Page 32 of Booked for Summer

Confused by his question, she turned to Jeremy, who seemed unsure whether to laugh or tell his boss to piss off. ‘No, though I’m sure she will at some point.’ With a casualness Jade could only admire, Jeremy leant back and threaded his hands behind his head. ‘Do you want to discuss the flamingos now? And for the sake of accuracy, I should point out they’re not stuffed, that would imply the birds were once alive. These are handmade resin sculptures. The type a bride might want as decorations for her island wedding.’

‘Jesus.’ Liam shook his head, like he couldn’t contemplate the idea of anyone getting married, never mind in front of resin flamingos. Finally, his eyes found hers again, lingering a beat longer than was polite. ‘I’ll leave you both to it.’

Jade’s skin heated under his perusal. She really had to give her body a strict talking to tonight. Remind it that Liam was the enemy.

Jeremy’s sharp gaze swivelled between the pair of them, but thankfully he didn’t comment on what she felt sure was the deafening crackle of charged molecules now bouncing through the air. ‘So, where were we?’ he asked as the door finally clicked shut behind Liam.

‘I was trying to persuade you to help me prove the bookstore is an asset worth saving.’

‘Ah yes.’ He lifted his eyebrows. ‘You were asking me to go behind my boss’s back.’

Jade flushed. ‘That’s not, well not technically… bollocks, that’s exactly what I was doing, wasn’t it?’ She let out a deep sigh ‘Sorry, asking for your help was a stupid idea, of course you can’t do anything to upset him.’

A slow smile crossed Jeremy’s face. ‘Lucky for you, upsetting the boss is something I do on a regular basis, providing the reason is justified.’

Shoots of hope began to take root. ‘Obviously, I think it is, but as a fan of all things books, and someone who really wanted to manage this bookstore, I’m totally biased.’

‘I’m also a fan of books, though not as much as my fiancé.’ He gave her a look filled with humour. ‘Leroy.’

Holy cow, she’d been flirting with an engaged man. Who was gay. Heat scalded her cheeks and Jade groaned. ‘You must think I’m the most ridiculous person you’ve ever met.’ No wonder Liam had asked if she’d met Leroy.

‘On the contrary.’ Jeremy’s voice interrupted her spiralling thoughts. ‘Anyone prepared to go up against the undeniably sexy but also distinctly surly Mr Liam Haven has my full admiration.’

Ignoring the ‘sexy’ remark– she could spot a fishing expedition when she saw it– Jade gave Jeremy a hopeful smile. ‘Does that mean you’ll help me? Obviously, I’ll do all the work, but just to have another brain on the job would be amazing.’ Especially as she wasn’t totally confident how useful her own would prove.

‘Oh, you won’t just get my brain, you’ll get Leroy’s, too.’ Jeremy picked up his phone and tapped on it for a few seconds before grinning back at her. ‘Come to the beach bar tonight and we’ll pool some ideas.’

‘Oh, my God, that’s awesome, thank you so much.’ She was gushing, but it was hard not to when, for the first time since Liam had crushed her dream and then insulted her with an offer of consolation sex, she saw a sliver of hope.

Jeremy laughed. ‘It’s me who should be doing the thanking. I think I’m going to enjoy watching you and Liam lock horns.’ He angled his head. ‘What doyouthink of flamingos?’

Jade winked. ‘I have flamingo wallpaper on my bedroom wall at home. Only a person with no soul wouldn’t like flamingos.’

* * *

It had been another brutal day. The sooner he found a new resort manager to replace Ashley, the sooner he could get back to the job he loved. The one that didn’t involve conducting staff meetings, or pacifying entitled guests. Liam relished hard work– aside from his grandma, work was his life– but the stuff he loved to do, negotiating terms, agreeing contracts, sourcing new land to purchase, he did alone, away from people. People were a fucking headache. Employees who needed handholding, customers who wanted special treatment. Guest-services managers who took delight in winding him up, he added sourly.

Bookstore temps who flashed their cleavage at said manager but wanted nothing more to do with him.

Scowling, Liam ignored the path to the wharf and headed towards the beach. He’d work off some of his angst by taking the long way back to the yacht. No, he hadn’t decided to stay on the boat instead of reclaiming his suite at the resort because the sheets still smelt of Jade. And he definitely wasn’t now on the lookout for a woman with long blonde hair and curves he’d spent far too much of last night thinking about.

He came to an abrupt halt as his gaze cut to three figures sitting at one of the beach-bar tables. It was as if she was deliberately haunting him.

Without thinking, he marched up to the table. ‘Jeremy. Leroy.’ He nodded in their direction before his gaze found hers. ‘Jade.’

She looked defiantly back at him, but the way those big blue eyes then skirted away from his? Yeah, she was up to something. And the silence that followed his greeting added to the whole they-were-talking-about-him vibe.

‘Well, if it isn’t the big boss.’ Jeremy saluted him with his beer bottle. ‘What’s gone wrong now? Or, wait, maybe you’ve actually come to be sociable and join us for a drink?’

The man not only knew which buttons to press, he took delight in pressing them with great regularity. Now he was left awkwardly making something up and walking away, or awkwardly accepting the offer. Why the fuck hadn’t he ignored them?

Because you can’t ignore her.

Resigned to an uncomfortable half hour, he caught the eye of Carlos at the bar and nodded to indicate his usual, before pulling up a spare stool and easing onto it. ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt.’ He gave them all a pointed look. ‘Please carry on with whatever you were discussing.’

They all looked at each other. Jade appeared embarrassed, Leroy gave an indifferent shrug, and Jeremy’s face held the expression of a man holding back a tidal wave of laughter.

Carlos slipped a glass of Macallan onto the table in front of him and Liam slowly raised it to his lips and took a sip. ‘To save you making up an elaborate lie, I’m well aware I was the subject.’

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