Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 149209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
A few random details about myself shouldn’t tip her off about my identity. Why would she jump to the conclusion that a guy with my name and background would be here for retribution, rather than a mere job? “I lost my dad recently, and Ash convinced me that winter here would be better than winter there.”
Her face softens. “I’m sorry. Losing your father can be hard.”
“Did yours pass away, too?” Will she lie to my face?
“No. We’re…estranged. It’s complicated.” She waves off the questions she must see on my face.
Subject closed—for now. Though I can’t say I’m surprised. We’ve only known each other for ten minutes. But it’s all I can do not to scoff. Estranged? Is that how she describes distancing herself from the man who’s taking the fall for her part in their crimes?
“So what about you?” I ask instead. “What brings you to Maui?”
The thaw in our conversation suddenly catches another chill. “I wanted a change of pace. Some well-meaning people convinced me to come here and give this place a try…”
She’s being intentionally vague, and a million questions pelt me. I should look for the right lead-in question to steer the conversation toward her last job. But I don’t because I already know she’ll tense up even more and cut our chat short.
“Like it so far?”
She shrugs. “It’s pretty. What I’ve seen, anyway. I got here late on Christmas Eve. I managed to get this job the day after Christmas. I’ve been working ever since. So I haven’t seen much.”
“Seems like a shame, to come all this way and not take in paradise.”
She winces. “That’s what all the people who suggested I come say.”
“I have plans to see this island on my days off. My parents always wanted a second honeymoon here, and they never took it. I’m going to see it for them,” I say truthfully. “That probably sounds cheesy—”
“It sounds thoughtful, actually.”
“You’re welcome to join me if you want. No pressure. I won’t hit on you. It just might be nice not to see the sights alone.”
Bethany nibbles on her lip for a long moment. The gesture shouldn’t be sexy. It shouldn’t make me want to run my thumb across the swell of that lower pout. It absolutely shouldn’t make me want to kiss her.
But fuck, it does.
“I’ll think about it.”
“My first day off is Monday.”
“Mine, too. I guess we’re both going to work a killer New Year’s Eve before we get a break.”
“Looks that way. If you decide you want to come along, I was thinking about driving down to Wailea to see those beaches and maybe catch a bit of the southern end of the island.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know. I’m staying with some…distant family right now. One of them has a baby due this week, so everything is a little up in the air.”
I wonder who she’s talking about or if her story is even true. “Totally. Like I said, no pressure. But I’d enjoy the company. It would keep me from thinking too much about the fact my mom and dad aren’t here to see the island for themselves.”
She nods, and I see sympathy flit across her features before she shuttles it. “I should get back to work.” She glances across the room to find a couple looking for a refill. “Duty calls.”
As I see more people filing in through the open-air entrance from the beach, I nod and head behind the bar. “When you need drinks poured, holler. I’m your man.”
Shit, that came out wrong. Flirtier than I intended. A little flush stains her cheeks. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
My feet are screaming uncle by the time the bar shuts down and we’re cleaned up for the night.
“Holy shit,” I mutter to Ash. “I don’t remember hurting this much when I bartended a few years back.”
“Eh, you’ve just gone soft. The calluses on your soles will come back.”
I refrain from pointing out that working the oil fields is no posh job because Ash knows it and is simply yanking my chain. Besides, I haven’t gone soft in any way. Staring half the night at Bethany made sure of that.
“Hey,” he murmurs as he leans in. “Montana was asking earlier if we wanted to come to her place for the rest of the night.”
I raise a brow at him. “Both of us?”
“I guess she’s adventurous.” He grins.
“No. Thanks, man. You go ahead.”
“You’re sure?”
The notion of sex sounds great…but I just can’t get excited about this proposition or her. “Yeah, I’ll pass.”
Ash shrugs and yanks his car keys from the pocket of his shorts. “All right. Take the car back to my place. I’ll ride with Montana and have her bring me back before our shift tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. Have fun. Don’t forget to glove up.”
With a waggle of his brows and a flashy smile, he tosses down his dish towel and heads toward the flirty waitress. Seconds later, he slings an arm around her, and they’re gone. Samantha, whom I just met tonight, shoots them an envious stare as she clutches her keys and heads out with a sigh.