Page 79 of The Beachside Rental

“What do you think he’s doing?”she asked.

“Something he shouldn’t be doing.”It took Simon a bit to get the dog to stop digging.Then he pulled the dog out of the bushes.However, Gus no longer had her keys.She could only imagine that he’d dropped them when he was digging the hole.

She stepped into the vegetation.A cobweb touched her face and her arms.With a scream, she jumped back.

Simon was immediately by her side.“What’s the matter?”

“I walked into a spider web.”

“Oh.”A smile appeared on his handsome face.It grew until he was chuckling.

She glared at him.“It’s not funny.That was a big web.Imagine the size of the spider that spun it.”

He subdued his amusement.“What were you doing?”

“Trying to get my keys.He must have dropped them in there.”

“Step aside.I’ll go get them.”

She wasn’t about to turn down his offer.“Okay.But don’t say I didn’t warn you about the giant spider.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”He gestured to Gus.“Can you hang onto his collar?I don’t want him running off again.”

“Okay.”She crouched down next to the dog and wrapped her fingers around his red collar.“You shouldn’t be in there,” she whispered to Gus.“Icky things live in there.”

A moment later, Simon called out, “I got the keys.And...”

“And what?”

“It appears there’s some more stuff.Here.”His arm stuck out with her keys.

“What else is in there?”Her curiosity was piqued as she brushed off the dirt.

“Let’s see.A book.Sunglasses.A pen.A shoe.And my flash drive.”He tossed out the things as he found them.“There’s an apron.And… My favorite pen.”

Jenna gaped.She turned an accusatory look to Gus.“Don’t go giving me that innocent look.You’re a thief.”

Simon backed out from the overgrown foliage.There was something in his hands—something bright pink.He held up the pair of spandex shorts.“Are these yours?”

She gasped.“They aren’t mine.I, um…take it they aren’t yours either.”

With a grin on his face, he gave a quick shake of his head.“Not my color.”

And then they both burst out laughing.

After she calmed herself, she asked, “Where do you think he got the shorts?”

“I have no idea.And I don’t think I want to know.”

“I think you’re right.”

Simon’s gaze moved to Gus, and then he shook his head.“Looks like I’m going to have to keep a closer eye on you.It’s hard to tell what you’ll steal next.”He turned to her and held out the high heel she was missing.“I believe this shoe belongs to you.Does this make you Cinderella?”

“Only if you’ll be my Prince Charming.”

“Definitely.”He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

She took the shoe from him.It had definitely seen better days.There was dirt all over it, and it was smashed into the seams.