Page 2

Chapter One

On Brookwell Island, the Pelican Pub was jumping when Harper Ellington walked in. Trivia nights were becoming a big deal and teams were forming up for this week’s game. Trash talking would start soon and she was ready for it.

Lately, these outings were the best place for her to cut loose and be herself. A place she could feel safe. She didn’t have to worry about maintaining her professionalism with staff nearby. And surrounded by her pals, she didn’t have to look over her shoulder either.

Glancing around the cozy bar favored by the island locals, she spotted her newest best friend, Trina Bollani, holding down a booth close to the bar for their team. Excellent .

Like Harper, Trina was from a long line of hoteliers. Unlike Harper, she’d left her home in Italy for an incredible opportunity. Trina managed the Inn, a small-ish local hotel with a lively and eclectic history. A significant update a few years back resulted in a spa, tea room, new wedding packages, and special events that drew all kinds of tourism to the small town.

The updates and improvements drove Rhett, Harper’s brother, crazy.

He was convinced the Inn stole business from Ellington properties in the Lowcountry. He was full of crap. There was plenty of tourism to go around. And, in the time-honored tradition of little sisters, Harper gleefully called him out for being dumb and grumpy when he had no cause. Thankfully, her brother’s primary role was to oversee the Ellington Cove in Key West, Florida so he wasn’t underfoot complaining all the time.

But tonight wasn’t about Rhett, the family, or business. Tonight was about having fun.

“Nice job.” Harper grinned. “Did you bribe someone?”

Trina slid out of the booth. “Location, location, location, right?”

“Absolutely.” Harper hugged Trina, then held her at arm’s length. “You look amazing!” she gushed.

Trina did a little spin and struck a pose. “You like it? I saw it at the Beach Belle on Central and couldn’t resist.” Petite and curvy, she was styled to perfection in flowing navy pants with tiny palm trees scattered from waist to hem and an emerald green wrap-top that showcased her lush, hourglass figure. Even her sandals coordinated, with jeweled palm trees sparkling over a flawless pedicure. Her black hair framed her face with casual waves and her big brown eyes were dancing.

“I love it.” Harper made a mental note to swing by the boutique with her mom one day soon. “Tell me everything,” she demanded as they slid into the booth. “What’s his name?”

Trina waved that off. “This isn’t for a man. It’s all for you. And the team.”

“The team, right.” Harper shook her head. “Not buying it.” She cast a look around, searching for someone who might fit Trina’s type: professional, intelligent, wildly attractive, and impeccably dressed.

“Stop.” She pressed her hands on the table. “The outfit is just for me,” Trina admitted. Her lips slanted into a mild frown. “I wanted to feel fabulous for a meeting this afternoon.”

“You nailed it.” Harper smiled. “Bet you slayed the meeting too.”

Trina grimaced. “Time will tell.” She didn’t sound the least bit happy or confident.

Harper bristled, immediately ready to defend her friend from any misplaced judgment. Since Trina had taken over, the Inn was thriving. Surely the revenue was increasing at an impressive pace. From Harper’s vantage point, it seemed as if Trina’s efforts were helping Brookwell Island become a destination in itself, instead of the usual afternoon excursion for visitors to Charleston.

“What do the stakeholders expect?” She caught herself before aiming a glare around the pub. The Inn was collectively owned by the town after falling into disrepair decades ago. A mayor with extraordinary vision and irrepressible determination had come up with the innovative plan.

“No, not the Inn. They’re happy. This involved the stakeholders in my life,” Trina explained. “The monthly family call.” She leaned in close to whisper, “How is it that an entire ocean isn’t enough of a buffer?”

“Yikes.”

Harper understood. The two women had been raised in families where the prime business was hotel and hospitality. And, like Trina, Harper was also feeling the family pressure to find a good partner and settle down. The aunts, her mother’s sisters, had been singing the worn-out refrain annually since she’d graduated college. The nagging only got louder now that her sisters-by-choice, Hannah and Sonya, were happily married. The Ellingtons considered them part of the family. Hannah and her husband Seth were expecting their first child and the aunts were over the moon, planning a baby shower to put all others to shame.

