Joy forces herself to tear her gaze away from them—and meets Fox’s eyes. Startled, she says, “Hi,” because that’s the first thing that pops into her brain.

“Hi.”

Has he been watching her? If he feels guilty about being caught again, he doesn’t show it, continuing to maintain eye contact from the other side of the boat. He’s also wearing a bright orange life jacket now.

“Lovely weather we’re having.”

“Sure.”

Joy’s never met a person she couldn’t initially dazzle. She’s too quick, too flirty, too aware—most people never stand a chance. Fox might drive her into overtime, though. His stoic grumpiness isn’t exactly Mount Everest since he’s shown enough interest to play off, but it won’t take her much further if she can’t find the right angle.

Her online popularity clearly spooked him, and he also had a weird reaction to her being a twin, so she needs to hook him with something he would consider normal—relatable yet intriguing. He wants to know more. She can feel it.

Whatever preconceptions Malcolm unintentionally planted about her must have been shaken once he met her. The same thing was true for her, wasn’t it? All she knew was that Malcolm claimed Fox hated him, but she hasn’t been able to figure out why. She hasn’t even seen anything that could lead to an explanation for it. He seems grumpy by nature, and it’s pointed in all general directions, not specifically at Malcolm.

“You’re into all this outdoorsy stuff too, I’m assuming.”

“No.”

Joy crosses her leg at the knee and leans toward him, resting her arms on her thighs. She watches him carefully as she asks, “Do you hate Malcolm?”

The right side of his mouth twitches. “No.”

One-word answers. He’s testing her.

“I see you,” she says in a singsong voice.

When he lifts that eyebrow again, she knows she’s right.

“That’s so petty.” Joy winks at him. “I approve.” She straightens up, turning her back on him in favor of watching the rippling waves as the boat cruises across the water.

That exchange needed a hard stop. If she pressed, the fun would wear off and become annoying. Dealing with Malcolm and Summer stressed her out to the high heavens. Having Fox around could be a blessing in disguise. Someone to spar and have fun with to balance out her constantly fluctuating moods and keep her grounded.

Fox’s voice cuts through everything—the boat’s engine, the water, the birds, Joy’s thoughts. “For the record, I see you too.”

It takes everything Joy has to not turn back around. She grips the railing of the boat, lips pressed together to stop her smile from overtaking her face.

Seven words again. Damn, he’s good.

Seven