I looked him right in the eyes and held his stare in a defiant challenge and utter disgust. I mean, seriously, what the fuck was happening right now? All I knew was I shouldn’t show fear. That suddenly became imperative. I thought I might wait for Dauphine in the main room by the fireplace and not this small private hallway.

I moved.

His hand darted out, stopping me by my shoulder. “You weren’t going to say goodbye?”

I fixed him with a blank stare. “I didn’t realize there was anything good about it.”

Surprise flashed in his eyes, and his face transformed from congenial to mean in milliseconds. “Quite a little icy bitch, aren’t you?” he hissed. “Do you warm up for the little nerd out there?”

The bathroom door unlocked, and he dropped his hand, his face and demeanor melting into a harmless smile.

Dauphine stepped out, pressing immediately to my side. Kids picked up on way more than adults ever did. And this guy was a threat. And not just to me. Protectiveness surged through me. For Dauphine. For her father.

Putting my arm around Dauphine’s shoulder, I pulled her with me as I pushed past him.

He stopped me again, this time slapping a card to my chest. The shock of his hand there caused me to stop, and I fumbled and grabbed it.

“My number. I’ll be waiting for your call.” He winked and strode away, beating us to the door

“Ugh,” I said.

“I don’t like him,” said Dauphine.

“Me neither.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dauphine spent almost an hour swimming and making sandcastles before she jumped up and ran to her father strolling barefoot along the small waves lapping at the water’s edge. I’d texted the number he gave me, telling him to turn left and walk about fifty yards. He wore his dark sunglasses and held his shoes with one hand. He kissed his daughter’s head then stepped closer and looked down at our creation.

I shaded my eyes to look up at him.

The edges of his mouth tipped up into a smile.

“You don’t look like you’re leaving soon,” he said.

I followed his gaze to where I was buried to my waist. Dauphine had begun by making me an armchair dug into the sand. Then it had become a “mermaid throne.” And now I had a whole mer-village with mounds and walls built around me and over my legs. I had a stinky piece of seaweed draped across my head. My crown.

“It appears so.” I raised my eyebrows. I didn’t add that I also had sand in unmentionable places.

Xavier’s lips seemed to struggle before he let them go into a full-blown grin, revealing his gorgeous straight teeth and a devil’s dimple. I couldn’t help smiling back. I knew I looked utterly ridiculous.