Chapter Three

Jen sipped gratefully at her strong, black coffee and then went back to the rosters spread across her desk. Putting a hand to her forehead, she stuck her elbow on the table and sighed in frustration as names, dates, and shifts blurred together. She hated this part of the job with a passion. It had been Kate’s forte, but she was determined not to bother her sister with this—especially after yesterday’s fiasco. Not if Kate was going to feel confident in leaving her in charge in a few weeks’ time.

The phone burred, jolting her out of her reverie. She grabbed at the receiver, grateful for any respite of the chore in front of her. “Morning, Jen speaking,” she chirped.

“Hey, Jen.” Kate said. “How’s your day going?”

Jen flicked an offending roster a little further away from her with a finger and grimaced. “Just fine…working on rosters.”

“Oh—” Kate’s voice dropped. “You want me to come in and give you a hand? I know you hate juggling the shifts.”

“Nope. I’ve got it under control,” Jen lied, hoping that her sister wouldn’t hear the deception in her voice. She changed the subject. “What’s your plan, today?”

“We’re meeting with the pastor,” Kate chuckled. “That should be fun—not. He’s kinda pissy we’re not having the ceremony in the church. So, we’re off to smooth his ruffled feathers. It’ll help if he’s happy. If it rains on the day, we’ll have to use the church, anyway.”

“Well, it’s not as if he’s overrun with weddings. The last one was Susie Q’s, wasn’t it?”

“Mmm. Bryce reckons if we suggest in a roundabout way that the pastor starts preparing for an upcoming christening, plus reminding him that he’ll be presiding over a ceremony that the whole country will attend, he may take it a little better.”

Jen cracked up laughing. “You do realize you’re planning on bribing the clergy with your unborn child, Kate.”

Her sister’s warm chuckle hummed down the line. “Thanks, Jen,” she said with a sarcastic smile in her voice. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

Jen hung up the phone, still laughing.

* * * *

Throwing down her pen in frustration, Jen strung together a few choice words that would have made the saltiest of sailors blush. The numbers just weren’t adding up. The amount of available staff versus hours didn’t fit anywhere near where it should, and Jen was on the verge of losing it completely. She gritted her teeth and gave a silent scream of frustration. Two hours after turning down Kate’s offer, she was damned if she was going to fold and ask for help.

Every way she looked at it, the staff levels and the hours they needed to work all pointed in one direction. They needed more staff, and now. To get back on an even keel, Jen needed to employee at least one more person at reception and two more maid staff. Reception was the main headache. Ever since Celia left, Susan was doing the work of two people and had been for quite a while. Jen chewed at her bottom lip. Celia had been a complete disaster, but at this point, she would even risk hiring her back if she wasn’t 3,000 miles away, recuperating in a New Zealand therapy center.

What am I thinking? Jen ran her hand through her curls and rocked back in her chair. I must be desperate if I’m considering rehiring Celia!

Celia, all on her own, almost managed to destroy the hotel’s computer system by implanting a virus. Plus, she had been on the verge of annihilating Bryce and Kate’s relationship. Jen considered the beautiful Celia—Bryce’s ex girlfriend. The poor woman lost her mind, Jen remembered. The loss of her father, a miscarriage, and Bryce falling in love with Kate—that had been the final straw—and before anyone was able to save her from herself, Celia had gone completely off the rails.

And took Kate with her, Jen reminded herself. Shuddering, she remembered the fear she’d felt as she’d watched Celia threaten to kill Kate, a shotgun firmly in hand. In the deepest, darkest depression, when that murderous intent had failed, she’d attempted to take her own life, only to be saved by Bryce in the nick of time.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the memories, she rocked back in the chair and considered the paperwork, again. There was no time to dredge through the past. Right now, anyone would be better than Celia. They were coping with the staff they had at the moment, but the proof was in the papers in front of her. They needed to rehire…and fast.

Deep in thought and pondering possible scenarios to cover them until they could find the right employee, she jumped as Tyler knocked abruptly on the door. He sauntered in and seated himself opposite her with a wide smile.

