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“I warned him, and he just won’t let it go.”

“Why are you so upset?” I whispered. Stroking my fingers up and down his forearm, trying to comfort him.

“Hunter plays girls’ hearts like the strings on his guitar. Char’s among them.”

“By the way he’s looking at her I don’t think it’s a game.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Hunter’s my best friend and Char’s my twin. It’s a recipe for disaster. Whose side will I be on when it blows up?” But we both knew he’d always pick his twin.

“Come with me.” I stood, reaching out for his hand.

“Where are we going?”

“On a moonlit walk.”

Daisy followed at our heels as I led Chase away from Hunter and his adoring fans. We walked slowly. Our bare feet made tracks in the wet sand. “Sometimes you need to let people figure things out for themselves. Even if they end up getting hurt. Maybe just maybe—they’ll decide the high was worth the pain. Or better yet maybe they’ll find something worth holding onto. Move out of their way. Because the thing I’ve learned is you can’t control what other people decide they want for themselves. It will happen, no matter how much you will it not to.”

He blew out a breath. “Smart and beautiful. You know what? I think it was kismet. You. Me. The house. Bunny. Somewhere. Somehow… some force in the universe started a thread, sewing all of it together.”

“I-I wasn’t even looking for someone like you. Didn’t even dream of a summer romance. I’ve been so focused on my studies, the shelter… just enjoying getting to know myself. Does that sound incredibly strange? I didn’t even know myself.”

“Not at all. That’s what renovating the house did for me. Who knew I’d enjoy roofing? Sanding floors and gardening?”

“Stop,” I giggled. “You garden?”

He wiggled his brows. “My hands are good at all sorts of things.”

I cleared my throat. How the heck was I going to last against him? The pull to be with him was as strong as the outgoing tide. “Don’t stand in the way of their kismet. Maybe a thread was strung for them too.”

“Hunter and Char?” He grunted. “More like my nightmare scenario.”

“Why? What else are you so afraid of?”

He shrugged. “That they’ll love each other more than me? That I’ll get left behind?” It was a vulnerable confession. One I wasn’t expecting.

“If that happens be happy for them. New love won’t replace the old. It’ll just mean more. Besides, you’ll have Daisy and maybe a new girlfriend. Addition by subtraction.”

“Maybe? I’d say probably, definitely.” We kissed until we forced ourselves to stop. “But I’m still going to kick his ass if he hurts her.”

“I won’t stop you if that happens. But until then, behave.”

“Fine. I’m a sucker for you. Do you know that?”

“I never thought I’d fall under the spell of Mr. Hot-shot homeowner.”

“Is that what you called me?”

“That among other things in my head.”

“Tell me more.”

“Never.”

“Fine. I’ll kiss and tickle all your secrets out of you!”

I shrieked as he found my tickle spot just under my ribs. I took off sprinting through the surf. Daisy barked as she galloped after me, Chase not far behind. He picked me up by the waist and swung me around. Somehow Daisy got between our legs, in an effort to avoid stepping on her Chase lost his balance. The two of us tumbled into the surf, him landing on top of me.

‘Well, I’m not one to let an opportunity go to waste, darlin’.” He drawled.