“Oh, bloody hell. Trade you, Sam.” Zane holds out his rock.
“Not a chance.” I slide the smooth stone into my shorts pocket. “How can I serve you, my queen?”
Haley clasps her hand over her face. She’s shaking her head. “Oh, I...”
“We could all have done that.” Dante grimaces. “Heck, I do that every?—”
“Shut it,” Calvin says.
When I see how red Haley’s turning, Easton’s point is evident. If he’d plopped a crown on the top of her head and declared her island queen, she’d freeze up. She might even with just me. She’s used to being the one to solve the problems, even after we’ve all shown her how much she means to us. Yeah.
“In fact, leave them alone. I need your help.” Calvin walks toward the stream.
“Who are you talking to?” Easton asks.
“Everyone but Sam and Haley. Move.” He gestures.
“Hold up here. We’re notyourservants,” Dante protests, but he walks down the path with Easton and Zane after Calvin.
“Now, how can I be of service, my lady?” I ask.
“I want to weave a new mat for the living platform?—”
I cut her off. “No work. Just relaxing.”
“But what if I want to?” she asks.
“Then think of how much fun you’ll have tomorrow. Why don’t I make you a glass of wine? And set you up with a chair on the beach, and you can read.”
“I’ve read that book four times.”
“You can pretend to read while you nap. Then I can wash your hair for you.”
“Oh, that part sounds nice. Do you think you could cut it?”
“Cut it?” I’m being such a guy—I see how much work it is. “Sure, I will promise to do my best.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
I shrug. “A straight line, I can do.”
“That’s all I want. Just a few inches.” She laughs. “You should have seen the look on your face. What did you think I wanted you to give me—a pixie cut?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Never. I have the weirdest-shaped head. In all my baby pictures, I have a hat on. It’s really like a cone or a bullet. Horrible.” Her eyes flick to the sky and back to me. “Just a trim.”
“What were you thinking there?”
“It’s nothing. My ex. I’m trying to reprogram myself from all the things he said to me over the years.”
“Yes, he was not only an ass but a fool. Your head is a lovely shape.”
“Right.” She crosses her arms over her chest.
“Now sit. I’ll open a bottle of wine.”
“Are you sure? Maybe we should wait.”
