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“Forget it.” She wiped the air between them. “She’s fine. We’re all fine. Let’s eat cake.”

“Still dodging.”

Julia twisted her lips. “It’ll sound petty.”

“I love petty.”

“She didn’t worry enough about us, okay? Like, she didn’t take us school-supply shopping or ask us for our friends’ last names. She treated Alex like a bestie, and I… I was more like an exotic pet that took care of itself.”

Her thumb cleared a line through her water glass’s condensation.

After a few beats, she straightened her shoulders. “Yuck. Didn’t mean to be a whiny downer. My childhood shaped me into the resilient, capable person you see before you today.”

“Which I admire about you.” Please let her hear his sincerity.

She waved him off. “No.”

“No what?” He leaned back in his chair.

“Flirting.”

He’d have laughed if her jaw wasn’t clenched tight enough to make his face hurt. Christ, if she thought complimenting her was flirting, she had another think coming. And if she thought that was all the game he had…well, that was plain embarrassing.

“That wasn’t flirting. You’ll know when I’m flirting.”

She cocked her head. “I will?”

Taking it back would be a chicken move.

But now was not the time for flirting. She’d shared something personal, so he’d return the favor and let the flirting happen another time.

“About your childhood…if it’s any consolation, I had the opposite problem.

My parents did everything for me, which fucked me up.

It’s why I leaned so hard on people for help.

Becoming an adult is tough, but if you also need to learn basic shit like laundry, cooking, and paying bills, the learning curve is almost impossible. ”

She tilted her head. “I can see that. I appreciated figuring out how to be independent, even if that came later, but summers with Dad were great. He was an adulty adult with rules and curfews, but when I messed up, he helped me put everything back together again.”

Julia Stone made mistakes? She was the most capable person he’d ever met.

He thumbed the divot in his chin. “I can’t imagine you messing up.”

As Julia lifted her water glass, the strap from her dress slid down her shoulder. He zeroed in on the spot. After a day at the beach, would she taste salty? Or sweet, like he’d imagined last night? No matter the flavor, he bet her skin was smoother than ice cream.

“I mess up. I’ll neither confirm nor deny if there was a shoplifting incident when I was twelve.

” Julia casually returned the strap to her shoulder.

“My dad waited up for me and Alex, but Mom went to bed early to get her beauty sleep, when she wasn’t staying over at her latest boyfriend’s place.

They couldn’t have been more different.”

Carson’s chest tightened with affection for her. That dynamic was his life, too. His dad asked him what was on his mind. His mom, however, had mostly talked to him about his future baseball career. Losing the parent who knew how to talk to you was rough.

There was a bright side, though.

“Well, the way they raised you—the end result is great. You’re so accomplished.”

Her laugh interrupted him. “Yeah, I’m killing it. No job, I share an apartment with two students, and I’m taking pity work from my mom.”

It was unreal that she thought she was anything less than amazing.

“Hey.” He playfully knocked his knee against hers to stop her spiral. “Have you ever thought maybe you’re on the cusp of killing it?”

Her brown eyes were so beautiful. Warm with golden glittering flecks.

“Go on,” she demanded.

“Being selective, building something takes time. Any given day feels like you’ve barely progressed an inch. One day, you’ll make it to the mountaintop and you get to cruise downhill.”

She blew out her lips. “Or another peak’s in front of you.”

“Even if that’s true, celebrate making it up a mountain. What was your class rank when you graduated?”

She slid a palm against the back of her neck. “Third.”

He knew she’d killed it in school.

“See how amazing you are? You were at the top of your program. Cheers to that.” He clinked his water glass against hers. “I have zero doubts you’ll find the right gig, so stop negging my future stepsister.”

She drank, then held the cool glass to her cheek. After a heavy beat, she licked her full, pink lips and asked, “Do you consider me a stepsister?”

The earnestness in her gold-flecked eyes begged for the truth.

“I have to, Julia.”

The atmosphere around them thickened. The ambient music, the occasional clatter from behind the kitchen doors, the low dining chatter… It all disappeared.

His whole focus was on Julia.

“Carson, we— Oh, cake.”

A waiter laid a tray between them, shattering the moment. Dammit, dammit, dammit. What was she about to say?

“Here we have your cake options.” Holly gestured to each flavor in the lineup. “Coconut pecan, tropical carrot, roasted banana, double chocolate, and vanilla with a lemon finish. Enjoy.”

As soon as Holly left the table, Julia scooted her chair back. “Pick whatever your dad likes best and meet me outside when you’re done. I’ll check if the florist is open.”

He started to push back, too. “Julia, wait—”

“No, I’m good.” She flashed him a thumbs-up, then snagged her purse. “Please, stay and finish up here.”

She didn’t wait for an answer. Her orange dress lifted in the breeze as she sped away.

He sighed. She clearly didn’t want his company, so he’d give her space.

Minutes later, after reviewing the selections with Holly, he headed toward the main lobby. Julia’s bright dress contrasted with the bright blue sky outside the picture window.

“All set,” he said as he approached her. “Is the florist open?”

She held up a finger and pointed to her phone. “That’s fantastic. I’m so glad the best in Azul Caye happens to be available this weekend. I owe you one.”

Carson tilted his head. Who was she talking to with a truckload of kiss-ass sweetness in her voice? He’d never heard her use that tone, so definitely not anyone in their families. Maybe a boss or a potential boss or—

“Okay, Roberto,” she said with a smile. “Can’t wait to see you! It’s been way too long.”

A jealous flare sizzled through his chest. Julia was talking to someone named Roberto who made her beam like sunshine and fidget with her sapphire stud earring. This was flirty Julia, and last night they’d been joking about torrid affairs on vacation.

At least he’d been joking.

He didn’t like where this was going. Not one bit.