Page 63 of Stick Move

“Are we going to the park tomorrow?” Camryn asks. “I want to tell Becky about Mabel.” She claps her hands. “I bet she will love her too.”

“I bet she will,” I respond with a big smile, even though the thought of hanging out with Julie and Gemma doesn’t sit well. They were kind enough last time, but I sensed underlying hostility. And to think I have to set a date to bring Camryn over to play. I might have to have a few drinks before I can sit through an afternoon with a woman who wanted to be Camryn’s new mommy, and Noah’s…wife.

Our food comes, and we dig into our nuggets and fries. Camryn devours her first one quickly and follows it with a drink and oddly enough the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, like someone is watching me. I slowly turn my head, but the guests at the tables are all in conversation, and I don’t see anyone watching. I shake off the odd feeling and continue eating. Once we’re done, I pay and we start toward the beach. Camryn stops abruptly.

“I forgot my water wings.”

“Oh, no worries, we’ll just run back and get them.”

I turn around on the path and we head to the house. I slide my key into the lock and it opens easily. Wait, was it even locked. Shoot, it’s not like me to forget to lock the doors. Camryn rushes up the stairs, and I hurry behind her, but when I reach the landing and look to the left, I see that the door to my wing is open, and I’m one hundred percent sure I closed it before we left.

The hairs on the back of my neck lift once again. “Camryn,” I say quietly, and she turns toward me. From the look on my face, she knows something is wrong, because she goes completely still. With my heart racing, I put her tiny body behind me, and inch back as I pull my phone from my beach bag, ready to call the police. I try to remain calm as I slowly walk backward, desperate to get inside Noah’s wing and lock the door. I don’t want to rush and frighten her, but I need to protect her from whoever broke into my place.

Before I can reach Noah’s door I see movement behind mine, and I gasp as Allan walks by. What the ever-loving hell is he doing in my place.

“Get out,” I seethe, and that’s when he walks back to my door, and widens it. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I saw you in the restaurant. You were gone before I could say hello. I thought I’d find you here.”

“So, you let yourself in.” I hold out my hand. “Give me back the key.” God, in all the aftermath of Dad’s death, Allan leaving me, and selling the resort, it didn’t even occur to me that he still had a key to my place.

“Nice ring,” he mocks taking a step toward me. “That didn’t take long.”

“Who are you?” Camryn asks.

He smiles at her, in that charming way that drew me in all those years ago. “I’m Brighton’s boyfriend,” he says.

I bend to meet Camryn’s eyes, not wanting her involved in any of this. “Why don’t you run into your room and get your water wings? I’ll see Allan out and then we can go to the beach.”

“Okay.” She turns and darts away, and I slowly rise and face off against my ex.

“You need to leave.”

He stands firm and crosses his arms, a smirk on his face. “What are you up to, Brighton?”

“I’m up to calling the police if you don’t leave in the next three seconds.”

He snorts out a derisive laugh and I wonder what I’d ever seen in him. “You can’t possibly think Noah Jones is into you.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“It’s true that you’re his maid now?” He laughs, and it’s a sound made to make me feel small and insignificant.

“I’m Camryn’s nanny,” I blurt out, and instantly hate myself for telling him that much.

“Oh, since when do nannies wear hot little French maid outfits.”

Anger floods my veins as my blood pressure jumps from simmer to inferno. “You went in my closet?” How dare he!

He holds his hands up and palms out, feigning innocence. “I saw it when I walked by, looking for you, of course.” He chuckles. “He makes you wear that?”

I’m so angry I’m sure steam is going to start seeping out of my ears. “Leave.”

“Come on, Brighton. You can’t be in love with that guy. What was it your crowd called him? Crater Skater. What are you really up to here?” He cocks his head, like he just had an epiphany. “Wait, maybe it’s Crater who’s up to something. Payback, maybe.”

My heart stalls as deep worries rise to the surface to haunt me. “It’s not like that.”

“No, of course it’s not,” he jokes. “Then maybe you’re going to marry him to get the resort back. Ah, now there’s a plan I can get behind.” He glances around. “You know, I’ve always loved this place.”

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