All tossed willy nilly into the drawer to reveal the hot mess that she’d worked so hard to cover up.
And now it had followed her right to the island.
But she could save Reed and herself. All she had to do was shift all of the blame to where it belonged, square on Bill’s shoulders. The very thought of him doing their young receptionist raised her mama bear antenna, and made her want to grab him by the ear, and tug him off to the side for a lecture and a wakeup call.
Then take their receptionist under her wing and save her from the big, bad, cheating wolf.
The soft white sand shifted beneath her feet, making it difficult to stand tall and confident. She scratched at an itch on her arm, another on her neck, a result of the salt from the ocean drying on her skin. Her bucket list had always been filled with practical items like earning top grades in school, getting her accounting degree, and one day becoming a partner at the firm. But suddenly the things she’d always taken for granted—the heat of a daily shower, hazelnut scented soap, body lotion, and three meals a day—were added right to the very top of the list. And she swore that when she returned home, she’d never take the conveniences of life for granted again.
Reed came to a stop beside her and Paul’s glower encompassed them both. Before she could say a word in defense, the older man grabbed Bill by the shirtsleeve and yanked him up beside him. “Bill is your husband.”
“Ex,” she retorted automatically, then wished she could swallow the single word back when she saw Paul’s heat reddened face turn a deeper shade of red. The man needed some sunscreen or he’d look like a beet before the end of the day.
Bill pried the older man’s fingers off the front of his shirt. “Marla’s right. We’re divorced and—”
“Shut up, Bill,” Paul ordered and Bill did. Whatever Paul wanted, Paul got.
Her boss looked at her and waited. Bill looked at her too, and after five years of marriage, she knew his expressions. This one begged her to shut up.
Right. Except at this moment, Paul was on the edge of reason and there was no way she was going down alone. In fact, she wasn’t going down at all. She glared at her ex. “I couldn’t sleep—”
Paul interrupted, which made her snap her mouth shut and grit her teeth. “Why not? I did. Like a rock. How about you, Mary?”
His wife nodded. “Like I was dead to the world.”
“Betty, how about you?”
Marla’s mom shot Mary a look of challenge. “Even deader than the hag.”
While Mary shot Betty an ugly look—so much for their curiosity driven truce—Paul continued to rant. “Trudy, how did you sleep?”
The younger woman shifted back and forth, her gaze on her feet, and shrugged. “Ummm, not very well.”
As though she hadn’t said a word, Paul continued with his interrogation. “Bill?”
“Wonderful,” Bill said in his normally jovial tone while he shot Marla a look that begged her to please shut up.
Beside her, Reed stood tall and easy and firm, as though he wasn’t going anywhere until this was settled in their favor. So far, he’d kept his mouth shut like she’d asked him, and knowing that he had her back gave her a measure of comfort. And while the irresponsible part of her wanted to lean into his solid presence and let him deal with his dad, she focussed on the rock in front of her, and her scumbag ex who’d lied and cheated on her. “I couldn’t sleep because certain other people were making too much noise.”
Silence fell over the occupants in the circle, and Marla could feel Betty and Mary’s curiosity as though it were a living breathing animal. At least they weren’t heckling each other for the moment.
And while the thirty-two-D-cup shifted from foot to foot, her movements so agitated she almost appeared to hopscotch in place, Bill slid a step or two away from Trudy in an attempt to save himself, abandoning her like he’d abandoned Marla.
She almost felt sorry for the younger woman, except cheaters didn’t deserve her pity.
Comprehension spread across Paul’s face and thunderclouds gathered in his eyes. He speared Bill with a disgusted look. “What is she talking about?”
Trudy covered her face with her hands and whispered, “I didn’t want people to find out like this.”
Ignoring her, Marla crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at her ex. “Yeah, Bill, explain.”
Rarely at a loss for words, like one of those slick used car salesmen who always appeared to tell the truth but rarely did, Bill opened his mouth at the same time Paul grabbed him by the shirtfront to yank him up to his toes. “Are you having an affair with our receptionist?”
