Page 11 of Falling for the Wrong Guy

Isla cheered. “Yay! That’s the flavor I was going for. I’ve already added this recipe to the list of autumn treats for the bakery. I can’t believe this is finally happening.” Isla took a bite of blondie. She moaned in delight. “Isla Lovely, you’re a baking genius.” She washed it down with milk.

“I’m so excited for you, Isla. Anything I can do to help? Although I’m not a great example, considering I haven’t been able to find a cook. Be prepared for the stress that comes with trying to find a reliable coworker.”

“Well, Layla is already planning on working there full time. Not sure if it’s a good or bad thing to employ family.”

“It depends on the family. Hey, wait a minute, Layla will only work for me part time and only when I desperately need her. How come she’s already signed on full time with you?”

Isla shrugged. “You’re too bossy, big sister.”

“Great. I’m not too bossy when it comes to sorting out all of your problems.”

“And we love that you’re always there for us. Now, what’s the scoop on the mysterious stranger with the gull? I figure since you’re always in town at the café that you’d have seen him. Did he leave on the bus?”

“I suppose, but he was back at the marina after I took Oscar his sandwich. In fact, oddly enough, he returned on a motorcycle. And that darn gull nearly panicked me right back into the water?—”

Isla nearly dropped the blondie from her napkin. Her eyes rounded. “You fell in the water? You never said.”

I sighed. I always found it difficult to admit to my younger sisters that their oldest sister, the one they counted on as their rock, had lost control of a situation. And boy, had I lost control of it. “I panicked and I don’t know how I managed it, but I lost my footing and fell off the dock with one big, humiliating plunge. And I can tell you, in no uncertain terms, that the warm waters of summer are long gone. Dex jumped in after me.”

“Dex? The bird?”

“No, the bird’s name is Gus.”

Isla sat up with interest, like she used to do whenever Nonna was telling us a story with a handsome prince. “You’ve been holding out on us. So not only do you know the handsome stranger’s name, you had more than a casual interaction. He pulled you out of the cold water. Very heroic.”

“Uh, did you miss the part where I mentioned it was his gull that sent me into the water?”

She waved me off. “What’s he like?”

I sat back with my treat and gave it some thought. “He’s definitely a bit mysterious and unsettling.”

“Unsettling? That doesn’t sound good.”

“That’s just it. I’m not sure if it’s necessarily abadunsettling. Although, one thing is not a mystery. He’s head-to-toe gorgeous, all six-foot-plus of him, and when I say six-foot-plus, I’m talking about his shoulder span.” I tilted my head. “That might be an exaggeration, but he’s tall and muscular.”

“Gorgeous and a muscular build.” Isla lifted her finger and drew two checkmarks in the air. “Check, check.”

I laughed. “Oh boy, my sister is pulling out her ‘perfect man checklist.’ I assure you those are the only two qualities worth noting. He came to Whisper Cove by boat, an old tugboat conversion that hardly looks seaworthy, and we know nothing else about him. Maybe he’s here for nefarious reasons.”

“Well, that would certainly help liven up the season and give Ella some ideas for her novel.” Isla placed her empty glass on the coffee table, kicked off her shoes and relaxed back. “And don’t forget—you always liked the roguish characters in Nonna’s stories.”

“I think I’ve outgrown all that. It’s true Nonna’s pirates and highwaymen were the characters who really grabbed my attention, but I need someone steady and trustworthy.”

“I guess that’s where Kellan comes in. He is definitely steady and trustworthy.”

“Yeah, he’s definitely that.” I couldn’t believe how badly today’s lunch went. Even though we finished a nice meal and even flirted, the whole thing had felt forced. My mind skipped back to my latest run-in with Dex on the docks. I’d all but told him to leave the cove. I wasn’t sure why I reacted so harshly to him. I assumed it had to do with still being embarrassed about the morning. A vision popped into my head and I laughed. “Dex’s gull does like to perch on his shoulder, so he’s definitely got a pirate vibe. I just hope that’s the only pirate trait.”

Isla’s brow lifted. “But you used to love pirates.”

“That was when I pictured them all looking like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. I’ve watched a few pirate documentaries, and it seems they were nothing like their Hollywood stand-ins. Blackened teeth, when they actually had all their choppers, leathery skin and I’ll bet they didn’t smell like aftershave … or rum, for that matter.”

We both had a good laugh. “I’m sure he won’t stay long,” I said.

“Whisper Cove doesn’t have a lot to offer at this time of year. Enough about the hunky stranger. Ava texted me?—”

“Yes, she called me, too. She’s let another one go. The string of broken hearts that girl is leaving behind will be long enough to circle the globe.”

“I told her all these men are going to have to start a support group. I love these breakups because she always comes home afterward. I can’t wait to see her. And yes, she mentioned I needed to bake brownies.” Isla stood from the couch. “And now, big bossy sister, solve my next problem.” She lowered her hand and helped pull me up from the couch. “I need a color choice for the bakery.”

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