“Has anyone seen, Dayna?” Violet Tanner asked as she stuck a marshmallow on the end of an old iron hanger she took from the house. “The last time I saw her she was walking down the beach with Jared,” her friend, Stella, told her when she sat next to her on the beach towel she’d spread out on the sand. Violet lifted her brow. “Jared? Jared Stephens? Seriously?” “Yep.” She thumbed toward the other end of the house where the beach turned into a jetty after a couple of acres. “They went that way.” Violet glanced over her shoulder toward the ocean and watched the waves whisper over the sand. A gust of wind shifted the almost white dust around the half-washed away castle some of them had made earlier. “I wonder what the heck he’s doing here. I thought she wasn’t going to invite any of Anthony’s friends.” Shrugging her shoulders, Stella leaned forward to place the end of her stick near the blazing heat of the bonfire. Her marshmallow began to crackle and blacken. “I did too. I don’t know what happened.” Violet pulled her hanger back and blew on her sweet, gooey treat as smoke sifted up. “Wow. I hope she’s all right. The last thing she needs are any memories of that awful night.” “No kidding,” her friend agreed. “But if you ask me, I think he’s here for something else.” It was dusk, and even though heat billowed from the blazing fire, the ocean waves carried a nice breeze over the beach. The sea salt air almost masked the acrid smell of burning wood. With her thumb and index finger, she took a small piece of the gooey marshmallow and put it her mouth. A mixture of hard and soft sugar burst over her tongue. “What do you mean?” “He likes her.” As she pulled her finger out of her mouth, she glanced up to find Logan McMaster’s staring at her. She stared back and released the digit slowly and seductively over her bottom lip and smiled. “Who?” He smiled back. “Jared.” “Here, hold this,” she said, standing and gave her hanger to Stella. Never taking her eyes off Logan, she grabbed the bottom of her tank top and yanked it up and over her head. Underneath she wore a skimpy white bathing suit halter with sheer horizontal stripes. His gaze lowered to her breasts, and his tongue wet his bottom lip. She grinned. Stella said, “I’ve seen the way he watches her when he thinks no one is looking. He’s got it bad.” She swiveled around and gave her friend an incredulous stare. “What a minute. What? Logan likes Dayna?” A whip of hurt clogged her throat. Dayna and Logan had gone to college together, but as far she knew had never dated or even been attracted to each other. They’d taken a couple of classes together and had remained friends even after Logan had gone on to play professional football. “Will you stop performing your sneaky little strip tease and pay attention? No. Jared likes Dayna.” Stella’s gaze roamed the camp fire until it landed on Logan. “Logan McMasters only has eyes for you tonight.” Air whooshed from Violet’s throat. She sat down slowly even though a zany mass of flutters began in her belly. “Do you think so? I’ve been trying to get his attention all day.” Stella nodded in his direction and smirked. “Oh, you’ve got his attention all right.” Violet stretched her legs out in front of her and crossed them at the ankles. Then combed her fingers through her shoulder-length hair and shook it out behind her. “Excellent.” Stella laughed and said, “You need to get your mind out the gutter. How was work this week?” “Oh God, please don’t ask.” She covered her face with her arm. “You’re ruining my mood.” “Uh oh… What happened?” She dropped her hands in her lap. “I got demoted. That’s what happened.” “What?” Violet’s gaze followed Logan as he stood and moved closer Ian, their mutual friend who had the hots for Stella. He’d surprisingly convinced Stella