Page 11 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

I had that, I realized, or I sort of did. I reached in my pocket for my little fold of paper, the page from my notepad where Brad had written his references. I could start out by calling them, then go from there. Move Brad into Mom’s room. Get his first and last months’ rent. That would buy me some breathing space, a few days to think.

I closed my eyes for a moment, finding my calm. Brad wasn’t what I’d pictured when I thought of a lodger. A man in the house… would he leave the toilet seat up? Track mud all around? I couldn’t picture it somehow. He’d seemed neat, well-groomed. And Alice was right. He was distractingly good-looking. Maybe he’d walk around in just his gym shorts…

I cut off that train of thought with a shaky chuckle. And pulled out my phone to dial his first reference.

This was what Mom would do. Whatever she had to.

CHAPTER 5

SAM

Haverford smelled good. Better than Boston. I’d been noticing that since I set foot on the island, the aroma of fried food at the bazaar. The tang of fresh herbs outside Soup and a Bread Bowl. The flowers everywhere, the breeze off the ocean. Everything smelled good — good, clean, and wholesome. Every breath made me want to get up and move. To go exploring. I got to my feet.

I’d been sitting around my B&B maybe twenty minutes, checking my phone for updates from Lana. Of course, she wouldn’t have decided already. I hoped she would soon. This place was expensive.

I headed outside and picked a random direction, no destination, no mission, just seeing the sights. Normally, when I traveled, I’d go where the action was, the nightclubs, the parties, places to eat. But I was on a budget now, and far from the hustle. I wasn’t sure Haverford even had any nightclubs. Beach clubs, maybe, but the kind that took membership. And I wouldn’t be offered that, showing up as Brad.

No, this was a quiet place. Pleasant and simple. Which left me with the question, what did people do here? Obviously they worked, and they had families, but what about after work? Where did they go? I’d seen a small golf course, but that, too, looked private. What did the locals do? The regular townsfolk?

I came to the beach and wandered along it, pausing to strip off my shoes and socks. Sand kept getting into them, itching my toes. It was better barefoot on the warm sand, and even better wading in the surf. The water was icy, but I found it bracing. I breathed in the salt spray, the rich scent of kelp. Soon, I spotted a pier jutting into the ocean, two tiny figures poised halfway down. Fishermen, maybe, or fellow tourists. One of them waved at me, and I waved back. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I grabbed for it. Lana?

Enjoying your vacation?

Not Lana. Dad.

Not to question your choices, but Haverford? Really?

I pressed my lips together. Of course he’d kept tabs on me. And of course he had to get in his two cents.

It’s gorgeous, I texted, just to annoy him. Joined the beach club already. Going for a swim!

Ha. Very funny.

I muted his text alerts and dropped my phone in my pocket. The last thing I needed was Dad in my ear. What I needed was… to walk out to the end of that pier. Stand at land’s end with the wind in my face.

I made it as far as the two men I’d spotted, not tourists but fishermen. Definitely locals. I could tell by how they greeted me when I drew near, one calling out to me, the other one waving.

“Nice day for it,” I said, nodding at their cooler.

“We’ve caught a few. You here for the fishing?” The one who’d called out reeled in his line. He adjusted his tackle and cast it back out.

“Been a while since I’ve fished,” I said. “Since I was a kid.”

The two men exchanged glances, deep consternation. I put them in their sixties, young retirees.

“I’m Rex,” said the first one. “And this here’s Chester.”

“Brad.” I stuck out my hand, but Rex shook his head.

“I better not shake with you. My hands are all fishy.”

“He must be that carpenter,” said Chester. “From the bazaar. Did you see Margie’s table yet?”

Rex laughed. “Not yet. But I’ll see it Sunday. We’re all headed over there, bringing the grandkids.”

“Want to try your hand at it?” Chester held up his pole. It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me.

“What, try fishing?”

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