SEAL’s Love by Leslie North

6

The following evening, Colin and Harper were at yet another family dinner party at his parents’ house. Part of the whole “reunion” thing schedule his mom insisted on was for everyone to be together each day for a mandatory breakfast and dinner. So, here they were, making small talk and avoiding uncomfortable questions as much as possible.

There were extra guests tonight since his parents had invited over some friends. Colin hoped to take advantage of the extra guests to fish for gossip on Sebastian Bone. He and Harper had done some online digging after they’d gotten back from the resort and had spent most of the afternoon reading through articles and testimonials and watching clips online. Bone came across as a classic con man. Even his voice was too slick. All deep and soothing, like a drug they lull you to sleep with before giving you the lethal injection.

Though if their research was right, the amount of money Bone was raking in was no joke. The man was pulling in multi-million-dollar profit numbers every year. He’d built himself up a cult following amongst his uber-wealthy clients. From what Colin could tell, Bone offered them intensely spiritual and exclusive experiences, but at top-dollar prices.

The notes they’d found with the crystal in Serenity’s room had mentioned something about medical fraud. Could that be related to Bone? There was no way to be sure, but if she’d found some dirt that threatened to topple Bone’s high-dollar con, that would be a hell of a motive to silence her.

But that was a pretty big accusation to throw at a stranger, especially based on such circumstantial evidence. So Colin was hoping that they’d be able to get some insight from the locals—find out if Bone really was shady and really might be behind Serenity’s disappearance.

Perhaps the open bar at tonight’s dinner would loosen some lips.

And speaking of lips, the couple who were still flapping theirs at him hadn’t stopped for a breath in what felt like a year. Barb and George had been friends with his parents for as long as Colin could remember. Didn’t make them any less boring or less nosy, unfortunately.

“Tell me more about you and Harper,” Barb pressed. “Is it serious? I know there’s no ring on her finger yet, but if you brought her to meet the family, you must be close to that point, right? Are you discussing dates yet? Because my social calendar is filling up for the next year and if you want us to come, we’ll need to know fairly soon. Of course, we want to be there. We’re practically family!”

Colin downed the rest of his gin and tonic in one swift gulp, then opened his mouth to respond yet again with his pat answer about how he and Harper were taking things slow, but never got the chance.

“There you are, babe,” Harper said, coming up beside him. His relief was damned near palpable and he released his pent-up breath.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Harper continued, flashing Barb and George an endearing smile. “But I need to borrow him.” She turned to Colin. “I wondered if you could help me with something in the house really quick.”

George raised a brow and his glass, giving Colin a knowing smile. “Lucky guy. Go on then. Have fun ‘helping’ her.”

Barb smacked her husband, then beamed at Harper and Colin. “Don’t mind him. If his mind isn’t in the gutter, it’s stuck on the stock market. Go on, you two. We’ll catch up on those dates later, dear.”

They walked away, avoiding several groups of equally annoying guests, and finally found a quiet spot near the garden wall behind a large plumeria bush. Colin managed to snag another drink from a passing server before they ducked into their hiding spot, and he sipped it as he sagged back against the cool stone wall.

Harper moved in beside him to lean against the wall, their shoulders touching. “Sounds like I rescued you at the perfect moment back there.”

“Yeah.” He snorted, closing his eyes. “Barb was needling me about wedding dates.”

“Yikes.” She laughed, the lilting sound washing over him like chimes. “Your family really seems to be pushing you to commit, huh?”

“It’s the Parks way.” He shrugged, not looking at her. “I mean, it’s what’s expected. Even Jojo’s married now, and I always thought I’d beat her to the altar. I’d been with Abby for more than a year by the time Jojo met Sara, and I had a ring all picked out.” Familiar grief pinched his chest, but the sting wasn’t quite as bad as before, for some reason. Maybe it was the booze taking the edge off. Maybe it was because time was finally healing that old wound. Or maybe it was because of the company of the woman next to him who reached out and squeezed his arm, silently offering support. “I guess things never quite go the way you expect, for better or for worse.” So far, this time with her, pretending to be a couple, wasn’t going the way he’d thought it would. Right now, it felt better than he’d thought it would. A lot better.

