Risking the Crown

by Violet Paige

  He hooked my waist with his right hand and drew me against his chest. “Deal. But you have to promise it will stay under control.”

  “Nothing crazy. Promise.”

  “And you’ll wear one of those coconut bras.” His finger traced the strap along my shoulder.

  I laughed. “If I can find one.”

  “A party planning business woman,” he teased as his head dipped toward the exposed skin on my chest. I leaned back to let him kiss me.

  “Yes, and if I’m going to pull this off, I need to get started, and you need to get to work on showerheads or doorknobs.” I inhaled as his lips grazed the top of my breast.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Party planning was definitely less appealing than Cole taking me on the office desk again, but this was business. We’d have all night to play. After we put the little one to bed.

  “Go. Go fix something.” I shoved him out the door and turned to face my new work buddy.

  I pulled out my phone. I needed to call Sasha before I purchased the first tiki torch.

  “Hey, you have a second? I could use your help. Cole says the luau’s a go.”

  23

  Kaitlyn

  Sasha was a godsend. Her parents had a storage shed of party supplies. Her mother was a retired wedding planner on the island and had never emptied out her decorations.

  “This is incredible. I’ve never seen so many swan cutouts in one place.” I pulled a pair of swans from the wall and dusted them off.

  Grayson giggled at them when I pretended to make them fly. So far our fist day together had been easy. I offered to take him with me so Cole could work on the rooms.

  “Ugh! My mom had some of the tackiest brides this side of the Guadalupe.” She had discovered a box crammed full of nothing but pink tulle.

  “Well, it’s perfect for the luau. We can take these arches and cover them in leaves and grass. And bingo! There are at least fifty tiki torches here.” I pushed my way to the back of the storage building and started handing Sasha the torches.

  “My mom will be glad someone is using this stuff. It’s been in here forever.” She started a pile next to her truck. “I guess things with Cole are getting pretty serious.” She nodded at Grayson.

  We had moved the car seat into her truck. My nanny days were coming back to me. It was funny how some things with kids didn’t change.

  I was knee-deep in paper bells.

  “Yes.”

  Sasha eyed me from across the scattered swans and plastic ferns. “And your brother? Have you talked to him?”

  “Not yet. It’s not like I can call him in Afghanistan. And I don’t think he’d believe me if I emailed him.”

  “I don’t see why he’d be upset. You two are great together. Cole is less broody with you around. I like him like this.”

  “Less broody? I thought he was mysterious.”

  She laughed. “Call it what you want. He’s different. I’m saying it’s a good thing.”

  I passed over the last torch. “He is—I don’t even know how to describe it, but it’s like I’ve never been with anyone else. Being around him makes everything feel like the first time. That sounds cheesy, doesn’t it?”

  “No, I think it sounds romantic. Just enjoy it.”

  “I think you need to reexamine what type of girl you are, because if you have something with Cole, keep your options open. It can work out, Kaitlyn. I’m telling you.”

  “You sound like a total romantic optimist. I wish I was more like that.”

  I wanted to turn my practical-thinking self into someone who believed and hoped as Sasha did, but no, I had to end up with Dad’s affinity for numbers instead of my mother’s yoga, freethinking approach to life.

  “It’s probably because I grew up around weddings. Seeing couple after couple live happily every after has that effect on a girl.” She looked wistfully at the crepe paper doves before closing the door. “Who knows? You might have already met your Prince Charming.”

  I coughed loudly.

  “Don’t panic on me. I’m just kidding with you. Let’s get these to the Dune.” Sasha slammed the tailgate against the bed of the truck. “I bet there’s a boy there who’s counting the seconds until you get back.”

  Had she seen me checking my phone the whole time? I didn’t want to be away from Cole one minute longer than I had to be.

  “What else is on your list?” Sasha asked as she climbed into the truck.

