by Hazel Kelly
I squinted. “You seem angrier than I remember.”
She straightened up. “You remember me?”
“Of course I remember you,” I said, sitting down. “I remember everything.”
She pressed her glossy lips together.
“I remember how you smell,” I said, leaning back. “How you taste.”
Her light brown eyes grew wide.
“I remember the sound of your laugh, and the noise you used to make when I slid my hand in your bikini bottoms-”
“That’s enough.”
“It never was for me,” I said, crossing an ankle over my knee. “And I don’t recall you ever tiring of it.”
“Look,” she said, lowering her voice. “I’m flattered that you remember me, but that’s all in the past and things are different now.”
I cocked my head. “Are they? Because I’m pretty sure I’m still the boss and you still want me to tell you what to do.”
“That is so not what I want,” she said. “And if you think this-” She pointed back and forth between us. “Is going to happen, then you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought.”
“What’s with the hostility, Jo?”
“Don’t call me that.”
“I thought we had something special?”
“We did.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her triple pierced ear. “But that was before you showed up and took what wasn’t yours.”
“That’s not at all how I see it.”
She raised her eyebrows. “How do you see it?”
I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling. “I see it more like I take what I want and I make it mine.”
“Like my dad’s hotel?”
“Among other things.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“Because your mom made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
She clenched her jaw.
“Besides, I wanted to see you.”
“If you wanted to see me, you knew where I was.”
“I know,” I said. “That made it very easy to find you.”
“You didn’t have to buy the place.”
“No,” I said. “But why does anyone do anything?”
“For fun?”
I shook my head. “No. There’s only two reasons people do anything. One is love.”
“Let me guess. The other’s money?”
I adjusted a cufflink. “Bingo.”
“I don’t get what’s in it for you,” she said. “Why Harmony Bay?”
“Because I’m fond of this place, and I know it can be better. You know it, too, I suspect. You’re just too stubborn to ask for the help your mom was wise enough to seek out.”
“My mom is vulnerable right now, and you took advantage.”
“Good thing it was me then instead of someone that doesn’t have the hotel’s best interests at heart.”
She shook her head. “You think this is a joke.”
“I think it’s an opportunity.”
“To do what?” she asked. “Destroy my family’s legacy?”
“No. To save it. Among other things.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “What other things?”
“Turning it into a profitable investment for one.”
“Anything else?”
“There’s a woman I’d like to impress,” I said. “Though it seems I’m going to have to do a lot more than save her hotel from bankruptcy to make her believe it.”
She leaned forward. “You’re full of shit.”
“Perhaps,” I said, folding my hands in my lap. “But maybe I’m fucking crazy about you and just nuts enough to do something this absurd.”
“No one’s that stupid.”
I smiled. “Seems to me you wouldn’t believe me even if I were telling the truth.”
She wiped her hands on the front of her hip hugging skirt.
“Which is disappointing because it means things have changed.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Well, when you were seventeen, you wanted to believe everything that came out of my mouth.”
“Maybe. But you were a decent guy then.”
“I’m still a decent guy,” I said. “You’ll see.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” she said, turning on her heels.
“One last tip before you go,” I said.
She looked back over her shoulder.
“Do us both a favor and go easy on the frosty reception angle,” I said, clasping my hands behind my head. “It might undermine your professionalism if it’s obvious to the staff how bad you want me back.”
Chapter 7: Jolie
“At least he remembers you,” Gia said, moving her chair and her margarita into the shade. “That’s something, isn’t it?”
“This is a disaster,” I said, putting my head in my hands and sucking some mojito through my straw. “I don’t know how to be professional around him any more than I know how to lead the rest of the team right now.”
“Just act like you’re not completely freaked out and pretend you’ve never shagged the guy.”
I lifted my eyes towards her.
“For a start.”
“Is that your best idea? Really? Just carry on like he hasn’t seen me naked? Like he hasn’t licked my-”
“Heard we’ve all got a new boss,” Debbie said, replacing our complimentary bowl of spicy nuts.
“What else did you hear?” I asked, straightening up in my chair.
“I heard he’s smoking hot and not wearing a ring.”
“It’s true,” Gia said.
I shot her a look.
She shrugged.
“Bout time we had some fresh meat around here,” Debbie said, surveying the surrounding patrons at the ramshackle beach bar. “If I wanted to see dad bods all day, I’d stay home with my husband.”
I scrunched my face. “He’s not back at work yet?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Worst of all, I’m starting to think he’s happy sitting on his ass all day watching day time television and letting me bring home the bacon.”
I made a mental note to tip her generously when we left. “Sorry, Deb. That must be hard on you.”
“I don’t mean to complain,” she said. “He’s a good man, and I’m better off with his love in my life.”
