Page 97 of A Real Good Bad Thing

“That’s miserable.” He stopped at a light and looked at me. “You should take this one.”

I laughed, but his serious gaze said he wasn’t joking. “Eli, I can’t take your car.”

He tutted. “I have another one. There’s no sense in you being miserable.” The light changed and we cruised along, the ocean hugging the road on one side.

I thought about driving in these temps with no air-conditioning and yielded without much of a fight. “Thanks. I’ll take good care of it.”

At the club, Eli parked out front and went to the office for his extra keys. I leaned against the passenger door and didn’t have to wait for long. The security guy opened the door for Eli, who came out, accompanied by Nigel—snake tattoo guy. He’d been at Willow’s gallery party too.

My spine shivered and I stepped away from the car.

“Ruby,” said Eli, “I want you to meet Nigel Harris. He manages this club like a pro.” He clapped the inked-up man on the back. “I would have introduced you earlier, but he was running some errands for me.”

Nigel offered a closed-mouthed smile and a hand to shake. Nerves storming through me, I took it, searching his brown eyes for any clue that he might be Mr. Smith.

“Good to meet you,” he said, clasping my hand longer than needed. “Heard a lot about you. Dive tours, right?”

“That’s right,” Eli said, stepping next to me and squeezing my shoulder.

“What are your favorite spots?” Nigel asked with a warm grin. “Turquoise Rock? Happy Turtle Cove?”

He lingered on that last one.

The little hairs on my arms stood on end. Happy Turtle was where I’d seen him the other day.

It was also the combination to my safe.

48

PIÑA COLADA THERAPY

Jake

When I returned to the hotel after a fruitless attempt at finding Monica at her store, Ruby was pulling into the parking lot in a gleaming black Audi rather than her Jeep.

“Nice wheels,” I said, arching an eyebrow. “Is this a replacement rental?”

“Eli loaned it to me,” she answered in a flat voice. She seemed tired and sad.

I’d seen her happy, and I’d seen her feisty. But I’d never seen Ruby Ashley listless. Energy and passion had always unfurled from her.

Until now.

I didn’t know what had happened—if her day had continued to frustrate her the way mine had frustrated me or if it was something else. So I gripped her shoulders and dropped a quick kiss onto her lips. “You need a piña colada and you need it stat.”

* * *

A hammock beckoned us, strung between two palm trees at the edge of the hotel pool, canopied by wide fronds that shaded the spot from the afternoon sun. The waves gently painted the shore, and the teenagers splashing in the hotel pool made a cheerful background.

“I amend my earlier prescription,” I said. “You need a drink and a hammock, and this has your name written all over it,” I said, holding a matching glass in each hand. When your woman was in a funk, sometimes you had to go all in on the tropical-drink therapy, complete with red paper umbrellas and swirly straws in each cup.

Ruby flopped into the rope hammock and held out one hand. “Drink. Now. Please.”

“One fruity, over-the-top drink at your service. The best medicine for a crappy day,” I said, handing her the beverage. She took a long, thirsty gulp, and I warned, “Careful of the brain freeze.”

“I honestly wouldn’t mind my brain being frozen right now. Then I could stop thinking.”

I joined her on the hammock so we were facing each other. “Talk to me. Tell me what happened. I know you’re bummed about the nuts,” I said.

---