  “Hank said we could pick up the kegs Saturday morning. Peabody’s is taking care of all of the food, and they even are letting us borrow their sound system. I can’t believe how awesome everyone has been.” I felt lucky to be able to pull the luau together so quickly, and it wouldn’t have been possible without all the help.

  “I think everyone wants to see Cole make this work. If he sells the Dune, it should be because he wants to, not because he has to.”

  Sasha’s words resonated with me. All this time I couldn’t understand why Cole was so determined to hold on to the money pit his grandfather had given him. Maybe what it came down to was choices. He wanted to have them, not be forced into them.

  “You ready?”

  I smiled at my new friend. “Yep. Let’s get the torches to the Dunes.”

  24

  Kaitlyn

  Sasha dropped me off at the Dune Scape office. She still had to finish her shift at the front desk before tonight’s bonfire. The local group gathered on the beach as many nights a week as they could before the summer was too busy to do anything.

  Cole’s truck was gone. He had left to make another supply run. The Dune Scape apparently didn’t accept the memo that he didn’t want to spend any more money on parts. This morning he found a crack in room eighteen’s sliding door. It looked like a seagull had flown smack into the glass. The patio was covered with feathers.

  The sun was setting on the sound side of the island, the perfect time to hit the beach for a run. I changed into my running shorts and tank top.

  Grayson was on the floor surrounded by trains.

  “Want to head to the beach?” I asked. “We can look for seagulls.”

  He jumped up. “Birds. Beach.”

  I laughed. He was cute. Adorable. Even if he wasn’t Cole’s son I would have loved this child. He was sweet and seldom got upset. I knew children were resilient, but this one seemed to take all the uncertainty in his life without complaint.

  I understood why Cole worked so hard to give him stability.

  “Ok, let’s get your shoes and we’ll find some birds.”

  I stooped to lace up his tiny shoes. We walked outside and jogged across the boardwalk.

  The beach was littered with late afternoon sunbathers. I watched as two toddlers took turns dumping water out of their buckets and squealing every time the waves lapped their toes. Their parents caught every second of the action with their phones and cameras.

  I wondered if Grayson saw scenes like that and wondered why his parents weren’t together.

  “Let’s go this way.” I pointed.

  I hadn’t explored the beach toward the south, so we took a right and settled into an even pace. My feet pushed off the sandy surface and I dodged rushing waves, making a game for myself. Grayson was on my heels and I would circle back around to chase him. As soon as we crossed the barrier for the first resort, we made a U-turn for the Dune Scape.

  It wasn’t my standard run, but it was more fun with Grayson. He giggled every time I got closer to him.

  I wondered if he thought of me as one of his babysitters. There was no way to ask. I just wanted to soak this in.

  “You ready to walk back?” I asked. “We could get some juice.”

  “Yes. Juice please.”

  I laughed. “Ok. Come on.”

  I wished I had a water bottle with me.

  I took Grayson’s hand and we climbed the boardwalk steps. I was completely energized from my run. By now, the beach was desolate and the sun had sunk almost to the horizon.
/>   I slipped off my running shoes and stuffed my socks inside. Grayson sat on his bottom and copied my actions.

  “See if you can do this?”

  From the perch of the boardwalk, I inhaled the salt air and closed my eyes. I aligned my feet, before extending my arms and bending into warrior pose. Grayson tried to lean forward and toppled over, but he hopped up and tried again.

  “Ok, and now try this one.”

  I slid my feet so that they were touching and carefully brought my hands together over my head. The last rays of the sun pierced my back. Two more deep breaths in tree pose and I released my form, bending to grab my running shoes. I scooped up Grayson’s in my other hand.

  I felt his gaze before I saw him. Cole was standing on the bottom step.

  “Daddy!” Grayson ran.

  “Hey, I didn’t know you were there.” I blushed.

  “What was that you were doing?” He tilted his head to the side and smiled, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. He pulled Grayson into his arms.

