I turned her toward the stern of the boat, where, in the distance, Ellie was on a Jet Ski in front of Jones and Abbi was on one with Hayden. They were circling the water, catching the waves, the competition clear in their movements. But what was more evident than anything was the smile on Ellie’s face. My girl was having the time of her life.
“Yep. You’re right.” She sighed. “I’m afraid we might have two racers on our hands.” She clasped our fingers. “And out of all people, the girls are currently with the most competitive guys on the planet.” She went quiet for a second. “My brothers can’t even lose when they have four-year-olds with them.”
I chuckled. “But the little ladies wouldn’t want it any other way.” I paused. “Look at them.”
“Lauderdale is good for the soul, Colson.”
“So is family.”
She turned to me again and tilted her chin to look at me. “You’ve given me so much of that.”
I kissed her, taking my time since there were no little ones around. “Mmm,” I moaned when it ended. “Do me a favor. Before I throw you over my shoulder and take you downstairs into one of the staterooms”—I smiled—“go find Eden and make sure she has a full glass of whatever she’s drinking.”
“Why? Do you think she’s having a rough day?”
This wasn’t my story to tell, so I replied, “I think my sister could always use an extra cocktail when she’s outside of her comfort zone.”
“On it.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and pecked my lips, and as she disappeared to find my sister, I scanned the interior and exterior of the boat until I found who I was looking for. I thencarried my drink through the sliding glass door and walked out to the stern, joining Troy on the couch where he was sitting.
With his phone to his ear, he said, “Keep me posted, Jenner.” He went silent. “I don’t care what time it is, call or text me the second you hear. I’ll have my phone nearby.” He slid his cell into the pocket of his swim trunks.
“Is that about our case?”
He crossed his legs, his foot tapping the air. “Just some loose ends that need to be tied up. Don’t worry, all is good.”
“Something tells me you feel guilty that you’re here and Jenner is dealing with all the bullshit back at home.”
He laughed, dragging his hand over the top of his brown locks. “That motherfucker will get me back. He’s taking Jo on vacation soon, and he’ll be off the grid for two weeks.”
Jo was Jenner’s wife, who happened to be the chief marketing officer of the Cole and Spade Hotels.
I didn’t need to ask if there was news or anything he hadn’t told me. Our attorneys would be the first to tell us if there was. In the meantime, Dutton was busy dropping Easter eggs and digging up some that were already buried, so when the time came, he could put the plans in motion.
“Does that mean Sophie steps in while he’s away?”
Troy shook his head. “Jenner won’t get her involved in anything that has to do with the Gordons, nor would Sophie step into Gordon territory.”
“I figured.”
“She’s in the thick of a case right now, and”—he whistled—“she’s obliterating the opponents. I wish I could tell you about the eruption she caused last week. You’d be blown the fuck away if you heard the details. Let’s just say, the Daltons are more than impressed.”
“I know you had something to do with her hire.” I pounded his arm with my fist. “And the fact that you haveher back—that you’ve had it since she was a kid—I appreciate that so much, Troy.”
“The Shark has one hell of a reputation in California. The Daltons wanted her long before I said anything. Shit, I’m sure every firm would have wanted her if they had known she was willing to leave.”
As his voice trailed off, Eden and Sophie walked out through the sliding door. Sophie gave me a smile before the two of them climbed onto the trampoline. They didn’t jump. They just lay across the flat surface beside each other as though they were trying to get some sun.
“That woman …” I exhaled. “She’s fucking fire.”
“She sure is.”
Troy’s sunglasses hid his stare, but the reflection showed who he was intensely focused on, which was a perfectly framed profile of my sister. He wasn’t gazing at the woman I was in love with. He was concentrating on the woman he was obsessed with. And the way he scratched his bare chest told me he was fighting the urge to reach for her.
I hid my grin when I said, “I heard something about you that I didn’t know.”
He looked at me. “Yeah?”