Marla couldn’t help it. She stuck her tongue out at her ex, then blithely said, “So now you understand why you caught me sleeping with your son.”
Beside her, Reed muffled his laughter.
Trudy took a step toward Marla, her hands clenched in front of her, no doubt dreaming that it was her lover she was strangling. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I wanted Bill to tell you.”
The younger woman speared Bill with a look that sizzled with anger, and when he didn’t say anything, nudged him hard with an elbow in the ribs. Bill grunted and sent her a dirty look. “I’m not sorry and I’m not apologizing. How many times do I have to say it? Marla and I are divorced. I’m free to do whatever I want with whoever I want.”
Trudy shook her head, a disgusted expression on her face which kind of made Marla glad. Maybe there was some merit to Reed’s statement that the girl was smarter than she looked. Maybe she could use that in her war with her ex.
About to let out a sigh of relief that the focus had shifted to the other couple, she froze as Paul refocused on her, the light in his eyes anything but forgiving. “Is that why you kissed Reed on the boat?”
As she opened her mouth to defend herself—or maybe come up with something brilliant to turn Paul’s focus back on Bill—her mom sidled up to her side and whispered, “Way to go, honey. I told you he was perfect for the job.”
“Reed kissed you?” Mary asked before she laser focused on her rival. “What job?”
Betty turned on her heel and headed down the beach. “None of your business, Hag.”
Mary’s mouth turned down at the edges. “Bitch,” she muttered, then with a quick glance toward her husband’s stiff profile, chose to follow in her arch enemy’s wake.
Across from Marla, the thirty-two-D cup gave her a thumbs up. “Way to go, boss lady.”
“No, not way to go.” Paul glared at Trudy, then turned back to Marla. “That boy is bad news. He’ll use you and discard you like a pair of old socks.”
“Hey, I’m standing right here,” Reed grumbled. He laid his palm against her lower back in a supportive gesture, and it caused her insides to liquify and her heart to thump. “And just for the record, Marla didn’t initiate the kiss. I did.”
She was pretty sure it was the other way around. Unfortunately, the champagne had caused the memory of their kiss to be fuzzy and unclear. She made a mental note to thank Reed for his support later on.
Maybe with another kiss.
Paul waved Reed away. “Go find something productive to do. I want to have a private discussion with my staff.”
Reed stood his ground. “I’m staying put till this is settled.”
Marla put one hand on Reed’s forearm and squeezed, drawing his gaze. Softly she said, “It’s okay. I can handle the explanations from here.”
With a stiff nod and obvious reluctance, Reed backed away and settled in the near vicinity with the radio on his lap.
Marla turned her back on him, closed her hands into fists, and ground her heels into the sand. How was it that the focus was off Bill’s indiscretion and back on her? If Bill could lie, so could she. She leaned into the group, waited till they all leaned closer too, and lowered her voice. “I kissed Reed as a way to gain his confidence.” When everyone just gave her a puzzled stare, she ground her teeth together and added, “Because of the partnership.”
&n
bsp; Bill jerked back and scowled. “You kissed him for the partnership? Slut.”
She checked over her shoulder in case Reed had overheard, but he appeared engrossed in the radio repairs. Turning back, she poked her ex in the chest with her index finger and hissed, “That’s right, Bill. I heard you tell Trudy to be extra nice to Reed, so I thought I’d beat her to it.”
Paul scowled into the group. “No one is sleeping with anyone for the sake of the partnership.”
Trudy crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts nearly out of the tiny bikini cups, indignant as could be. “Just for the record, I never intended to sleep with the captain or anyone else to get the partnership.”
Bill scowled at Trudy, then turned his glare back on Marla. “Fine by me. We’ll keep sex out of the deal if Marla can agree to do the same.”