“I’m sure he’ll go back to work as soon as his back’s a hundred percent,” Gia said. “He’s probably just being cautious so he doesn’t get hurt again.”
“Can I get you girls anything else?” she asked, eyeing our glasses.
“I think we’re okay for the minute,” I said. “But we won’t be shy if we need something.”
Debbie nodded and moved on to a table down the beach covered in empty beer bottles.
“So you up for a night out with the guys?” Gia asked. “To take your mind off Mr. Too Hot to Handle?”
I furrowed my brow. “Can we not give him stupid nicknames?”
“I was going to go with Mr. Untouchable, but something tells me he’s very touchable indeed.”
I cocked my head. “Carlos wouldn’t appreciate you talking about another guy like that.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t appreciate the fact that he thinks his best chance of finding a decent job is playing video games until he ‘gets noticed’ and one of the gaming companies invites him to play professionally.”
“Is that even a thing?”
“Apparently,” she said. “I guess they employee people to play the games all day and look for glitches.”
“Wouldn’t that take all the fun out of it for him?”
She craned her neck forward. “Is that really what disturbs you most about the situation?”
“I thought he was tutoring Spanish this summer?”
“He is,” she said. “When it doesn’t interfere with his gaming.”
I shook my head. “We have to stop messing with boys.”
“At least Brian has a regular nine to five.”
“I feel like we need to set our standard
s higher than just employed.”
“Probably,” she said. “But we know all the locals and everyone else is only here for the summer.”
“It does feel like a hamster wheel.”
“No shit,” she said. “Neither of us has ever dated a guy that couldn’t be a described as a summer boyfriend. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”
“Maybe updating the hotel will bring a younger crowd through,” I said. “That would actually be an improvement I could get excited about.”
“At the very least it would improve our spring break prospects.”
“And distract me from the fact that I’m insanely attracted to my new boss.”
“I know,” Gia said. “I’m sorry I ever convinced you to crash that party.”
I sighed. “Now that you mention it, this is all your fault.”
She nodded. “Maybe, but it seemed like such a good idea at the time.”
“It was,” I said, remembering how we crashed the beach party full of teenage guests who’d waited all day to flee their parent’s supervision and drink cheap rum on the beach.
It was the first time Adam and I crossed paths that summer, and I remembered it like it was yesterday. He was standing by the bonfire, his chiseled features exaggerated in the jumping, yellow light.
I could still picture how thick his dark, windswept hair looked. He was obviously the same boy I’d once played beach games with, but he seemed more dangerous somehow. Or maybe delicious is a better word.
I swear I was in love with him after just a few swigs of rum, and when he put his heavy arm over my shoulder like I belonged to him, my insides turned to cotton candy.
Then he introduced me to his buddy as his friend, Jolie, and the fact that he remembered my name was enough to convince me that I should kiss him that night at the very least.
I never thought that night would go on to become the best month of my life.
Of course, I should’ve known then it would never work.
As if I could ever end up with a guy whose family could afford to go on vacation to a hotel for a whole month.
“What was his friend’s name again?” I asked. “Do you remember?”
“Christophe,” Gia said.
“Oh right. To be fair, that was the first time we both really liked a pair of friends equally.”
Gia smiled. “He was a scoundrel.”
“It’s a shame that was the only summer he ever came.”
Gia leaned back in her chair. “And yet he came again and again thanks to me.”
“I wonder what ever happened to him.”
“Betcha Adam knows,” Gia said.
“I don’t really think inquiring about him would lend itself to my professionalism.”
Gia laughed.
“Hey Adam, whatever happened to your friend that rode the receptionist all summer? Any plans to invite him back to town?”
“You won’t even consider it?” She stuck her lower lip out in a pout.
“I don’t even get why you liked him. He was so rude.”
“In all the best ways, though,” she said, her eyes crinkling at the edges.
I lifted a palm. “Stop. I feel like I can sense your filthy thoughts from here.”
“Sorry,” she said, using her straw to stir the ice at the bottom of her glass. “It’s been a while since I thought about him.”
“Remember that night they took us out on that boat?”
She sighed. “That’s when I realized I would be such a good rich guy’s wife.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Seriously, though. I was born to lounge around on yachts in a white bikini.”
I laughed. “I think you’re underselling yourself.”
“No. Underselling myself is letting Carlos buy his way into my skirt for the grand total of a bucket of Coronas.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“It wasn’t just the money,” she said. “He had great hair, too.”
“I know. They were really fun. I always hoped we’d run into them again on an exotic island vacation… not that we’d be forced into close proximity with just one of them in a position we didn’t want him in.”
“I knew you wanted to get him in another position.”
“That is not what I meant,” I said, raising a finger at her. “Don’t twist my words.”
Debbie appeared with another drink for each of us, moving them from her tray to the table carefully.