She looked at him, their gazes locked as a moment passed between them. Time seemed to slow as his eyes flicked down to her lips, remembering their kiss in the hotel room—the way she’d tasted, the way she’d felt against him, the slight catch in her breath as he’d stroked his tongue against hers. The air between them sizzled, and without realizing it, Colin leaned in slightly, lowering his head to kiss her again.

Except Harper pushed away from the wall, her cheeks flushed and her breathing faster than before. “I’m pretty sure I heard your mom say dinner was ready.”

Colin was pretty sure she was full of crap, but he went along with it anyway. Maybe the booze wasn’t doing him any favors after all. He set his half-finished glass aside and followed her back out from behind the bush. Better to stay sharp to find out what they could about Sebastian anyway. Tonight was about getting answers that could lead them to Serenity. And maybe if he reminded himself of that enough, he’d stop getting caught up in his connection with Harper and could focus on what was important.

Dinner, thankfully, went well, and he and Harper were able to get a bit more information from the guests over a delicious meal of fresh conch salad, grilled sea bass, and ceviche. It also didn’t hurt that the wine flowed freely, making everyone more willing to talk.

Apparently, Sebastian Bone had been on the island for about six months. He set up his Wellness Center on an estate he rented and from what everyone at the table said, it operated pretty much like another spa, but with a spiritualist focus. People got massages and meditated and did yoga while they talked about how positive forces could cure anything wrong with them. Cell phones were prohibited, to avoid disrupting the flow of peaceful, positive energy.

“And once they leave,” George said from across the table, “they won’t shut up about how fulfilling and transformative the whole experience was. Damned annoying if you ask me.”

Other people chatted about their own experiences at the spa, but it all sounded normal.

It wasn’t until after dinner was over and they were back out on the patio again that another of the guests approached Colin—a friend of his Aunt Katie’s named Arlene.

“I heard you asking about the wellness clinic earlier,” Arlene said, glancing around as if worried someone else would hear. “And I wanted to tell you about my experience.”

“Go on,” Colin said, leading her over to a deserted spot in the corner of the patio. “You didn’t have a good time at the center?”

“Uh, no.” She shook her head, her shoulder-length brown curls bouncing around her shoulders. She stood about a foot shorter than Colin and was maybe in her mid-forties. “I didn’t go myself—but my cousin did. Still does. She has cancer, and she insists on going to that stupid spa for spiritual healing instead of seeking medical treatment. Each time she goes, she stays longer and longer, no matter how much it costs.” Arlene sighed, frowning. “I tried to go over there earlier this week to attempt to talk some sense into her, but the spa’s staff wouldn’t let me in.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” Arlene looked up at him. “But the reason I wanted to say something is because I saw a woman who looked like Harper while I was there. She was the only staff person who was nice to me. Everyone tried to shoo me away. That woman actually tried to get me in to see my cousin. But then the owner came in and said no. He made me leave.”

“Sebastian Bone kicked you out?”

“Yep.” She crossed her arms, her light beige linen dress glowing in the twilight. “I’m telling you, Colin. Something’s not right there. The way people talk about it, it seems almost like a cult.”

Colin glanced up, catching Harper’s eye. Her suspicious expression mirrored his own feelings, reminding him that they were in this together.

It felt good. Better than good. Great.

Clearing his throat, Colin thanked Arlene for talking to him, then watched as she went back inside. Most of the guests were leaving now and sound of distant waves and cicadas filled the air. Harper walked over to him and lifted her chin. “Ready to go upstairs?”

“Let’s go,” he said, following her back inside.