Though Harper was equally excited to become an aunt, she didn’t like the ridiculous pressure to settle down and procreate.

“How bad was it?” she asked.

Trina pressed her lips together. “They’re threatening to send eligible young men across the ocean to meet me.”

“Wow.” Harper sat with that for a moment, wrapping her head around the implications. She might’ve laughed if her friend didn’t look so miserable. “You win the outrageous family award. What can I do?”

“Short of stirring up an international scandal, I’m not sure anything would shift their focus,” Trina admitted. “Granted, the men they want me to meet aren’t exactly trolls.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re the guys you want to date.”

“Right?” Trina threw up her hands. “You get it. I’m not wrong here. It feels pathetic.” Trina rolled her gorgeous eyes. “Can you imagine what those men must think? Being sent across an ocean to take me on a date. How does my family not realize the implications? How do I even overcome the deficit if I wanted to?” She cocked her head, her curls bouncing. “Hello, I’m Trina, the pudgy, stubborn woman who can’t find a quality date in all of America. Please come save me.”

Harper choked on a laugh. “If any prospective dates think like that, they certainly won’t stay long. You’ll kick them back across the ocean in a heartbeat.”

“Damn straight.” Trina grinned. “The last thing I need right now is an arranged husband.”

“Sounds more like they don’t want you marrying an American,” Harper observed.

“Of course they don’t.” Trina’s gaze skimmed over the patrons. “They don’t believe anyone other than a purebred Italian boy is good enough for me. Like I’m some prized spaniel in need of the right mate or handler or whatever.”

Harper threw back her head, cackling. “Don’t even get me started. The aunts have dragged my mom into their theatrics. She pulled me aside last Sunday brunch, asking when she might be a grandma. I aimed her at Hannah, but her baby fever is crazy-intense. She wants all of us reproducing. Stat.”

“Even Rhett?”

Harper shook her head. “As far as I know, he gets a pass.”

Trina slapped her hands on the table. “Why? How come the boys never get the pressure?”

“That is a fine question and one that Southerners don’t answer very well.” Harper took a moment to scan the pub, without any glaring. “Between all their plans and travels, I can’t see my parents hitting pause on their lives to settle down in one place as grandparents. They literally have better things to do than coo over a baby.”

“I don’t know.” Trina tilted her head. “Babies are pretty cute.”

Molly Trumble, now Kearney since marrying Miles several weeks ago—skidded to a stop. “Am I at the wrong table?” Her short cap of blonde hair was tousled from the breeze and with a glow on her cheeks, she looked as fresh as the daisies she worked with daily at Island Bloomers. “Why are you two talking about babies?”

“You look a little guilty, Molly. Got an announcement to make?” Harper challenged.

“Absolutely not.” Molly giggled, sliding in on Harper’s side of the booth. “I mean, Miles wants more kids. We both do. But for the first time in ages, I can go out and have fun without a single ounce of mom-guilt. And I don’t want to rush through this current blissful freedom.” She slouched back against the seat. “I sound like a hypocrite.”

“No, no,” Trina soothed. “To quote my Nonna, you’ve spoken like a mother who appreciates being a woman.”

Molly’s infectious grin returned. “The more we talk, the more I like you.”

It was Harper’s understanding that Molly and Trina were just getting acquainted personally. As manager at the shop owned by Nina Billings—now Reynolds—Molly worked with Trina on various floral needs for special events and regular contracts, including her recent wedding.

It might be nice to have a florist on call at the resort. Just as soon as she was ready to have meetings and start building professional connections again. Her last few attempts had been…disappointing. Located on the other side of the Cooper River, east of Charleston, the distance would be prohibitive to offer that contract to Island Bloomers. Maybe Nina would have a recommendation for someone closer.

