A VERY UN-SHAKESPEARE ROMANCE: ‘A Fake Dad Grumpy Sunshine Romantic Comedy’

Their plan was brilliant, and her promotion would be a sure thing.

Robbie, though? She had no idea what would happen.

She could only hope that the man she’d come to know and care about would at least meet her halfway. After he blew his top, which she feared would be his initial reaction. She’d continue hoping that coming clean to Robbie would mean they could go on a real date as themselves when all this was over. Because if she didn’t lead with hope, she felt like she might lose her balance and make a mistake, and that was something she could not do.

Lily finished another bottle of coconut water and then checked the clock, eager to kick things off. This time she was the one who patted Sheila’s butt. “Showtime.”

“God, I can’t believe you talked me into this. The sun is hardly up, and we barely got a catnap.” Her partner’s glare didn’t have its usual punch given the dark circles under her eyes from a long night.

When they’d checked in with Buck last night, he’d wanted them to immediately bring Tara into the North Carolina FBI office before transporting her and her girls back to Boston in protective custody. Basically, pissing on Robbie and the Southie PD and pulling rank with the racketeering case they’d been working on to nail the Kellys. Not to mention frightening some very little girls.

Hairs rising on her skin because of how badly she knew that was going to go over—with both Tara and Robbie—Lily had told Buck they were going to go over everything they had so far and call him back with a detailed plan. Her brainstorming session with Sheila had been rocky at first, because her partner was reluctant to worry about egos and stepped-on toes. Sheila loved pissing contests, something she swore she got from her mother.

But she’d agreed about not wanting to traumatize the little girls they’d both grown fond of. In the end, Sheila had called her “my queen” and sent a fatigued bow her way.

Lily had gotten totally choked up, but of course Sheila had quickly followed it up by saying it was her eighth cup of coffee that had enticed her to agree to Lily’s unconventional plan. Her partner had collapsed on the couch while Lily had called Buck back and laid out her strategy.

He’d argued nearly every point with her, which was what made him a good agent and boss, making her defend each part of her scheme. He’d finally caved at four fifteen, telling Lily that she’d better be right, or he was going to transfer her to Anchorage and tell the officer in charge to put her on moose poaching cases. Did people poach moose? She’d shivered but hung up victorious.

With two hours of sleep, she was wired from an entire six-pack of coconut water. But ready…

“You were the one who initially thought of this idea, remember?” Lily said slyly, not wishing to start an early row. They had one hell of a day in front of them.

“But I wanted you to pretend to get stung by a jellyfish to hook Robbie.” Sheila thrust out her yoga-legging-clad leg. “I hate acting like a damsel in distress.”

“It won’t work with me, Sheila,” Lily shot back. “I’ve shown my prowess evading jellyfish. Plus, we need to get our ace in the hole alone. What better way than to create a scenario where he’s in his element?”

“Fine!” She fluffed her sagging curls and yanked open the patio door. “But I swear. If I pretend to be stung and no one sees me, you’d better not laugh. Or video me flailing around in the sand, moaning from a pretend sting.”

She knew not to waver. “Trust me. Just remember to cry out loudly. Do you need to practice?”

“Girl, if I holler now, it will blow your whole plan.” She sailed out the door and into dawn’s morning light. “Close it behind me and stay out of sight. I need to look like I’m craving alone time.”

Lily bit the inside of her lip as she secured the door and then took a hidden position where she could see her partner. Sheila was shuffling her feet, as if she’d tossed and turned over an aborted night with Billie. Truthfully, Lily was glad they’d had no time to think about the men.

Okay, not much time, she admitted. She’d only admit to having one or two thoughts, hoping and praying Robbie wouldn’t just understand, but would be in awe of the way she’d chosen to handle things.

Sheila’s low scream on the beach had Lily’s heart rate kicking up. Her partner clutched her right foot and then hopped around before collapsing in the sand. Writhing in pain, she started rocking and moaning, turning her foot so she could see the bottom.

A man ran out onto the beach—all alone, like she’d hoped, given her knowledge of his early morning schedule. She clenched her hands as Sheila turned her pitiful face up to him, pointing toward her foot, which she’d wisely pointed down to cover its lack of a real sting.

Lily’s eyes shot to her hairline as the man scooped her friend up and started walking briskly toward the house. She ducked around the side walls until she was out of sight in the entryway. The patio door slid open.

“Summer! Hey! I need you. Your friend is hurt.”

She made a show of running loudly in place, like she was coming from upstairs. Bursting into the kitchen, she found their hero lowering Sheila into a kitchen chair, his face calm, his hands professional as she reached for her foot.

“Tim,” Lily called softly.

He turned his head. “I need some tweezers and some boiling water.”

