Hailey's Truth

by Cate Beauman

  “This isn’t a good time.” She quickened her pace further, but his long legs were no match for her shorter strides. She huffed out a breath, came to a stop , trying to ignore the light sheen of sweat over his amazing, tanned muscles. “I said this isn’t a good time.”

  “Yeah, I heard you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

  “Well, I’m busy.” She turned to leave, but Austin stopped her with a hand on her arm.

  “How about later? I changed rooms. I’m your neighbor. You could knock on my door when you have a free minute.”

  Not on your life. “Okay, yeah, sure, fine.”

  “’Okay, yeah, sure, fine,’” he repeated, wincing, as a pained look settled on his face. “All ‘red flag’ words of a pissed off woman.”

  Her lips twitched. Why did he have to be so damn cute?

  “Wait.” Austin held up a hand and took a step back “Is that a smile? Are you going to smile?”

  “No, I’m not.” She would make the inside of her cheek bleed before she gave him the grin that so desperately wanted to escape. She refused to be affected by his charm.

  “Will you have dinner with me?”

  If she could count the number of times she’d wished he’d ask this very question… But he wasn’t interested in her romantically. He confused her too much right now, but she still wanted him despite everything that had happened. Staying away from Austin for the next several days was the best thing she could do for herself. “I can’t; I’m having dinner with Jeremy.”

  “How about lunch tomorrow?”

  “I’m sightseeing with Jeremy and Mateo.”

  He clenched his jaw before he relaxed it. “How about dinner after?”

  She remembered her plans for her candlelight bath. Dinner with Austin sounded even better, but a bath was safer. “Austin, I really think…“she stopped, smiling suddenly as Mateo approached. She was happy to have a distraction. “Mateo, how’s your suite?”

  “Freaking awesome.”

  She chuckled. “I thought the same thing. Mateo, this is Austin Casey. Austin, Mateo Flores.”

  Mateo stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Austin. Have I seen you before?”

  Austin shook Mateo’s hand. “Yeah, coming out of Hailey’s apartment.”

  Hailey stared at Austin, shocked by his unfriendly tone. In the last week, she’d seen a side of him she didn’t know existed. The rigid set of his body and the hard light in his eyes were new, and she didn’t like them. “Mateo, I’m heading up to the main hotel to look around, maybe get a snack,” she improvised. “Do you want to join me?”

  “Sure.”

  “See you around, Austin.” She turned her back, dismissing Austin and his ugly attitude.

  “Hailey, wait.” Austin snagged her arm.

  She pulled free of his hold, wanting nothing to do with him at the moment. “I said I’ll see you around.”

  As Mateo took a step forward, Hailey placed a hand on his chest. “Mateo, can you give us a second? I’ll catch up.”

  “Yeah, sure.” Mateo gave Austin a warning stare before he wandered down the beach.

  Hailey waited until Mateo was out of earshot before she rounded on Austin. “What is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing. I just think you should be careful.” He gestured toward the path, his implication clear.

  Hailey’s eyes widened as irritation turned to a quick, burning anger. Austin didn’t know anything about Mateo. He was judging on nothing more than appearances. “What should I be careful of, exactly?”

  “Of who you’re hanging around with,” Austin’s voice grew edgy.

  She remembered not too long ago Austin’s accusations of Jeremy’s gang affiliation. Was this what he’d been talking about? Austin saw Mateo come out of her apartment and jumped to the conclusion Jeremy was a dealer and gangster?

  Hailey glared and crossed her arms. “And what’s wrong with Mateo? His tattoos? Maybe if you took the time to get to know him instead of making rash judgments, you would realize the ink on his arms is part of a past he’s trying to leave behind. You’re something else.”

  Hailey spun away, turned back, unable to let this go. “Mateo is a friend of Jeremy’s, so that makes him a friend of mine. You, on the other hand, have made your feelings toward my brother more than clear.”

