"And I'll talk to Grandma about a discount since I'm here too."
He didn't argue with that thankfully. I had a feeling Grandma was going to be excited about this development. I was sure she'd love it if I fell in love with an islander and moved here permanently.
But that wasn't going to happen. I'd only ever been here for a few months at a time. My life wasn't here. I had friends and a job in Jacksonville.
I ignored the voice that asked why I hadn't heard from them yet. I had a feeling everyone knew Flynn had been cheating on me, but no one would tell me. I didn't have proof; it was just this intuitive hit I'd gotten when I told my friends and they weren't surprised. In fact, a few of them looked guilty.
I wasn't ready to write off my old life. Why should Flynn get our apartment, our friends, and our city? Wouldn't that be letting him win?
"I have a feeling you won't have to worry about noise. She sleeps till noon and listens to music on her earbuds when she's awake."
"I'm not worried about that." I was worried about a host of other things, like how I'd survive sharing a bathroom with him. Then there was him cooking me breakfast and asking for my help with Hayden.
He'd only gotten more attractive over the years, and it wasn't just his defined muscles; it was his character and how badly he wanted to be a good father. But he wasn't looking for a fling any more than I was.
I was still healing from my ordeal with Flynn. I wasn't ready to jump into anything with someone new. Especially not someone I had a history with. It would be too easy to fall for him again when there was no way we could be together.
I finished eating, and he cleared my dishes, rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher. The gesture stood out to me because Flynn hadn't done any housework.
He wiped his hands on a towel. "If the offer still stands, I think I'm going for a run on the beach."
"Absolutely. I'm going to set up my computer by the pool before it gets too hot to sit outside." Then I remembered my offer to stay in my room. "Or I can work in my room."
"You can work wherever you want. This is your house too." He leveled me with a serious look. "Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome." My heart fluttered at his gratitude. I went back to my room to change, trying not to think about how he was in his room changing into workout clothes. I threw on a sundress and grabbed my laptop. Then I poured a fresh cup of coffee and sat at the table outside.
I had trouble focusing. I found myself staring at the water in the pool and listening for sounds of the beach. It was a little harder than I thought it would be to work here.
I'd much rather hunt for shells on the beach, but I promised Marshall I'd hang around the house in case Hayden woke up. She was old enough to be home alone, but this was a new place for her, and it was sweet that he worried about her.
I finally focused on my assignment and worked until Marshall came back. He wore a T-shirt and athletic shorts, sweat glistening on his golden skin. "I'm going to jump in the shower."
I swallowed hard. "I haven't seen Hayden yet, so you're good."
Marshall lifted the bottom of his shirt, wiping the sweat from his forehead. I watched, fascinated, as his abs contracted, and I wondered if they'd feel hard. I'd never been with anyone who took care of their body like this.
Even high-school Marshall didn't have those muscles. I wanted to be with this version, the full-grown man who surely knew how to make a woman feel good. We'd explored our sexuality together as teens, but I was confident he'd picked up even more skills since then.
"You good?" Marshall dropped the edge of his shirt, and my cheeks heated.
Had he noticed I'd been ogling him? "Of course."
A grin spread over his face that made me think he knew exactly what I'd been thinking. "I'll just be in the shower.”
The one in our shared bathroom. The one I'd just used that probably still smelled like me. Would he touch himself? I cleared my throat and abruptly stood. "I'm going to get something to drink."
He inclined his head toward my mug. "You have coffee."
"I need water," I croaked, moving past him, opening the slider. I grabbed a glass, filling it with ice and then water from the filter on the outside of the fridge.
Hayden's bedroom door opened, and she padded down the hall, her hair a mess, still in an oversized T-shirt and shorts.
"You want breakfast?" Marshall asked her.
Her lips curled up. "I'm not hungry."
"I'll jump in the shower, then get you something," Marshall offered.
