Page 44 of Off Plan

“Jay Don Rollins returns to the Suncoast—” I read out loud, then paused. “Oooh, Jayd’s gonna be pissed they used his real name.”

Rafe huffed. “Good.”

“—returns to the Suncoast this summer for a series of engagements.” I glanced up. “He’s coming back to Florida?”

“Keep reading,” Rafe instructed.

“When asked about his plans following his sold-out North American tour, the singer-songwriter was quoted as saying he’d be spending time with family in the area, and he planned to play small shows in St. Pete Beach and Punta Gorda, before finishing with a… with a free public concert on the island of Whisper Key for the first annual Whisper Key Labor Day Extravaganza.” I slid the phone back to Rafe. “They didn’t even get the island’s name right.”

“The very least of my concerns.”

“So, your dad is inviting Jayd Rollins, even knowing that he’s…”

“Aimee’s brother. My ex-brother-in-law. My former friend. Yep.”

“And he doesn’t care that you’re gonna be—”

Rafe pushed his chair back from the table with a squeal. “I’m not gonna be anything, Fenn, exceptprofoundlyannoyed that he tried to keep this a secret.”

“Remember Dad’s trying, you guys,” Beale said softly. “Trying to bring life back to Whispering Key.”

Rafe and I exchanged a look.

“Beale,” Rafe began, “you realize Dad was the one who put the final nail in its coffin, right? You remember what happened last December, when we learned that Goodmen Outfitters hadzerodollars left in its operating budget? When Dad told us the money was all tied up in hisassets?”

“Of course I remember!” Beale said. “Gage stormed out and went back to campus. You stormed off and stayed off island all weekend, and it was just me and Fenn stuck here with Dad for the holiday. Fucking sucked.”

“Love you too, buddy,” I said dryly.

Beale flushed. “I just meant, it wasn’t much of a Christmas with half the family gone.”

“And that was onDad. Because he lied, Beale, and of course we were mad! He wouldn’t say where he’d spent the money or what hisassetswere.” Rafe made air quotes. “But if past behavior is any prediction… Look, you were maybe too young to remember, but he and Mom used to argue about thesamethings back in the day. She’d need grocery money, but he’d’ve gone and bought shares in some expedition to find and raise theEsmerelda.”

“I remember!” Beale repeated. “I’m not an idiot, Rafe, and I’m only three years younger than you. I remember it all went to shit. I remember he promised Mom he’d stop investing in salvage operations, too. And he did.”

“Yeah, well.” Rafe shrugged. “Mom’s been gone for a couple years, bro. And this new money he’s got? Hestillwon’t say where it’s from, and we have no say in how he’s spending it. Hell, the only reason Gage and I got involved with this concert was to try to hold himback. See how well that’s working?”

“He’s increasing tourism!” Beale argued a little desperately.

“Uh-huh. Because more tourists mean more people he can suck in with his ghost stories, which means more people interested in finding that fucking boat,” Rafe said flatly. “And in the meantime…”

“In the meantime he’s bringing Rafe’s brother-in-law and the prissy doctor to Whispering Key.” I rolled my eyes.

“Formerbrother-in-law,” Rafe corrected, just a trifle bitterly.

“Right,” I agreed. “That.”

“Hey! Mason’s not prissy,” Beale said, blushing hotly. “He’s… I dunno. Sweet.”

“Sweet,” I repeated, trying to reconcile that word with the guy I’d spent nearly an entire day with a week ago, and had been thinking about every day since. I couldn’t get there.Sexy? Yup.Distracting? As fuck.Intelligent? Duh. Asmart-ass? Hell, yeah. But… “Sweet? Really?”

“Yes, sweet! Andcaring,” Beale said, blushing harder. “A really good doctor.”

“Do tell.” Rafe came back to the table with a fresh cup of coffee, spun his chair around to straddle it, and smiled just a bit too wide. “Maybe some good can come of this, after all. Haveyoubeen playing doctor with the doctor, little brother?”

“No!” Beale protested. “He just helped me out. Remember how I trapped that little opossum that’s been getting in the garbage last Saturday night? I strained my shoulder tryna release him. I was fixing it up myself, but Mase offered to help. He helped me stretch it out.”

“Mase, is he?” Rafe’s voice was knowing. “And was that all? Just a little arm stretching? Or did he offer to let you stretch—”