She couldn’t help the answering smile that spread unbidden across her lips. Clad in jeans, sneakers, and a pristine white T-shirt—snugly contouring his muscled frame—he stared back, and his brown eyes glinted with humor.

Thoughtlessly shoving a stray curl off her forehead, she gazed back. “Geez, you startled me. Give a girl a warning.”

“I don’t know about that. I thought if I just popped in without notice, I might be lucky enough get a second aerobatics display.” He chuckled.

Flushing, Jen shook her head with a laugh. “You didn’t notice me jump halfway out of my seat as you came in? I thought that alone was pretty impressive. The floor show you got the other day was a one off—it’s the special welcome we give all our new staff.”

Tyler roared with laughter. “Well, damn. Fire me and hire me, again. It would be worth it just to see you do it one more time.”

She wasn’t sure if her heart was racing because he’d given her a fright with his sudden entrance, or because he just looked so damn sexy. She rattled some papers around on the desk to cover her agitation. Her fingers shook, belying her nervousness, and she gave up, instead jamming her hands together in her lap.

Tyler sat forward in his chair, leaning in to lock eyes with her. “I know I don’t officially start for a few weeks, and training is only half days with Kate…but I thought I’d come in early. Since we’re the ones who are going to be working together, it’d pay to get to know your working habits and the way the hotel is run.”

Jen cursed under her breath as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks, again. If this keeps happening, she thought, he’s going to think I’m permanently blushing.

He smiled and leaned back in the chair. “To be honest, it’ll be to my benefit to know what I’m doing pre-takeover.”

“You’ve got a pretty good résumé—the way I see it, you already know what you’re doing,” Jen said.

“I’ve got experience—hotels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and back home in New Zealand—but all with the same chain. Chain hotels all run differently, have different requirements…”

“So, you want to get the heads up on ours.”

“Yeah.” He paused. “I actually applied for the job at Bounty’s Retreat when applications went out a couple of years ago.”

Jen’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. That was news to her. “You did?”

He nodded. “Obviously, I lost out on the job. You and Kate got the positions.” Grimacing, he continued. “I was quite disappointed at the time, but I’ve been keeping an eye on the jobs available on the Pitcairn Government website. You know as well as I do that hoteliers—if they’re good at their job—can be head-hunted, or…” He grinned. “Get pregnant. So, when this job came up, I jumped at the chance.”

“It’s only for a few months, though—just until Kate’s maternity leave is over,” she warned.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I know, but those few months might turn into more. You never know what life will throw at you. I lost out on the job once, and yet, here I am. Things change. You just have to be prepared to go with the flow and take both the good and the bad.”

“That’s a good attitude to have,” Jen mused aloud.

He grinned. “Well, I’m here to impress the boss. If I can see any way to make a positive mark, or create a niche that will help our market, I’m gonna let you know.” He gazed at her with a smile, a dimple in his cheek flashing. “You might end up begging me to stay.”

The look in his eye as he stared at her suggested something more than just a great employee being asked to stay on, and Jen blinked in surprise. Her heart leaped into her mouth. Was he flirting? Then, the look faded, and she wondered if she’d seen it at all. She chuckled to herself. The guy was just keen to impress me, that was all. If he can help me keep things ticking over until Kate gets back, that’s impressive enough.

Leaning over the desk, Tyler raised one perfect eyebrow. “Dreaded rosters, huh?”

See, she thought. All business. Must have been seeing things.

She joined him as he scanned the paperwork. “Mmm. Not my favorite thing to do, and I’ve already spent the last two days on these.”

His eyes flicked up to meet hers. “Mind if I take a look? Fresh eyes and all that.”

She nodded, pushing a few sheaves of paper toward him. “Be my guest. I have a few job vacancies that need to be filled, but in the meantime…it’s just a mess as far as I can see.”

