Page 46 of Sapphire Storm

They moved out onto the grassy lawn that separated theconference center from the private villas.

“Yeah, I’m not really sure there’s a way to do this jobwell,” Roman muttered.

Ethan stopped and spun to face him. “Okay, let’s be veryclear about something here. You’re putting your career and your home on theline for your best friend so she doesn’t sign up for a lifetime of heartbreak.That’s courageous and selfless, and there’s no doing it perfectly. Just doingit. If Rachel walks away from today with the truth and the power to make adecision about it, you should be nothing but proud of yourself.”

Gone were the pout and glower, replaced by what looked likedesperate eagerness to believe Ethan’s proclamations. After a few seconds,Roman nodded, sucked in a deep breath, and they started forward again.

Nine villas total descended the south-facing slope of theresort’s grounds. Their side doors opened onto walkways that traveled downhillbetween each row. He’d picked 9E, which at the top of the slope had acommanding view of the coastline to the south. Underneath a cathedral ceilingin the sitting room, the coffee and tea service had been set up on the small,round dining table like he’d asked. Today, the plunge pool in the littlebackyard would probably go unused.

“About as nice as the penthouse suite, but the view’s not quiteas good. Also, apparently you flirted with two of our security guys to get inthere Saturday night?” Ethan asked.

“It wasn’t hard. Those guys were hot. They looked like pornstars.”

“They were porn stars.”

Roman’s eyes widened.

“Before Sapphire Cove. It’s a long story. What’s in thebag?”

Roman pouted, shaking his head. “Nothing. It’s stupid.” Helooked into Ethan’s eyes, then he reached inside the bag and hefted out theceramic hawk Ethan had given him two nights before, setting it on the wet barnext to him. “She’s my protector,” he said softly, hanging his head. “I can’tdo this without her.”

It was such an adorable display, Ethan’s laughter carriedhim across the room. Suddenly his arms were around Roman as the man wilted intohis embrace like his legs had gone boneless.

“I can’t do this,” Roman whispered into his shoulder.

“You can. And I’ll be close in case anything goes wrong.”

Just as a dangerous heat started coursing through him, Ethanheard the familiar slip of a keycard entering the slot in the door outside. Theybroke like cheaters being discovered by a cuckolded spouse. Seconds later,Jonas Jacobs peered through the open door, wearing a solicitous grin. Behindhim was a woman Ethan had last seen in an episode of some crime show set in anational park. If he remembered correctly, she’d played a ranger guilty of amurder she’d tried to blame on a bear.

“Romy! Hugs! Immediately!” Rachel Peyton threw her arms widebefore she had a chance to take off her sunglasses. For an awkward few seconds,Roman was frozen. But the pull of their friendship proved stronger than theman’s fear. The two of them embraced fiercely as Rachel rocked them side toside like a mother squeezing her young child after their return from summercamp. Her love for Roman seemed genuine and warm. Seeing it in action, Ethanfelt as nervous about this meeting as Roman had been on the walk there. “If hestole anything,” she finally said, “just put it on my card. He’s got stickyfingers when it comes to shiny things.”

Rachel Peyton wore what looked like a designer, if baggy,running suit, and had pulled her hair back in a ponytail. Ethan had met a lotof young actresses in his life, and she was dressed more modestly than most ofthem. While she lacked her mother’s cover girl beauty, she had cherubic cheeks,intense blue eyes, and a big, expressive mouth that served her chameleon-likeacting abilities.

“Rest assured, he hasn’t stolen anything,” Ethan said.

“That we know of,” Jonas muttered, then looked quickly tothe floor. Clearly he shared in Connor Harcourt’s distrust of the man.

“All right,” Ethan said, “well, we’ll leave you two aloneto—”

“Woah.” Rachel removed her sunglasses, revealing a facedevoid of makeup. “I thought this was a wedding meeting. Aren’t we supposed totalk about something related to the wedding? I don’t know, like, candles orsomething. I mean, where are we with the…you know…wedding?”

Unsure of how deep Roman’s cover story went, Ethan didn’tknow quite what to say. He was also struck by how remarkably out of touch theyoung ingenue seemed with her fairytale nuptials-to-be. “We’ve been inconversation with Roman about some of the details. I think he’d like a littletime to go over them with you first before we all dive in.”

Roman’s deer-in-the-headlights expression suggested he mightspill his guts right there in front of all of them. Instead, he swallowed andnodded.

Rachel set her handbag down on the dining table. “Okay,well, whatever works for you guys. But word of warning to all, I amdramaticallyout of the loop. I’ve been in New York for months doing a play.”

“We heard. Congratulations on your Tony, by the way,” Jonassaid.

“That’s very kind of you. I really thought that hologram ofCarol Channing they brought back to do a revival ofMoose Murdershadit in the bag.”

Ethan was the only one who laughed.

Rachel pointed at him dramatically. “Someone knows histheater references!”

“Moose Murdersis one of the most notorious flopsin Broadway history.” To Jonas’s quizzical look, he said, “I used to live inNew York.”And I had a regular client who was a former Broadway producerwho used to love sucking my toes,he didn’t add.

“So I take it you weren’t up against a Carol Channinghologram?” Jonas asked.

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