Page 9 of Tide and Seek (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #8)

Ethan met my gaze, giving an apologetic smile. “Sorry, didn’t mean to ignore you, I’m Ethan.”

“No worries, I’m Royce.” I shook his hand, smiling.

“Nice to meet you both.” Ethan tugged his ball cap back on. “I’ll just spray around the outside of the home. Won’t take me long.”

“Of course,” Max said.

Ethan hesitated. “Uh, maybe I should spray inside too since I’m here. Haven’t done that in a while.”

Max frowned. “Do you mind if we postpone that? Sometimes I’m sensitive to bug spray. Would it be rude to ask you to come back and do the inside once I’m gone in a week? I don’t mind paying extra for an additional trip.”

Ethan’s jaw tensed but then he smiled. “Nah, I can put it off. No need to pay extra either. I’ll just swing back around next week on my route.”

“I appreciate that,” Max said.

Waving Max off, Ethan said, “We don’t want you breaking out in hives, right?” He laughed. “My wife is sensitive to insecticides, so I get it.”

“Hey, speaking of your wife,” C.J. said, “didn’t she just have surgery? How’s she doing?”

Ethan sighed, and his expression became more serious. “She’s a real trooper. There were a few complications when she came home, but she’s stable now.”

“Must have been hard with her in the hospital, seeing as you have two small kids.” C.J.’s tone was empathetic.

“My sister’s helping out, thank goodness.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Still, I won’t lie and say it’s been an easy week. But things will get better. They always do.”

“I admire your positive attitude,” I said. “Hope your wife continues to heal quickly.”

“Thanks.” Ethan’s smile was warm. “Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll get back to work and let you folks enjoy the beautiful morning.” He headed toward the side of the house, his boots crunching on the sand.

“That poor man,” C.J. said softly. “He works nonstop. He comes out anytime anyone in the colony calls. I think he’s even working off the clock just to be accommodating. I need to remember to give him an extra good Christmas bonus this year. He’s earned it.”

“He did seem very obliging,” Max said.

“He is,” C.J. agreed. “Do you remember how Carlos used to give us dirty looks if we asked him to spray under the deck? Ethan does it without me even asking.”

“That’s above and beyond.” Max glanced in the direction Ethan had disappeared. “Carlos hated his job and it was obvious. He didn’t even bother hiding it.”

C.J. cackled. “Carlos and Mrs. Brownstone used to get along really well. Wonder why that is? Did they bond over being assholes?”

Max chuckled. “Probably.”

I smiled. “Well, it’s good that Ethan took over then. Seems like a good guy.”

“He’s wonderful.” She glanced distractedly at the smartwatch on her slender wrist and her eyes bugged. Leaping out of her chair, she exclaimed, “Oh, shit, I’m late for a new client meeting. What a great way to make a horrible impression.”

“It was nice meeting you, C.J.,” I said politely.

“You too, Royce.” She bent down and kissed Max’s cheek. “And Max, it’s so good to see you again. How about I plan a celebratory BBQ for the night after tomorrow? I’ll invite James and Luke and we’ll make a party of it. Get the old gang back together.”

Max didn’t look thrilled at the idea. His expression was more resigned than anything. “You don’t have to go to any trouble, C.J.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” she said cheerfully. “Who doesn’t love an excuse to have a party, right?”

“Oh yes. I just love to party,” Maxwell deadpanned, and she slapped his arm, laughing.

“Good luck with your new client,” I said.

“Thanks. See you boys later.” She fluttered her fingers and walked down the steps that led to the beach, crossing over the sand to the stairs that led up to her home. Once she was on her own patio, she gave yet another friendly wave and disappeared inside her beach house.

“She seems really nice,” I said, setting my empty coffee mug on the table.

“C.J. is the best.” Max sounded uncharacteristically enthusiastic. “She’s always the same. I worried maybe I’d have nothing to talk about with her after such a long absence, but she was just as warm as always.”

“Her energy reminded me of a mature Girdy.” I laughed.

He wrinkled his brow. “Yes, I can see that. They both know how to make a person feel welcome.”

“That’s it exactly.”

He stood, brushing off the seat of his pants. “Shall we take a walk on the beach before we call about renting a car?”

“Absolutely. I’d love to go for a walk and get the old blood pumping.” I rose, looking out over the wide, expansive beach in both directions. “This view is something else, Max.”

“I’ve never once regretted buying this house.” He moved toward the stairs that led down to the beach.

“Should I go put on a shirt?” I asked, glancing down at my bare torso. I was pale compared to the few people I’d seen wander by on the private beach. Even C.J. had sported a nice, golden tan.

