Kellen looked at Max and mouthed, “What a bitch.”

He said, “It’s not easy getting someone on short notice to cook and do light cleaning on a deserted island with none of the usual amenities.”

Kellen noted Max hadn’t disagreed.

“What’s happening?” Rae asked.

“Someone ate the cake last night from the pantry,” Max told her.

Rae wrinkled her nose. “It had coconut. I didn’t like it. Hey, would you tell Olympia to stop playing her music at night? It creeps me out.”

“She does have retro taste in music,” Kellen said.

Max looked at them both.

“I went to Rae’s room to check up on her after the fireworks. I thought she might…” Kellen gave Max the look that meant, have nightmares. “Music was wafting up the stairs. Old songs from years ago.”

“Like Ruby would have played!” Rae said.

Kellen hadn’t thought about that. “That’s exactly right.”

Rae slid off her chair. “Can I be excused? Can Luna and I go for a bike ride?”

“May I?” Kellen corrected her, then thought, Geez, I’m channeling my aunt. “Yes, you may be excused. And yes, you and Luna may go for a bike ride. First brush your teeth. Put on your sunscreen. Don’t take Luna too far and when you turn back, check her pads for thorns. We don’t want her limping again.”

“I’ll be careful!” Rae tore out of the dining room.

Max and Kellen looked at each other.

“Getting away has been good for her,” Max marveled.

“I was thinking the same thing. She’s strong and I’d swear she’s grown at least an inch while we’ve been here.” Kellen took a breath. “Except…I wonder if Rae is sleepwalking.”

“What? Why?”

“Olympia wouldn’t lie about stuff disappearing from the kitchen.”

“Rae wouldn’t lie, either. Or steal!”

“She tells the occasional fib.” Kellen lifted one finger to stop his protest. “We all do. Not the point. We tore her from all that was familiar and dragged her halfway across the world. She’s still suffering from nightmares. With all those hormones raging through her, sleepwalking is a possibility.”

“And sleep-eating?”

“Yes. Unless it’s me and you’re not telling me.”

“You think you’re sleepwalking?”

“No, I think I still have a brain that’s healing and I could be blacking out. How would I know?” She said that as if she was calm about the possibility.

She wasn’t. Of all the conditions that her medical team had told her could happen, the possibility of blackouts terrified her most.

“I’d tell you. I’d take a chance with Mara and return you to the mainland for treatment.” Max scooted his chair close to hers and kissed her, soft and comforting, with a warm undercurrent of passion that tugged at Kellen’s senses. “Trust me. Ask me next time. Don’t wonder and worry.”