Page 68 of The Romance Adventure

Bean shrugs. “I’m guessing she’s still sleeping. She had a hot date last night.” Her tone is one of sisterly protection, like she knows I was mean to Isla but doesn’t realize I was the hot date.

“Please let her know I stopped by.”

Bean narrows her eyes with suspicion, like she can’t believe the word please came out of my mouth.

When Isla doesn’t show up around lunchtime, I drive into town for something to eat. And okay, fine, to try to find her.

She’s not at the café, the Plundering Pelican, or anywhere else that I look. I’m tempted to contact my brothers so we can do an island-wide search when a palm tree ahead shakes profusely. Concerned it’s going to fall across the road or coconuts are going to crash onto my car’s hood, I slow down. Squinting, I see a slight figure perched up high in the tree.

Getting out of the BMW, I call, “Isla, is that you up there?”

“No. Not me. Nothing to see here. I’m not stuck.”

I stride over there and find Nutmeg, Bean’s cat, standing guard at the bottom. Scratching my temple, I mutter, “Is there something in the air today? Why does everything seem so weird?”

“Change in the direction of the wind? The tide?” she calls with a shaky voice.

CJ comes across the beach carrying a grubby bag. For a split second, it’s like we’re kids again, free-ranging adventurers on this island, believing tall tales and searching for pirate treasure.

“Hey, CJ,” Isla calls like there’s nothing peculiar about her being in the tree.

Before he can reply, a splitting sound rents the air and she squeals before dropping from the tree. I lunge forward, arms extended, and just barely catch her.

Eyes wide, she blinks a few times and then starts laughing.

CJ joins her.

My heart pounds because she could’ve broken her back. But with Isla in my arms, time slows. My breath comes easily and I realize that she isn’t hurt at all.

“You don’t seem like you laugh much. This is a moment to laugh. What are the chances that I’d fall out of a tree and you’d be here to catch me?” She’s light in my arms. Carefree too. A beam of sunshine on a cloudy day.

“You didn’t just fall. You were stuck. But that begs the question, why?”

“Stuck like a cat,” CJ says, eyeing Nutmeg.

“Did she chase you up here?” I’m ready to catch the thing and bring it to Bean with a warning label. Anytime I walk into the café, the animal eyes me like I’m going to rob the joint.

“No, she was my spotter.”

Giving my head a little shake, I’m not sure if I want to know what caused this predicament. “I’m more of a dog guy.”

“Nope. You’re a cat guy,” Isla says.

“One hundred percent,” CJ agrees.

“Independent, finicky, and aloof.”

“Yep, that sounds like my brother.”

I roll my eyes as I set Isla down. No sooner do her feet hit the ground than we’re both instantly drenched when a splash comes from the nearby water.

“Hey, Lola,” CJ calls to the manatee.

“Why does she do that?”

“And what’s with all the plastic flamingos?”

“Stick around for a little while and you’ll find out.” CJ chuckles.