Page 42 of Seventeen Years Ago

“Don’t make me miss him any more than I already am,” Reesa said. “I came to see if you ladies need my help.”

“No. I think Allyson and I have it covered. And I’m sure you have plenty of more important things to do than help serve food,” I said.

“Everything we do to keep people safe right now is important, even feeding them. You’d be surprised how many would leave here if they were hungry,” she replied.

I nodded. “That sounds like me. I’m not too easy to deal with when I’m hungry,” I admitted.

Reesa said, “You don’t have to tell me that. I’ve seen you when you work through lunch. It’s like working with an angry grizzly bear.”

“I amnotthat bad,” I tried defending myself but knew she was right. “Steven had no issue working with me yesterday and I had missed breakfast and lunch.”

“Wow,” Reesa said. “I think you just found your match.”

“Not funny. He’s here on business and I amnothis type.” We got along okay, but he made it clear that I’m not what he’s attracted to.

Allyson said, “What are you talking about? You and he have seen each other almost every day from what I have heard.”

“As friends,” I stated.

Reesa said, “I would’ve sworn you two were attracted to each other. Maybe you’re wrong.”

“Nope. I’m not. He’s not attracted to me,” I said.

“And you know this how?” Reesa asked.

Should I tell them? Is it private? He never said that it was. “He doesn’t like girls.”

Allyson gasped. “Steven? Steven is gay?”

I never said it, but now it was out there. If he and Caydan really are friends and have been for a long time, he had to know about Steven’s sexual preference.

“I hate to interrupt you ladies, but you are needed in the command center. There is a weather update about to be broadcasted,” Steven said to Reesa as he walked down the hall to join us.

“Thank you. I’ll keep you all updated,” she said and walked away.

“We were just talking about you,” Allyson said to Steven.

“Really? What about?” he asked.

“I was just telling them how grateful I am for your friendship,” I said. That was the truth, kind of.

“I feel the same,” Steven replied. Then he turned to Allyson and said, “Do you need Aiza, or can I steal her away?”

I answered before she could. “I can’t go. I’m helping her with serving food.”

“I don’t need you to do that. The wait staff is doing most of the work. I was just looking for an excuse to spend some time with you. We really haven’t had a chance to get to know one another. But it probably isn’t the best time to talk when we are busy waiting on others. We’d catch up after the storm passes,” Allyson stated.

She didn’t even give me a chance to respond as she entered the dining room and closed the door.

“Well, I guess it’s just the two of us,” he said.

“Us, and a resort filled with a couple of hundred people,” I reminded him. “Was there something you needed?”

“I wanted to check how you and grandmother slept?”

“She is still sleeping like a rock. Me? I tossed and turned.”

He cocked a brow. “Why?”

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