Looking at Mark, I shrug. “First, your dad and I were the best of friends growing up. Which means I was also close to your nana, as she liked to be called.”
“Really?” Ryan asks in disbelief. “Talk about a small world.”
“Yeah, I suppose it is,” I muse, then continue. “After your dad joined the Air Force, Jane and I remained close friends. I visited her as often as I visited my own parents over the years. My parents are Herb and Virgie Ames. I’m sure you’ve met them at some point. Your grandmother loved playing cards with them after Mark moved away.”
“But how the heck can you tell everyone apart?” Mark prompts. “I know we’ve certainly never talked about it.”
“Jane.” I grin widely as I look around the room. “She used to bring out her infamous photo albums and tell me stories about your girls every time I visited. Thankfully, you haven’t changed that much since you were teenagers, so once the boys pointed out Sloane as their mom, the rest kinda fell in line like dominoes.”
When the sliding door glides open, and Jax Cartwright comes in, I feel my breath catch in my chest. It’s surreal to see someone I’ve seen perform countless times on social media waltz right into Jane’s home.
“The fire’s made. Who’s gonna go out and enjoy it with me?”
Pandemonium ensues as everyone jumps up from their seat around the living room and makes their way out to the bonfire on the beach. Throughout all the chaos, Lizzy, her husband, and three children arrive to join us.
Mark had already dropped off the juice, soda, hot dogs, and marshmallows before coming to pick me up, so apparently, there’s nothing to do but go out and enjoy ourselves at the beach.
As we head outside, Mark pulls me to a stop between two sand dunes where no one can see us and asks, “You doing all right?”
“Yeah. Your family is wonderful,” I admit. “I’m not sure what I was so nervous about.”
“I told you it would all work out.” His sexy smirk makes me want to kiss that smug look right off his face, but alas, we’re not alone.
“I completely forgot that your picture has been hanging on Mom’s wall for years. I’m surprised they made the connection, though.”
“Well… Apparently, your mom thought enough to tell them you had a crush on me,” I tease playfully. “Who knew I left such an impression?”
“You know damn well I’ve had more than a crush on you for years, Faye,” Mark says, leaning in to kiss me.
Ah, this is just what I need to calm my nerves.
Before I can get consumed by him, I hear my name. “Faye, you coming? I wanna sit by you at the fire.”
“Was that Jason or Josh?” I whisper so they won’t hear.
Mark’s amused expression melts my heart. “How the hell would I know?”
“I can only tell them apart if I see their foreheads…” I admit with a laugh. “If Josh didn’t have that freckle, I’d never know.”
“What freckle?” Mark laughs. “I always watch the way they walk or smile.”
As we walk over the last dune, I’m surprised by the setup this family has. Not only is there a large fire, blankets and chairs already set out, but there’s a small half-dome-shaped shelter with a large tarp attached to the bottom set up on one side, where two girls are playing with dolls. Some kids are digging in the sand with beach toys, while others race back and forth between lines they’ve drawn in the sand. Their dads stand nearby with drinks in their hands, chatting about something to one another, as Mark’s daughters gather around the fire, sitting in chairs or on blankets.
I’ve quickly been forgotten as the twins play with their cousins.
“Over here, Faye,” Lanie calls out. “Dad can help watch the kids while we catch up.”
“If that doesn’t sound like a lamb being led to the slaughter, I don’t know what does,” I mutter.
Looking at Mark, he squeezes my hand in reassurance.
“Go ahead… They won’t bite,” he teases. “But fair warning, they will dig into your past relentlessly… So be careful what you reveal.” Then he whispers, “Oh… If you tell any of my girls, I’ll deny it, but I truly think they each missed their calling as detectives.”
Before I can respond, one of his younger granddaughters calls out, “Papa, come help us dig. We need a deep hole around this castle.”
“Okay, Vivy. I’ll be right there.” Before he heads off to help, his eyes lock onto mine. “You good?”
“I’m good.” I quickly nod, then make my way over to his daughters.