  I brushed the sand from my feet and wiggled my toes into the socks. “A little warrior pose, a little tree pose. Grayson can do yoga too.” I smiled.

  “You looked beautiful.” He walked up the five steps to meet me.

  I bit my lip. It seemed like something serious to say in front of his son.

  “But, seriously, you looked incredible up here. Did you go for a run too?” He stepped closer.

  Grayson answered, “Birds on beach. Go run, Daddy.”

  He laughed. “Sounds like you did.”

  I looked down at my tank top. It was stuck to me from perspiration. I was a beachy, sweaty mess. “We had fun. He does run fast.”

  “I warned you,” Cole teased.

  He leaned down and kissed me on the neck before helping me into a standing position with his free hand.

  “Sorry I missed it. I would have liked to have gone with you two.”

  “How about tomorrow morning we go for a run together?” I wanted to see him in action.

  “You’re on. But that means you’re going to have to actually wake up and get out of bed—early.”

  I shoved him lightly. “Hey, I don’t stay in bed all day.”

  His eyes instantly flared. “What about all night?” I knew that look.

  I stared at Grayson. “Cole,” I whispered.

  He laughed. “I think it’s cute you can be so shy. It reminds me of the Kaitlyn I used to know.”

  I didn’t know if I liked that. That Kaitlyn had crushed on Cole from the corner. She had written about him in journals. She was the kid sister. For a moment, I wondered if I’d ever escape her shadow.

  25

  Cole

  I knew I was depending on Kaitlyn to help with Grayson more than I should, but I wanted to walk through the house next door and inspect it on my own.

  I didn’t want Grayson to see it and think we were moving. What if half the appliances didn’t work? What if there was damage?

  I needed to do a walk-through before I signed a lease. He had enough instability. Amber was like a damn gypsy.

  I turned on the faucet in the kitchen. I opened the cabinets and looked under the sink for leaks. I had new skills that were useful.

  It wasn’t big or extravagant. It wasn’t like other beach houses on the strip. This one was simple, and it was enough.

  This was possible because of Kaitlyn. She had found the house for me.

  I paused in front of the master bedroom. Something in my chest stirred. I wanted this to be our room. I wanted her here with me. I needed her.

  But it was more complicated than that.

  I had promised her we’d talk about Ryan. I had to look out for Grayson first.

  But part of me knew Kaitlyn was part of the future too. I couldn’t deny what she meant to me. I couldn’t pretend she had quickly become important. She was more than a fling. More than a one-time fuck.

  I loved that girl.

  26

  Kaitlyn

  It was Thursday afternoon. We had two days until the luau, and only one until the guests started to arrive. I loaded the cleaning cart with towels, and began the process of checking each room for linens. Cole had given me the towel count. Each room was allowed four bath towels, four hand towels, and four washcloths. I had convinced him that three towels in a double room were not going to cut it.

  I pulled a freshly washed stack from the cart and started folding the fabric so that the edges touched and draped over the towel bar in a perfect symmetrical rectangle. I stood back to admire my towel presentation. I might not know how to make fancy towel fans, but these looked quite crisp.

  It was only last Friday when I was having daydreams of fluffy white spa robes and pina coladas by the resort pool. Today, I was a full-service motel operator serving fluffy towels to motel guests.

  “Now, if only I could find one of those French maid costumes, this would be perfect.” Cole stood in the doorway.

  “Ha-ha, mister funny. I’m only on the third room. How are you doing?”

  “Believe it or not, I only have a few left. This is actually going to happen. The rooms are going to be ready for tomorrow.”

  “That’s awesome.” I folded one of the washcloths and placed it on the shelf. “Where’s Grayson?”

  He nodded outside. “I have an eye on him. He’s riding a scooter on the sidewalk. I think he’d do that for hours.”

  “Probably.” I grinned.

  “So, I had an idea.” Cole strolled a few more feet into the room and watched me work.

  “Really?” I pulled another towel from the cart. “Something you want to add to the party?”

