Page 26 of The Man with the Knot

I blink a few times. “A fisherman?” I repeat. “Like, on a boat?”

Brax grins broadly. “Yes, on a boat. I catch for the local market primarily. It works for me—I enjoy the physical labor, and like I said, I always prefer to be next to or in the water.”

“But your home is so…fancy.”

“Ah,” he interrupts. “Well, I wasn’t kidding when I told you that we own the island. The council has several sources of income, of which one is La Mirage, actually.”

I squint.

“How so?”

He shrugs.

“We receive payouts from the resort. In return for letting them build their fancy resort here, they pay us money.”

“You mean, rent?”

“Like rent,” he acknowledges. “They fork over a huge sum each year for the privilege. In return, we ask that they ensure that their guests stay within the boundaries of the resort. We don’t want to mix.”

“Because of your bulges.”

“Yes,” Brax acknowledges, inclining his head. “And for other reasons too. We find it’s better not to engage with tourists because we have different lifestyles and values. The girls appreciate it too.”

“I bet,” I murmur.

“But La Mirage is what it is,” Brax continues. “In my day to day, I’m a fisherman.”

I stare at this handsome man, trying to grapple with this new piece of information and how it fits into his wild, nature-loving personality.

“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met,” I blurt out. But I’m hardly embarrassed by the confession— there’s truth to my words, and I want Brax to know just how much I like him.

He chuckles with good humor. “The same goes for you, Morgan. I still can’t believe you stumbled onto this island, of all the places in the world.”

I feel my breath catch, in that fluttery way that makes me excited and nervous and eager all at once. I didn’t know if manifesting an incredible man would actually work. And now that he’s here, I don’t know if I could ever stand to leave him.

“Would you… would you ever consider visiting me?” I ask him, searching his face as I speak. “When I leave Mirago and return to New York?”

Brax winces and stares off into the darkness where the sea meets the land.

“I can’t make that promise, Morgan,” he responds quietly.

“I know,” I whisper back, wishing I hadn’t asked the question.

He turns back to look at me, his expression unreadable.

“Let’s focus on tonight,” Brax suggests calmly. “Let’s just enjoy the here and now, okay? I’m having dinner with a beautiful woman who’s charming, gorgeous, and altogether irresistible. What’s not to like?”

I raise my champagne flute and smile as brightly as I can, even though inside, my heart already feels like it’s breaking.

“Of course. To the here and now.”

But is this actually the end of us? A few more days of sun and sand, and then the curtain closes? Tears come to my eyes, even as I smile bravely into the knowing eyes of the man across from me.

9

Morgan

Brax and I somehow hold true to our promise: for the rest of the night, we manage to keep our conversation focused on the present. We banter, we flirt, we laugh. We order a lavish dinner of seafood and local veggies. We share a decadent coconut dessert.

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