I was about to object when she offered an explanation.
“These are from the gentleman over there,” she said.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Adam looking unreasonably attractive in a pair of reflective aviators with an open newspaper and a sweating beer in front of him. “Shit,” I mumbled when he waved at me.
“He’s taken care of your bill, too,” Debbie said.
“At least let me tip you,” I said, reaching for my purse on the table.
“It’s all taken care of,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Biggest tip I’ve gotten all summer.”
I kept my groan on the inside.
Debbie pinned her tray against her hip. “You girls make sure you say thank you and bring him back here.”
“Something tells me you don’t have to worry about that,” Gia said, smiling and raising her fresh glass towards him.
“What are you doing?” I asked when Debbie walked away.
“Being polite to my new boss,” she said. “Obviously.”
I dropped my head back for a second before staring at my free drink. “That isn’t very boss like behavior.”
“Maybe not,” Gia said. “But you sure as shit won’t hear me complaining about it.”
Chapter 8: Adam
I was delighted to discover how relaxed the atmosphere at the beach bar was. I knew it was a place my parents frequented on our trips down here, but by the time I was old enough to be interested in drinking, I was still too young to get served at the bar.
That’s actually how the summer I last saw Jolie kicked off.
My buddy and I were on the beach, drinking cheap rum with a bunch of other teenagers who’d been dragged on a family holiday against their will. I still remember the way my body froze when I saw her walk up to the campfire.
Her hair was long and hung in loose waves that looked as if they’d been styled by the salty ocean breeze, and her halter top ended just above the waistband of her frayed jean shorts, allowing me an occasional glimpse of her shiny, dangling belly button ring.
She was the hottest girl I’d ever seen, and I remember being shocked that I’d been oblivious to it all those years when we were flying kites and digging holes…
I checked my watch, eager for Ben’s arrival. I knew he was the man who could tell me how to turn the beach bar into a money making machine instead of a pseudo successful side hustle.
Unfortunately, it would be a while yet before he arrived so I made myself comfortable and ordered another drink.
From behind my aviators, I noticed that Gia and Jolie had finished their drinks, and after exchanging mock cheek kisses, they headed up the boardwalk towards the street.
But just as I was preparing myself for Jolie’s tan legs to disappear from view, she turned towards my table and didn’t stop walking until she was standing in front of me.
“If you think you can buy my loyalty and respect, you’re not as smart as you look.”
I lowered my newspaper and looked up at her. “That’s the closest thing to a compliment you’ve paid me since I arrived.”
“It wasn’t meant to be a compliment.”
“Forgive me for reading into it.”
“Did you hear what I said?” she asked, cocking her hip.
“I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot,” I said. “Why don’t you stop embarrassing yourself and sit down for a second?”
“I don’t want to si-”
“Sit down, Jolie.” I hated to use such a forceful tone with her, but her hostility was starting to
piss me off. “That’s not an invitation. It’s an order.”
She pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. “Just so you know, if you ever speak to me like that again-”
“Let me guess, you only like to be bossed around when you’re naked?”
Her lips fell apart.
“I think most women feel that way.”
“How dare you.”
“No,” I said, folding my paper and leaning forward. “How dare you.”
She craned her neck back. “Excuse me?”
“How dare you accuse me of trying to buy your loyalty and respect,” I said, pressing a finger against the small round table. “I bought you a goddamn drink. That’s it. Accept it graciously like a normal person.”
She clenched her jaw.
“You think I’m amused by the chip on your shoulder?” I asked. “Do you have any idea how many chipped shoulders I have to ignore on a daily basis? Being a bitch doesn’t make you unique.”
She folded her arms.
“But I don’t want to ignore you, okay? I want to play nice. I want things to be like they were back when we were happy to see each other.”
“You mean how they were before you bought this place?”
“What does it matter?” I asked. “You haven’t lost your job, and I’m here for the right reasons. I’m going to help make this resort something you can be proud of.”
“I’m already proud of it.”
“Yeah, I picked up on that.” I leaned back in my chair. “Has it crossed your mind that maybe you should give me a chance? Has it occurred to you that this transition might be easier if you don’t waste energy fighting me tooth and nail?”
She swallowed.
I raised a hand at Debbie and pointed at Jolie, who whipped around in her chair too late to cancel the drink order.
She lifted her sunglasses onto her head as she turned back around, her coconut brown eyes causing my guts to twist in a knot. “Sorry if I’m not exactly filled with confidence,” she said. “But you seem to have forgotten that I’ve known you since you were in Spiderman trunks.”
My mouth curled up on one side. “So it was my trunks you noticed first then?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Here you go,” Debbie said, setting another mojito down in front of Jolie. Then she took the empty bowl between us and put some more spicy nuts down in its place.