  She gave Austin a shove, just because she could. Not that he moved, but it felt good to place her anger somewhere. “I know we can’t all be as perfect as you, Austin Casey, but if your snobbery is considered perfection, then I don’t want to be.”

  Hailey stormed off, hurrying down the beach to catch up with Mateo. If she saw Austin before the week was over, it would be too soon.

  Chapter 10

  AUSTIN LAY ON HIS BED, staring at the ceiling fan, fuming. He’d handled things on the beach worse than he had the night in the kitchen. Lately, every time he was around Hailey, she jumbled his brain until he couldn’t think.

  It might as well have been amateur hour while he stood in the sand, losing his cool. His open hostility toward Mateo had been completely foolish and broke every rule in the subtle art of reconnaissance.

  He couldn’t gather information if he alienated Mateo and Jeremy before vacation even began. And he wouldn’t bring Hailey around to who her brother really was if he made her angry every time he saw her.

  Hailey was a champion of the underdog. If he continued to express his dislike for her brother and Mateo, he would never be able to keep her close. Mateo was the real deal—a first-class con on top of everything else.

  But Mateo didn’t know Hailey the way Austin did. That’s where he had the upper hand. He had three years of interaction, of friendship. He had visits to the zoo, arcade battles, movies with popcorn and debates at the end, holidays, long weekends away—with Ethan, Sarah, Morgan, and Hunter.

  If Austin wanted that to continue, he had to stop alienating her. His inability to control his shaky emotions was going to get Hailey killed.

  Austin sat up, sighed, and glancing at the clock—seven thirty. He needed to eat. He hadn’t had anything decent since his early morning breakfast. The clerk at check-in said the beachfront dining room had a five-star rating. If he was going to eat, he planned to eat well.

  Austin pulled a pair of khaki slacks from the small closet along with a dark green polo. Dressed and ready, he locked up and strolled down the beach. Minutes later, he climbed the steps to the restaurant, his stomach growling as he breathed in the scent of well-prepared seafood. He walked in the upscale dining room, stopping at the bar.

  “Good evening, sir.” The bartender placed a cocktail napkin in front of him. “What can I get you to drink?”

  “What do you have on tap?”

  “Pretty much anything you want, including our house brews.”

  Austin was always willing to try something new. “Give me your most popular homebrew.”

  “Right away, sir.” The man was true to his word. He slid a pale ale in front of him within seconds.

  “Thanks.” Austin glanced around at well-presented entrees. A vivid blue sundress on the outside deck caught his attention. Hailey’s light brown hair billowed in the gentle breeze as she sat at a table—alone—stirring a straw in her beverage instead of eating the salad before her.

  A waiter stopped at her table and she glanced at her watch, shaking her head. The man pulled the menu from the empty setting and walked off.

  Austin wanted to feel smug; her asshole brother had shown his true colors once again. But as he stared at Hailey, alone and beautiful at a table set for two, he couldn’t feel anything but sadness. Austin slid a five on the bar, then wandered out to the deck, stopping behind the vacant chair.

  Hailey glanced up.

  “Hey,” he said, looking at her. She took his breath away. Hail
ey had pulled her hair back in a barrette, leaving her face unframed, the way he liked best. She’d curled the ends; loose spirals fell to her naked, slender shoulders.

  “Hey.” She looked at her Sprite, starting to stir it again.

  She wasn’t going to give an inch, even though her eyes were sad. He hated seeing her upset because it was so rare—except lately. “Can I sit down?”

  Hailey shrugged. “I guess.”

  He took the empty chair and the waiter came over.

  “Señor, let me get you a menu.”

  Austin looked at Hailey, waiting for her to object. When she stayed silent, staring back, he gave the waiter a nod. So, they would have dinner after all.

  Within moments, the waiter handed him a menu. “Thanks.” Austin set it down without looking at the offerings. “Nice night.”

  “Mmm.” Hailey stopped stirring her soda and rested her hands on the table.

