“Nope. Just making sure everything is all ready.” Beckett picked up Presley’s bags as the women filed into the room.
“Whose are those?” Gabriella asked, crossing her arms under her breasts, lifting them while at the same time showing off a tanned and toned midriff.
Beckett looked at Presley, who looked at Jill.
Jill walked forward, took the bags. “Another guest’s. Wrong room. I’ll take these.”
Beckett and Presley walked out of the room, her hand in his, into the lobby. Jill closed the door to room one and followed them, setting the bags down by the front desk, where Grayson and Mr. Dayton chatted.
With his hands on his hips, Gray looked at the group, his gaze lingering on Presley and Beckett’s clasped hands. “What’s going on?”
Presley looked at Jill, who looked at Beckett, who was looking at Mr. Dayton. Morgan and Bo stood grinning at everyone. Ollie came down the stairs, Richard and Mel behind her. She’d adopted them, so it would seem.
“What’d we miss?” she asked, rushing up to them while the couple took their time.
Beckett sent his sister a wide grin. “Yeah, Jill. What’d they miss?”
Jill’s cheeks went a pale shade of pink. “I was helpingyou.Presley, I’m sorry. That was unprofessional, to say the least. I just didn’t want Beckett to feel uncomfortable, and they were… a lot. Calling you his girlfriend just happened. I’m sorry.”
In all honesty, Presley wasn’t overly upset about the idea. “Don’t be. I could do worse,” she teased, bumping Beckett’s hip with her own.
Grayson said, “Girlfriend?” He looked at Beckett.
Beckett slipped his arm around Presley’s shoulder, and she knew she shouldn’t dwell on how good, howright,it felt. “It’s new.”
Ollie looked like Mickey Mouse himself had come straight from Disneyland to invite her to lead the parade. The little girl grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking on it as she jumped. “You have a girlfriend, Uncle Beckett? Is that why you two were kissing on the boat yesterday?” She looked at Presley along with everyone else.
The weight of all the stares pushed on her rib cage and Presley did one of the two things she always did in highly stressful situations. Her default was going into the zone and doing what needed to be done, like getting to the island on autopilot. The backup default was a tad more embarrassing. At least at the moment. In all moments. Any of them.
Presley let out a sharp breath and started to laugh. Hysterically.
Eighteen
They’d broken his fake girlfriend. To be fair, it was amazing she hadn’t fallen apart, in any way, already. Beckett might not know her well,yet,but he knew she’d been holding herself together every second of the day since he’d first laid eyes on her, and probably in a lot of the moments before that. In the last four-plus days, she’d broken up with a long-term boyfriend, traveled out of her comfort zone, learned she didn’t love boats, tried several new things, and been inundated with him and his family. Now this. Even someone with as much bravado and grace as Presley Ayers had to have a breaking point.
Beckett, Grayson, Jill, Mr. Dayton, Bo, Morgan, Ollie, Mel, and Richard watched as she bent in half, tears streaming down her face, giggles erupting from her mouth.
She tried to speak but couldn’t—she just kept waving her hand in the air and resuming her giggling. Eventually, they all joined in, because the days and nights lately had exhausted them and laughing felt really freaking good. Even if it was somewhat maniacal.
Several moments passed before they wiped tears from their cheeks, straightened out their posture, and pulled in several deep breaths. Surfacing from her laughter, Presley seemed to take a sharp turn into embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I think I’m just completely overwhelmed. So much has happened, and—” She stopped. Inhaling deeply, she held her breath, then let it out. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. That’s the best laugh I’ve had in a long time,” Mr. Dayton said.
“Me, too,” Grayson said.
“No clue what we’re laughing at, but it felt good,” Morgan said.
“Adults just don’t laugh enough,” Ollie added.
Gray scooped her up. It was as if the laughter had lightened his load. Beckett looked at Presley with what he was sure was an expression of awe. This woman was magic. Maybe one little peek behind the curtain wouldn’t hurt.
“Let’s table the girlfriend conversation and talk in the dining room.” He couldn’t be mad at his sister. Presley was going to be in his cabin, his life, and, hopefully, his arms, for the next six days. Those women had made him feel like an all-you-can-grab buffet. Jill had simply gone on the defense for her brother.
Beckett looked at Mr. Dayton and gave him a subtle nod to let him know he was included in the chat. In between trying not to think of Presley, he’d had some other ideas last night and wanted to share them with Jill and Gray. Mr. Dayton knew the history of the lodge better than any of them.
“We’re going to fish off the dock until dinner,” Morgan said as he and Bo went on their way.
