For a moment, she imagined herself wrapped up in a cashmere blanket, reading a book that had nothing to do with maximizing floor space and everything to do with escapism romance. Not that she believed in those types of happy endings, not anymore at least. But there was something about getting lost in a fictional world where love conquered all—and where the girl always came first—that she still found appealing if not a little comforting.
A barefoot paradise awaits you at the Copper Lantern Inn, a quaint, castle-like beach home fit for a queen. Featuring three unique guest rooms, a common room, and a porch overlooking a mile of secluded beach, the Inn offers one of the best views on Aurelia Island while still being only a short bike ride from town.
Normally, the mention of self-powered transportation would have given Paige a moment’s pause, but she was far too focused on the name of the island to give much thought to the coordination it would take to maneuver a bicycle after a dinner that would undoubtedly be accompanied by a bottle of chardonnay.
Aurelia. Her grandmother’s name. The woman who taught her how to play, and cheat, at Rummy 500, who reminded her to stand up straight and put her shoulders back because “If you got it, flaunt it,” and who always told her that having no man was better than the wrong man.
It was a sign. It had to be. As if Granny was still looking out for her from the great, big kitchen in the sky.
Paige scrolled through the room options, settling on the one in the inn’s turret, then clicked the tab that read “extras.”
Champagne and roses
Nope.
Romantic beachfront fire
Nope.
Special occasion cake
She was about to scroll past that one as well, then paused, a devious smile curving her lips as she imagined placing an order for a cake that read “Happy Singles Day.”
Paige hit a button on her desk phone, and a moment later Sammy was standing in the doorway. “You rang?”
“You could have just answered the intercom,” she said.
“And miss out on a chance to add a few steps?” He held up his arm to reveal the ever-present Fitbit he wore wrapped around his left wrist. He was always on her to purchase one, telling her how they could have challenges. And while a part of her feared her competitive streak would have her walking laps around the office building, another part of her knew she spent far too much time in front of her computer. Maybe she would add one of the blasted devices to her packing list. Beaches were a great place to walk and think and kick your assistant’s ass in a virtual race.
“Do me a favor and pick me up one of those tracking devices while you’re at lunch today.” She delighted in the look of utter shock that crossed Sammy’s face, knowing full well that what she was about to say next would have his jaw hitting the floor.
Paige leaned back in her chair. “And clear my schedule for next week,” she said as her assistant’s mouth popped open. “I’m taking a vacation.”
Chapter 2
Lucas Croft knew when he was being played, which was why he would have bet his last dollar on the fact that the woman sitting across from him was about to hit him with a whopper. Lucky for her, they shared the same DNA.
“Are you going to get to the point, or will there be more chitchat first?” he said.
His little sister’s hazel eyes grew wide, but her feigned shock was no match for experience. Ever since they were kids, she’d been roping him into her crazy plans. He’d figured she would eventually outgrow it, but seeing as she’d just celebrated what she referred to as her twenty-ninth trip around the sun, that was looking less and less likely.
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know you’re up to something, Smalls. Why don’t you save us both the warm-up and just spit it out.”
Her face scrunched up like she’d just sucked on the lemon dangling off the side of her herbal tea. “You know I hate that nickname.”
“And you know I hate being dragged into your plans.” Despite his best efforts to the contrary, Lucas couldn’t help the smirk of amusement that tugged at the corner of his mouth. His sister might have been a complete pain in the ass, but her heart was always in the right place. Still, her ideas were usually a little eccentric and, if they involved him, often downright wacko. Like the time when she was seven and he was ten and she hatched a plan for them to run off to Antarctica to save some rare breed of penguin. He’d been grounded for a month over that one! Or when she convinced him to help her turn the old fire station into a used bookstore. The long nights painting the walls had been bad enough, but lugging all those books was worse than even the most punishing day in the gym. Although to be fair, that idea had actually turned out fairly well. After five years, Blazing Books was staying afloat, which was more than he could say for his own business venture.
Sophie lifted her chin in defiance. “Maybe I just wanted to see my big brother. Ever think of that, Mr. Smarty Pants?” Between her size—five foot two on a good day—and her pixie haircut, his sister was always being mistaken for a college student. Her insults, on the other hand, were one hundred percent middle school.
Lucas’s smirk widened into a full-on grin. “You expect me to believe you closed the bookstore for an hour in the middle of the day just because you felt the overwhelming urge to buy your brother a blueberry muffin and a shot of espresso?”
She squirmed in her seat, a surefire tell if there ever was one. “I know they’re your favorite. Besides, Maddie loves this place.”
On instinct, Lucas’s gaze shifted to where his four-year-old daughter was busy drawing rainbows on a pint-sized chalkboard. As usual, she’d assembled the three stuffed animals that accompanied her most everywhere into a makeshift classroom. Lord only knew what she was teaching them today, but whatever it was had her smiling, and that was all that mattered despite the fact that they were a motley crew of fluff. There was Floppy, a long-eared rabbit from her very first Easter basket who was now missing his cotton tail; Stanley, half an avocado with a smiley face that was a gift from who else but the dork currently seated across from him; and a well-loved, pink-and-white teddy bear named Stinky. His name wasn’t actually Stinky, but that’s what Lucas had vowed to call him until Maddie relented and allowed the bear to take a bath in the “spinning machine.”
“No fair using the kid to get you off the hot seat.” He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. “Now spill. What are you up to?”
“Okay, fine.” Sophie looked down, fiddling with the spoon, the napkin, the lemon—anything to keep from meeting his stare. “I may have reactivated the listing on the rental site.”
Cute little sister or not, she had no right to reactivate the listing on his now-dormant bed-and-breakfast. It might have been his business, at least at one point, but it was also his home. This was crossing the line, even for her.