Today for some reason, though, they really, really want to meet right now. And normally I’m more or less free during my lunch break. Although now after calling in sick, I’m a strange combination of both more-free and less-free. It’s turning out to be a much stranger day than I expected.
In any case, it’s perfect timing. I need to hang with the girls and return to reality. Some nice, normal time, that’s what I need.
As I approach the Tiki, something shiny catches my eye. The ring. The engagement ring. It’s right there taking up most of my left hand while at the same time glinting off the sun and blinding everybody around me.
Holy hell, if my friends see this giant rock it’s not going to be pretty. I slip it off my hand and shove it into my coverlet pocket. Whew, that was a close one. The realization hits me that this whole situation could end up being trickier than I thought.
When I get closer to the Tiki, I realize that normal is the last thing I’m going to get. I stop walking and stand there gaping at the scene, my mouth wide open.
First of all, there are huge crowds everywhere. And most of the faces are new. The new faces are mostly male, and they wear super tacky Hawaiian shirts, flip flops, and sun hats. And cameras. For some reason, they all have cameras. What the hell?
Then I remember that the paparazzi throng that Chase’s private security were busy holding back earlier. They came from this general direction. Oh, shit. I freeze in my tracks, feeling like a wildebeest surrounded by a giant herd of hyenas. Or something. Was I going to be spotted and immediately outed by the paparazzi here?
That’s when Fi materializes to my left and grabs my arm before leading me to a table in the back. It’s not our usual table. “Over here, Kaylee. Angie got us a table. Thank goodness. Otherwise we’d be eating in the dirt.”
“What is going on here?” I ask as she leads me through the crowd and around all the other tables to the far corner where Angie waves hello.
“I’m sure you know better than us,” Fi says, scrunching up her eyebrows accusingly at me as I get to our table, pull out a chair and sit down. Angie sits down too.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, my tone more defensive than I mean it to be.
That brings on a confused look from Fi. “You work there, right? At the Royal St. Tropic. Apparently, these guys are here to get a glimpse of the fabulous Covington family. Several of them are there right now. That is your resort, right?”
“Oh yes, that. But why are all those paparazzi guys here, here?” I ask and point to the ground beneath my feet. “Here at the Tiki. Our place. It’s so annoying. They couldn’t find some other bar to take over?”
“Yeah, it’s ridiculous,” Angie says, “I practically had to fight some of them to get this table. And it’s so crowded. I figured getting lunch might take a while so I took the liberty of ordering your favorite, Kaylee.”
“Thanks,” I say to Angie as I settle in and scan the crowd, still in shock that my little bar has been taken over by real life paparazzi. Paparazzi, what a weird word that is. I shake my head. This whole fake fiancé thing is going to affect me more than I hoped.
“Oh,” Fi practically shrieks, “I forgot the best part. The reason these idiots are all in a frenzy. Apparently, the Covingtons who are here are single.”
“Yes,” I deadpan, “it’s so exciting.” I feel awful not being honest with my best friends in the whole world, but my head is spinning. And I didn’t ask for any of this.
When I finally snap out of my inner monologue, I realize they are both staring at me, mouths agape like codfish. Did my top fall off or something? I look down to see that my bright red sequined bikini top is right where it’s supposed to be.
Okay, if the stares aren’t because I have a boob hanging out, then what are they about, anyway? “What?”
“You’re wearing the red sequined bikini I gave you two years ago as a Christmas gag gift,” Fi says, her eyes wide.
“Maybe,” I answer. It’s a stupid answer. Of course I’m wearing it, but for some reason I feel weird admitting it.
“But you’re working today, right?” Angie asks.
“Um, yes?” Another unbelievably stupid answer. Get it together, Kaylee. In my defense, there are a lot of things I’m not sure about right now.
“But you’re covered in sand,” Fi blurts out as she looks me up and down.
Angie picks up the sleuthing thread trying to unravel my secrets. “And your hair is wet.”
“Yep, all that’s true.” Finally, a true and confident answer. I know my friends, and the quickest way to throw them off the scent is to agree with them.
“So that’s what you’re wearing under your chef coat today?” Angie asks, a huge smile on her face.
“Maybe,” I can feel my cheeks heat under their knowing gaze. Am I about to be found out? Do they suspect something about me and Chase and our sordid agreement? How could they possibly know? Was the paparazzi around us blabbing everything to everybody?
“Ah-ha,” Fi says, clapping her hands together like she has solved the mystery.
For the first time today, I’m legit scared. “A-ha what?” I ask her, genuinely curious.
“Kaylee’s got a crush,” Fi surmises.
“Fine,” I answer. Probably too quickly, but I’m just so relived. “You caught me. Happy now?”
Both of them lean into the table so the three of us can have a quiet conversation. Not that anybody around us can hear what we’re saying, the whole place is freaking bedlam today. I steadied myself for the barrage of new questions I know are coming.
“What’s his name? Is he hot? Does he work at