“Why bother?” Max’s gaze wandered over my bare chest with a glint of admiration. “It’s a beach. Not wearing a shirt is the norm.”

“But, you’re wearing a shirt.”

Max’s lips twitched. “Well, we can remedy that.” He reached down and began unbuttoning his shirt, smirking at me. “But be warned, with both of us as pale as we are, people might think we’re lighthouses.”

I grinned. “You sure I shouldn’t put on a shirt?”

“Nope. Pale or not, you’re sexy as hell, Sheriff.” He tossed his shirt over the back of his chair and slipped his arm around my waist. “What is it the kids say? You look like a snack?”

“Is that what they say?”

“Yep. And you do. A very tasty snack.”

I grimaced. “Uh… whatever you say, Max.”

He laughed and his mouth found mine, warm and affectionate. He smelled like suntan lotion, and the skin of his chest was warm against mine. The kiss was distractingly good, but after a few seconds, he pulled away.

“Whew.” He ran his hand over his hair, cheeks flushed. “We should definitely have beach sex while we’re here.”

I smiled. “Never had that before. Sounds… intriguing.”

He dropped his gaze, clearing his throat. “It’s tricky. Need to keep the sand out of delicate places, but with a blanket, it can be fun.”

“I’ll bet.”

Did you have beach sex with James?

I immediately snuffed out that jealous twinge. Max was mine, and I had no reason to be jealous. I’d always believed that if you loved someone, you had to trust them. Otherwise, what was the point?

“However,” Max said brightly. “Beach sex is strictly a nighttime endeavor.” He started down the steps. “For now we’ll take a leisurely walk on the beach like respectable adults.”

“Yes, we’ll be the most respectable, shockingly pale, shirtless couple on the beach.” I smiled and grabbed his hand, my toes digging into the warm sand.

He squeezed my fingers, leading me toward the water’s edge.

The waves weren’t too big, and it seemed the tide was going out.

Sand crabs scrambled for cover as the waves receded, and gulls hovered above, squawking loudly.

I inhaled the briny air, allowing myself to relax into the moment of seeing the Pacific Ocean in person for the first time.

“Spectacular,” I said, gazing out at the water. “This is something else, Max.”

The morning sun painted the water in shades of gold, silver, and deep blue that seemed to shift with each passing wave.

It was nothing like the murky waters of the Gulf I’d grown up with in Texas.

The Gulf had its charm, warm and lazy. But this?

The Pacific surged. It had weight and presence, almost as if it had somewhere better to be and was impatient with the land holding it back.

The beach was mostly deserted, but there were a few people jogging or playing with their dogs. When we passed by one elderly couple out for a stroll, they nodded pleasantly, but Maxwell gave them a dirty look over his shoulder.

“Nobody seems to understand what a private beach is,” he whispered to me. “Look at all these people sneaking in, pretending they belong here.”

“Oh, those two seemed harmless enough.”

He scowled. “It’s more the principle of the thing.”

I laughed. “Shall I eighty-six those old folks off your beach?”

“No.” He gave a sheepish smile. “Leave them be. For now.” He bent down and picked up a broken shell, tossing it into the water after a few steps.

“Seems like there’s plenty of space for us all to share.”

“Yes.” He was quiet for a moment. “They probably belong here more than me, now that I live in Texas.”

I hesitated. “You can have a life in both places, if you want?”

He wrinkled his brow. “How would that work when you’re in Texas?”

I shrugged. “I just mean, if you wanted to visit more often, I wouldn’t blame you. I’m sure there are things here you miss. Rainy Dale is another world, and I know you don’t always like it there.”

“No, I don’t always like it there. I’ve never hidden that.” He shrugged. “But it’s home now. It even feels like home.”

I glanced over. “Does it though? You fit in here nicely.”

He stopped walking, frowning at me. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to convince me to move back to LA or something.”

“What? Heck, no.” I grimaced. “I just mean, I know you must miss LA. I’m trying to be supportive of your needs.”

“My needs?” He gave me a confused look. “Royce, is something wrong? You’ve seemed tense since we arrived. Are you sorry you came with me?”

“Not at all.” I turned toward him. “I just don’t want you to have any regrets. You have a whole life here that you left behind.”

“Had. I had a life here.” His voice was firm.

I hesitated. “Can you honestly tell me you don’t ever regret leaving LA? That you wouldn’t sometimes prefer to live here again instead of Rainy Dale?”

He opened his mouth to answer me, but then his eyes fixed on something behind me in the sand.

He blinked a few times and his face paled.

I turned to see what had him looking so startled, and sucked in a harsh breath.

Five feet away, a pale hand with long, slender fingers and bright red nails jutted out of the sand.