God, he was really so adorable. Dark hair had fallen onto his forehead. She crossed until she was standing in front of him. “Tim, Clarice is fine. I need to tell you something, and I didn’t want you to get mad in front of your brothers. It’s really important, or we wouldn’t have done this.”

Glancing sharply at Sheila, he frowned darkly as she showed him her perfectly fine foot.

He stepped back, his brow creasing. “Joking about a serious injury is low, but I believe you had a good reason, so I’ll let my anger go.”

“Thank you.” She grabbed her purse from the counter, where she’d strategically placed it, and discreetly pulled out her badge and ID, palming it. “Tim, we’re here to help you guys. I want you to remember that when I show you this. And I want you to promise you’ll hear me out before you leave.”

His blue eyes narrowed to slits. “Summer, I don’t like the sound of this.”

“Tim, we’re FBI agents here to help Tara and the girls,” she told him slowly, holding up her credentials.

His face paled, and he took a step backward, as if totally off-balance.

“Look, I know it’s a shock, but we knew about Tara’s ex-husband laundering money for the Kellys, and we’ve been working on bringing them down.” She kept his shocked gaze as she lowered her badge face up on the counter. “We were going to help her the day she went to the gym because we knew the Kellys had threatened her, but she snuck out a side entrance. Smart, right? Then your brother showed up, and we decided to follow him because we knew your cousin would meet back up with her girls. Tim, it’s obvious how much she loves her family. Just like you guys love them.”

He was watching her steadily, his palms flattened on his thighs. His training as a nurse was solid. He knew how to stay calm in a crisis. “Why are you talking to me and not Robbie? You know he’s a cop.”

She nodded, again slowly. “Yes, and he’s a good one. He’s proven it over and over again. But Tim, you’ve seen how personal it’s gotten between us. Being undercover can be complicated, and while it’s unprofessional for me to tell you this, I’ve developed feelings for your brother.”

“So have I, if we’re confessing,” Sheila interrupted, pulling their attention toward her. “Billie. Not Robbie.”

“I don’t want to hurt Robbie, but he’s going to be shocked to learn I’m FBI, don’t you think?” she continued, blowing out an aggrieved breath. “You have shown time and time again how levelheaded you are. You don’t fly off the handle. You listen and you understand—”

“You want me to keep Robbie from blowing his top,” Tim drew out, pursing his lips. “That’s not going to be easy. You’re right. He’s going to be upset you lied to him.”

She made a face. “That’s what I thought at first, and it is true. But you know what? He was technically lying to me about being a single dad, so I’m thinking we’re even.”

Tim laughed low in his throat. “Good luck getting Robbie to see it like that.”

Sheila shot her a look, clearly ready to take over. Lily shook her head subtly. “I want him to see it like that, Tim, for personal and professional reasons. Because I have a plan that will help keep Tara and the girls safe and allow us to take down the Kellys for good. Will you help us?”

He studied her before saying, “I’ll do my best to encourage Robbie to listen to you and not storm off. Because that’s your biggest problem up front. He likes you, Summer. Ah… What is your real name?”

“Lily Meadows,” she told him, giving a short smile. “Not too much better than Summer Sunshine, right?”

“I call her Sunshine as a nickname because she really is so sweet,” her partner broke in, standing at last and thrusting out her hand. “Tim, I’m Sheila Morales.”

He shook her hand with strength before turning and doing the same with Lily. She rather liked that. “Also, we’re based out of Boston.”

“You are?” His eyes widened before a smile appeared on his face. “Is there some rule about cops and FBI officers not being allowed to date?”

She and Sheila shook their heads simultaneously. “Not a one,” Lily answered. “But helping Tara and the girls is the priority.”

“You sound like Robbie.” He suddenly started to laugh, pressing a hand to his forehead. “Oh my God. This is perfect. Like Shakespearean perfect. The two love interests next door aren’t who they say they are. Only…everyone is lying to each other as they develop feelings for each other. I wish I were a playwright. This would make a great story.”

Sheila punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Hey! Every work of Shakespeare I had to read in school ended in tragedy. We don’t like tragedy, do we, Lily?”

She crossed her arms. “No, we most surely do not. So are you in?”

He nodded swiftly. “How do you want to tell my brother?”

“I thought you might go over there and tell him I have something urgent to tell him. Billie can look after Tara and the girls. We’ve checked the area. No one followed her.”

“We checked too, but Billie stayed up all night until I sent him to bed at dawn—”

“Oh, that big galoot.” Sheila put a hand to her heart. “How mad is he going to be, do you think?”

Tim shrugged. “I have no idea really. I say we start with Robbie. He can talk Billie down if necessary.”

“Good.” She and her partner shared a look. “Let’s summon the beast.”