot Bodhi a look, already knowing how he was going to answer that. “Don’t be cute, Bo,” I snapped.

“I can’t help something I was born with,” he said with a shrug. “Any more than you can help your need for attention by flashing your boobs.”

I smacked his arm.

“So,” Hawk said slowly. “I’m still slightly confused. Am I fired?”

“Absolutely not,” Bodhi cut in, ignoring the glare Max was shooting him. “In fact, you’re getting a raise for not letting a little brat like Isla push you around and use her feminine wiles to woo you into letting her in.”

“Feminine wiles?” Max and I questioned in unison.

Bodhi ignored us. “What are you doing just standing over there, bro?” he asked, waving Hawk toward the table. “Come hang out for a bit. We’re talking fascinating wedding bullshit and it would be cool if you could rescue me from that colossal waste of time.”

“My wedding is not a waste of time.” Max growled.

“Let’s get a drink.” Bodhi clapped his hands together, turning away from his older brother, and focusing strictly on Hawk. “You a beer man? You look like a beer man.”

Hawk hesitated, but he nodded slowly. “What does a beer man look like, exactly?” he asked.

I giggled a fourth time and my eyes opened wide. I slapped my hand over my face, my eyes now bulging. I was in deep shit if I didn’t watch it. The problem was, Hawk was nice to watch. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him if I tried.