Page 104 of What Started In Deception

“Sure,” she said, even when she had no appetite.

He stopped abruptly.

She frowned as she looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I just had an idea. A great idea, actually.”

“What’s that?” And then she gasped as he dropped his shirt and scooped her into his arms. “What are you doing?”

He grinned as he hurried toward the water. “I’m taking you for a dip, baby.”

Her eyes grew wide as they moved closer to the waves. “Ty, the water’s cold.”

He shrugged. “We can handle it.”

She grinned, even as she adamantly shook her head. “It’s really brisk, even in the summer.”

He moved into the rush of water anyway—past his knees, then his thighs and hips, laughing when she screamed as the water crashed into them.

“Ty!”

He laughed harder as they held each other’s gaze through the lenses of their glasses. “I thought you loved to swim.”

She gripped her arms tighter around him when the next icy wave slammed into them. “In the temperature-controlled pool.”

“Aw, where’s your sense of adventure, Lyd?”

“I’ll let you know when I’m not hypothermic.”

He let loose another laugh.

She gave in to her chuckle as she shook her head. “How do I end up in these situations with you? Dancing on the highway. Shivering in the Atlantic.”

“I guess you’re just lucky.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Are you too cold?”

She shook her head again. “It’s not quite as bad as I thought it would be.”

“That’s because it’s hot as fuck.”

She nodded as more water rushed over them. “It’s pretty perfect for the Fourth of July.”

“Do you want to get out? We could help Everly with her sandcastle before we grab some dinner.”

She grinned as she nodded, loving everything about her summer with Ty. “Sure.”

Ty stood on the Donahues’ deck as the sun inched closer to the horizon. His belly was full after an excellent meal, and he currently sipped on a Corona with lime while he chatted with James and one of James’s bigwig Massachusetts friends.

His gaze occasionally scanned the crowd as he watched Will peek at his phone from time to time while he sat next to his wife and son on one of the couches as Everly slept on his shoulder. He also kept his eye out for Richard Russo, but the guy had never shown up, which had been a long shot anyway.

“Ty’s going to take me on as one of his virtual clients,” James said, pulling him back into the conversation.

Ty nodded. “Absolutely. You figure out what works for your schedule, and we’ll check in whenever you want. I told Marietta the same thing.”

James nodded. “I’ll look at my calendar when we get back tomorrow. I’m sure my mother already has.”

Ty smiled when arms suddenly wrapped around his waist from behind, and Lydia’s floral and vanilla scent surrounded him as she rested her cheek against his back.

“Hey, baby,” he said as he pulled her against his side, hooking his arm around her shoulders as he kissed the top of her head.