She watched as he flicked through the paperwork, his finger traveling across the columns. His brow furrowed, and he bit his lip, concentration fierce in his face. Jen squirmed at the reaction that it caused in her belly. Suddenly, he tapped at one sheet, turned it to face her, and she started as his eyes darted up to catch her staring. He smiled and held her gaze just a little too long, and she dropped her eyes, her cheeks instantly feeling hot.

Now that was flirting.

“Reception seems a little pushed,” he said, a slight huskiness to his voice.

“My take exactly.” Pleased he’d caught the same problem she had, Jen smiled. His close proximity was giving her minor heart palpitations, but at least he had brains as well as brawn.

“We’re definitely short staffed in that department, but trying to figure out how to cover it while we attempt to re-advertise…that’s the sticking point.”

“Yeah…” He returned to the documents and began running down the columns, again. “I saw…here. Annalise Young. She’s night shift, but she’s rostered off here…” He slid his finger along two more slots, tapping as he went. “…here, and here.” He turned the paperwork again so she could follow his markings and walked around the desk to stand beside her. Once again, he held her gaze just that second too long and stood a fraction too close.

Butterflies swarmed in her belly, and Jen cleared her throat. “I get that she’s off, but what are you thinking?”

“Ask her if she wants to add a couple of day shifts. Might put a little pressure on any overtime budgets you’ve got, but it’ll take a lot of pressure off Susan. I notice she’s been covering a lot of extra shifts herself. If Annalise takes one or two shifts extra a week, Susan might get a break, and you’re still covered.”

Jen made a few notations, her grin growing wider and wider as she tallied and checked his suggestions. “That might just work if Annalise is up for it.” Jen sat back in her chair and watched with a strange mix of regret and relief as he walked back around the desk. “Susan will love you—she’s been begging for time off. She reckons she’s forgotten what her kids look like. Thanks, Tyler.”

He grinned and sat down on the edge of the table. “No problem. Rosters are a breeze for me. I can do it with my eyes closed. Well…” He laughed. “…with one eye open, anyway.”

Jen grinned back. I’m going to need a grin-ectomy if he continues being this helpful, she thought with a laugh. “Well, I can see what you’ll be doing for the next few months. Paperwork of any kind is my idea of pure hell.”

There was a sharp rap on the office door, and Susan popped her head around the corner. “Sorry to bother you two,” she said with a grimace. “Jen? There’s a problem down at the conference rooms.”

Tyler slid off the desk. “I’ll go sort it out if you want.” He looked back at Jen with a smile. “If you don’t mind me sticking my nose in, that is. I’ll leave you to give Susan the good news.”

Jen nodded and watched him leave the office, a dazed smile on her lips. He was going to fit in just fine, she thought happily. As long as he doesn’t stand so close or stare at me like that with those beautiful eyes…and that butt—oh, my God! She bit her lip and sighed with happiness.

Susan coughed loudly, and Jen raised an eyebrow at the odd look on the receptionist’s face. Arms crossed, Susan stared at her with amusement as she leaned on the door frame.

“What?” she asked innocently.

“You were staring at his arse.”

“I was not!” Jen lied. Susan raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

“Okay, just a little, but he was leaving the room. Where else was I supposed to look?”

Susan cracked up laughing and crossed the room to sit in the chair Tyler had vacated. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble one day, Jen. So, what’s the news?”

* * * *

“So, anyway…”

Jen popped another canapé into her mouth and groaned with orgasmic delight. Flavors exploded in her mouth, and she took a moment to savor the tastes that tingled and danced on her taste buds. Jen had arrived home from work just in time to find Felix pulling out the first tray of test nibbles that he had prepared for Kate and Bryce to sample. The kitchen smelled delightful, and the taste confirmed what her nose had told her. Felix was a food god.

She wiped her mouth with a napkin and pointed a finger in Felix’s direction. “Bryce and Kate are going to love whatever I just put in my mouth. That was so good.”

“It was lobster.” He stared at her and then cracked up laughing as she screwed up her face.

“Yuck!” she cried. “Why didn’t you tell me? You know I don’t like seafood unless it’s battered, fried, or covered in ketchup!”