His bedroom door had barely closed behind them when Harper began talking about what they’d just heard. “Jesus. I mean, I’m glad we’re closer to finding Serenity, but what if she’s gotten involved in some kind of cult, Colin? I’ve heard what happens to those people, how it can screw up the rest of your life and—”

“Hey, hey.” He took her by the shoulders and sat her down on the edge of the bed, then plopped down beside her. “We don’t know anything for sure yet. Don’t go jumping to conclusions and stressing yourself out. Believe me, I’ve been there, and it doesn’t do you any good.”

“You had someone in your life disappear too?” she asked, giving him some side-eye.

“In a way, yeah.”

Harper shifted slightly on the bed to face him. “What do you mean?”

“My girlfriend, Abby. I told you she died, but I didn’t tell you how. She was a naval officer on a flight deck crew. I worried about her on every single deployment.” He took a deep breath, his chest tight. “She died six months into her first tour.”

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Colin.” Harper took his hand.

“Thanks.” He squeezed her fingers. They didn’t say anything for a while, just sat there, holding hands as the distant call of gulls came through the open veranda doors.

Finally, Colin said, “Anyway, I told you so you’d understand that I know what you’re feeling—and how horrible it is to wait to find out if your loved one is okay.” He entwined their fingers and glanced up to meet her eyes. “But this isn’t a war zone. It’s just a con man going after a bunch of rich people. We’ll find your sister, Harper, and we’ll get her out. I promise.”

“Thank you.” She hugged him then, her warmth and softness thawing some of the ice that had formed around his heart after losing Abby. They rocked back and forth slowly, holding each other, taking strength from one another. At last, she pulled back slightly and gave him a watery smile. “I think maybe we can actually do this.”

“Of course we can,” he said, grinning. The sense of responsibility steeled inside him, making him even more determined to see this through. He hadn’t felt that way in a long time, like he held another person’s happiness in his hands, and he vowed not to let Harper down.

After another moment or two, Harper finally pulled away, swiping the back of her hand across her damp cheeks, then standing. “Right. Well, I’m pooped. I’m going to get changed into my pj’s. Why don’t you share the bed with me tonight? It’s big enough for four. We won’t even know the other person’s in there.” She headed for the bathroom, then stopped and looked back at him. “Even if you did make fun of my crystal.”

He chuckled as she closed the door, his gaze darting back to the shimmering pink-purple hunk of glass on his nightstand. It still seemed a little silly to him, but if it made Harper happy, then he guessed he could live with it.

By the time she came out again, he’d changed too, into comfy sweats and a T-shirt for bed. He took the side she didn’t sleep on, then reached over and plucked her crystal off the nightstand. “Tell me about this.”

“Seriously?” She gave him a wary look as she climbed beneath the covers on her side of the bed, rubbing lotion into her hands. He nodded and she sighed. “Fine, as long as you promise not to make any smartass remarks again.”

“Promise.”

“Okay.” She scooted down and put her head on the pillow, the duvet pulled up to her chin. “My mom got those for Serenity and me when we were little. The rule in our house was that you weren’t allowed to lie when you held the crystal—even to yourself. So, it became a thing with me and Serenity. Whenever we were stressed out about something, we’d hold our crystals, breathe deeply, and ask ourselves what the real problem was. What were we scared of? What did we really want?” She sighed. “It became my go-to gut check. It helps me figure out my goals in life.”

“Cool.” He studied the iridescent crystal for a moment, the stone cool against his palms. “I think it’s great your mom wanted you and your sister to learn to follow your gut. Not everyone’s so lucky.”

“Like you?” she asked, then yawned.

“Yeah.” He set the crystal back on the nightstand, then clicked off the light before snuggling down under the covers beside Harper. “I always felt like my dad wanted to make all my decisions for me. He had this idea in his head of who he wanted me to be, and if I didn’t match up with it, then he didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Well, for what it’s worth,” she murmured into the darkness, “I’m glad you became the person you are today. I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Me too,” he answered, surprised by how much he meant it.

It wasn’t long before both of them had drifted off to sleep.