Page 76 of All Along

I frown at him. “Don’t tell me you’re here to gather gossip for Nova.”

He holds up his hands. “Nah. Nova doesn’t know I’m here.”

“Sit.” I motion to the kitchen table.

“What’s this proposition?” I ask when I hand him his coffee.

He chuckles. “Going straight to the heart of the matter.”

I shrug. What does he expect? Me to sit here and gossip about Smuggler’s Hideaway? Not happening. And I’m certainly not telling him anything about my relationship with Maya. He was at drunk poker. He knows we’re serious. There’s nothing else to tell.

He sips on his coffee as he studies me. I wait him out. This isn’t my first rodeo.

“I have a job for you.”

I nearly startle. Of all the things I expected him to say, ‘I have a job for you’ didn’t rank in the top hundred.

“A job?”

“You’re aware I ownHideaway Haven Resort.”

I nod. Everyone on the island knows he owns the resort. He built it after his career in the NFL came crashing to an end after an illegal tackle destroyed his ankle.

“Due to the kind of clientele we have, the resort has a decent amount of security.”

“Makes sense.”

The island is relatively safe but you can never be too safe. Especially when you’re dealing with people who have money. They probably think nothing of leaving a ten-thousand-dollar diamond ring laying about and then cry thief when they misplace it.

“I’m currently recruiting a head of security.”

“What happened to the former head of security?”

“He’s tired of living on a tiny island where the choice in pussy is too limited.” I grunt. “His words. Not mine.”

“And you’re telling me this because?”

“I want to hire you as my new head of security.”

I’m shaking my head before he can finish the sentence. “No thanks. I have a job.”

“You do?” His brow wrinkles. “The smuggler’s grapevine hasn’t caught up with it yet.”

“Probably because my work isn’t on the island.”

“Are you going to fill me in?”

“It’s not a big surprise. I’m returning to active duty.”

His eyes widen. “You are? What about?” He nods toward my leg.

“I’m waiting to be medically cleared.”

“Huh.” He sips on his coffee. “I’m surprised.”

“I don’t know why it’s a surprise. Being a soldier is my career.”

“No one on the island expects you to return to active duty.”

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