That was a tomorrow-problem. Tonight, they were here to have fun.

Trina rapped her knuckles on the table and wagged a finger at Harper. “Busted! You have your business face on,” she accused. “Turn it off and get into game mode. I want to win tonight.”

Harper waved her hand across her face. “Done.”

“What’s the prize?” Molly asked. “I completely forgot to look.”

Trina’s eyes lit up. “In addition to the usual Pelican Pub gift card, there’s a gift card for the bookstore, plus a special behind the scenes access to an author signing this summer.”

“Who are you so keen to meet?” Harper queried.

Trina spoke from behind her hand as a blush colored her cheeks. “Gentry Carver.”

“Does your future husband know about this crush?” Harper queried.

“Hold on one minute.” Molly glared at Trina. “Husband? What am I missing?”

“Nothing.” Trina flicked that worry aside. “She’s just torturing me. My parents are threatening to arrange a marriage for me. Or at least a boyfriend.”

Molly gawked at Trina. “Is that even legal?”

Lila slid into the space next to Trina with two minutes to spare. “Is what legal?” She brushed a wayward curl of long red hair behind her ear. “Sorry I’m late. Gram and I were brainstorming specials for the music festival days.”

“No worries,” Harper said for all of them. Anytime Lila and her grandmother dreamed up new treats for their Bread Basket bakery, it was a yummy win for their customers.

“Arranged marriage,” Molly said, determined to get an opinion.

“Of course it’s legal,” Lila stated. “As long as all parties consent.”

Trina’s dark eyebrows shot up. “Why do you know that?”

“Isn’t it common sense?” Lila looked at each of them, settling on Trina. “But why would your parents be so pushy? Unless you asked for help.” She held up her hands. “Not judging.”

“I didn’t,” Trina insisted. “You’re spoiled with the best maternal influence ever.”

“She’s right,” Harper said before Lila could protest. “Your grandmother is the best.”

“Well, true. She’s always been supportive. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t worry.” Lila rolled her eyes. “And it doesn’t mean she isn’t making noise about being a great-grandmother. To which I remind her she is already great.”

The four women laughed. “We should make a pact,” Harper said, “that we will never torture our own children this way.”

“I think it’s hormonal,” Molly said. “At a certain age I think women just shift into this head space of wanting to cuddle a baby but not raise another child.”

They were still giggling as the host for tonight’s trivia, Vince Goodridge, an editor for the Brookwell Bugle, started the proceedings. The prizes were announced, and Trina bounced gleefully in her seat. Both the theme and the drink special got a hearty round of applause and then the first question was posted on the monitors around the pub.

It was an easy warm-up question, based on a red-hot book series that everyone was talking about. Once Molly, their captain for the night, submitted their answer, the conversation resumed.

“Why isn’t Nina here?” Trina asked.

“Addison was running a fever and Boone is away on an assignment.”

Harper was confused. “I didn’t realize he was still taking protection jobs.”

“Guardian Agency moved him to short-term assignments,” Molly explained. “Most of them are local. Jess understands why he doesn’t like to be away for too long.”

Jess was the regional personnel coordinator for the Guardian Agency. Through no specific effort, Harper’s ties seemed to be growing deeper with the elite security group. Her two best friends, Hannah and Sonya, were researchers and their husbands were employed by the agency as well.

Of course, she hadn’t known anything about the Chicago based agency until there was trouble a few years ago, when Hannah and Seth—a bodyguard posing as her fiancé—came to Christmas to protect Harper and rescue Sonya from a nasty situation. Since then, the Ellington property security plans had expanded to include several Guardian Agency teams. Sometimes on short-term contracts to manage VIPs, more often just to support or train current security staff.

Vince’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, confirming the answer to the first question and awarding points to the groups that got it right.

“Yes!” Trina gave high fives around the table.

