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I rub the top of my head and tuck that useless feeling away as I head toward them. “Um, yeah, so it seems since I woke up alone. How long was I out for?”

“Almost three hours. We land in about half an hour.”

“Blimey. I’m sorry. Did you sleep at all?”

“He woke me up after about two hours, so yes, I slept.”

My eyebrows hit my hairline. “How did I not hear him?”

A wry grin curls her lips. “You were out. He’s fine, though. We’ve been hanging out and having fun together.”

“You’re a keeper, aren’t you? I’m sorry you’ve had to entertain him…” I trail off. I don’t know what to say.

“Relax, Loomis.” She points to the bench seat across from her. “Like I told you before, I love babies, and spending time with him isn’t a hardship for me. You don’t owe me a thank you and you don’t need to feel uncomfortable or like you’re using me because you’re not. I’m a thirty-one-year-old doctor, not a twenty-year-old kid. If I have a problem, I’ll say it.”

“You mean I can stop feeling guilty and like I’m taking advantage of your big heart?”

“Exactly. I was going to the cottage anyway, and if Alden thinks we’re together, it makes it easier for me.”

My elbows hit my thighs, my hands propping up my chin. “I’m not good at relying on anyone,” I admit, watching as Fen flips pages and plays with the interactive parts of the soft book. “My dad left when I wasn’t even ten, and with that, I had to grow up fast and learn to be the man of the house long before I was a man. It made me a bit… hard, I guess. Then I became an actor and hardened further when I discovered that everyone had a self-serving motive with me. Tinsley was the first to come around and simply be my friend or want to spend time with mefor me.” I stare down at the gray carpet. “I guess old habits die hard, so I hope you don’t take offense or think I’m rude.”

“I’ve been there,” she states. “I know what it’s like to question people’s motives with you. We still don’t know each other that well, so it’s natural for us to adjust and get our bearings since we’ve been put in a strange situation. I think as long as we agree to be honest and communicate with each other, we’ll be fine.”

Fen starts to cry, a loud wailing of a monster as we feel the plane begin to descend. It turns into a twenty-minute fuss until he settles with his passy, but all further conversation stops.

The flight takes forever with all the stops we make. Fen is a good lad about it, though. He plays with toys, eats about four meals, jumps on the seats, watches shows on my iPad, and stares out the window. Being on a private plane—especially one this size—has its advantages. Finally, after far too many hours, we land in Key West to palm trees and sunshine.

A weird sense of apprehension hits me as the doors open and warm, humid, salty air filters in. Keegan rises from her seat, stretching her limbs, and I glance sideways at her.

“Smell that?” she asks. “That’s the scent of no paparazzi. That’s the scent of freedom.”

“We made it,” I murmur, hoping this mad idea turns out to be what saves all of us.

She grins cheekily. “Not quite. We still have to get to the island.”

Our bags are gathered for us, and waiting at the end of the tarmac is a woman with dark skin and honey eyes and a man with similar coloring and very dark eyes.

“Welcome to Key West,” the man greets us with a thick Spanish accent. “I am Pedro, and this is my wife, Alicia. We are the caretakers for Mr. Kaplan and Mrs. Bianca’s home and will help you get to the island and make sure you have everything you need during your stay.”

“Thank you so much. It’s lovely to meet you both.” Keegan steps forward and shakes their hands and I follow, being gracious but not introducing myself either. I don’t know what these people know and what they don’t. I’m assuming they’re trustworthy—otherwise, they likely wouldn’t be here—but trust isn’t something I give out without it being earned.

We’re ushered to a car that is already equipped with a child seat base I can snap Fen’s carrier into, and then we’re whisked through the congested streets of Key West, taking in the candy-colored buildings and outdoor pubs and restaurants overflowing with locals and tourists.

If this were a different time, I’d love to explore the town more. I’ve never been here before, but it’s not a different time, and I’m no longer the man I was. That life, thatbachelor, I belong to no onelife is over for me. I’m a twenty-nine-year-old single father. I’m fake-dating Keegan Fritz. The three of us are hiding out on an island off Key West.

And with the way my chest gives an unruly squeeze when Keegan throws me a quick, excited smile, I have a feeling my life is about to get a hell of a lot more complicated than it already is.

12

Pedro and Alicia are amazing. They tell us all about the island, give us a mini tour of downtown, and explain how they stocked the house with everything we’re going to need for us and the baby. They don’t seem to have a clue who Loomis is, or if they do, they don’t care either way.

They park the car at a marina, and I turn to Loomis with a giddy grin I can’t manage to contain. “This is incredible, right?”

“You left me back at the plane.”

“Huh?”

“You started speaking to them in Spanish. After that, I was lost.”