Page 104 of The Romance Game

“Did you want more?” Magnus asks.

“Yeah.” Clips from the last weeks play through my mind like a video montage—our laughter, kissing, adventuring, time with Luke...

“You want more and that’s a problem because...?” Magnus trails off, leaving room for me to answer.

Royal does instead. “Because she’s stubborn. Sassy. This is Harley we’re talking about, guys. She’s always been trouble and always will be.”

Even though she broke up with me, I rush to her defense and tell them about the offer from the Riptide and her job up in Montgomerywanting her back.

“Sounds to me like you both got in your own way,” CJ says.

Magnus snorts. “More like in each other’s way.”

“It would be a major flex to be honest, tell her how you really feel,” CJ says as if that’s a novel idea.

“What did you tell her?” Royal asks as if hoping I gave her a good chewing out.

My shoulders lift in a shrug. “Nothing. Just that I understood.”

Magnus gets to his feet and paces. “You understood that you were both willing to put your careers before the relationship? You both want validation from a title given to you by a coach or a boss above what you mean to each other. That you place more value in your career than?—”

I pump my hands. “Okay, okay, I get it. What made you the relationship guru?”

Magnus rounds on me again. “Because I did the same thing for twenty years while I was in the military. I put mission before everything.”

“And we appreciate it. Someone needs to serve in the armed forces,” Royal says.

“And it worked out because along came Lally,” CJ adds.

“But it took me a long time to realize that, and I almost messed up things with her. Don’t want to see you do the same thing. Harley is a single mom. You, the least likely brother to do so, swept in and rose to the occasion, being available to her and the baby. You grew up.”

“But have you seen him play with Luke? He’s still a kid at heart,” CJ says.

“So, it was both of us,” I whisper, my mind waking up and my heart coming back to life.

Clapping his hands as if the intervention is over, Magnus says, “Enough of these feeling farts. We have work to do.”

My brothers laugh. Mine comes lightly.

“You’re going to fix things with Harley, but first, we have some matters to discuss. CJ says Chip wasn’tmurdered. But mentioned there were crimes. What were they? Against who? Why?” Magnus asks rapid fire.

“I’m still working that out. We do know that we’re not the only ones on the hunt for the crown. Captain J is on the trail too,” CJ says.

“Should we do something about that?” Magnus cuts his gaze.

“Like eliminate the competition?” Royal asks.

“We’re not committing any crimes. I’ve had enough screen time for one year,” I say, referring to the scandalous post-bachelor party posts.

“I wasn’t suggesting anything illegal,” Magnus says. “You’re an athlete. You should know there are acceptable strategies one can employ to win.”

I tip my head from side to side, taking in his point.

“Any progress on the blank page from the journal?”

Panic seizes me. So caught up in everything with Harley, I realize I haven’t seen the leather diary in days.

My twin, ever tapped into my state of being says, “Calm down. It’s in the safe.” He spins a wooden ship’s wheel mounted to the wall, then turns it in the other direction before one more turn to the left. From a recess in the wall, he removes the journal.

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