Page 71 of The Romance Game

We all nod.

“He’s not Carlos, which was our grandfather’s name. His actual name is Chip Junior McGregor.”

“Which explains a lot,” Royal teases.

“At least my name isn’t Royal who thinks he’s sovereign,” CJ says.

Ever the equalizer, Magnus picks up reading where our little brother left off. “The Junk goes to Magnus. The Sloop, to Ryan. How are things coming over there?”

I shake my head slowly, exhausted at the thought of the scope of the project. “It’s a disaster.”

“It’s true. There’s hardly a roof. The floor is rotted. I’m surprised the walls are still standing. Pretty much everything inside is in shambles, broken, or covered in crud,” Harley says.

I scramble to my feet. “But we found something. I can’t believe I didn’t tell you all sooner. I don’t know if it’s?—”

“What is it?” they all ask.

I pat my pockets, trying to find it then tap the air with my finger. “The diaper bag.”

“You found a dirty diaper?” Royal asks.

I take the fragment out of the Velcro pocket. “No, we found this.” I go on to tell them about the map mural behind the mirror.

Smoothing it on the table, everyone takes turns studying it. Royal nods at Isla and she digs through her purse before producing another piece they found on the resort property. Magnus reveals the third Lally pinched off the Dark Seas. We piece them together like a puzzle and sure enough, they fit.

It’s as if everyone in the room collectively holds their breath.

“We’re only missing one section,” CJ says heavily as if it rests on his shoulders to find the final section.

“Any ideas where it might be?” I ask.

We speculate, but no one has a strong lead.

Magnus continues to read the will, “Chip left the Galleon and the entire Driftwood property to Royal, where he found a part ofthe map and you found one amongst the rubble of the Sloop. And according to the will, CJ gets anything left that floats. Maybe the other piece of the map is...” he trails off because anything that floats could, well, be anything.

“Anything that floats,” Royal repeats, then picks up where Magnus left off on the will. “The youngest would sooner dive than the shallowest go deep. But neither will find what they seek without the strongest softening and the cleverest humbling.”

“It’s safe to say we’re all a work in progress.” I swiftly move past that because I resent Chip naming me the shallowest. I prefer the flirtiest or the most athletic, thank you very much.

“Since we’re taking turns, you’re up, Ry,” Magnus says.

Clearing my throat, I read, “Start on the eighteenth. Avoid the sand. Seek her with all your heart and might. Bring your wits. You’ll need them and each other.”

“We started on the eighteenth,” Royal says.

“Mini golf course,” Isla adds for those who weren’t aware.

I continue, “If each of my grandsons answers the following questions, the family fortune will be theirs to do with as they wish. If even one of them fails, the funds and all properties on the island, including the Driftwood, go to Gerome Glandman.”

Royal scrubs his hand through his hair. “I still don’t understand why he did that. Glandman of all people.” He turns to Harley and me. “Talk about frenemies. They were the worst. More like bitter rivals. They despised each other.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that. Do you think it might be possible that their rivalry drove the other to strive harder, be better, and achieve more?” I ask.

Royal shakes his head. “We all know that Glandman’s business practices were shady.”

“Who’s to say Chip’s weren’t?” I ask.

“You’re talking about our grandfather,” Magnus warns.

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