Felix snorted and slid another tray into the oven. “You didn’t give me time, you eating machine. The speed that thing went at as it traveled from my tray and into your mouth was amazing. Lobster or not.” He laughed and shrugged. “I could make you a peanut butter sandwich, and you’d love it.”

She tipped her head to the side and stared at him for a moment before grinning. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“So, you were saying?”

“Oh. So, anyway, Tyler comes back and tells me that the conference members were all falling asleep in their chairs, and no one could figure out why. Then, he discovers that the spa next door was running a relaxation, aromatherapy treatment at the same time, and that the conference attendees were getting a good dose of it as well through the connecting air vents.”

Using her hands wildly to demonstrate the sleep-inducing aromas wafting through the conference room, Jen yelped as she came dangerously close to coming off the breakfast barstool. Correcting herself, she grabbed another canapé and watched Felix stir a tantalizing smelling concoction on the kitchen stove.

“So, he shuts the vents, borrows some revitalizing aroma burners from the spa, gets them going in the conference room, and ta-da!” A piece of cheese topping flew across the room from the mini pastry she was holding as she waved it furiously. “Happy, revitalized conference members!”

She popped the denuded pastry into her mouth with a smile and chewed in confusion. “What? Just pastry?” she mumbled through the mouthful.

Felix laughed wryly. “Try it without flinging the topping halfway across the kitchen.”

“Oh…okay.” She reached for yet another pastry on the rapidly dwindling tray of selections, and he batted her hand away with a dish towel.

“Get out of it, woman. Leave some for Kate and Bryce to try.” He eyed her slim frame as she leaned over the breakfast bar. “Where do you put it all?”

“God, you sound like my sister,” she groused. “Good genes and lots of running.”

As he turned his back, she neatly snagged another pastry with a grin and popped it into her mouth, stifling the moan of delight as she chewed. Swallowing, she put her chin in her hand and watched Felix putter around the kitchen. She loved watching him work. His movements fluid, he moved around the kitchen like a dancer, molding food with heat or ice, baking, steaming, or roasting, tasting, testing, and seasoning—all seemingly choreographed perfectly. He would manipulate a simple ingredient or two with ease—the magician that he was turning them into a masterpiece and not just a simple meal.

“So, this Tyler guy,” Felix asked with a slow drawl as he continued to work. “He seems okay, then? You certainly seem taken with him.”

“Well, technically, he hasn’t even started yet, and I found him to be a godsend, already. Saved me a lot of stress this morning.”

Felix slipped some mini quiches into the oven and closed the door, flipping his dish towel over his shoulder. Jen swallowed another stolen morsel with a guilty smile, which faded quickly as she caught his look.

“What?” He looked disappointed and uncomfortable. Was he mad at her for picking at the food? He usually didn’t care. He ordinarily appreciated the feedback. She wiped her hands with the napkin and tried to look contrite. “Sorry, I just can’t help myself.”

He waved at the trays and shook his head. “It’s not the damn food, Jen. You sound pretty thrilled with the guy himself, not just what he can do in the job.”

“I-I…he’s okay…” Jen stuttered. She stared helplessly at him as he sighed and threw the towel onto the bench. What does he want me to say? she wondered.

“Look, I think we need to talk.”

Jen’s blood ran cold. He sounded serious, and whatever was on his mind, it didn’t seem good.

“I think this conversation will need wine.” She slid off the stool and grabbed two glasses. Hooking a chilled bottle of chardonnay out of the fridge, she passed it to him to open, her belly lurching as he refused to let her catch his eye. This wasn’t good at all.

They moved to the open plan lounge and settled on the couch. Felix poured them both a good amount of fragrant wine. He passed her a glass and then looked into his own, as if searching for answers in the golden liquid.

“You just sound really enamored with this guy. I’m hoping you’re not planning to dump me as your date for the wedding and go with him.”

Jen’s mouth dropped open. “What? No!” She giggled and took a sip of her wine. “Is that all you’re worried about? He hasn’t even asked me…” Her voice faded to a whisper at the look in his eye.

