Page 73 of Booked for Summer

‘You could try enjoying it.’

‘Is that what you’re doing with this resort owner. Enjoying it?’

Jade smiled sadly. ‘No. But hopefully Ned is less… complicated than Liam. You never know, if you keep an open mind, and an open heart, this could be the start of something wonderful.’

‘It doesn’t feel wonderful right now. It feels scary and out of my control.’

‘Yep, those are the symptoms,’ Jade assured her. Thousands of miles separated them but, in that moment, she’d never felt closer to her sister.

‘So basically you’re saying I’m fucked, but not to worry because it happens to all of us at some point.’

‘That’s about the long and short of it.’

Lauren let out a long breath. ‘Well, thanks for picking up the phone. I’d say I’m sorry I woke you, but I’m not because I couldn’t have had this conversation with anyone else.’

Emotion clogged her throat. ‘No problem, I’m always here for you. Good luck and keep me updated.’

‘I will. And good luck to you, too.’

It wasn’t luck she needed, Jade thought miserably as she ended the call. It was a vault to put her heart in so Liam Haven wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near it.

* * *

Liam paced restlessly up and down the sidewalk. He’d checked the address he’d noted down from Jeremy’s file, five times. This was definitely where he lived.

Once again, he looked at his watch. Ten o’clock. Was that a reasonable time to visit someone on a Sunday morning? Or… maybe it was never reasonable for a boss to knock on his employee’s door on his day off.

He turned and began to walk away. He’d talk to the man tomorrow, when he came in to work.

It’s been five days since he asked you to be his best man, his inner voice had the temerity to remind him.Five days you’ve spent avoiding your fucking deputy.

Exhaling sharply, he straightened his shoulders and turned back, marching up to the door he’d spent the last five minutes staring at, and punched the bell.

Silence.

He jammed on it again, for longer this time.

The sound of muffled voices filtered through the door, followed a few seconds later by the heavy clunk of feet on stairs.

A beat later, he was staring at Leroy’s bemused face. ‘Oh, it’s you.’

The man was wearing a pair of loose sweats that looked like they’d been tossed on in a hurry and… nothing else. ‘Yes.’ Shit, awkward did not cover this. Even painful did not cover this.

Leroy opened the door a bit wider. ‘Guess you’d better come in.’

‘Only if this is a… good time.’

Leroy chuckled and indicated for him to head up the stairs. ‘The boss is here,’ he shouted up. ‘Wants to know if this is a good time.’

‘I hope you told him we were trying to have a good time until he interrupted us— Oh.’ Jeremy’s head appeared at the top of the stairs, similarly clad in sweats, only at least he’d put a T-shirt on. ‘Good morning, boss.’

Liam sighed heavily. ‘It’s a Sunday, I’m standing in your home. Call me Liam.’

‘Well that depends. Are you here as my boss or?—’

‘I’m not here as your boss.’ Warily he climbed the stairs, taking a cursory look at his surroundings. ‘Youbothlive here?’

As usual, Jeremy didn’t take offence. ‘Of course. And before you say anything rude?—’

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