Page 43 of The Romance Adventure

“Oh, you’d better believe I’m troubled.” Because the way he makes my heart hiccup is confusing.

Bean lets out a long sigh. “Okay, fine, but they’re staying in the rec room. There’s a pull-out couch and⁠—”

I jump up and down, hug her, and then rush over to give them the good news.

“Wait, why are you barefoot?”

I skid to a stop and bite my lip because I don’t want that to be a dealbreaker. “I owe you a pair of shoes,” I call over my shoulder. I’m about to give myself a moment to shine in the spotlight with good news, but the brothers are deep in conversation.

“All we know is that Chip started as a member of the muscle class. Moved to the US from Pará, Brazil,” Royal says, shifting slightly to let me stand beside him on the dock.

CJ lounges in the captain’s chair of the boat, bobbing in the water. Ryan sits on the edge of the dock with his legs dangling, and Magnus leans against a wooden pylon.

“He was muscly? Must be where I get it.” Ryan looks at me and then kisses his bicep.

Royal shoots him a searing look. Then again, his looks are always searing, burning me up even when the sun hides behind the clouds.

“Meaning he was a laborer, had backbone,” Magnus clarifies.

“At some point, he bought this island and built the Driftwood Resort. But how? With what? His savings from a meager construction wage?” Royal shakes his head slowly like he’s missing a piece of the puzzle.

Ryan shrugs. “Perhaps he had a loan. The Driftwood more than made up for any debt back in the day.”

“But there was a lot of overhead. Where’d he get his fortune?”

“Wise investing.” CJ scratches his jawline.

“What was that?” Royal asks him.

“What?” CJ asks.

“Why’d you do that?” He imitates the scratching gesture.

“I had an itch?”

“No, we’ve played enough poker for me to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you know something that you’re not telling us.”

CJ’s grin ghosts. “We were told our parents passed away in a boating accident. But they’re not who you think they are. Neither was our grandfather.”

Royal puffs an exhale. “Oh, this again.”

Undaunted, CJ continues, “Chip’s life’s work was to find the crown. Sure, it was a priceless treasure and could’ve made him wealthier, but he wanted to return the item to its rightful owner. His beloved’s family.”

“And if it’s true, why would he have wanted to do that?” Ryan asks.

“You say that as if we haven’t heard this story over a dozen times. Then again, your head is often in the clouds,” Royal mutters.

“And yours is up your⁠—”

Magnus cuts off Ryan’s retort with one sharp look. He doesn’t spare Royal either.

“Carlos Almeida believed that he wasn’t the husband he should’ve been. Couldn’t save our grandmother, Fernanda.”

“We never met her.”

“She went missing when we were little. Took a walk on the beach and was never seen again. Some say pirates abducted her. Others, washed away by a rogue wave. Either way, Chip never forgave himself and he picked up the quest to find the Coroa de Lágrimas.”

“The what?” I ask.