Like a bomb-disposal expert, she lowered him onto the bed.One false move, and—boom!She’d be back to pacing up and down, watching the sun rise.She hovered over him for a few seconds.His little head had fallen to the side, and his breathing was deep and steady.Slowly, slowly, she eased away and straightened.
Aw, man, my back!She stretched and yawned.So.Damn.Tired.
What in hell’s name had made her think she could do this?Travel alone with a toddler—andwrite articles for magazines,andrun a vlog and social media channels,andkeep herself sane?
No wonder Mom and Dad had looked at her like she’d come from a different planet when she’d told them her plans.
Libby crawled back into bed next to Karim.
Traveling with a toddler wasn’t always this hard—she had to remember that.She and Karim had had fun in Europe and also in New Zealand.They’d have fun here in the Cook Islands, too.She’d shoot her videos for her social platforms, and she’d submit her articles to Parent and Child and… and…she’d figure out how else she could earn some money while she and Karim traveled.The savings she’d managed to gather before Karim was born weren’t going to last much longer.
Eyes closed, Libby waited for sleep to claim her.But after the frustrating, exhausting hours she’d just had, her over-tired brain wouldn’t switch off.
On the other side of the room, the Lightning Strike—aka Cranky Jones—let out another of his huff-snores.Even in his sleep, this guy was grumpy.
She sank back under the sheets.
Of course, he had good reason to be.He’d nearly been killed.And his athletic career was over.
But why had he come here?To this bungalow that he’d said he’d given to his mom when “that”—his wedding?—had all turned to shit.Snippets of an article passed through Libby’s weary mind.A quote from Isabella, something about “her Dan” being strong and brave, that he’d overcome his injuries one day, and that they’d made the decision to postpone their wedding until he could walk unaided up the aisle.
And yet, he’d traveled out here…alone?
He must’ve done the journey all in one go, too.No leisurely overnight stops for him along the way, not judging by how wrecked he looked.Surely, walking down a church aisle alongside his bride would be small potatoes compared to flying…what?Twenty-five hours, minimum?
It didn’t make sense.
And exactly where was his beautiful bride-to-be?
Libby’s finely tuned story radar bleeped.As soon as she could get on the internet, she’d do some research.
“Everyone’s got a secret,” Juliana always said.“It’s our job to find it.”
So why had Daniel Jones traveled solo in his condition?
Why wasn’t his mom here to meet him?Did she even know he’d be coming?
Would Isabella be joining him?
And how much wouldHot Gossippay to know the answers?
Chapter 3
Thehorserearedup,silhouetted against the bright-blue summer sky, its front hooves galloping in the air, ready to smash down on his head.Tasting dirt and grass, Dan body-rolled…and then landed flat on his face on a hard, tiled floor.
“Ooof.”His breath hitched, and his pulse raced.
Bloody dreams!
He should be used to them by now, but…Hold on.Falling out of bed usually hurt a lot more than this.Raising his head, he clocked the low sofa.Are Moana.
The flight.The child.
That woman.
He shifted to his butt and glanced over to the bed on the other side of the room, rubbed his eyes, and glanced again.There was no mistaking the curvy shape of a woman under those sheets, nor the short pink and purple hair on the pillow.She was still here.
Stiff and aching, he scraped himself off the floor and dropped back onto the sofa, the bright-orange shorts he wore bringing back memories of the night before.
