James lifts our entwined fingers and kisses my knuckles. “You make me happy.”
“I know.” I don’t doubt that and I never will. “But love can be multiplied.”
I suddenly know what needs to happen. I don’t want to comfort my husband through a heartbreak. I want him to have everything he wants and then some, complicated or not. I want to give him the entire world, and if that includes Caroline Bell, then I will move mountains to make it happen.
James sighs. “I love you so damn much.”
“I love you too. With everything inside me.” I reach over and steal one of his oysters.
After a few seconds, James says, “I wish there wasn’t an expiration date looming over our time with Caro.”
“I know. Maybe she’ll change her mind?” I probably shouldn’t get his hopes up. Or hell, my own hopes. I’m really enjoying what we’ve got going on.
James shrugs. “I don’t know. I certainly don’t want to talk her into anything. She loves teaching.”
“There are schools here.”
“Yeah, but…” James glances over at Grayson. “What about Grayson and Caroline? Is there something more going on there?”
“I have no idea. Possibly. Should we ask him?”
It’s obvious to me what needs to happen. I’m a logical person and this is a problem with a very simple solution.
James frowns. “What do you mean? I don’t know if that’s our place…”
“Get Grayson over here.” I smile at him. “Just trust me. Don’t let Caroline come over. I want the three of us to talk without her.”
I relax and take a sip of my red wine, frowning a little at the plastic goblet. No glass on the beach is an excellent rule, but it does absolutely nothing for my expensive cabernet.
James returns with Grayson in tow, who has his phone to his ear and is nodding.
“Okay, I understand. I heard you, Andrea. I said I’ll be there.”
Grayson sighs as he sinks into a free beach chair after ending his call. “Is there a beer in this cooler?” He flips up the lid.
James sits down on the opposite side of Grayson. “Should be. Help yourself. Business call?”
“Yes.” Grayson fishes around in the cooler and pulls out a lager. He tries to twist it off, but nothing happens. He puts the cold bottle to his forehead. “There is a crisis with a deal we’re doing in midtown. The developer got raided by the Feds and now I have to be back in New York on Monday to see what the hell is going on and mop things up if necessary.”
“It must be hard running a business remotely,” I say. “How is that going?”
“It’s okay. Not disastrous, but not easy either.” Grayson shrugs. “I don’t know.”
James fishes a bottle opener out of our beach bag and hands it to him. “You’ve taken on a lot, Grayson. I’m impressed with how you’re managing it all, seriously.”
“Thanks. You both have been a big help. Having two nannies is a lifesaver as well.” He takes the cap off of the bottle. “Caroline has been there for me too, obviously. I couldn’t have done this without her after Rose quit.”
His voice softens when he mentions Caroline.
It’s the perfect segue. “Speaking of Caroline,” I say. “I’m just going to come right out and ask—are you falling in love with her?”
Grayson chokes on his beer. “Jesus, Cas.”
“He’s very direct,” James says. “It’s because he’s Dutch. He doesn’t know you need to dance around the subject endlessly with lots of hints and convoluted sayings for advice to be a true Southerner.”
“It was definitely an adjustment,” I say. “I still don’t fully understand “might could” in its intended use.”
“It just means that it’s a possibility but nothing definite,” James says. “What’s so hard about that?”