Marla remembered waking all cozy in Reed’s arms, crossed her fingers behind her back, and channeled pure innocence. “Agreed.” Her stomach grumbled noisily. “If we’re done here, we should go look for food and water. Anyone up for a jaunt inland?”
As Bill and Trudy stuck their hands into the air, Paul grabbed Marla by the forearm and with a wave of his hand, shooed the other two away. “A private word, young lady.”
While Bill and Trudy headed toward Reed and the fire, whispering and glancing back at them over their shoulder, Marla gazed after them longingly. She knew Paul, knew she wouldn’t like whatever he had to say.
“The truth now, young lady. I always know when you are lying. Why did you really kiss my son?”
She scowled up at him. “I didn’t plan to kiss him. It just happened. I drank too much champagne, the boat tilted, and he caught me so I wouldn’t fall and hurt myself.”
“And before you knew it, you were in a lip-lock?”
“That’s right,” she said. Over her boss’s shoulder, she saw Reed head their way, his gaze intent on them as though he meant to rescue her.
Part of her wanted to wave him off and warn him away. But if it wasn’t for him—and apparently for the fact that she still had a crush on him—she wouldn’t be in the middle of all this attention.
Although maybe she’d initiated the kiss. It was all so champagne-fuzzy that she really couldn’t remember who kissed who first.
A dull throb started between her eyes. One would think being on a deserted island would be restful, but ever since they’d left Serendipity Island behind, the tension had escalated.
Paul stared at her with hard eyes and disappointment. “There’s nothing there but heartbreak, young lady, and you of all people should know it.”
Releasing her, he strode toward the fire, and past his son without a single word. When Reed reached her, he said, “What was all that about?”
“The kiss.”
The worry vanished from his gaze, replaced by a heat that was far more dangerous. He pulled the panties out of his pocket and handed them to her. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about that.”
“Talk away,” she grumbled as she grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the group gathered near the entrance to the jungle. “Because with everyone here to watch us, that’s all we’ll be able to do.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Dragging her feet in the sand, Trudy brought up the rear of the line and glared at her boyfriend’s back.
Could Betty be right? Had Bill really hated being married? If so, it didn’t bode well for her future relationship with him.
As she plunged into the jungle, she glanced over her shoulder toward the beach where Mrs. Readner and Betty had remained to collect driftwood and keep the fire burning in case a rescue boat or plane appeared.
She turned her attention to the narrow path in front of her so that she didn’t trip on the way inland and become a liability.
Mr. Readner led the way, determined to be as in control here as he was at the accounting firm.
But every few minutes, the captain subtly redirected the older man’s course, and it quickly became clear that her boss was in over his head and too proud to admit it.
Bill was hot on their tail, still sucking up to Mr. Readner as though that might make a difference in how their boss viewed the revelation of the affair. Her cheeks instantly heated, and she felt the sudden urge to return to the beach and bury her head in the sand so that she wouldn’t have to deal with the fallout.
The boss lady was directly in front of her, and as if Ms. Blackhorne could feel her gaze, she’d occasionally glance over her shoulder. Or maybe she was verifying that Trudy was still all in one piece.
It brought her a measure of relief, because it didn’t seem that anyone else cared if she fell down a hole or got eaten by a wild animal.
Not Bill, who should be the one to think of her before anyone else. Instead, he was so focused on their boss that he was oblivious to everything else including the rocks and roots on the path. Every time he tripped, he’d leap to his feet and carry on as if nothing had happened.
Not Mr. Readner, who was so focused on being the leader that he ignored all advice but his own. Back in the office, that kind of attitude was fine because he was an extremely smart businessman, but here in the jungle, he couldn’t even read the compass.
Maybe Bill had been right on the yacht. Maybe Mr. Readner had only been humoring her when he’d agreed to let her be a part of the partnership deal.
Her heart wanted to believe otherwise. She knew she was intelligent enough to one day run the firm, but she had a long way to go to prove it to her co-workers.