  “No. It’s a thank you.”

  “A thank you?” I abandoned sorting the linens and turned to face him.

  “Did you bring your passport?” he asked. Cole was smiling.

  “I did. Just in case I got to go to Mexico. Wait. Are we going to Mexico?” I walked toward him.

  “Maybe.” Cole leaned toward me and grazed my lips with his mouth.

  I inhaled the warmth of the kiss, and pushed against him. “Tell me. What is it? I’m not good with surprises.”

  “What about a dress? Did Lisa set you up with a pretty dress?”

  I didn’t know where or when I was going to wear the strapless black dress when I bought it, but I was certain this was what it was meant for.

  “Yes. I have a dress.” I smiled.

  “Ok. Be ready tonight at six, in your pretty dress.”

  “Wait. What about Grayson?”

  “Don’t worry. I have a sitter. It’s all taken care of.” He walked backward out of the room and threw me a wink before closing the door behind him.

  I pushed the butterflies down and sat on the edge of the bed. We were going on a real date—perhaps something we should have done before sleeping together. It didn’t really matter now. Cole was taking me out in my new black dress.

  It was almost six o’clock. The corners of my eyes were lined with a smoky charcoal eyeliner I picked up at Tassels Surf Shop. I puckered my lips a bit to smooth on a pale lip gloss. I hadn’t spent as much time as I thought I would in the sun, but it didn’t take much on South Padre to pick up a tan. My shoulders were already sun-kissed. I tossed my new makeup in a bag and straightened my lotion bottles around the sink. Tomorrow, we were moving into the beach house next door.

  I didn’t know what it meant, other than Grayson needed a real house and I needed to turn this room over so Cole could make more money.

  Once the vacationers arrived, our time alone at the Dune Scape would be over. Tonight, I wanted to make the most of every second we had together.

  I grabbed the clutch Sasha convinced me to buy and walked out of my room. Cole was standing in the corridor holding a bouquet of flowers.

  “Wow. I don’t even know how to tell you how gorgeous you look.” Cole looked awestruck.

  “Thanks. I think you just did.” I took the flowers. “I thought you weren’t the wine and roses guy
.”

  “Technically, these aren’t roses, so I’m still good.” He laughed. “You look so hot in that dress, I’m having second thoughts about taking you anywhere.” He leaned down to kiss my neck.

  “You look pretty amazing too.” He was wearing dark jeans, and a white fitted button-up shirt. The sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I looked at the ground and noticed his boots.

  “Ah-ha! You are a cowboy. I knew it.”

  “Everybody in Texas has boots. True fact.”

  “Really or are you trying to cover up your cowboy side?” I teased.

  He slid his hand into mine and led me to his truck.

  “You two have fun.”

  I spun to see Lisa waving wildly from Cole’s room.

  “She’s the sitter?”

  “Yeah. Come on. Grayson is fine.”

  He opened the door for me. Cole pushed the buttons on the radio until it landed on a song that he liked.

  As he steered the truck over the bridge and toward the sunset, it felt strange I hadn’t left the island all week. Everything I needed and wanted was on that one little stretch of beach.

  Cole drove through flat dry stretches of land for almost an hour before we reached the Mexican border. I noticed the line of cars into the foreign country wasn’t nearly as long as the line of cars on the other side trying to gain entry into the United States. My palms were sweaty at the sight of so many armed guards and search dogs.

  “Is this safe?” I wanted to sound confident, but this was my first trip to a border town and I wasn’t prepared for the guns or angry-looking men eyeing the fence line.

  “I wouldn’t take you somewhere if I thought we wouldn’t be ok. I come here all the time with my buddies. The key is to stick with me. You’ll be fine, darlin’. You know I’ll keep you safe.”

  It wasn’t just the military background, Cole had always been protective. And it wasn’t until now that I realized what it felt like to have a man who wanted to make sure I was guarded and safe no matter what.