She could feel her hesitation crumbling as the scheme came to life in her mind. She’d go back to Paradise, wow everyone in the damn place, seduce Nate Bishop—maybe she would make him fall in love with her—and then she’d break it off. Give him a piece of her mind, a taste of his own medicine, and finally be rid of Nate and Paradise forever.
And if she broke his heart in the process…well, who said revenge and closure were mutually exclusive?
Chapter Two
“Have you heard from Austin?” Owen asked as he dropped two sugar cubes in his cup and stirred his coffee with a spoon.
Nate didn’t miss the concerned flicker in his brother’s gray eyes. At twenty-nine, Owen was three years younger than Nate, and the brother Nate had always been closest to. Probably because the two of them were so alike—serious, gruff and happy with the simple things in life. Jake, Owen’s twin, was an adventure junkie who’d joined the army right out of high school, and Austin, the youngest at twenty-five, had followed his wanderlust all over the world and now worked as a photographer. The only thing all four of them had in common was their popularity with the ladies, along with the wild streak each of them had as teenagers and which Jake and Austin still possessed in spades.
Nate and Owen were the two who’d stayed in Paradise, content with small-town life, while Jake and Austin traveled and came home only when it suited them. Austin was better than Jake at checking in, usually calling every few weeks to say hello, but neither Nate nor Owen had heard from their younger brother in six months.
Around them, the other patrons in the diner chattered over their coffees and greasy lunch plates, oblivious to the grave expressions and worried glances from the Bishop brothers.
“Not a word,” Nate admitted.
Owen rubbed the stubble covering his chin. “That’s not like him. Think he’s in trouble?”
“Knowing Austin, yes, but it’ll be the kind of trouble he likes. You know, snapping pictures of rebel leaders decapitating villagers, getting caught and barely escaping with his hide intact.” Nate gave a dry, humorless smile at the very real example he’d just given. His little brother’s determination to throw himself right into the path of danger had always annoyed the shit out of him. Why couldn’t Austin pick a normal career? Or, hell, just work as a photographer for a newspaper. Who chose to take pictures of war zones?
“The last time he called, he was in Johannesburg,” Owen offered. “Said he was commissioned to do a photo essay on some diamond mines up in the mountains.”
“Yeah, I got the same call.”
“Nothing since?”
“Nothing.”
They fell silent, each one sipping their coffee. Nate didn’t want to say it aloud, but he was pretty fucking worried. Ever since Austin’s last visit home, he’d been acting strange, sounding distant over the phone. Nate had known something was up, but talking about their feelings wasn’t something the Bishops did often or with each other. So Nate had put his brother’s odd behavior out of his mind—until Austin went AWOL.
“Maybe we should call Jake,” Owen finally said.
Nate shook his head. “His unit is overseas. He said he’d call when he gets back home.” He paused. “I’ll stop by Mom’s, though. She might have heard something from him.”
“If you want to go by tonight, I can come with you.”
“Can’t. I have that reunion thing tonight.”
“Right, I forgot.”
“You forgot? Even with the bright red banner strung from those lampposts out there? And your crew doing all the work?”
Nate gestured out the front window of the diner at the big sign advertising tonight’s main event. Apparently the whole thing would be held in the town square. The town officials had hired a band, caterer, photographer, the works. Nate stared at the group of workers in the process of laying down sheets of plywood to create a makeshift dance floor. The men worked for Owen’s small construction company, and Nate recognized many of them since the same crew had helped to build his house.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Owen said with a pained look. “Maddie quit this morning and—”
Nate hooted. “Again?”
“Yes, again.” Owen cursed softly. “I swear that woman is going to be the death of me. She’s so fucking contrary all the fucking time! I’d fire her if she weren’t so damn popular with all the customers. And she knows her stuff, she’s like a construction expert.”
Nate had heard this all before. Owen and his assistant Maddie got into an explosive fight at least once a day, and Maddie quit at least once a week. Somehow she still worked there, though Nate suspected the girl had a thing for his brother and that was why she kept coming back. He’d always thought the two of them would make a good couple—the passion was definitely there, judging from their arguments—but Owen would balk at that. Maddie Wilson was a tomboy from head to toe, and Owen didn’t do tomboys, only leggy supermodel types with big tits and air between their ears.