Page 387 of The Romance Adventure

Moments later, she emerges from Beans & Books with a coconut key lime pie topped with too many candles to count. Robyn remains distracted by her phone until we start to sing.

After she blows out the candles and makes a wish, Magnus asks, “Did you make this pie, Isla?”

I’ve gathered that she’s not the greatest in the kitchen.

Isla beams. “Sure did. Made it myself.”

There’s a subtle yet noticeable group hesitancy to take the plates topped with pie as she passes them out.

Robyn, lifting her head from her phone, asks, “Isla, you made the pie?”

Forks lifted, they pause in midair.

Isla sticks out her tongue. “Gotcha. I’m joking. I did not make the pie. Robyn did.”

“She made her own birthday pie?” Ryan asks.

Isla shrugs. “She wanted to make sure it was edible. I’m still working on my kitchen skills.”

“There’s another one inside, in case anyone wants seconds,” Robyn says.

The pie is absolutely delicious. CJ must notice that I’m staring at his piece. “Robyn said there’s extra.”

“I just want one more bite.”

“I suppose I can share,” CJ says with a teasing laugh.

He picks up a perfectly balanced bite with just the right amount of crust, filling, and cream, then brings it to my lips.

My eyes flutter closed because, if for no other reason, I think I’ll stay in Coco Key if only to eat this pie whenever I want.

“Thank you,” I say to my husband.

His lips quirk with amusement. “You have a little bit right here.” He kisses my nose where I must’ve gotten a bit of the cream.

Who am I trying to fool? The reason I’d stick around is because of this man right here. He has my heart. My whole heart.

“Is Coco Key called that because of coconut key lime pie?” I ask.

CJ chuckles. “That fits. But it’s called that because the entire island, or key, used to be covered with coconut palms. The lighthouse is called Nucifera Light after the coconut palm species name and because it reminded people of a giant coconut tree sticking up from lots of smaller ones.”

“Harley mentioned her trip up to the lighthouse.”

She looks ill all of a sudden. “That thing needs some major renovation.”

“There aren’t many coconut palms left, though,” CJ says.

“To help pay expenses for various projects on the island, along with his sea-faring exploration, in search of the crown, Chip harvested a ton of coconuts and devised a coconut channel. Much like in logging, where lumberjacks would float timbers downriver, coconuts, when still in their outer husk, float. That’s how he got them to another nearby key for processing. It was cheaper to keep them flowing that way than trucking them over.”

“That’s kind of ingenious.”

“He was a clever guy.”

Considering we can’t find the second key, maybe too clever.

“Are there any coconut trees left from that time?” I ask.

“There’s Coconut Grove, a park.” CJ points toward the west.