“You’re a godsend. If I hear one more word about cameras or wiring, my eyes are going to cross.” She let out a whistle, and Griffin’s gaze shot to her. “Shay’s giving me a tour. I’ll be back later.”

Griffin paused for a moment and then nodded. “Be careful.”

“Pretty sure I’m not going to get eaten by a bear.”

Griffin shook his head, but his lips twitched as he turned back to the conversation. But Brody’s eyes remained on me, his gaze intense. I fought the urge to squirm under the weight of it. Instead, I issued a wave and turned away. “It’s sweet how Griffin is with you.”

Caelyn snorted. “Sweet but a little over the top. I swear he’d wrap me in bubble wrap if he could.”

My heart ached at her words. God, I wanted that. Someone who wanted to step between me and all the bad things in the world. Not because I couldn’t handle my own battles, but simply because they loved me. “A little bubble wrap isn’t such a bad thing.”

Caelyn glanced over at me. “I guess not. So, how are things here? The new boss?”

“Different. But good. I think Brody and I are becoming friends. I mean he’s still my boss, of course. But since he’s actually on the island all the time, and there’s no one else here, we hang out.”

She waggled her eyebrows at me. “Hang out, huh?”

My cheeks flamed. “Not like that.” But I couldn’t deny that thoughts of what that might be like had been running around in my head for weeks now. It would be dumb, so incredibly stupid to go there with him. But thinking about it was a different story.

“He watches you. Not in a creepy way. In a sweet one. Like he’s looking out for you.”

My insides warmed at the thought. “He’s a good guy.”

Caelyn let out a humming noise of agreement. “He seems to be coming to town with you a lot. You’ve got some tongues wagging.”

I stopped on the trail and faced Caelyn. “Has someone been asking about me?” I tried to keep the panic from my voice, but I knew a little slipped in.

Worry lined the planes of Caelyn’s face. “Nothing bad. I promise. Just the local gossip mill. You know they’ll talk about anything.”

But they hadn’t talked about me before. I’d never given them the opportunity. But a handsome new resident and a woman who had no friends or family to speak of? That would get people talking. For the first time, I hated this new friendship with Brody. But the second the thought escaped my brain, my body seemed to revolt. I’d never give up stolen moments with Brody. Not my morning workouts or our movie nights. Not losing repeatedly at Yahtzee or those trips into town.