Catching Sam: Book 2 of 5: The MacDonald Brothers by Emily Matthews (best mystery novels of all time TXT) 📗

get in the water,” he said. “It may technically be summer, but bring a coat.”

“Sounds a lot like the San Fran beaches—too cold. That’s why I went south. Well, I didn’t plan on swimming anyway. I just like to sit in the sun and listen to the waves. Maybe read a book.”

“If you don’t mind me tagging along, I could plan something. I’ll pack a cooler and bring some beach chairs and firewood. If I take the truck, we can drive right on the beach and find a secluded spot. Plus, if I drive, you wouldn’t have to worry about getting a car right away. Whaddaya say?”

“Well, dang. You make it hard to say no. You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all. When I first moved out here, I used to go a couple of times every summer. I haven’t been in years, but I’m sure not much has changed.”

“Okay. Let me know if you want me to bring anything. And I’m buying lunch.” She gave him a stern look when he made a move to protest. “No arguments.”

“Fine. It’s a date.” He smiled. “All right, I’ll go smooth things over with Cooper. You wanna let Beckie know?”

“Yes. Oh, yes. She will be so excited.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Early Saturday morning, Annie woke and jumped out of bed, excited for their trip to the beach. Sam had suggested they leave before dawn to get there at low tide, so they could dig for clams. Digging for clams sounded messy, but because she liked to try new things, she agreed.

Bundled up in jeans, tennis shoes, and a hoodie, she cursed her California wardrobe and hoped she’d be warm enough. She packed a heavy coat and a change of clothes in case she got wet. After checking the weather, she’d almost canceled the whole thing. Drizzle, followed by rain, followed by drizzle. She and Sam had discussed it and decided to go anyway and make the best of it.

Sam arrived right on time and, after locking up, she jogged out to his truck. She climbed into the cab and hesitated before scooting over to give him a kiss. She wasn’t sure they’d progressed to kissing hello, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Hey there. You ready?” he asked.

“Yeah. I can’t wait to hear the waves and feel the ocean breeze on my face,” she said.

“About that,” he hedged, pulling out of their neighborhood and making sure the gate locked behind them. “How about a change of plans?” He glanced over and smiled sheepishly.

“What do you mean?” Annie asked. Dang it. She’d had her heart set on some sun and sand. Or even rain and sand.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said.

“Okay. Then just relax.”

They made a pitstop for coffee and a couple of bagels and then headed out. He didn’t drive far before pulling into the parking lot of a small airport, just on the outskirts of town. He went straight to a hangar where a small jet sat idling.

“What’s this?” she asked, confused.

“Well, I figured if we got an early enough start today, instead of being in Ocean Shores at noon, we could be in Maui. The beaches there are much warmer!”

“Wait, what?” she asked. “We’re going to Maui? Right now?”

“You okay with that?”

“Oh, my God. Yes. That sounds fantastic,” she exclaimed, clasping her hands in delight.

He parked the truck in one of a half-dozen spots right there in the hangar, and they walked about fifty feet before reaching the stairs to the plane.

“Oh, man,” she whispered reverently upon boarding. The plane wasn’t huge, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in opulence. Her feet sank into plush carpet as she entered.

The cabin was lined on one side with cozy-looking plush chairs. The other side had two desks that faced each other. A big-screen TV was attached to the front wall. She sat in one of the chairs and was engulfed in soft leather. She swiveled around to look out the window and then continued around to face Sam again.

“Oh, wow. So comfortable.” Catching a glimpse of another room, she got up to investigate. “What’s back here?” she wondered out loud. It was a bedroom, complete with a queen-size bed and nightstand. The bathroom was through another door to the left and was five times the size of a standard airplane bathroom.

“Sam, this is so fancy!”

“Glad you like it,” he said. “Beats the cab of the pickup, anyway.” He excused himself to go talk to the pilot for a second and then rejoined her. They buckled up and were off within minutes.

If he was trying to dazzle her, it was working. This must be what it was like to have money to burn. Just jet off to Hawaii whenever the urge struck.

“You do this often?” she asked.

“Fly off to Maui for the day? No, this is the first time I’ve done this,” he said.

“Did you rent the plane then?”

“Not exactly. The jet belongs to the company. When I use it for personal reasons, I just have to pay for the pilot’s time and the fuel. Great investment, eh?”

“I’ll say.”

They watched reruns of The Office and played checkers until the pilot announced they would arrive soon. Once they were on the ground, a town car was waiting to take them to the resort.

“Sam, this is so exciting, but I don’t have clothes for this. I dressed for fifty-degree weather.” She looked down at her jeans-clad legs. “I don’t even have a swimsuit. You told me I wouldn’t need one,” Annie exclaimed.

“I would have been right if I hadn’t changed plans,” Sam mused. “Tell you what. I own a couple of short-term rentals here, and I need to drive by them and then talk to my property manager, so I can write this trip off as business. Why don’t you take my credit card and get whatever you need from the resort’s boutique? They should have everything.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Annie said. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

“An hour and a