Page 21 of One Time in Paris
See?Sergio? Sergio she could pretend to date. Even though they were friends and the feeling was mutual, he was closer to her age and exceptionally good-looking.
But she couldn’t ask him to fake date her.
She needed him here to cover her shifts. And she needed to maintain a business relationship with him because she relied on him too much here.
“I did not, in fact, get married,” Isla said with a laugh. She rolled her shoulders back. “I did, however, promise my friend Davy that I’d be the star in a show for her. You remember Davy, Mum? The filmmaker? She’s working for the Travelog Channel now.”
Mum’s eyes went wide, and she clapped her hands together with delight. “A show? Isla,qué bueno.”
“Yeah, I don’t know how good it is.” Isla sighed. “It’s not here. It’s a travel show doing six stops in separate communities named Paris. Most of them are in the States. But it involves a lot of traveling, starting next month. One trip a week, three days of filming in each place, then traveling and prepping for the next location. I’m not sure if I could come back between episodes, but I could try if you really need me to.”
Mum and Sergio exchanged a look.
Damn.She could tell their enthusiasm was already waning.
“I...I don’thaveto do it, of course. It would just be really, really helpful to Davy if I do. She pitched it to her boss with me as the host, and her boss was really on board with the idea. And she hasn’t been doing the best at work, so it would be a huge relief for her if I can do it.”
She wouldn’t mention that she’d already signed the contract. She could get out of that if necessary—right?
“Did you forget we are going to London for Callum’s party in May?” Mum asked softly. Her tone didn’t suggest she was a fan of the idea, but she didn’t outright reject it, either.
“No, I know.” Isla cleared her throat. “I’ll have to make plans around it.” She appealed to Sergio. “And I know it would be a lot of extra work for you. I’ll owe you a month’s worth of cocktails and playlist control. Plus overtime, obviously.”
“You know I’m always happy to help,” Sergio said, setting his forearms on the counter and leaning forward. “But what did Callum say? He likes you being in charge.”
Isla’s gaze faltered from him.
Callum.
She hadn’t brought herself to telling him yet.
In fact, she would love to avoid telling him until everything was set in stone.
“Um, I haven’t told him.”
“Oh, Isla,por Dios.” Mum shook her head. “I know you love acting, but you and Callum made an agreement.”
Ugh, yes.The agreement. Give up her life in London—and acting—and come here and run the inn if he bankrolled it.
And now her big brother was her boss. One that she probably needed to ask permission frombeforeshe signed onto a job jet-setting through the Parises of the world.
She couldn’t even tell her mum that she was doing this show because of some great love for acting. That wasn’t it at all. She was just stuck.
“Do you think we can just wait until we settle the details? I don’t want to ask Callum if I can’t get coverage for the dates I need to be gone.” Besides, she’d have a better case to make to Callum if she had everything figured out.
Mum shifted with discomfort. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
Sergio nodded. “I think you should tell him. He’s the owner.”
Isla polished off the pastry, then wiped the crumbs from her lips. Couldn’tanyonemake anything easy on her right now?
Or maybe I’m making my own life too damn hard.
“Yeah, okay,” she grumbled. Standing, she grabbed her phone from her purse, then stashed her purse behind the desk. “I’m going to take a walk on the beach. Call Callum.”
She left them to head out of the front office and onto the main path toward the beach. From here, she could hear the faint call of the monkeys in the trees and the warmth of the sun on her skin. She loved this place.
Itwashome.
