Page 51 of Twice as Forbidden

My phone rings.

I glance at the caller and cuss. Holding eye contact, I answer. “Wayne.”

“I hope I’m not bothering you. I was told you took the day off.”

“Of course not.” I pull the phone away and address Georgia. “I have to take this. Don’t move.” I head downstairs into the cabin suite and shut the door. “Tell me what you got.”

Wayne exhales heavily, and I brace myself. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. It took me a while to piece things together. At first, nothing stood out. Then I remembered something. It was a couple of years ago, so I’m not sure if it’s still relevant, but considering everything that’s happened, I think it’s worth mentioning.”

My brows crease as he continues, the timeline catching me off guard.Years ago?

“We had an inspector come in,” he says. “Just routine maintenance—nothing out of the ordinary. What stuck with me, though, was an elementary school tour that happened the same day. Standard field trip stuff: chaperones, curious kids asking the usual questions. But there was this one older boy who stood out. He wasn’t really engaged—kept to himself—and asked questions that felt... off-script. Later, I noticed him away from the group, talking to the inspector. When I asked about it, his response was strange and nervous. He avoided the question like he was hiding something.

“I followed up with the chaperones, and they informed me that he was simply tagging along with his younger brother. But that explanation never sat right with me. The kid came from money—well-dressed, polished—not the kind you’d expect on a warehouse tour.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wasn’t a kid from a local public school. The normal group we get. Just odd.”

“I’m not sure how this connects, but if you think it’s worth looking into, have Gary review the surveillance footage from that day and send it to me. Also, try to get me the name of that kid and who he was with.”

“Will do.”

I disconnect the call, feeling no closer to figuring out who’s behind this. There’s a knock on my door, and Noah sticks his head in. “We’re taking the Wave Runners out.”

“Sure thing. I’ll head up and help.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. I’ve done it a million times.” He doesn’t wait for my response before shutting my door. Little shit. It’s not that I don’t trust him; I want to see what my little forbidden fruit is up to.

When I head up, the boys are dropping the Wave Runners in the water. Georgia sits off to the side, chewing her bottom lip. She looks nervous.

“You three all set?” I scan the boys. Vince straps himself in a life vest while Noah unhooks the runner from the latch.

“Totally. Gonna show Lake Michigan who’s boss,” Vince boasts, and I resist the urge to push him into said lake. Noah ignores me, so I focus on Georgia.

“Have you ever been on a Wave Runner, Georgia?” If she were smart, she’d tell them she wanted to stay back and tan, giving us some time alone.

“No, I haven’t.” There’s anxiousness in her voice.

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to—”

“She’s going,” Noah snaps.

“Oh, come on, Georgia. It’ll be fun. You can ride with me. I promise to go slow.” My jaw clenches at the way Vince winks at her.

“Don’t let them pressure you. If you feel uncomfortable—”

“Dad, fuck, stop hovering. She’ll be fine.”

I take a step toward him. “Listen—”

“It’s fine. I’ll go,” she says, rising to grab a life jacket. I watch her closely. The twitch at the corner of her mouth betrays her as she forces a smile. There’s hesitation in her eyes. She’s fucking lying. “Just go slow, okay?” she says to Noah. I fight the urge to clench my fists as anger simmers beneath the surface, doing my best to remain calm and relaxed. Georgia avoids my eyes, and perhaps that’s for the best since Vince seems to have taken an interest in my concern for her well-being.

“Be careful. Make sure the emergency kit is in the compartment.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Noah waves me off. “Hop on, George.”

God, I want to pull her in my arms and tell them to fuck off. I hold my tongue and do my best to keep my jealousy at bay as she climbs on the back and wraps her arms around my son.

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