Page 56 of The Romance Adventure

It’s hard not to notice her, her hair, her eyes, and the paint along her cuticles. She smells like summer and the subtle tang of fresh paint. How her arms felt around me when I gave her a piggyback. How her lips on mine breathed new life into me.

Joking around, she asked if I’m a robot. Of course not, but I had a strange thought that I want to show her that I’m human.

When I get to the house, the second-story lights are off, meaning Magnus is probably asleep—he’s an early-to-bed and early-to-rise kind of guy. The blue light of the television flashes in the window of the room on the lower level, meaning Ryan is probably still up watching sports highlights. I’m guessing he’ll only be here for a few more days because he has a game next weekend, but I want to avoid him all the same.

No sense in him asking where I’ve been and having to lie. Legally, there’s nothing saying I can’t be involved with the personal representative of Chip’s will, but Ryan will want details, he’ll tell the others, and it’ll become a thing.

The word romance was already floated and that’s enough for one night.

I creep through the back door and start to pass through the kitchen when the light flicks on.

“Oh, hey. What are you doing sneaking in at—?” Ryan checks the time on his phone. “It’s past eleven. Isn’t that a little late, little brother?”

“I’m your twin and I don’t have a curfew, Dad.”

“Don’t let CJ hear you say that.”

“Is he here?”

Ryan points to the ceiling. “He said something about there being trouble in paradise.” With a roll of his eyes, he opens the fridge and pulls out a neon sports drink.

“CJ better not be in my bed.”

Ryan chuckles and then takes a sip from the plastic bottle.

I’m about to go upstairs when he says, “Wait. Something is different.”

I frown. “That our freeloading brother is here?”

“He said he’d chip in.”

“When has he ever?”

“Hold on, though. When you came in, you weren’t scowling.”

“Well, I am now.”

“But you weren’t before. You were wearing a lazy smile. A specific kind of smile. Royal McGregor, what were you doing tonight?” Ryan wears a knowing smile himself.

With a shake of my head, I say, “None of your business.”

I’m not going to kiss and tell. But in the privacy of my mind, I cannot ignore how kissing Isla made me feel. Her touch slows down time and allows me to breathe easier, more fully. But her lips on mine were something else altogether. She turned down the volume on everything that occupies and crowds my mind—numbers, clients, and building my Arise Brokerage and Capital empire.

It feels like freedom and I want to come up with every opportunity to do it again and as often as possible.

I could get used to this island life.

Plunking down, because that’s not part of the grand master life plan for one Royal McGregor, the Bible Chip left me catches my eye on the counter. Magnus must’ve been leafing through it.

Parting the cover, it opens to the Gospel of Matthew. Blue pen underlines several lines.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)

Flipping through the rest of the pages, there isn’t another passage that’s underlined anywhere. I take this parable to mean to seek the Godly over the goodly, as in earthly goods. But why would Chip underline this in particular, considering he left it to me? It doesn’t make sense because his will is like a treasure hunt. One that my youngest brother hopes leads to gold, pearls, jewels, and gems. It’s nothing more than fool’s gold.

With a huff, I stomp upstairs. When I open my bedroom door and flick on the light, CJ grumbles and pulls the pillow over his head.

“Out of my bed,” I order.