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“Zach’s joining us. I’m not sure about anyone else.”

I smelled a rat. Vi wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Hey, Rae.” I slid into a chair next to our friend. “Who all is joining us tonight?”

“Us and Lucy, Vi’s brothers, Lee, and that park ranger from dinner at your place.”

My shoulders relaxed. There would be plenty of people around. No need to have awkward conversation with Drew. We could just forget about our morning together and go on with life. I’d pretend I never found him attractive. Never considered giving up my self-imposed exile from the dating pool.

Drew paused at the host station, as if my thoughts had summoned him. Zach hovered behind him. Drew looked good. Too good. Freshly showered and shaved, his hair slicked back with moisture, he’d tossed on jeans and a navy hoodie. I squirmed, the flash of awareness making me wish the chair by me was already taken.

He ate up the ground between us in five large strides and claimed the seat next to me, one large paw clasping the chair back.

“May I?” Drew asked.

So polite. Denying him would be churlish. But having him sit so close would be torture. I was entirely too aware of him.

Zach slid into the chair his brother wanted with dimples flashing. The flair of mischief in his brown eyes told me he knew exactly what he was doing to his older brother.

“Hey, Anya. Good to see you.”

Drew hulked over his brother, glowering down at him. “That wasmychair.”

Zach looked up at him, his expression angelic. “And this morning, it wasmy coffeeandmy business. All’s fair, brother dear.”

“I’ll remember this.” Drew kept his voice low, but the threat was clear. My lips twitched. Zach looked entirely too pleased with himself.

Clay and Lee arrived, clustering at the other end of the table with Drew. We ordered drinks and food before conversation turned to island gossip.

“Has anyone heard more about the investigation into Jordan’s accident?” Vi asked.

Questioning if we could confirm itwasan accident danced on the tip of my tongue, but one look at the sorrow pinching Rae’s features made me pull back.

“I saw the sheriff yesterday. They may have a wait for the coroner’s report, then a longer wait for the tox screen. Something about a backlog at the lab,” Drew said.

“The rangers have been chatting up visitors at sunset, but no one reports seeing him that night,” Clay said.

“Has anyone talked to his business partner, Brandon?” Lee asked.

“He hasn’t been around the marina,” Rae reported. “Their boat is in its slip.”

“What about Jordan’s wife? Has she heard from Brandon? Wouldn’t he want to pay his respects?” I asked.

“Maybe he’s off island somewhere?” Vi suggested. “I think he has family in Bellingham.”

“It’s damned odd,” Lucy said.

“I hope none of you will go out to the bluffs alone to watch the sunset.” Drew looked at me, eyes hard, then at his sister. “Call one of us to go with you.”

His overbearing attitude should have made me bristle. I was my own woman. I’d survived hairier situations than he could probably imagine. But part of me relished feeling cared for. How long had it been since someone thought of my safety? Had they ever?

“I doubt there’s a killer pushing random islanders off the cliffs at sunset,” Violet admonished, shaking her head. “Drew, I love you, but you’re a bit much.”

“He’s got a point,” Lee said gruffly.

Vi rolled her eyes. “Don’tyoustart. Of course you see murderers behind every tree trunk. It’s practically in your job description.”

A muscle ticked in Lee’s jaw as he stared Violet down, something dark brewing in his gaze that I struggled to name. “Some of those trails get dicey. There’s nothing wrong with having a buddy along for safety. What if I like sunsets?”