Page 50 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

“Smells good,” he said as he placed the empty plate in the sink, turning on the tap to rinse it. Then he washed his hands.

Lila smiled. “It won’t be up to La Dolce Vita standards, but it will be edible.”

He reached over her shoulder and filched a mushroom. “Don’t sell yourself short. These are awesome. I fired up the grill.” He nodded at the platter of steaks and foil-wrapped potatoes on the counter. “I can get these started if you want.”

“That’d be great, thanks.”

“Medium well for you, right?” he asked as he picked up the platter.

“Yeah, how did you know?” Because she was pregnant, any meat she ate had to be well cooked, but she didn’t think that was common knowledge for most single guys.

He shrugged and said, “A friend,” but she didn’t miss the shadow that darkened his eyes.

The sweet, woodsy aroma of hickory-flavored wood chips greeted her as she carried out another platter loaded down with plates, cutlery, tomato salad, mushrooms, and the semmel rolls her mother had sent home with her the other day.

“Do you want something to drink? I’ve got sparkling water, wine, beer, or soda,” Lila said as she unloaded the contents of her tray onto the glass-topped table.

“Do you mind if I have a beer?”

“Not at all. I’ll drink vicariously through you.” She glanced at Admiral as she opened the patio doors. His head rested on his paws, and he appeared to be sleeping. “Should I bring more water for Admiral?”

“He’s good, thanks. With any luck, he’ll stay that way while we eat.”

Lila glanced at the speaker as she carried Luke’s beer and her water back to the patio, wondering if it would feel too much like a date if she put on music. She decided she was overthinking it and resynced her playlist to the speakers, turning down the volume so as not to wake Admiral.

Luke shook his head as he plated their steaks and potatoes and took the seat opposite her. “We could’ve had a hell of a party here when we were kids.”

“I have a feeling, once Willow knows I own this place, she’ll start planning one.”

Luke smiled. “She hasn’t changed much.” He gestured at the house with his fork. “Your fiancé must be thrilled.”

“He doesn’t know,” Lila admitted. “I was going to surprise him at dinner tonight.”

“That’s some surprise. He’s a lucky guy,” Luke murmured, lowering his gaze from her to his steak.

“I’m not sure he’ll feel that way when I tell him the house is in my name only.” She told Luke about the prenup. “I didn’t think it would be a big deal, but David was offended. He’s putting the blame on my mother, acting like she’s somehow the bad guy in this.”

“Prenups are pretty commonplace, aren’t they?”

“They are, but he seems to think that the only reason someone wants one is because they believe their marriage is going to fail.”

“Not that my opinion matters, but I agree with your mom and dad, and obviously you. You need to protect yourself, Lila, and not to be crass, but your father is a wealthy man.”

“So are David’s parents.”

“There you go. They probably feel the same way as yours do, and it won’t be an issue.”

“I hope so. We don’t need to add anotherissueto the ever-growing pile.”

“Weddings don’t always bring out the best in people, do they?”

Poor Luke, he’d had no idea that his simple—and most likely rhetorical—question would result in her sharing how unreasonable David was being and what a disaster the past week had been.

“You want my advice?” he asked after she’d spilled her guts for ten minutes.

She didn’t know why she found him so easy to talk to, and it threw her a little to realize she’d shared more with him than with anyone else. Maybe it was because he’d seen her at her most vulnerable and had kept her secrets to himself. She trusted him.

“Please.”

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