The next question went up, and this time it was about the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It was one of her mother’s favorite books and the primary inspiration for her name. She and Lila were confident in their answer and after a brief debate Molly submitted their official response.

“Blame the perks of a Southern education,” Lila said, as soon as they were proven right. Several other teams also had the right answer, which meant the scoring was tight and they weren’t creating much of a lead yet.

Trina shifted nervously in her seat. “I want that prize,” she said fervently, her voice low.

“You just want to meet a famous author and run away to Greece,” Harper teased.

Trina stuck out her tongue. “I’m more inclined to run away to Montana. Or anywhere else with spotty internet service.”

At Molly’s questioning look Harper explained, “That way she can’t Zoom with her parents and get inundated with their wishes for her love life.”

“Oh! Of course.”

As the trivia game continued, their team and two others separated from the rest of the pack, and when it came down to only two questions remaining, they were tied with one other team.

Harper tried to distract Trina. “You’re a VIP here yourself,” she reminded her friend. “Surely Carver will stay at the Inn.”

“I’ve reached out to his publicist.” Trina bit her lip. “There’s no guarantee. I was thinking about offering time for a reading or a special VIP event, but I don’t want to overshadow what the bookstore is doing. Sometimes the tour schedules get so tight that an extra minute is practically impossible.”

Trina was one of the most thoughtful people she knew and Harper wanted to help. Her family had connections going back for generations. Even if they didn’t win, there had to be someone, she could ask to make sure Trina got her introduction. She made a mental note to check with her aunts as soon as possible.

Their chances of winning the game took a worrisome turn when they gave an incorrect answer on the next to last question. The team they were tied with answered properly. They had to get the final question right or they wouldn’t be able to make up the deficit in the bonus round.

The question was posted and they were discussing their answer when Trina’s attention was diverted. A slow smile spread across her face, but she didn’t blush like she did when she thought about the author.

Harper followed her gaze to see a tall, lean, and very familiar man weaving through the crowd to their table. How had she missed his arrival? He greeted Trina first, which made sense. Because the last time Harper had seen him, he was doing some consulting at the Inn.

“Knox!” Trina beamed. If Harper hadn’t known her so well, she might have been a little jealous of the easy familiarity. After all, she’d been crushing on Knox Moore for nearly half her life.

Not that he’d ever bothered to notice.

And she wasn’t about to confess all those intense and embarrassing feelings here and now.

“Hey,” he said to the table. Apparently, everyone here knew him, which raised all kinds of questions for Harper. None of them appropriate for the moment.

“Y’all are killing it,” he observed with a nod to the scoreboard.

Lila winced. “Botched that last one.” She scooted closer to Trina, making room for Knox. “Want a seat?”

Harper struggled to ignore the pinch around her heart. It seemed the man was friends with everyone except her. It shouldn’t matter. Her heart, wallowing in all its teenage nostalgia, didn’t get the memo. She prayed he didn’t accept the invitation. His presence would wreck her concentration for the game.

Yeah, right. That’s the only reason.

She was about to join the conversation buzzing around her when her cell phone chimed. Glancing at the screen, she saw the familiar ugliness and turned it over. Annoyed and determined to ignore it, she shoved the device into her purse.

At Molly’s quizzical look she explained it away as spam.

“I won’t intrude.” Knox smiled, a sexy half-tilt of his mouth that made her wonder what his lips tasted like at the upturned corner. “Just wanted to say hello.”

“You’re not competing, are you?” Molly asked, looking past him. “I won’t consort with spies,” she added with dramatic flair.

He touched a hand to his heart as if he’d been wounded. How was it she’d never seen this side of him before?

“Your reputation is safe, Mrs. Kearney,” he replied. “I stopped in for a drink after a meeting with Jess. Miles is home with Bryce?”

She nodded. “I was informed they would have man-time.” She laughed. “I’m sure they’re having a blast.” She checked her watch. “Or maybe not—it’s close to bedtime.”

