Page 33 of Booked for Summer

Jade covered her face with her hands and let out a low moan, which had the unfortunate effect of reminding him of the way he’d made her moan the other night.

‘Technically, the subject wasn’t you, but the bookstore,’ Jeremy answered. ‘Don’t want you thinking we spend all our evenings gossiping about you.’

‘No?’ He arched a brow. ‘What’s the latest theory on why Ashley left?’

Leroy gave him a half smile. ‘She’s pregnant with your baby.’

He grimaced, feeling a flare of anger on Ashley’s behalf.

‘And being the son of a bitch everyone knows you to be, you sacked her and sent her packing,’ Jeremy added cheerfully. ‘I should add the more discerning staff don’t buy into this rumour because they know Ashley was too smart to have sex with you.’

And that was when he found out that Jade was a terrible actor. Neither Jeremy or Leroy could have missed the way she stiffened and sucked in a breath. Ignoring the very speculative glances his employees were now giving him, Liam took another measured sip of whisky. ‘What about the bookstore, then?’

Finally Jade turned to look at him, and prickles darted across his skin as her gaze met his head on. ‘You said nothing was going to happen with it for two weeks, so instead of using the time to wind it down, I’m going to use it to show you what an asset it is toyourresort.’

‘I thought we’d already had this conversation.’

‘We have.’ She tilted her chin in his direction. ‘But you gave me two weeks and I’m going to use them how I see fit.’

Irritation vied with a grudging respect. He wasn’t used to people ignoring his orders, yet technically he had given her two weeks. ‘Fine, but it’s a waste of time. The bookstore will never be able to give me what the cottages can.’

‘Money.’ She gave him a look that he’d not seen since the nurse at boarding school had patched him up after yet another one-sided fight. Pity.

‘How else do you think I bought my grandma that house?’ Her eyes widened and he felt a jolt of surprise. Why had he reminded them both of the night he’d opened up to her?

‘Well, it’s my time I’m wasting,’ she said finally. ‘So I don’t believe you have a say.’

A humming silence followed their exchange and he knew, without looking at them, that Jeremy and Leroy were bursting with questions he had no intention of ever answering.

Jeremy cleared his throat. ‘Jade has been going through some of the ideas she’s had to increase business. They’re good. You should hear them.’

Liam glared back at Jeremy but the man shrugged, like he hadn’t just turned traitor and firmly planted his flag on the side of Jade and the damned bookstore.

To Liam’s horror, Jeremy then climbed to his feet and smiled over at Jade. ‘Excuse us sweetheart, but I’m going to drag my fiancé off for an evening dip. Let’s chat again tomorrow about how we can help you put some of those ideas into action.’

He slid Liam a final glance, mouth twitching in a smirk he made no attempt to hide. Leroy let out a resigned sigh, swallowed down the rest of his drink and rose to his feet. ‘Guess I’m about to get wet.’ He inclined his head in Liam’s direction before shooting Jade a wink. A fucking wink, like he was Mr Playful when Liam had only ever seen the man in serious mode. ‘See you around, Jade.’

Jade gave him a little wave and the pair of turncoats proceeded to walk off hand in hand across the sand, which looked golden in the glow of the setting sun, and towards the sea.

‘Isn’t that romantic.’

He turned to her, expecting to see a wistful expression, but instead she simply looked happy for Jeremy and Leroy. As he had no wish to talk about the men who’d so easily chosen Jade’s side, he picked the slightly less irritating conversation. ‘So, these ideas you’ve had.’

She huffed, the softness disappearing from her face. ‘You don’t have to listen to them.’

He glanced down at his glass before locking eyes with her. ‘I still have to finish my drink.’

She let out a snort of laughter. ‘I could swig that down in one gulp.’

‘You don’t swig Macallan.’ Her cheeks flushed and too late he realised he’d sounded condescending, when he’d been trying for dryly amused.

‘Fine, I’ll rattle through what I’m going to be wasting my time doing over the next two weeks while you,’ she waved down at this drink, ‘take your teeny tiny sips.’

He forced a tight smile. And cursed himself for not taking the direct route back to the yacht.

ChapterThirteen

Jade glanced around the small group gathered in the bookstore. It was Saturday afternoon and day one of Operation SOB (Save Our Bookstore– she had to think of a better name for it). As they’d promised the other night, Jeremy and Leroy had invited a few locals to help.

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