After a while, Bill dropped back and fell into step beside her. As he leaned his shoulder into hers, he kept his voice low, meant only for her ears. “This is our chance to get what’s rightfully ours, babe.”
“Our chance?” she hissed, tugging him back to ensure they were totally out of earshot of the others. “What do you mean by our, Bill? We’re not married. We’re not even living together. How does it become ours?”
He stiffened and broke body contact. “Marriage? When did marriage come into the picture?”
Instantly, she regretted the outburst and muttered, “It isn’t. Forget I said anything about marriage.”
That seemed to mollify him and he continued on as though she hadn’t said a word. “You can trust me, babe. Once I get the partnership, I’ll make you my righthand man.”
Deep down, she knew that was wrong and unfair. “What about Ms. Blackhorne? She’s earned that right. I haven’t.”
“Come on, Trudy honey,” he crooned in the voice that made her knees liquify and her heart pitter-patter. Until he opened his mouth to add, “You know I have to fire her. She’s never going to accept me as her boss.”
Shocked by his callous attitude, she hardened herself against his words. “Before I agree to anything else, Bill, you have to apologize to Ms. Blackhorne.”
Now he scowled. “What for?”
“You lied to her and she doesn’t deserve your lies.”
“I won’t and you can’t make me.”
He looked sulky and sexy, and Trudy wondered what was wrong with her that she could find him so. But she was firm in her belief that an apology was in order. “And then you’re going to apologize to me for treating me like some kid that you have to guide and direct. I’m a grown woman with a mind of my own, and I don’t always have to agree with you.”
The scowl turned into a frown. “Have you been taking advice from my ex?”
“I don’t need Ms. Blackhorne to tell me that you’re an idiot. I figured that one out all by myself.”
Before he could sweet talk her out of her bad mood, she dropped back behind him, head down to watch for anything she might stumble over, conscious of Bill shoving his way past the boss lady so he could be closer to Mr. Readner.
Trudy gave a tug on the straps of her bikini top to ease the pressure on her shoulders, and groaned.
What she wouldn’t do for a massage right now, one of Bill’s fabulous massages that he usually gave her at the end of the workday. But she was pissed with him ri
ght now, and with their affair being uncovered, she simply couldn’t ask him for one right now, not until they were rescued and back in the privacy of his apartment. By then, she’d be a wreck though, but there was no way around it.
She let the shoulder straps go and they connected with the sensitive skin on her shoulders like the sting of an elastic band. Ignoring it the best she could—which really wasn’t more than for a few seconds at a time—she trudged through the jungle along with the rest of her shipmates.
Despite dodging rocks and roots, her sure-footedness gave her the ability to split her focus between the path and the woman she wanted to be like most in the world.
Screw Bill.
Just because he refused to apologize to his ex-wife didn’t mean that she couldn’t. In fact, she was determined to apologize for them both.
As soon as she got up the nerve.
Which might be never because at times like this, she was a big wuss.
Every once in a while, Ms. Blackhorne glanced over her shoulder as though to check on her, but her expression remained impassive and impossible to read. And Trudy would drop her gaze, too embarrassed by the recent events to look her in the eye.
But the captain had suggested she ask the boss lady to be her mentor. As much as she wanted to, how could she now?
Trudy squared her shoulders. Apology first. Mentor only if Ms. Blackhorne ever spoke to her again.
As she raised her gaze, the path widened and the boss lady dropped back, falling into step beside her.
“You’re staring holes into my back.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, then she totally lost it and in an impassioned voice said, “I’m sorry about Bill and that you had to find out about us that way. I’m sorry for everything.”
Ms. Blackhorne shrugged, cool and calm and totally professional. “He’s a free agent.”
They walked in silence for a time. With each passing second, it grew harder for Trudy to breathe, until she was practically hyperventilating. She felt a hand on her back, and realized that they’d stopped in the middle of the path and the boss lady was eying her with concern.
Caught Between a Rock and a Hunka Man (Caught Between Romance Book 3) Page 11
