Page 47 of The Romance Adventure

“CJ, the youngest one, is funny, if not a bit wily. Kind of like a ray of sunshine in the wind.”

“And what about Royal? Looked like the two of you were friendly.” Bean bops me with her hip.

“I’m going to go eat that chocolate. I earned it.”

“Sweet dreams,” Bean calls.

There’s nothing sweet about Royal McGregor, but I have a feeling he will be in my dreams.

Royal

CHAPTER 12

After a sound sleep on a fold-out couch next to my twin—who claimed I kicked him all night—we tidy up the rec room and head over to Beans & Books.

“Thanks for the hospitality,” I tell Strawberry Shortcake’s sister. Disappointment pricks me like a thorn when I see she’s not here.

“Anything for the McGrumpy brothers,” the sister with darker hair mutters.

I tilt my head. “We were perfectly polite.”

“Robyn and I were just joking around.” Strawberry Shortcake appears, bright-eyed and wearing a knit coral tank top and dark green shorts. “We were calling you Forrest Grump. Magnus is Simon Growl and Ryan is Oscar the Grouch because he gets hangry.”

“We were?” Robyn says.

“Speaking of, do you happen to have any doughnuts?” Ryan points to the display case.

“Breakfast baked goods include muffins, banana bread, bagels, and on Wednesdays, I make biscuits. You can leave the island if⁠—”

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Ryan mutters.

Strawberry Shortcake elbows her sister as if reminding her to be nice.

Heads inclined together, they whisper back and forth. I catch words like abandoned, grandfather, old, and selfish.

Then Robyn says, “If we had family, we wouldn’t abandon them.”

I grunt because they don’t know the first thing about our situation.

“Where is CJ?” Magnus asks.

“Where is he ever?” I mutter.

“Hold on,” Magnus says. “You’re Robyn? Weren’t you supposed to read the will?”

I tuck my head, recalling Strawberry Shortcake introducing herself. “She said she’s Miss Pratt.”

“That I am,” Strawberry Shortcake says with a smile. “We both are. Miss Pratt and Miss Pratt.”

“But Mr. Edmonton, Chip’s lawyer, contacted me early this morning. He’s been recovering from surgery. He commented that Robyn was standing in for him and if I had any questions, he’d be available by the end of the week.”

“I have questions,” I say, looking from a pair of striking blue eyes that are like a Key Deer in headlights to a darker set that cast downward toward the counter. “If she’s Robyn, then who are you?”

“You can call her Bean,” Strawberry Liar Pants Shortcake points to her sister.

“We do things differently around here. Had you visited your grandfather more often you’d know that,” Bean says, eyes slit with accusation.

Ryan whistles low. “Oh, burn.”