“Jen, are you totally misunderstanding what I’m saying, or are you trying to let me down gently?”

“I really don’t understand, Felix.”

She followed him with her eyes as he jerked to his feet and begun pacing the lounge.

“I’m sick of being the good guy and waiting for you to open your eyes, Jen.”

Sudden realization made her stomach lurch with a sick jolt. He liked Tyler himself. Maybe, he’d wanted to ask Tyler to go as his date and didn’t want to hurt her. She grimaced, hurt for her friend. She didn’t get the feeling that Tyler was gay. In fact, she knew he’d been flirting with her. Now, how can I let Felix know Tyler’s straight? How do I let him down gently? Maybe, it’s better this way. I can forewarn him before he approaches Tyler and gets turned down flat, she thought with a mental grimace.

“Did you want to ask Tyler out, yourself?” she asked quietly.

He stopped pacing and looked at her as if she’d sprouted three heads, glass slipping from his hand, and wine splashing in all directions. Jen screeched as wine sloshed down her front, staining her shirt and dribbling—wet and icy—into her lap. She leapt to her feet, pulling her shirt out from her body and grimacing as the liquid pooled in the crotch of her jeans.

“What?” he sputtered, his eyes wide with shock. Suddenly, he hooted with laughter and collapsed back onto the couch, shaking his head with astonishment. “You think I’m gay.” The laughter died on his lips, and he stared up at her in amazement. “You think I’m gay?”

Jen stared open-mouthed, frozen in place as wine dripped down her legs, and her glass upraised as if about to give a toast.

“You’re not?” Horror made her voice come out in a squeak.

“Why on Earth would you think I was?” He frowned in annoyance. “That’s just a ridiculous assumption on your part. I’ve never given any indication—”

Kate and Bryce bustled noisily into the house, saving Jen from any further conversation. Jen whirled to face them and pasted a smile on her face.

“Something smells nice,” Bryce said as he tossed his jacket onto the couch, blithely unaware of the tension in the room.

Kate looked between Jen and Felix, her own jacket frozen halfway on and halfway off. A frown furrowed her brow as she took in the scene, and her eyes finally settled on Jen. “Are we early?”

“No. No.” Jen shook her head, suddenly needing to escape. “You’re right on time, but I—I, uh…I spilled my drink.” She grabbed her sister by the arm and half-dragged her toward her bedroom. “I need a quick word,” she hissed.

Closing the bedroom door behind them, Jen turned and looked at her sister, collapsing against the wooden frame with an agonized moan.

“I think I just ruined my friendship with Felix.”

“Why? What did you do, now?” Kate propped herself up on Jen’s bed with her pillows and watched as Jen dug through her drawers for some dry clothes.

“I accused him of being gay.” She dropped a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt on the bed and stared hopelessly at her sister.

“Jen, you didn’t! He is so not gay!” Kate pressed her hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh. “He’s had a crush on you for ages. How could you not know?”

Changing her underwear and dragging on the fresh pair of jeans, Jen furiously kicked the wet pair over into the corner. “I had no freaking clue! Why didn’t you tell me? I made such a fool out of myself. I thought he wanted to take Tyler to your wedding and was trying to let me down easy!”

Kate roared with laughter, clutching her rounded belly. Jen plonked herself down on the end of the bed and waited impatiently for her sister to get control of herself. She put her hands to her face and groaned. Felix had always been there for her. They’d been so close and shared everything together…so, why hadn’t he said something? A simple “I’m straight” would have been perfect.

Crossing her arms petulantly, she glowered at Kate until at last her sister wiped the tears of amusement from her eyes and took a long and shaky breath. “I didn’t think you were that blind, little sister. It was out there for everyone to see. I just thought you knew.” She reached out a hand. “Sorry, hon.”

Jen took Kate’s hand and squeezed it gently. “So, the more important question is this, Jen.” Kate sobered as she contemplated her sister carefully. “How do you feel about the fact that he’s not gay? He’s into you, Jen. Crazy into you. How do you feel about him?”