Page 23 of So Close

The rest of the guests had, of course, noticed the misfit in their midst, and were eyeing him like a cat in a dog park. Everyone else was in some variation of beachwear—bathing suits and coverups, shorts and Ts, capris and Ts—or in the fishermen’s cases, coveralls and tanks. One of the fishermen gave Trey a thorough once over, while the other glared daggers at both of them.

Auburn bit her lip to hide a smile.

She sidled up to him. “Put your phone away, Xavier.”

“You didn’t specify that in the deal. You said I had to come to breakfast, not that I had toparticipate inbreakfast.”

She couldn’t detect even a note of teasing. Was it possible he was serious? Yes, given what she knew of him, it was. He was going to split every hair in their agreement and drive her nuts. Maybe he even thought he’d get her to back down that way.

“You agreed that you’d do my activities the way I wanted them done, and that you’d be polite to the other people present. It’s rude to be on your phone at the table.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but after a moment he shrugged and tucked the phone away. “I thought you wanted me to like Beachcrest. Making me put my phone away when I’m trying to do important business isn’t going to accomplish your goal. And—speaking of doing business, you might want to give some thought to the comfort of your business guests—which is just about everyone these days. The room you’ve got me in is not well set up. The desk’s too small, there aren’t enough outlets or charging stations, and the Wi-Fi drops constantly.”

“Noted.”

She didn’t show her anxiety, but getting Trey to slip out of business mode and into vacation mode was starting to feel like an insurmountable task. You could lead a horse to water, but you couldn’t make it drink … you could lead a grumpy businessman to breakfast …

But you couldn’t make him eat it, apparently. And if he wouldn’t taste her food—she was definitely at a disadvantage. “You haven’t touched your plate.”

“I ate my eggs.”

“And left your biscuit, fruit, and bacon.”

“Indeed,” he said.

“Is that the diet you’re on? Avoid anything that would give you pleasure?”

His eyes met hers, dark and ravenous, and she immediately regretted her words. “I wouldn’t saythat.”

Her stomach took a dive. “So what’s the deal?” She gestured at his mostly untouched plate.

“I don’t eat carbs. Or gluten.”

“Ofcourseyou don’t. What about the bacon?”

“Fat. Nitrates.”

Deja, Lindsey, and Aria reached across the table and helped themselves to a slice each. “Don’t mind if we do,” Aria said. “Oh, wow. That is seriously good bacon. Smoky. Crispy.”

Auburn caught the hunger as it moved across Trey’s face, as quick as a flash of lightning. So he was restrained, but he still wanted the things he deprived himself of. Interesting.

She’d love to see him eat. Like, really eat. And not just because she was a damn good cook and food was the best tool she had to make someone fall in love with Beachcrest. But because, well, it would be satisfying to watch him indulge.

All his appetites, a little voice whispered.

Shut up, she whispered back.

“Thesebiscuits,” Lindsey said, leaning across the table with hers in hand. “You’ve got to take a bite. A few carbs won’t kill you.”

He eyed his biscuit like it might leap up and corrupt him, then picked it up almost gingerly.

“You have to butter it,” Auburn said. It hurt her heart to see her biscuits eaten without plenty of hot melting butter and—preferably—lots of strawberry jam. Although she wasn’t going to push her luck on the jam.

He glared at her.

“What? Butter is good for you now. I just read an article about it.”

“Food fads,” he muttered, but he took a bite.

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