“She’s on vacation, I highly doubt she’d want to.”

We spoke at the same time, then locked eyes. His mouth set in a firm line as my eyebrows lowered.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll eat at six. It’s been lovely to meet you.” She smiled, but it was guarded. “Gray, the Bowdens would like a word.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied without taking his eyes off me.

They returned to what was left of the party while I glared at Grayson. “You don’t want me at dinner?”

He looked away for a moment and then back to me. “Things are complicated here. I just…I’d rather be at the beach house with you.”

“Right. Where you can be Rucker Grayson instead of Carolina Gray, so you can keep your two worlds neat and tidy.”

“You have no idea.”

I stepped to the side, then backed away from him. “Right, because you won’t let me. You don’t let anyone know both sides of you, do you? I swear, since I landed, you’ve given me whiplash. You know what? If you don’t want me here, then I certainly don’t want to be here. Give your mother my thanks and make my excuses.”

“Sam.”

I shook my head and turned around, walking toward the Yukon.

“Samantha!”

I sucked in my breath at the almost-desperate edge to his voice and paused only long enough to turn around and say, “I’d do just about anything for you, Grayson, but I’ll never stay where you don’t want me.”

Chapter Seventeen

Sam

The sun warmed my skin as the ocean breeze cooled it. I turned the next page in The Odyssey, lounging on the beach while Jagger and Paisley walked through the surf.

English was never my strong subject, and if I got this book read before fall term started, I’d be ahead. I had to ace those classes if I was going to get back into a university. Besides, all my chem and lab work was caught up.

“Sam!” Mia’s voice rang out, and I lowered my sunglasses as she skipped down to my lounge chair in capris and a sleeveless polo.

Her smile was contagious. “What are you doing here, Mia?”

“I told Grayson I wanted to show you around, so he gave me the address.”

Instead of showing me around himself. Not that he’d bothered to so much as call since I walked away from him last night. What was I supposed to expect? I’d told him to treat me like I wasn’t here; I couldn’t really be hurt when he did just that. Except that I was. Hurt, annoyed, missing him—he made me a kaleidoscope of mixed emotions, and I would have killed for a single, solid picture.

“Well, I’m glad to see you.”

“Good. Now get dressed.” She took my book out of my hand and headed back to the house, leaving no room for argument.

I changed into a flowy knee-length magenta skirt and a white halter top, loving the contrast against my sun-darkening skin, and found Mia in the living room, sitting opposite a smiling Will.

“It does have the best dancing in the Outer Banks,” she cajoled.

“I’ll definitely think about it.” He grinned.

“I’d be happy to show you—”

Oh, nuh-uh. Not happening. I tapped Mia on the shoulder from behind her chair. “Your brother would be happy to show Will what the ocean floor looks like. Let’s save his life and send Morgan with him, shall we?”

Mia flashed Will a killer smile. “Shame.”

He flat-out laughed, which brought Morgan in from the kitchen. “What’s so funny?”

“Look me up when you’re about four years older, will you?” he asked Mia.

“Oh, you bet,” she answered as I pulled her out of the chair.

“Or when you have a different brother,” I muttered, leading her through the house until the sunshine hit my face. “Okay, where are we headed?”

She unlocked a black Jeep Liberty and motioned to the passenger seat. I got in and buckled while she did the same. “I figured I’d give you a tour, but I need to drop some stuff off to Parker first.” She pointed to a purse in the back. “She’s volunteering today and might want to buy lunch.”

“No problem.” Parker didn’t exactly strike me as a candy striper. Where the heck did she volunteer? The Outer Banks House of Pain?

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Mia began to chatter as we headed north toward Kitty Hawk. Two run red lights and three stories later about how her boyfriend dumped her since she was leaving for UNC in the fall anyway, we pulled into the hospital parking lot. Who the hell taught this girl to drive? “Besides, Gray needs you, and I want everyone to see what you do to him.”

Well, this just got awkward. “He’s different here.”

She parked, killed the engine, and then grabbed Parker’s purse from the back. Go figure, it was black…to match her soul. She’s probably not that bad.

“Gray hasn’t been himself since it happened,” Mia answered. “The closest I’ve seen has been when he’s with you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I stayed silent.

She patted my hand like she was older and not vice versa. “How about you come in with me? I don’t want to leave this at the desk, so I might need to hunt a minute or two to find her.”

It was better than sitting in the hot car. “Sure.”

The doors opened, and the sterile air conditioning swept over us. “Hey, Mia,” the receptionist called out with a wave. Small towns.