Page 79 of The Romance Adventure

Tears brim in her eyes. Mine too. I’m thinking about the love our aunt could’ve let herself have as well as the potential to get to know the older man...and selfishly, the love I never want to miss out on. Our aunt made a tremendous sacrifice. But when I think back, she made a couple of extra visits down here when we were in high school, so I’m hoping she and Mr. Edmonston made some happy memories before she passed away.

“So now you know, and I want the scoop on you and Royal.”

A fluttery little sigh escapes.

“You like him.”

“A lot.”

“You love—?” She gasps. “It’s the real deal?”

Wearing what I’m sure is the biggest, goofiest smile, I nod.

Bean throws a piece of popcorn at me.

“Hey!” I toss one back.

She catches it and pops it into her mouth. “That was for not spilling the beans.”

“Ha ha.” But it’s true. We’ve always told each other everything. “This time it feels different and I wanted to be sure before I said anything.”

She squishes up her face. “I see your point. There have been a lot of duds you thought were the one.”

Which is exactly why I hardly said a word about Dax.

“So, is it romagical?”

“Like magical?” Warm fuzzies flutter through me. “It’s romantical. Like the most radically romantic thing I’ve ever felt.”

“But what about when he goes back to New York?”

I shrug. “It’ll be romantech—a long-distance relationship with technology.”

Bean laughs. “You sound romansick like you can’t stop thinking about him.”

“But there’s a problem. An opportunity came along and I’m struggling with whether to accept or decline.”

Bean grasps my hands. “Please don’t go back to Charleston.”

“It’s not like I can stay in Mr. Edmonton’s guest house forever.”

“If you go sit with him and spend some time getting to know him, you could come close to staying here forever. Remember, he doesn’t have any other family.”

“The project actually isn’t very far. It’s at Platinum Shores.”

“That’s the ritziest resort in the Keys.”

“And owned by Gerome Glandman.”

“The name sounds familiar. Should I know who that is?” Bean asks.

I remind her about the will and how he’s named as being the recipient of the Almeida fortune should the McGregor brothers not fulfill their grandfather’s requests.

“So, he’s their rival.”

I nod slowly. “I’m not sure what to do. Do I tell him no way or⁠—?”

“Only if you hate money.”