“Maybe offer refunds?” Zoey reached up to adjust the strap of her bag around her shoulder. “It’s only one tour, and hey, it got cut short, so now you can go home. Alone. To be, you know—alone.”
As he liked. Which was part of why she kept refusing his offer to stay in one of his guest rooms while she waited on her insurance payout. Linc didn’t really want her there—he just felt obligated since he had unused space.
“True.” Linc’s lower lip tugged to one side, as if fighting a smile. Ahh, a moment of humanity. “There’s notalwaysa bright side, you know.”
“Oh sure there is. Just gottalookfor it.” She pulled his sunglasses off his face and immediately regretted it.
His laser gaze slammed into hers without blinking. Linc. Always steady. Strong.
Annoyed, maybe. But there.
For her.
She’d never really figured out why. He’d certainly never made a move on her, so it wasn’t romantic intention. He’d been there when she was younger too. Like that one day back when she was in middle school and took baking lessons from his aunt, and he?—
“Ormaybe some people see things that aren’t there.” Linc snatched his glasses from her, returned them to his face.
Okay, then. Mr. Grumpy was back. Zoey stepped back as he secured the boat to the dock. The tourists stood, grumbling and shucking off life vests, one of them mumbling about one-star reviews.
Oh no. Linc neededgoodreviews. And everyone leaving the tour squishy and annoyed wasn’t going to get those. She had to salvage this for him, even if it wasn’t technically her fault. At least, not all her fault.Lord, a little help? Something happy?
And then, like the parting of the Red Sea—okay, slightly less dramatic—the sun glinted off a distant wave and revealed…
“Dolphin!” Zoey pointed. Her heart soared.
The kids squealed and the adults whipped around to look. “Where?” Everyone rushed portside, and the boat rocked precariously.
“There it is!”
“I see it!”
The grumbles turned to delighted murmurs. Everyone stood still, watching, as a second dolphin crested the water. The pair bobbed in the setting sun, cruising back out toward the gulf, slick backs shining like—well, like a silver lining. Zoey breathed a sigh of relief.Thank you.
Linc joined her, crossing his arms as several people began snapping pictures of the dolphins. His sunglasses were tucked into the collar of his wet shirt. But for once, his brow wasn’t furrowed, his jaw wasn’t tight. “Good save.”
“I prayed.”
“Figured.”
She shrugged. “Least I could do.”
“Was it?” Turning, Linc’s eyes lingered on hers, then dropped to her lips.
Um. Huh? Her mouth went dry. Her stomach dropped. “I?—”
“You forgot to shave.” He ripped the goatee off her chin like a Band-Aid.
“Ow!” She rubbed her jaw, more surprised than hurt. “I forgot it was there.”
Linc smirked. “Then I’ll amend my earlier statement to include that some people don’t see whatisright there.”
“You’re right.” She ignored the flutter in her stomach, the slight shake in her hands, and forced her brightest smile. “They sure don’t.”
She rolled in her lower lip, trying not to watch as he meandered back to the captain’s chair.
And maybe they never would.
two
