Page 49 of Mail Order Sunset (Hawthorne Billionaire 4)

“Maybe. Man, my brain is tired. Why are you going to the main island?” Asher sat up. “How long will you be there?”

“I need to schedule for the stuff I just ordered to be delivered here. Plus, I want to look at some boats.” I sat back and looked at Asher. “Where are the designs for the huts? Do we need to hire more help?”

“I was just going to tell you that we need to hire on, so I’ll go with you.” Asher stood. “I need a shower and a massage.”

“Wait, do you need to make any calls ahead of time?” I put my arm out to stop him. “I don’t want to run all over town.”

“That’s what got me so tired. I made a lot of calls.” Asher stretched his neck side to side. “I’m not sure the local help can do what we need, at least not as quickly as we need it. These are island people, so their pace is slower than even mine.”

“Your pace is not slow,” I laughed. “We could bring in a crew to get it done.”

“Well, I already made the calls, so let’s meet with them. Then we can decide.” Asher started to leave. “Did you say you wanna look at boats?”

“I think we need a boat to get people back and forth. The yacht’s too big for short trips.” I closed my laptop and stood. “I think a massage sounds like a great idea. I’ll go first while you shower.”

“Are you going to have lunch before we go?” Asher stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m hungry, so we should eat before we go.”

“I don’t want to miss speaking with the people I need to see and, as you pointed out, those people are on island time.” I met him at the stairs. “I’ll have Marcus prep lunch on the yacht and we can eat on the way over.”

Asher took the stairs two at a time. I messaged Marcus to begin prep for lunch on the yacht in an hour, then texted Josh about the crew.

“Sawyer, do you want the full crew to travel with you?” Josh asked from behind me. “I just got your message, but I was already here. The boys could use a little break.”

“Absolutely. I was just going to tell you they should all come and go into town for a little fun.” I handed Josh my laptop. “Charge that please. We’ll be leaving in an hour.”

My massage wasn’t as relaxing as I’d hoped. My cell continued to go off until I gave up.

“You’re doing it all wrong, man. You have to leave your cell in another room.” Asher tossed his towel on the massage table. “Try getting your shower without the cellphone.”

“I think I can handle that. Try staying awake during the massage.” I threw my towel at him. “Thirty minutes at the yacht.”

Thirty minutes later I was sitting on the yacht waiting on Asher, as usual. The crew were relaxing all over the deck, ready for some free time. I sent Asher a text.

“I’m leaving you here if you’re not on this boat in five minutes.”

“See, if you had that relaxing massage, you wouldn’t be so on edge right now.”

“Four minutes.”

“I’m standing in front of you.”

Asher climbed onto the yacht as the crew untied the ropes. They were more ready to go than either of us.

I need to give them more free time.

“Where do you want to go first?” Asher pulled up a chair to the table where I sat. “What’s for lunch?”

“I don’t know what lunch is, but here it comes, and I think we need to hit up the people for hiring more crew.” I picked up my fork, ready to eat. “I still think we should just bring a Hawthorne crew in, but let’s at least see what’s available.”

“I spoke with Sid, and most of the Hawthorne crews are pretty swamped with the new hotels.” Asher dug into his chicken salad. “Besides, my mother messaged this morning saying we should hire locals, so they like us.”

“People like us. What’s that supposed to mean?” I took a bite from my fruit bowl, thinking. “She probably means to have them on our side by hiring them for things.”

“Yeah, she said something about being part of the local community would be good.” Asher waved his fork in the air. “Money is all that matters. Just show them the money and they’ll accept us.”

“No, money is not the answer to everything, Ash. I swear, how are we from the same family?” I shook my head at him. “You’d think you came from my parents and I was from yours.”

“Isn’t it all the same? You were always with me and my nannies instead of your own,” Asher smiled. “Difference is, you were afraid of my mother and I wasn’t.”

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