Page 9 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Dom nodded before turning his attention back to Vica, Wyatt, and Bennett.

“Let’s go down to the beach,” the drunk blond guy slurred.

“Nope. Beach is off-limits tonight,” Bennett said.

“What? Why?” the guy asked, a tinge of frustration in his tone.

“Because I said so,” Bennett countered.

“Beach is under renovation,” Wyatt said, determined to cut the growing tension. “We’re upgrading the sand and seaweed. Adding more rocks, removing some barnacles, and just making it more customer friendly.”

“Oh!” The guy smiled. “That’s mighty cool of your guys.” His grin grew. “Have a great night. And good luck with the renovations. I just redid my bathroom, and it was a nightmare. But I know a good tiling guy if you’re interested.”

“Thanks, but I think we’re good.” Wyatt resisted the urge to snort. There was a reason he was back of the house in the kitchen. He made fun of drunk people way too much. Sarcasm was one of his core values, and he could never resist taking the piss out of an inebriated fool who needed a reality check and a bit of ego shrinking. Dom had way more patience for those kind people, which was why he was front of the house.

The drunk crew of five headed to one of the few remaining vehicles in the parking lot and Wyatt was pretty sure he heard the drunk blond guy ask one of his friends, “Why would you renovate a beach?”

“Why would you need a tile guy for a beach?” his friend asked.

Then they all erupted into laughter as they piled into a Subaru SUV, the woman behind the wheel.

Wyatt devoted all his attention to Vica again. “We want to help you. How can we help? What can we do?”

She was still shaking her head. “Pinch me so I wake up,” she said, more to the trees than any of them standing there.

“You’re going into shock,” Bennett said. “Come into the pub and sit down.”

Vica shook her head. “N—no. I … I can’t be here. I need to go.”

“The ferries have finished for the night, but we can take you to the first terminal for the first sailing in the morning,” Dom said. “In the meantime, you’re welcome to stay here. The cabins are all booked but—”

“You can stay with me,” Wyatt offered quickly, causing his two brothers to hike their eyebrows to their hairlines and look at him like he’d just sprouted another head.

“Bennett,” Justine called from the beach. “A little help, please.”

Bennett gave Wyatt a strange look, nodded at Vica, then headed back to help his woman.

What kind of help Justine needed when the guy was dead, Wyatt didn’t quite know, but he wasn’t a doctor, so …

“Do we need to call the police?” Vica asked, her eyes darting around the parking lot.

They all stepped out of the way so the Subaru with the five friends could exit. The blond guy had his window down and was preparing to say something.

Wyatt braced himself for some serious profundity.

“You know, bro, I don’t know why you’d need a tile guy for the beach. I honestly don’t even think you need to renovate it. Let Mother Nature just be her sexy, natural self.” He smirked. “I mean, trim the bushes now and then, but I’m a man who appreciates au naturel, if you know what I mean.” He leered a little at Vica and that instantly made Wyatt’s body heat up and he stepped upto block her from the man’s view.

“Best get your drunk friend home,” Dom said to the driver. “Before he says somethingreallystupid.”

“On it,” the woman said before accelerating and leaving her friend’s response but an indecipherable howl on the breeze.

“The police have already been called,” Dom said. “Bennett called them. They should be here shortly. But we know them. Myla and Everett are really great. We’ll explain the situation to them, and Justine will call Grayson Malone to bring his body-moving van or something.”

A moment later, Bennett returned. “I gotta get some sheets,” he said, taking off toward the small outbuilding that served as Bennett’s office.

Headlights flashed up ahead toward the main road.

Probably the cops.

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