Secrets Collide (Bluegrass Brothers)

night of the week with him in the leading role.” Diane threw her head back and laughed, before turning to the other writers. “That man is book cover material.”
    Riley would not tell them that she’d dated Logan on and off, knowing the writers would attempt to get them back together, when they were better off just being friends.
    Pat put a hand on Diane’s arm. “Don’t go forgetting the rest of them. What were their names?”
    Diane shrugged with a laugh. “Couldn’t tell you. My eyes weren’t on their nametags.”
    The writers laughed their way onto the bus as a good-looking couple in their early thirties approached and introduced themselves. “Ken and Emma Murray.”
    Riley welcomed them to the island and checked them off her list when her attention was pulled in a completely different direction. Given the constant stream of visitors they got on the island, there weren’t many men who could have her doing a double-take, but damn if this one didn’t have her heart forgetting how to beat properly. And he was walking towards her, his long stride eating up the distance between them.
    The man was…tall. And…words failed her. Despite the cotton tee and worn jeans, he looked like a Viking god, his honey-colored hair just long enough to make a girl want to run her fingers through it, his strong jaw covered in several days’ growth. There was an ease to his step and demeanor despite his muscular build, like he was comfortable in his body and knew how to use it.
    He shifted the large duffel he was carrying and gave her a smile that had her blushing, while his blue eyes held her captive in his gaze. “Hey there, darling.”
    Darling, eh? She liked it. And he had an accent—something European. Well-schooled and definitely English but with a little bit of something else thrown in.
    “Welcome to Mermaid Isle.” Her heart nearly stuttered along with her mouth. She glanced at her clipboard. The name wasn’t familiar, but there was something about him…those eyes, the accent. And there was only one person who’d ever had such an immediate effect on her. “Thorsen Black?”
    “That would be me.” His smile kicked up a notch, his gaze making her feel like she was the only person there. “And you could only be Riley. Riley Carter.”
    “That’s me. Have you been to the Siren Song Inn before?” She must have had her head stuck in a hole to not notice him the last time he’d come to the inn. Even the writers were opening the windows on the bus and jostling for a better view.
    “You don’t remember me, do you?” The humor in his smile had her wondering when they’d last met. “Think back to when we were teenagers. You got yourself stuck on the cliff…”
    “Oh, god…” She squeezed her eyes shut and cringed.
    That had been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, and one she thought she’d left behind along with her braces and training bras. Memories of that summer flooded her head as she thought of the teenage boy who’d saved her that day. He’d ended up being her first true love—and her first . But…she looked at the name. It was different to what she remembered.
    He must have seen her confusion. “I used to go by my middle name back then—Eirik.”
    Eirik Black. That was the name she remembered.
    How often had she thought of him over the years? Maybe it was because their summer together—and the one after that—had been magical and he’d been the first guy she’d fallen in love with. But it seemed like no other relationship ever came close to measuring up. Not even the good ones.
    “I can’t believe it’s you.” With her heart racing erratically, she gave him a quick hug, not quite believing Eirik—Thorsen—was standing in front of her. “How have you been?”
    “Good. You?”
    Someone cleared their throat, keeping them from reminiscing further. Riley turned to find the last person on her list. “Anna Blake?”
    “It is.” A smile graced her face for no more than a second before fading to a no-nonsense demeanor.
    “Well…welcome to the island.” Riley managed a smile, though the woman before her didn’t exactly inspire the warm and fuzzies.
    Though everyone had their own sense of style, Anna’s outfit didn’t exactly say summer vacation—business attire head to toe, the woman looked like she was a lawyer. Dark suit jacket, even in the middle of summer, paired with a slim skirt and white blouse, heels that looked better suited to Manhattan than Maine,