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He stopped everything and looked directly into her eyes. “Yes.” He took a deep breath. “Yes, she is.”

“Good.” Harper had been through quite an ordeal recently and Trina was still on edge over it.

“You’ll have dozens of questions once we talk with Harper.”

“We?” She wanted to be clear on that. “Why?”

“Because her situation requires both of us,” he said. “It’s not a serious crisis,” he added.

“I don’t think I believe you,” she dared to admit to his face.

“Here’s the car.” The vehicle pulled to the curb and he opened the rear door for her.

She slid in and scooted across the seat, making room for him. The driver took off almost before he’d closed the door. Though she was tempted to ask more questions, the hard set of his jaw deterred her.

Their hands met on the seat between them and she marveled at how quickly she’d grown comfortable with his touch. Unexpected and wonderful, she hoped it carried on way past tomorrow’s wedding and reception. She figured the greater effort would be on her shoulders. Surprisingly she felt up to the challenge.

The driver had them back at the Cove in record time, dropping them at the employee entrance. Within minutes theywere upstairs in his suite. He had Harper on the phone before he’d thrown the deadbolt.

One lock. She admired people with that much faith in the world. It just underscored how broken she was under the surface. How suspicious she was of people in general. Not exactly the right outlook for someone in hospitality, but she’d become an expert at compartmentalizing her professional and personal life.

“Here we are. Not a minute late.” Rhett said when Harper answered his call. He tapped a button. “And you’re on speaker.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Trina murmured.

“No, he really did.” Harper’s voice was clear.

Trina relaxed, hearing her friend sound calm and content.

“What’s going on?” Trina asked.

Rhett held up a finger. “First, why does it make any difference that Trina is here with me? And how did you hear about it?”

Harper sighed. “I’m assuming you both know Luca Gallo?”

Trina crossed her arms, feeling terribly guilty. She was taking advantage of her best friend’s brother. This harebrained scheme would wreck everything. “He’s the latest would-be-groom my parents sent over. He arrived earlier than expected.”

“Well then I’m glad you had somewhere else to be.” Harper sounded pissed, but not at Trina. “Somehow, he learned our parents are friends. When you stopped taking his calls, he spent the day at Ellington properties asking for Rhett and then looking for Dad and Mom. I guess he wants some kind of insider intel on how to win you over.

“You’re not marrying this guy,” Harper stated. “He’s got a doctorate in arrogance.”

“No, she’s not,” Rhett confirmed, though it hadn’t been aquestion.

“Of all the nerve!” Trina had started to curl up on one end of the couch, embarrassed and miserable, until shock and outrage rolled through her. She was on her feet, pacing back and forth. “He’s been to the hotel and resort? Looking for you?” She locked eyes with Rhett. “And your parents?”

“He claimed your staff was giving him poor service and a big song and dance about where you were.”

“Bastard!” She followed the outburst with a litany of Italian curses before she caught herself. “Pardon me.”

“None needed. I like you mad,” Rhett observed.

“Okay, enough already. What is going on with you two?” Harper demanded. “I deserve more than a vague text about you leaving early only to learn from Dr. Arrogance that you’ve left town indefinitely.”

“Three days. I told him I’d be away for three days.” Trina was pacing again. “I reminded him of that again today. That this cross-training?—”

“What?” Rhett cut her off. “You’ve spoken to Gallo today?”

“More like I’ve been ignoring his calls and texts today,” she clarified. “He was making Maria’s life hell this morning and…” Her voice trailed off. Rhett was glowering, looking as if he was ready to slay dragons barehanded.