Page 7 of Island Guardian (Brookwell Island #7)

Chapter Four

Trina’s heart was pounding. She’d listened to the entire exchange.

Now that Rhett was alone, she yanked open the door and hauled him inside.

Once the locks were secure, she leaned back and stared at him.

Part of her wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, the other part wanted to stay curled up in a ball.

“I can’t believe you did that.” A flash of temper shook her. “Can’t believe my mom told him where to find me.”

“You’re welcome?” Rhett stood there, hands in his pockets, watching her too closely.

“Yes, thank you.” She pushed away from the door, sliding around him. “I’m being ridiculous.”

“Were you afraid for me?”

Was he smirking? She couldn’t be upset, he’d earned it. If only it were that simple. “Not really.” She waved a hand at him. “Look at you. You can clearly hold your own. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. He upsets you and he’s a jerk for not backing off.”

“Yes and no.” She grabbed her water glass and went to the kitchen for a refill. “He doesn’t really know how much he upsets me. I haven’t seen him in years.” Because she did her best to avoid any chance of an interaction.

But what now? Luca had actually done it. He’d come all this way to… Marry her. “He really said it.” The glass fell from her fingers to the tile floor and shattered. She swore as shards of glass and cold water went everywhere.

“Hold still,” Rhett directed.

As if she had the capacity to move. Nothing about this was right. The broken glass was the least of it. This was her life.

Angry tears threatened again. She had to pull herself together. Had to get out of here, though she didn’t want to change jobs. The Inn was perfect, she’d made real friends.

She’d listened at the door. Luca didn’t sound as if he’d be easily dissuaded.

It dawned on her that Rhett had found a broom and paper towels and was handling the mess as if he really lived here. “Sorry. I should do that. I can.”

“Stop apologizing.” Crouched at her feet, he glanced up. “Of course you can, but I’m almost done.”

Her emotions had dragged her up and down over the last few hours. Rhett was being a friend when she needed one. “Thanks. Wh-why would they give their blessing?”

Standing, he carried the mess to the trash can and dumped it in, the broken glass tinkling. After another pass with the vacuum cleaner, he said, “Stay put. You’ve got a couple of scratches.”

She glanced down, too lost in her tumultuous thoughts to have noticed.

The bleeding wasn’t severe, but enough to track over the floor if she tried to get to the first aid kit on her own.

Stubbornness was no reason to make more work for either of them.

“Mounted to the inside of the pantry door,” she said, pointing.

He found it easily enough and slipped the kit out of the bracket. “This is a smart idea. ”

“I’ve been known to have them.” When it came to business anyway. As he worked, she studied the sun-bleached highlights in his short blonde hair. “Thanks for the help,” she said as he finished up.

“My pleasure.”

He returned the first aid kit and lingered there. “Think you’ll be able to travel?” he asked, dipping his chin toward her feet.

He had told her to pack. “Where am I going?”

“Key West. For some cross training with Ilsa, my amazing wedding coordinator.” He smiled. “And to get married, if that still solves this for you. Either way, you get a reprieve to decide how to handle Luca. I told him we were on our way out.”

“You also said this was our place.” She trembled again, as she’d done the first time. Not out of fear, but something closer to anticipation. What was wrong with her that she was considering such a crazy option?

He nodded.

“The staff will tell him the truth.” She moved around the opposite end of the island and back to the couch. “That I live here alone.”

“Are you sure? From what I’ve seen your staff adore and respect you. And I’ve been in town more frequently.”

With his sister, but yes, he made a good point. “Maybe. But he can be pushy.” Worse than pushy, although again, only her therapist knew how she felt about that night.

“Well, if we go, you’ll be pushing back. On your terms,” Rhett said, sinking into the chair closest to her. “He knows he’s here ahead of schedule.”

And why was that? Not that she cared enough to ask directly.

“Trina?” He held out his hand once more. “Let Gallo cool his heels while you do what you want.”

She stared at his offered hand. Strangely tempted. What on Earth was she thinking? “I’m definitely in on the whole wedding planner shadowing. But the other?—”

“Getting married.”

Count on Rhett to be direct. “Yes.” She swallowed. “If we’re married, people will expect us to be close, um, affectionate. In public.” That wasn’t her, not anymore.

He shifted, taking that outstretched hand with him. “You held my arm when Luca showed up.” Had she really? “Whatever we do in public is your choice,” he continued. “Every marriage is different. You’ve seen enough couples to know that.”

True. “Our marriage would be more than different.” For starters, it would be fake.

She had zero confidence about ever being a true wife to anyone.

Suddenly she realized this sketchy plan was little more than a sandcastle washing away with the tide.

“You work in Key West. I have to be here. We aren’t going to convince anyone that we’re really married.

” An unconvinced Luca with her parents’ blessing would keep pressing until she admitted the truth.

And that would backfire spectacularly. She could imagine the tsunami of phone calls and messages filled with her mother’s distress and her father’s disappointment.

“I have an idea if you’re game,” Rhett said.

He was the idea guy. “Do tell?”

“You come away with me to Key West for three days, tops. Officially, you’ll meet with the best wedding planner in the business. While we’re there she can handle our wedding. I’ll send her an email while you pack.”

“Tonight?”

“Do you really want to deal with Gallo in the breakfast room tomorrow?”

Her stomach twisted. “Of course not.”

“When we return, we’ll share the news with friends and family. I’m sure even Gallo will raise his glass to toast our whirlwind romance.”

Romance? As if she would ever be able to pull that off. “I don’t have a dress or?—”

“Ilsa knows what to do and how to make it happen. She knows where to shop.”

“A long-distance marriage? Will anyone in your family believe that’s what you want?”

He shrugged. “I can stay here and work remotely. I can commute to the Cove as needed until you’re ready for a divorce.” He reached out once more. “Marry me, Trina. It’s a good solution, but ultimately it’s your decision.”

She couldn’t remember anyone in her personal life ever offering her that much power or control. It was a heady sensation. Before she wasted another second overthinking, she pressed her palm to his.

His fingers curled oh-so-gently around her hand. A simple gesture that somehow made her feel seen and heard and…Valued. He didn’t squeeze or tug. Didn’t try any nonsensical gestures like kissing her knuckles.

“Thank you.” Gratitude pulsed through her. Warming her and giving her hope with every beat of her heart. She stood and he released her. Missing that contact was a weird new sensation. “I’ll go pack.”

He rolled to his feet and the smile he gave her felt softer than usual. “I’ll get things rolling with the plane and with Ilsa.”

Another wave of warmth coasted through her before she darted to her bedroom. When she factored in the way she’d automatically latched onto him earlier, tonight marked the most personal physical contact she’d experienced with a man in years.

It was as lovely as it was remarkable.