“If anyone can out-negotiate Bryce, it’s Miles,” Knox said.

Harper agreed. She’d met Miles back in high school. Considered him a friend. And was glad that he was settled on the island here so that she could see him more often. Though she hadn’t heard how Knox and Miles had met or the nature of their friendship. It could’ve been in school, she realized. Knox would’ve been ahead of them, but he’d been there for a year.

Growing up, Knox had been determined to create as much trouble as possible. Looking back, Harper could honestly pinpoint the precise origin of her silly fantasies about reforming the bad boy.

Her teenage-self had been sure if they ever dated he would make better choices simply so they could be together. So he could win over her father and ask for her hand in marriage. She’d imagined exchanging vows under an arbor of roses, surrounded by family and friends in awe of their love.

Ridiculous. Not to mention, impossible.

Starting with the simple fact that people didn’t work that way. They didn’t change, especially not for people they didn’t even notice.

And she’d been beneath Knox’s notice for many years. Tonight was more proof. Yes, he knew who she was, as an acquaintance. Someone related to people he knew better. Her brother. And her friends, apparently. He had no idea that for half her life she wanted him to notice her. To ask her out. To show even a fleeting interest.

It stung to recall how willing she’d once been to settle for a mere crumb of his attention. She credited him with her first heartbreak, although he was completely oblivious to her emotional angst. What a lucky silver lining. She’d be mortified to interact with him now if she’d ever managed to confess her teenage devotion.

Through those awkward years to now, they’d bump into each other at random social events. He was always polite, just like tonight, but he never crossed into remotely personal territory. Never tried to flirt or even joke around with her.

Resigned, she had ditched her fantasy life in favor of dating more accessible and appropriate guys. The habit carried her through college right up to her generally dissatisfied present. Time after time, they let her down, disappointed her, and occasionally betrayed her outright.

It seemed as if no amount of care, thoughtfulness, or background checks prevented her from running up against men who were more keen on her inheritance than her.

Maybe Knox was the perfect man for her. Untouchable and uninterested, he could never let her down romantically. She could keep him—in the safety and privacy of her mind and heart—where he could be the heroic knight in shining armor she longed for.

The thought brought a rush of heat to her face.

“You okay?” Molly asked.

She nodded. “Wine does that to me sometimes.”

Thankfully Knox said goodnight and walked off. She grabbed her water glass, pressing her cool fingertips to her cheeks.

* * *

So far so good , Knox thought, walking away from the table. He hadn’t given in to his urges to plant a kiss on Harper’s lush mouth. More to the point, she hadn’t seemed to notice that he’d been lurking in her rear-view recently.

Sometimes literally, although most of the time he gave her more space. Sticking close enough to keep an eye on her and a closer eye on the people in her orbit. He’d been on the job now for almost two weeks, trailing after her and scoping out her various appointment destinations ahead of her arrival. Between Bruce sharing her schedule and Jenna’s research skills, that aspect of the assignment was running smoothly.

It wasn’t always easy to stay out of her way and he frequently rehearsed an excuse, keeping it ready on the tip of his tongue if she ever caught him. He used the time when she was in a safe location, usually her suite at the resort or her office, to research the situation that had brought him on board.

Two envelopes had reached her childhood home in Charleston, one week apart. Both pieces of mail had the same return address and were strange enough that her parents had opened them, contrary to their normal respect for her privacy. The envelope contents couldn’t be classified as letters. They were more like ransom notes, and Harper’s mother, Darlene, immediately worried that other threats were reaching Harper directly. They talked to Bruce first and quickly decided to bring on the Guardian Agency.

No one had any idea why she didn’t mention it. Knox had a theory starting with the obvious: Harper was entirely too stubborn. Far too determined to be independent. He knew she’d taken self-defense classes in college and since taking this case, his suspicions were confirmed that she requested background checks on most of her dates. Having watched her from a distance for some time now, he figured she also didn’t want to be a bother or worry her family.

