Page 13 of Unwrapping Spring Break

“The place looks good enough. Amazing, actually.” Best to tell him everything instead of just the incident with Lily. “They knew the lingo, knew what keywords to drop. The growing crop has the perfect color and smell, but their drying and curing process leaves much to be desired. It takes the above-average leaves down to sub-par. Honestly, they really don’t know what they’re doing yet.”

Gretchen sighs into her cosmopolitan as she lifts it to her lips for a small sip. “Pity. The climate here is ideal for growing.”

I nod. “It is. But you still have to know the tricks to have a superior product. And they don’t.”

“Such potential. That’s too bad.” Alexander scowls, swirling the glass in his hand. He takes a drink, then nods at me. “But go on.”

Now we’re at the point in the conversation where it can go in various directions. I know where I stand with the issue, but Alexander can have some strange notions regarding business. I know how Gretchen will react. It can possibly influence Alexander, but I need to count on something else.

“They dismissed Lily pretty directly,” I say, sticking to the facts. Leave emotion out of it, or else I might reveal my feelings for her. “Barely looked at her. Wouldn’t talk to her. When they took us on a tour of the plantation and their production plant, while it was impressive on the surface, all I could see were unhappy employees. Some of them were scared, even.”

“Really?” Alexander sits up straighter and leans in a tad. However, the frown returns, showing disapproval on his face. “Any idea why?”

I take a deep breath and nod as I let it out. “Most of the ones I saw that looked afraid were women. If what happened to Lily indicates how things are run, I’d say they’re being abused.” My eyes flicker between Lily and Alexander, trying to read their expressions—both unreadable.

“What exactly happened?”

I look at Gretchen, whose face is as blank as a new canvas. To most, it appears as though she’s uninterested or unconcerned. But you have to know her. Alexander’s wife knows how to keep things from showing, so anyone not involved in the conversation would have no clue what’s being discussed. The trick comes in handy as she runs in specific social circles.

“During the tour, I heard Lily shout in outrage. I turned toward her just in time to see her slap the quiet owner across the face.” Enough time has passed between the incident, and now, my anger doesn’t surge back to the surface. Instead, I’m a bit amused. A smug smile curls my lips on one side, but it’s fleeting. This is serious, and I don’t want Alexander to think anything else.

“As it turns out, the man felt he could take liberties and touch her, not just inappropriately, but without her permission.” Forcing a frown back to my face isn’t that difficult after all. A huge part of me still wants to go back and put my fist through the man’s face, but it’s not my place. “When I found out what happened, Lily and I left without looking back.”

Gretchen is offended on her daughter’s behalf. Her fingers press into her chest as she gasps. “Well, thank God for that.” An indignant huff comes from her as she shakes her head. “The nerve of some people.” She takes a drink to wash the bad taste from her mouth.

I quickly glance at Lily, who is holding her breath, until Alexander gives his reaction. I’m expecting him to be disappointed that we lost a potential vendor, but I’m hoping he’ll be just as outraged as I am and step in to protect Lily. Why Lily is nervous is anyone’s guess.

He finally releases a long sigh, then reaches out to pat Lily’s arm where it’s resting on the chair. It’s a comforting gesture, but true to his nature, he remains stiff and professional. “The next time we do this and Lily comes along, we’ll let her lead the discussion. That way, we can see their true colors immediately and not waste time.”

Whoa. Knock me over with a feather. I expected a reaction from him, but this seems like he approves. Of losing the new vendor. How I handled things. How Lily handled it. All of it. Even Lily looks surprised, but the smile she gives her father is proud and pleasing. She puts her hand over his where it rests on her arm.

As for me, I keep my mouth shut by taking a drink of my usual old-fashioned. Lily’s smile catches my eyes, and I zero in on her lips. They’re still plump and flushed from being kissed and bitten. They’re also tinged red from the raspberry mimosa she’s been nursing throughout the conversation. I cross my fingers, hoping her parents won’t notice the difference.

Chapter Eleven

Lily

Myparents’roomison the same floor as the one Jax and I are sharing. We finish our drinks and small talk, then take the elevators back to the fifth floor. Since our day was cut short because of the incident with the vendor, we decide to go our separate ways, with plans to meet up for dinner. The idle chitchat we make on the elevator leaves me with no warning of what’s to come.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come shopping with me?” My mother never misses an opportunity to spend money, which is probably why she talked my dad into getting on a plane.

“Not today, Mother. I want to take it easy after what happened.” Even before I finish speaking, I know it’ll get me out of her grasp today. Tomorrow will be a different story.

“I understand,” she says, then gives me the high-society-women’s hug, which consists of her hands on my shoulders and an air-kiss beside my cheek. “I’ll window shop today, scout the stores, and we’ll go tomorrow.”

Just as I thought. I fight to roll my eyes.

“Okay. Bye, Mother.” I do the air-kiss back, and relief floods through me. She’s pretty perceptive. If she suspects anything between Jax and me, she’ll have it out of me before I can think twice. Seriously. She missed her calling as a CIA interrogator, as subtle as she is in getting a person to confess.

I turn down the hall to head for our room when I hear Dad’s voice.

“Jax. A moment of your time.”

Glancing back at him, I try to read the expression on my dad’s face. And of course, his face gives nothing away. Neither does his tone. My breath catches in my throat as my mind quickly runs through a list of scenarios, none of which are good for me. I flash him a small smile, hoping to convey everything is fine. Mentally, I shrug, then continue down the hallway to the room.

A few minutes pass before the door opens and Jax walks in. I’m removing my clothes from the suitcase again, undoing all the work my mother did. A sly smile creeps up my face as I turn toward him. I want to pick up where we left off.

“Hi.” I reach for him. All enthusiasm is destroyed as he catches my wrist and holds me at arm’s length. “Hey, what gives?”

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