  Austin took a chance and snagged her fingers, holding them firm as they stiffened against his palm. “Hailey, do you want me to leave?”

  “Kind of.”

  No, she definitely wasn’t going to give an inch. “Tell you what. If you still look like you want to strangle me by the time you finish your salad I’ll leave.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’m sorry—” He tightened his grip when she tried to pull free. “It’ll be easier to apologize if you actually look at me.”

  Her gaze lifted from the table, meeting his.

  “I’m sorry about this afternoon. I was rude to both you and Mateo. I’ll apologize to Mateo when I see him.” He would choke on it, but if two simple words helped keep her safe, he would get over it.

  Hailey’s fingers relaxed in his hand. “I appreciate it.”

  “Then it’s done.”

  The waiter wandered back. “What can I bring you this evening, Senor?”

  “I’ll have what the lady’s having.”

  “Very good.” The waiter plucked up the menu and left.

  “I ordered calf brains, you know.”

  He grinned at the teasing light warming her eyes. Now they were getting somewhere. “Then you’ll have leftovers to bring back to your room.”

  She smiled.

  “What are we really having?”

  “Grilled salmon topped with a lobster, mango salsa, herbed brown rice, and sautéed vegetables.”

  “That’s more like it. Do you want a glass of wine?”

  “No, thanks. Alcohol makes my head fuzzy.” She wrinkled her nose. “I know, not very sophisticated.”

  “Sophisticated is boring. I like you just the way you are.”

  Hailey’s smile disappeared, and she pulled her fingers free.

  “Should we clear up the night at Ethan’s while we’re at it?”

  “No.”

  He wanted to, but she clearly didn’t. “Will you share your salad?”

  She pushed her plate to the center of the table.

  Austin stabbed a bite of lettuce and a cherry tomato, intending to keep their conversation light. “Do you like your room?”

  “I love it. It’s beautiful. The view’s sensational.” Her eyes brightened, unable to conceal her enthusiasm. Hailey fiddled with her straw again. “What about you? Do you like yours?”

  “I can’t complain. We should definitely enjoy ourselves while we’re here. Ethan sent me pictures of our accommodations for the next few months. They’re very…basic.”

  She chuckled. “That nice, huh?”

  “Yeah, that nice.” He smiled, relieved they were on the right track. “We could drive over and get a firsthand peek this week, or we can enjoy a little piece of paradise and deal with reality when we have to.”

  “Let’s deal with it when we have to. I don’t want to leave. The resort’s too beautiful, too perfect.”

  Hailey was describing herself and didn’t even know it. The sun sunk low along the horizon, casting her creamy skin golden in the last of day’s light. White Chinese lanterns glowed, dancing about in the wind, lending an air of romance to the warm tropical evening.

  “How pretty.” She sighed, smiling.

  Austin made a sound in his throat as he chewed, trying and failing to be unaffected by Hailey in candlelight.

  She set her fork down. “So, what are your plans for your first full day of vacation?”

  “I’m not sure.” He would be tagging along wherever Hailey and her pals were going. He just didn’t know where that was yet. “What about you?”

  The waiter came back, taking the empty plate.

  She shrugged. “Everything’s up in the air. Mateo told me he and Jeremy might have to work. I guess Mr. Rodriguez called after they landed.”

  Austin noticed Hailey had nothing to say about Jeremy’s absence this evening.

  Colorful plates were set before them, and she breathed in deeply. “Oh, look at this. I can’t wait to try it.”

  “Go ahead.” Austin was enjoying her pleasure for the simple things.

  Hailey picked up her fork and cut a small piece of salmon, picking up a chunk of mango and lobster with it. She brought the bite to her mouth, closed her eyes, and moaned. “This is so amazingly good. Here, try.” She cut another piece of fish and held it to his lips.

  Austin stared at her as he took the food from her fork. The sweet mango and subtle Cajun spices created a delicious contrast of flavors. “Wow, really good.”

