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She frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Mallary asked.
“Nothing.” Trinity tucked her cell back in her pocket. She’d deal with Fenton later.
“Come on. I need something to distract me from what’s happening. My brain can’t stop going back out there.” Mallary pointed to the open ocean.
Trinity sighed. While Mallary could be high maintenanceas friends went, and she wasn’t always there when Trinity needed her most, she was a good person. She was kind and decent, and if she needed a distraction, Trinity could give her that. “It’s Fenton. We got into a fight yesterday. It’s why I went out on the boat instead of going out with him.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that.” Mallary brushed her hair from her face. “What happened?”
“I saw a text. He says it was from some dude, but the words on the screen screamed some girl he was sexting with—not some random old buddy sending him sex jokes. I’m not stupid. It was dirty talk, and I can’t do another cheating man again.”
“Seriously?” Mallary jerked her head back. “Fenton? No way. That man adores you. He worships the ground you walk on. I can’t believe he’d be chatting with another chick. He wouldn’t do that. No way. You totally misinterpreted that text.”
Trinity wanted to believe that. She really liked Fenton. He was normal, if there was such a thing. He wasn’t needy. He didn’t demand all her time. The only thing he did was occasionally get jealous.
Of Keaton.
Granted, she did find Keaton sexy as hell—in the looks department. But his personality was sometimes a little too rough around the edges—at least toward her.
“I don’t think I misinterpreted it,” Trinity admitted. “And this isn’t the first red flag.” However, this was the first time she was talking about it with anyone.
“What do you mean?” Mallary crinkled her nose.
“I found an earring in his car a week ago.”
“What did he say about it?” Mallary’s eyes went wide. She swiped at her cheeks.
“He told me he let one of the girls in the office take his car to get lunch.”
“Well, there you have it.” Mallary lowered her chin. “I get you’re wounded. I know you have some trust issues. I would, too. But come on. Fenton is a keeper. He’s super sweet. He’s kind, and generous—and he’s good to you. He wouldn’t cheat. He’s so not the type.”
He was a man. He had a dick. That made him “the type” in Trinity’s book. But she wasn’t about to argue with Mallary. That woman thought Fenton was the perfect man for Trinity.
For a hot minute, so had Trinity, but she wasn’t so sure now.
“Call him back.” Mallary nudged her. “Make up with him. Life is too short.”
Trinity sighed. She understood shock, and that was the only explanation for what was happening here because the only thing that mattered was Jared.
CHAPTER 1
Keaton stuffedhis marshmallow on the end of the stick and held it over the open flame, waving it back and forth, but that didn’t stop it from catching fire. “Crap,” he mumbled. He hated burnt white mush. He raised his stick, blew, and tried again.
This time, he had a little better luck. But not much. Damn thing still had a crusty outside.
Kind of like his mood.
“What’s got your panties in a twist?” Dawson tugged at his jeans and sat down.
“Long day.” Except, it had been an easy day—a sunrise tour for Everglades Overwatch airboat tour company that he owned with his three best friends, and then a lazy day working for Fish and Wildlife, and he hadn’t given out one ticket. He wasn’t even tired. But he was annoyed. He’d known Trinity Stevenson now for a year. One full flipping year. He didn’t deny—at least to himself—that he found her attractive, even if he didn’tgo for chicks with painted nails, designer bags, and heels.
Okay, so what hot-blooded male didn’t like a woman in three-inch heels?
But he had kept his distance from Trinity for two reasons. First, she came off as a spoiled woman who cared more about her BMW than the environment or people.
However, that assessment had been proven wrong on a stormy night when she’d put herself in danger to help someone else. Noble but reckless, and the constant recklessness was the second reason he kept her at arm’s length.