Page 33 of The Pretender

Harris didn’t even try to hide his disappointment at not being alone. “Shit.”

The rumble of noise whirled to a stop when Kramer shut off the trimmer. “You screwed up last night, son.”

Apparently everyone knew he slept alone. Harris really hated the island. “Excuse me?”

Kramer nodded in the direction of his son. “Ted saw you racing out of the guesthouse with your clothes in your hands.”

“It’s hard to get privacy around here.” A man couldn’t even fuck up his sex life without everyone running up to talk about it.

It was bad enough he’d had to sneak into the main house last night to sleep. Damon almost shot him from the top of the stairs. Now this. Harris preferred to take his chances with the gun.

“Whelp.” Kramer set the trimmer down on the path. “I’m thinking we need to talk.”

Ted rolled his eyes as he sat up straight. “Dad.”

With his elbow balanced on the porch railing, Kramer eyed up Harris. “No, Mr. Tate here—”

“You can call me Harris since you’re about to walk all over my personal life.”

“—needs to understand a few things.” Kramer glared, as if daring Harris to say no.

Harris almost let the temptation to walk away win. “Go ahead.”

“Gabby is off-limits.”

That was it. Kramer dropped that little threat bomb and stood there with one eyebrow lifted and the dare still lingering from his defiant tone.

“And?” Harris asked, knowing he would regret not dropping the conversation.

“That’s it. One thing. Don’t touch her.” Kramer nodded and picked up the Weedwacker again.

“He’s overprotective when it comes to the Wright family,” Ted said.

Kramer jumped right on the end of his son’s comment. “And there’s only one family member left, so I plan on making sure no one messes with her.”

“I’m not going to...” Kramer turned on the trimmer and the buzzing sound drowned out anything else Harris might have said. When he held up a hand in mock surrender, Kramer flipped it off again and stared at Harris. “I get it. You work for her. You’re loyal.”

“You don’t understand a thing.” Kramer shook his head. “The Wrights weren’t like that.”

“Like what?”

“Dad.” Ted got up and stood beside his father. “That’s probably enough.”

The conversation had just gotten interesting. No way was Harris ready to drop it now. “Tell me.”

“Nah, Ted’s right. You’re not worth it.” Kramer turned his back on Harris and followed the hedge away from the door.

He wanted to end the talk? Fine, but Harris wasn’t about to let this be a one-sided battle. “Okay, you’ve had your say. Now I’ll have mine.”

Kramer looked at Harris over the hedge. “I don’t remember making that deal.”

“Gabby is a grown woman. Whatever happens between us is none of your business.”

“Tough talk,” Kramer mumbled under his breath.

Ted winced. “She did seem upset at breakfast this morning. She didn’t specifically say anything, but she wasn’t very talkative.”

“Is that where she’s been going every morning?” Harris figured she walked around the island or spent an hour dreaming up ways to drown him without anyone knowing.

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