“What do you mean, what? What was all of that? Where did you go, anyway? I saw you drive off.”
“I told you, I was out of gas. I only made it around the corner. It’s a good thing I had that much gas in any case, or I’d never have gotten rid of Vivian.”
“How far would you have gone if you did have gas?” I ask. I’m confused about the situation now and feel like that probably wasn’t the most important question, but it’s the one that popped into my head. Turns out, the question I asked is not only not important, it pisses her off.
She turns around. Only she isn’t smiling or concerned about me being upset. There are exactly two Kaylee expressions I have gotten familiar with the last couple of days. Flirty, happy, and mad. Okay, make that three. Now her eyes flash at me and her cheeks are flush with anger. Her angry face makes her look adorable, but I’m not going to tell her that.
She takes a step forward and jabs a finger into my chest. “Listen you, this is all your fault.”
“My fault?”
“Yes. You’re the worst lookout in the entire world. If it weren’t for you, Vivian would have never caught me sneaking out with the chocolates. You had one job. One. And you screwed it up, and now I’m in big trouble. I’m trying to help you. I thought you were going to help me.”
She takes a deep breath. Her anger dissolves away and the worry in her face returns. I get a sudden overwhelming urge to move the stray hair from her eye with my hand. I swallow and fight it.
I do kind of feel bad about this morning, and I want to make it up to her. But first I need to know what exactly is wrong. One, so I can help. And two, so I can finally know what the fuck is going on.
I decide on the direct approach. “What’s going on, Kaylee?”
She closes her eyes and breathes out like she’s about to tell me the most intimate secret in the history of the world. “There’s something you need to know about me. I’m an awful liar. Really bad. Seriously. We’re going to have to have our story straight going forward with your stuff, because trust me, you don’t want me going off script.”
Bad liar, check. In my book that’s a plus, not a minus. And being honest about it only makes it sweeter. But the fact is, I know even less now that when I asked her the first time why it is that she’s upset. “Please, Kaylee. Just tell me what happened.”
“I’m afraid we have a Ferris Buehler situation.”
I blink at her. Then I start laughing. “You mean like the movie?” If anything, I’m more confused, again. Which I didn’t think was possible. “Is this about you skipping work?”
“I wish. Vivian thinks I need an operation. And she’s organizing a fundraiser. For me.”
The full weight of it hits me. “Why does she think that? Did you tell her that? Why would you do that?”
“I didn’t,” she hisses back. “Well, I sort of did, then I kind of walked it back before. Then I told her tonight, just now, that I don’t even need an operation. But I think it’s too late. She’s bored and not listening to me anymore.”
“What exactly did she say?” I ask.
Kaylee slumps down against the wall. “She said I have to stay positive.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Exactly.”
I do my best to suppress a laugh and try to think of something to say that will help. “Well, how much organization and fundraising can she do in a single weekend?”
Her face brightens. “Maybe you’re right.” Then her expression falls again. “Either way I can’t walk through that lobby again, Chase. Not now, not ever.”
I start to feel like I’m finally getting a better handle on the situation. “Okay, listen, if you don’t want to walk through the lobby, we won’t walk through the lobby, okay?”
I smile and she smiles back and I have to admit it feels amazing. Who am I? I don’t fall for women. Usually I don’t spend enough time with them to feel anything, much less let them shove me unexpectedly into hallways. Or dunk me in the ocean.
Something about her makes me happy for the first time in a while. Then I get an idea. “Is there a back way to the suites? Or a back entrance to the building?”
Kaylee’s face lights up. “Yes,” she says, grabbing my hand. She leads me back out of the air-conditioned lobby and into the warm summer air. Luckily, it’s early evening and there is a breeze. It doesn’t feel nearly as hot and stifling as earlier in the day. I grin as she leads me around the resort, hand in hand.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kaylee
The back entrance. I feel so stupid when he mentions it. I should have thought of it before, but I was busy dealing with Vivian before. And that was his fault.
As soon as we step out of the lobby, I feel myself relax. It’s warm outside, but the early evening breeze is starting to pick up.
I lead Chase down gorgeous, manicured trails that weave their way around the resort. Even I am taken aback by how beautiful this area is. Since my initial golf cart tour upon being hired, I haven’t really explored much out here.
Holding Chase’s hand makes me feel like a teenager again. We follow the path through bushes and palm trees until we come around to the back area where the resort faces the beach. The rock path ends in a sea of white sand facing ocean waves and a beautiful sunset.
“Wow, that’s beautiful,” he says.
I agree. I’m already taking off my shoes.
He joins me in the task. I stare at him out of the corner of my eye. For just a flash of a second, the sight of him taking off his shoes to walk
