He was classy enough not to say it out loud—thank God because I did not want to know about my sister’s sex life—but I got the distinct impression Zane didn’t want to let their baby-less night go without some private husband-and-wife time.

“Yes, Lieutenant,” my sister quipped, and I was pretty sure the reference to Zane’s military past made him uncomfortable, but Hayden could get away with just about anything with him.

They said their goodbyes to our group as well as to the couple dozen people who remained, and I couldn’t help peering around for my wife again. I was starting to get worried.

“I need to take off as well,” Levi said. “It’s been a great night but I’m beat.”

“I’ll probably head out in a few too,” Carter said. “Got some unfinished business to take care of.” He made his way toward Shawna, Isabel, Anna, and Olivia, who were back to holding court in the Adirondack chairs, where they’d been when Chloe and I first arrived.

I checked again to make sure Chloe wasn’t with them, but there were only the four of them, seemingly entrenched in a world-changing serious conversation. I glanced around, looking for Rick, Magnolia’s sucker, er, fiancé, but he seemed to be MIA as well.

“You’ve got it bad,” Kemp said, then took a long drink of his beer.

Now that it was just the two of us, I lowered my voice and said, “She texted that she’s talking to Magnolia.”

“That’s never a good idea.”

“Especially for Chloe. Magnolia’s never once been pleasant to her.” I couldn’t help myself. I glanced around yet again.

Kemp was staring at me.

“What?” I growled.

He took another swig, still eyeing me. Then he shook his head. “Trying to figure out if you’ve admitted it to yourself yet.”

“Admitted what?”

Another group took off, and the gathering was down to less than twenty. It was time to head home, but I couldn’t do that without Chloe.

“You’re in love with her.” He kept his voice quiet, and everyone else appeared to be wrapped up in their clusters of people, but I glared at him.

“Chloe and I have always been close. You know this.”

“Uh-huh. And now you’re closer.”

With a laugh I wasn’t feeling, I said, “Of course we are. We’re married.”

“You’ve been seeking her out with your eyes all night, whether you’re on opposite sides of the beach or one group away from each other. Not like a friend.”

“If you’ve had time to keep track of who I’m looking at tonight, you could stand to get a life yourself.”

“Don’t need to bite my head off. It’s not like you can control the L word. Just wondered if you’d acknowledged it or not. Seems I have my answer.”