Caroline eyed him suspiciously for a brief moment before a playful smile broke through. “To be honest, I was planning on stopping by. I haven’t had a chance to wish my nephew a happy birthday in person today, and it would be a good excuse to do some spying.”
“And I’d like to meet your brother and nephew to thank them for including Connor even though they didn’t know him,” Brad reasoned, signing the bill to his suite when the waiter quietly handed it to him.
With a shared understanding, they left the restaurant. They stepped through the glass doors into the breathtaking panorama of the night. The moon hung heavy in the sky and looked somuch bigger than he’d ever seen it, casting a silver glow on the ocean, and the stars glittered like diamonds overhead.
As they stepped onto the sandy shore, shoes in hand, the cool grains embraced their toes. A contented sigh escaped Brad, and Caroline noticed the pleasure he took in the action.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” she commented, her voice soft in the night air. “No matter how often I walk on the sand, it never gets old.”
Brad nodded, his eyes tracing the path ahead. “It’s like letting billions of grains of sand massage your feet.”
Following the paved walkway surrounded by swaying palms and lush greenery, they approached a well-lit path adorned with flickering torches. A small bridge led them across to Cobble Cove Beach, where spotlights danced on the sand, and the lights from surrounding houses twinkled on the cliffy hills ahead.
The Beach Hut came into view, a lively hub of music, laughter, and conversation. The sounds of a celebration spilled into the night, creating an inviting atmosphere.
“Looks like the party’s in full swing,” Brad observed.
Caroline nodded, leading the way with a graceful stride. “I’m so glad there is such a good turnout for it.”
They ventured toward the heart of the festivities, the lively ambiance of the Beach Hut enveloping them. The music swirled around them, the beat echoing the rhythm of the ocean waves. Caroline’s eyes scanned the crowd as did Brad’s, each looking for their children.
“There’s Jules,” Caroline pointed out, spotting Jules amid friends, her laughter carrying on the breeze.
It didn’t take Brad long to spot Connor standing next to Jules and another teenage girl he assumed was Lila, Liam’s daughter. From the look on Connor’s face, he seemed quite taken by the girl with her long golden red hair and big brown eyes.
“Is that Lila?” Brad asked Caroline. “My son can’t seem to take his eyes off her.”
“Oh, yes, that’s Lila,” Caroline confirmed with a soft laugh. “Most of the young men on the island stare at her like that.”
“Yes, she is lovely,” Brad commented, and his eyes moved to Jules, who was just as beautiful as Lila, only Jules had a more refined air about her. Which Brad knew would scare most teenage boys except for the tall, good-looking, blue-eyed hulk towering over her. “Who is the boy behind Jules?”
“Reef Donovan!” Caroline shook her head. “He’s my nephew’s best friend. Reef’s mother, Carly, owns the Cobble Cove Restaurant on Lookout Point.”
“He seems smitten with Jules,” Brad knew it was the wrong thing to say the instant the words left his lips.
If he had a daughter, it’s not words he’d want to hear either at their age.
“Oh, no!” Caroline’s chin pulled in, and her eyebrows raised as she eyed the situation between Jules and Reef. “She’s only fourteen, and I’m not ready for teenage girl crushes.”
“I have to say I don’t blame you,” Brad told her. “I’ve only just met Jules, but I, too, don’t like the way Reef is looking at her, and she’s not even my daughter.”
“Reef’s not a bad kid.” Caroline craned her neck to watch the four teens walk to where others were dancing. “I just don’t think Jules is ready for the dating scene.”
“Rather, she’s open about it than going behind your back!” A female said from behind them, making them both swirl to see Tanith holding a bottle of water. “Hi!” She gave them a wave before looking accusingly. “Are you two spying on your teens?”
“Guilty!” Caroline sighed.
“I take it the handsome new teen is your son?” Tanith asked Brad.
“Yes, that’s Connor,” Brad answered. “I was worried he wouldn’t fit in, but I guess it was for nothing. He seems to be having fun.”
“He is!” Harriet stepped into the light. “I thought you weren’t going to spy on Connor?”
“Why are you here?” Brad avoided the question and looked at her suspiciously.
“The owner of the Summer Inn asked her if she’d like to chaperone with him,” another female that made Brad’s hackles rise instantly stepped next to Harriet. “Hi, Brad.”
“Hello, Clover, what are you doing in Plum Island?” Brad’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were arriving with your brother in a few weeks.”
