He squeezes my shoulder, giving me a moment alone, like he can read my thoughts.
Carter carries the shrimp to the kitchen, along with the fruit Josie wanted for the trays she’s serving tomorrow. Gran squeals when Carter hands her the pickles, and then she pulls him into atight hug. He fits here, just how he is. I put the flowers in a vase on the front desk, where everyone who enters can enjoy how pretty they are.
Tomorrow, the property will be a madhouse, and I need an escape. Since there are so many people around and Gran is enjoying the company of the guests, I take the opportunity to do that.
“I’ll be back in an hour,” I tell Gran with a smile.
Josie watches as I tug on Carter’s shirt. I move outside, and ten minutes later, he joins me. Not sure how inconspicuous it was, but at least I tried.
“Escape with me,” I tell Carter. “I want to take you somewhere.”
“Last time a woman said that to me I ended up at a time-share presentation.”
I snort. “Sounds awful.”
“You have no idea.”
“Trust me?” I ask.
“Of course I do,” he says, following me.
We walk past Gran’s bungalow, away from the ocean. The trailhead is a fifteen-minute walk past the beach access, through a stretch of trees that most people walk right by. There’s no sign, only a foot-wide gap that’s easy to miss. I haven’t been in over a decade, and it’s farther away than I remember. My calves complain about the incline before my brain catches up.
“If I asked you to jump off a bridge with me, would you?”
He tilts his head. “How tall is the bridge? Is there water underneath? I’d have a lot of questions.”
“Mr. Logical,” I say. “I’d jump with you.”
“Really?” he asks.
“Because you’re logical,” I explain. “You’d assess the risk and decide if it’s worth it or not.”
“Ahh, way to clock me, Wendy Winslow,” he says, and I glance down at his wrist.
“Speaking of clocks, where’s your watch?” I ask. “Why don’t you wear it anymore?”
He glances at his bare wrist. “Don’t feel like I need it anymore. I’m on vacation.”
The path is a single track and thankfully shaded, or we’d be baking in the sun. Branches cover us, and the leaves turn the sunlight green. The ground is hard sand, mixed with seashells. I used to hike this alone as a teenager when I needed the world to disappear. I’d bring granola bars and cheap sunglasses and spend entire afternoons swimming and reading.
I’ve never brought anyone here. This is the one place on the island that’s sacred to me. The smart thing would be to keep this mine, to come out here and be alone. But Carter told me about his sister without hesitation. He’s shared things about himself that I know he keeps secret. I can almost imagine a future with him, and that scares me. This is all happening too fast.
I push through a curtain of vines, and it opens up to my secret oasis.
Water pours from a twenty-foot waterfall into a pool with smooth rocks at the bottom. Moss covers the surrounding ledge. Sunlight hits the surface of the turquoise pool, and it sparkles. The sound of the falls fills the small space until it’s the only thing left.
“Wow.” Carter stops beside me. His breath shakes on his exhale.
“Want to get in with me?”
His brow lifts. “Do I have a choice?”
“No,” I tell him, taking his hand.
I strip down to my bra and panties, and he removes his shirt.
I lift my brow. “Skinny-dip?”
