Page 25 of Wanting a Family Man

At least she would see Storm every week, she consoled herself. But now that she had a minute to absorb what she’d agreed to, she wondered what she might owe Trystan in return.

She eyed him as they walked, still in awe of him. She had met celebrities at the night clubs Ivan had frequented, but they’d always seemed sleazy or self-involved. Trystan’s off-camera personality was a lot like it was online, unruffled and observant, but he was also very relaxed and casual around his family. Maybe the fact he was always alone on screen made seeing him with people seem revealing, but Cloe felt privileged to witness his trash-talking his brothers and being affectionate with Storm and Biyen.

Why was he going to so much trouble forher, though? His brothers had only thawed half of one degree toward her. At one point, Cloe had overheard Logan ask Trystan a quietly disbelieving, “And you saidyes?” She was certain it had been about this arrangement of her working for him. She hadn’t heard Trystan’s reply, but it was clear all of them thought she was very much on probation.

They reached theStorm Ridgeand Trystan stepped aboard. He leaned down to grasp her arm, pulling her up in that effortless way that made her feel as though she had caught flight.

“Thank you.” Cloe grappled for the handhold, overwhelmed all over again by his size and casual strength. “It’s really nice of you to make it possible for me to stay here. I really appreciate it.” She didn’t dwell on how it made her feel like a huge charity case.

“I’m not being nice.” He tapped the keypad and opened the door. “You’re Storm’s aunt. Unless you prove otherwise, Storm has every right to have you in her life so we’re making it happen.”

Oof.Nothing personal, then.

Which shouldn’t bother her.It doesn’t, she insisted to herself. She didn’t expect him to feel anything toward her but basic respect. He didn’t have to like her or do her special favors. In fact, she knew where those sorts of favors led and really didn’t want to owe any man anything.

She only wished she had a friend in this otherwise hostile and unfamiliar territory. At least now it was clear she was more obligation to him than anything else. That was disheartening but fine.

“I still appreciate it,” she murmured. “I’ll just put my laundry away.”

She walked down to the stern to unpack her things into the drawer beneath her bunk. Why did that feel so significant? Sogood? This wasn’t her home. It wouldn’t last.

As emotional as she suddenly was, she was tempted to stay here in her cabin, hiding, but it wasn’t even eight thirty. She made herself walk back to the saloon.

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.

“Read the safety manual?” he suggested, withdrawing a three-ring binder from a pocket on the wall.

She came across to take it and opened it on the island. The first page was a map. Trystan traced a route on the page.

“We go clockwise around King Island. TheStorm Frontgoes counterclockwise. That way we cross paths a couple of times. It’s fun for the guests to compare notes and I can check with the other crew to make sure everything is running smoothly. We have interpretive walks here and here”—he pointed—“hosted by Indigenous youth.”

“Oh? I would have thought—Er. I guess you can’t do everything, can you?”

He moved back a step as she looked up at him, but he still felt really close. She practically sensed the heat off his body. His chest and shoulders seemed really wide. She was struck again by how tall he was.

“I was going to say I would have thought you would do those walks because you’re good at guiding people along, teaching as you go. I’ve seen your show.” She dipped her chin and shoved her gaze back onto the page. “Is that weird?”

“Not really.” He retreated another step and crossed his arms. “It’s how I make my living so, thanks for watching.” He sounded facetious. “It’s weirder that itishow I make my living. And yeah, sometimes it’s weird to meet a fan, mostly because when I’m filming, I’m alone. I forget that anyone watches it. By the time an episode comes out, a year or more might have passed. People will come up to me and say, ‘That snake last week really freaked me out,’ and I’m like, ‘What snake?’”

“The one that jump scares me every time I watch the South America season!” she accused, then blushed as she realized she was revealing herself to be more than a casual fan. “That snake really doesn’t haunt you?”

“Nah, I have the memory of a golden retriever for stuff like that.”

“Ha!” She couldn’t help laughing, partly because that was the last animal she would compare him to. He was a wolf or a mountain lion, comfortable in his position at the top of the food chain, not waiting for his kibble to be served in a plastic bowl.

The corners of his mouth kicked up in response, and the way he gazed at her from the screen of his spiky lashes made heat unfurl in her belly.

Her amusement dwindled and she asked curiously, “Is your show the reason you aren’t taking custody of Storm yourself? Or is it because you’re not married?”

The way his eyebrows went up made her realize how personal her question was.

“I’m sorry.” Now her cheeks were on fire again, this time with embarrassment. “Have you heard the termparasocial relationship? I’m acting like I know you because I’ve watched your show. I really didn’t have much to do between court appearances.Never Alonewas a comfort watch because it made me feel closer to Storm. Otherwise, I cycled throughMoesha,Pose, and any romcom completely lacking in serious conflict.”

“It’s okay.” He shifted to brace his hips against the front of the sink and gripped the back of his neck. “I’m embarrassed to admit how reluctant we all were to take custody of her. None of us could imagine becoming a single parent, and trust me”—he swung his hand forward to forestall her stating the obvious—“it’s been pointed out to us by every woman we know that women have unplanned pregnancies all the time. We are not special.”

“It’s true,” she murmured, absently aligning the pages in the book against the rings that held them.

“Emma would have taken Storm in a heartbeat. She made that clear from the jump, but she’s not a resident of Canada. Even so, we saw right away that she was the best moth—adoptive mom for Storm.” He scratched his eyebrow with his thumbnail. “I imagine it’s hard to see Em with her when you want it to be your sister holding her.”

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