He couldn’t rule out the possibility that she knew the source of the threats and believed ignoring the situation would be the best option.

Professionally, he disagreed. Looking at the intel they’d gathered so far, the Ellingtons were right to be concerned. This didn’t feel like some passing nonsense.

Although they didn’t have a solid lead yet, with a little luck, they’d sort it out without Harper ever knowing he was involved.

That sucked for him. He wanted her to know. Dumb—foolish really—but true. There was a better man out there for her. It was only a matter of time until they met.

Anyone with clear vision could see that Harper Ellington came from money. At the very least, an outsider could see she came from an entire uplevel of confidence. He imagined that could be a problem for some men. She carried herself with grace and courage and compassion, at all times. It was remarkable. More remarkable was that she had been that way for as long as he had known her.

She was just a skinny kid the first time they’d met. He had a year on her older brother, Rhett, who had three years on her. It had been a big beach bash, a fundraiser for marine wildlife. Knox remembered the endless sunshine, the wind off the water, boogie board races, sandcastles, and beach volleyball. Harper had trailed after Rhett, and Knox by association. They’d had a helluva time ditching her to go find some trouble and attempt to impress some older girls.

As much as he’d worked to forget his childhood, that day was etched in his memory. It had been one of the few days worth remembering. They’d struck out with the older girls, but being tall for his age, they’d won a couple of volleyball games. His parents had written a check and bailed early, leaving him to find a way home on his own.

Of course, the Ellingtons had noticed his predicament. Rhett invited him to dinner and then his dad, Forrest, had driven Knox home. Not a quick trip either. About two hours one way. Two hours that gave Knox a glimpse of a different parenting style.

Like Harper, he came from money. But that’s where the similarities between their families and upbringing ended.

He could point to that day as the catalyst. A day he’d been unexpectedly happy and a day that ignited the spark of anger deep in his gut and fanned it into a flame of defiance. Unable to properly channel his frustration and temper, he’d acted out at every opportunity, becoming a notoriously bad influence everywhere he went.

He didn’t regret that as much as he should, because all that angst-driven trouble-making had cut him loose from his parents and the path they’d intended for him. He was proud of that.

Unlike his father who consistently looked for the easiest money-grab in any situation, Knox’s work for the Guardian Agency actually mattered. He made a difference.

Being on this case for Harper was an excellent example.

He’d carefully sifted through all her recent contacts, anyone she’d met in person or spoken with more than a few times, he had done the digging with the help of the Guardian agency research team. No, they hadn’t identified a concrete threat, but they were now working through a concise list of potential problem-children. There was a decent list of men who’d wanted to keep seeing her, and a shorter list of business ventures and investment opportunities she’d turned down after initial meetings.

According to her current schedule, the only men she met with were professional contacts. Over the past six months her dating life had dwindled to practically non-existent. Why? He had to figure it out. If there was an incident, no one knew about it. The Ellingtons were a close-knit family. They got along and spent a lot of time together, outside of their business interests.

Knox couldn’t imagine her successfully hiding something serious enough to prompt the ugly notes.

It bothered him that whoever was behind this had sent nasty mail to her childhood home. Who would know to do that? Why take the risk? Officially, she lived at the resort. If harassment was the goal, why not focus there? The decision had to be deliberate, because no one on his short-list struck him as that foolish.

He could only think of one man in her past who might stoop to involving her parents. The guy everyone thought she’d marry. But she’d suddenly broken up with him a few summers ago. If Rhett knew the reasons, he’d never shared them with Knox.

Not that he encouraged his pal to spill details about Harper’s love life. No, thanks. He didn’t need the frustration.

The good news-bad news was Jenna’s research cleared the theoretical suspect immediately, dropping them back to square one.

His gaze drifted back to the table where she and her friends were dominating the trivia contest. The four of them were a sight, for sure, but he returned to his job, scanning the pub for any sign of the culprit.