  He picked up his own silverware and dove in, pretending that her quiet moan moments before hadn’t sent his hormones into overdrive.

  After several bites in silence, Hailey met his gaze, smiled. “So…I guess I’m glad you happened by my table tonight.”

  Austin grinned as he swallowed another sensational bite. “I’m pretty glad too.”

  “If Mateo and Jeremy can’t sightsee tomorrow, I’m thinking about doing the horseback tour. I’ve never ridden a horse. It should be—“

  The boisterous hoots and hollers of a small crowd below cut her off. The group strolled by, laughing, as they made their way into the resort’s casino.

  Mateo had an arm slung around a pretty woman’s waist. Jeremy was talking loudly, holding a young blonde’s hand, a beer bottle in the other, with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips.

  Hailey set down her fork and stared as Jeremy disappeared through the door. “What is he doing? Jeremy doesn’t drink. He gave it up.”

  “Apparently not.”

  Hailey’s heated gaze snapped to his.

  Austin shrugged, trying to keep it casual. “He’s over eighteen, Hailey. There’s nothing saying he can’t have a beer down here.”

  “But Jeremy told me he doesn’t drink anymore.”

  Austin stared at Hailey, running his tongue over his teeth. Did she finally see? Did she finally get that her brother was a liar? “I don’t know what to tell you.”

  Hailey held his gaze for a moment, then got to her feet. “I’m not doing this with you.”

  “Doing what?” He sat up taller.

  “Give me a break, Austin.”

  “What? I didn’t even say anything.”

  “You didn’t have to. Your self-righteous smirk says it all.” Hailey stormed down the balcony steps.

  He hadn’t been smirking, had he? Austin raised his hand for their check, then noticed the man in the corner, eating his meal, watching Hailey’s hurried steps along the beach. Austin scrutinized the burly diner as he continued to study Hailey. Was this guy being paid to keep an eye on her, or was he simply intrigued by a beautiful woman?

  Unsure, Austin committed the guy’s face to memory before he scribbled a twenty percent tip on the bill, signed his name, and took the stairs in twos before he lost sight of her as she rushed to her cabana. “Hailey, wait
up.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, walking faster, finally breaking into a run.

  “Damn it.” Austin started to run himself, catching up with her steps from her room. “I said wait up.”

  “I don’t want to wait for you. I have nothing to say to you.” She continued to her miniature porch and jammed her key in the lock.

  “Wait a minute.” Austin followed, placing his hands on her rigid shoulders.

  Hailey’s hand stilled on the knob. “Don’t touch me,” she said, her voice unsteady. “Just leave me alone.”

  He couldn’t leave her alone now—not when she was on the verge of tears. “Hailey.” He moved his thumbs back and forth over her soft skin, trying to suppress his frustration for taking hit after hit while Jeremy stayed forever in the clear.

  “It’s been a long day.”

  Austin turned her to face him. Tears swam in her miserable eyes. “Please don’t cry.”

  “I’m not. I’m fine.” Her lip wobbled, and she sniffed.

  “No you’re not.” He pulled Hailey against him, wrapping her in a hug. Austin thought back to the moment at Ethan’s when she stood by the big window, alone, with a single tear running down her cheek. Hailey wasn’t going to be alone this time. “I’m sorry,” he murmured close to her ear.

  Hailey eased back. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m mad at Jeremy and took it out on you.” She pressed her fingers against her temple. “Just when I thought he was on the right track…” she shook her head.

  Austin took her hand and tugged until she sat beside him on the step. “He’s a grown man, Hailey. You aren’t responsible for the choices he makes.”

  “I’m not ready to give up on him. There’s a good person underneath the rough exterior. I’ve seen it. I remember it.” She shook her head again as she tried to stand. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

  He did. Austin snagged her fingers, tugging her down again. He wanted to understand why Jeremy deserved so much love and loyalty, especially when he clearly didn’t give her any in return, so Austin pushed. “How old were you when your parents passed away?”