Page 69 of For the Promise

“What do you mean? You’ve lived here all your life. You must realize how charming this place is.”

“Charming? There’s a seal who thinks it’s a road stop.”

I gasp. “Don’t you dare make fun of Sammy the seal.”

“And there are a ton of holiday celebrations with unique and often strange customs,” he continues.

“You better not be dissingThe Smuggler’s Gauntlet.It was awesome.” I grin. “And we won.”

“And let’s not forgetMermaid Karaoke.”

I wave a hand in dismissal. “Mermaid Karaokedoesn’t bother me. Let them have fun, I say. They’re not harming anyone.”

His brow furrows. “You really like the island?”

“Um, yeah. I chose to live here.”

He checks the time. “You better start getting ready. The wedding’s in two hours.”

I groan. “I’ve peopled enough today. Can we skip the wedding?”

He frowns at me. “Peopled enough today? But you love people.”

“There’s a limit to how much I enjoy people.”

“Do you want to skip the wedding because you still have feelings for Alan?”

“I’m sorry.” I pretend to clean my ears. “I must be going deaf because you did not just accuse me of still having feelings for Alan.”

“I wouldn’t use the term accuse.”

I jump off the bed and stomp over to him. “I do not have feelings for that man.” I poke his chest. “Do. You. Understand?”

He captures my hand and lays it against his chest. His shirt is soaked, allowing me to feel his defined muscles. And now I want to skip the wedding for an entirely different reason. A dirty, sweaty, get naked reason.

“You don’t want to avoid the wedding because of him?”

I roll my eyes. “Are you serious? I could have said no to his wedding invitation. But I didn’t. I don’t run away from my problems.”

“But you don’t want to attend the wedding. I’m confused.”

My brow wrinkles. “You’re an introvert. How can you be confused about me not wanting to people anymore today?”

“You’re not an introvert.”

“Doesn’t mean I always want to spend time with people.”

He studies me for a few seconds before nodding. “Okay. We’ll say I got sunburned and am too unwell to attend.”

I rake my gaze over his tanned figure. “Except Alan has met you and knows you’re already tan.”

“Let me think.” He taps his foot as he tries to come up with another excuse.

“It’s okay. We came here for the wedding. We’re going to the wedding. I was just being a whiner.”

“You are not a whiner.”

I giggle. “I’ve got you fooled.”

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