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“The roof?” She tipped her head as if that suggestion was pure insanity before she asked, “What in the world was I doing on the roof?”
“Yeah, we never figured that out,” I answered with an uneasy wince. “Nor did we learn your name. So do you happen to know your name this morning?”
“Of course, I know my name.” She straightened self-righteously as if she couldn’t believe I would dare ask her such an insulting question. But when she added, “It’s,” nothing else came out.
“Holy shit,” she croaked. “I can’t remember my name, but—ooh! I do remember last night now.” She pointed at me. “We fell asleep going through the alphabet, trying to remember it.”
“That’s right,” I said with a nod. “At least you rememberthat.”
She brightened as if proud of herself. Then she sighed with a scowl and pressed a hand to her head. “This is crazy. I can’t believe I scaled Foster Union’s cottage on the beach and ended up on his roof. How random isthat?”
I paused in the middle of pushing my way to my feet. “Mycottage?” I repeated in confusion.
She lifted her hands and swore, “I promise, I had no idea this was your place. I’m totally not a creepy stalker. It was just a complete and utter coincidence that?—”
“This isn’t my place,” I broke in, feeling frozen with shock as I blinked at her in disbelief.
The girl sat upright, looking stunned. “What do you mean?” she demanded. “If this isn’tyourcottage, then whose is it?”
“I…” I stood all the way up, realizing I should not be making myself at home right now. “I thought it wasyourcottage.”
“It’s not my cottage,” she spat back, hopping to her feet as well. “Why would you think it was my cottage?”
“Because you were on theroof,” I said with more force and a chest full of growing panic. “And there was no ladder, so you had to have gotten up there from the inside, like through a window. I assumed the place wasyours. That’s why I brought you inside and nursed you through the night here.”
“Oh,” she said in a small voice. “Well…oops.”
“Oops?” I echoed. “Why were you on the roof if it’s not your cottage? Or at least the cottage of someone you know?”
“I-I-I thought we decided that was still a mystery.”
“Holy shit,” I exploded, gripping my hair. “Are we breaking and entering into a complete stranger’s beach house right now?”
“Um…” With a wince, the girl sent me a small, apologetic smile. “I think so, yes.”
My mouth dropped open, and I could only gape at her for the longest second before we heard what sounded like a car pull up in the driveway.
“Oh, no, no, no, no,” I chanted and hurried toward a window to peer outside. “Please don’t be—” But when I saw the roof of a red car stop and park before the driver’s side door swung open, I knew it was bad news.
The homeowners had arrived.
I spun back to my partner in crime. “Okay, time to go. Time to go right now.”
7
FOSTER
“What kind of crazy person leaves their house unlocked like that so just anyone off the beach could wander in?” sputtered the redhead I’d spent the night unintentionally breaking and entering with.
“No idea,” I answered, hurrying toward the front door so I could throw it open and frantically wave her toward me. “You want to wait another thirty seconds and ask them? Or just go now and avoid the risk of jail time or getting shot?”
She blinked at me in surprise, then said, “I’m ready to go now.”
“Thankyou.” I breathed in relief as she streaked toward me, barefoot.
From the back of the house, a door opened, and I heard, “Hey!” as I darted out the door behind her.
“Run!” I gasped, and she didn’t need to be told twice. She took off sprinting for all she was worth.
