Читать книгу Their Festive Island Escape - Нина Сингх - Страница 12

“ONE OF THE guests would like to see you, mi paadie.”

Reid looked up from the spreadsheet he’d been studying to the man who had just entered his office without knocking. Alex was co-owner of the property and Reid felt grateful every day for that fact. He wasn’t sure what he would have done without the other man’s intimate knowledge of the island and its customs. Not to mention his sharp head for business.

Though Alex definitely had one flaw: a clear aversion to knocking before entering a closed door. Not that Reid had been doing much in the way of concentrating just now. A set of light hazel eyes and tumbling dark hair had interrupted his thoughts unwanted and unbidden throughout the morning. He wondered if she’d liked the tray of goodies he’d had sent to her room. Would she find it all an adequate apology? Or had she huffed in disgust and pushed the tray aside. He suspected the latter. Not that he could really blame her if she had.

“And hello to you too, Alex,” he answered his partner without looking away from the screen he hadn’t really been focusing on.

“Did you hear what I said, man?”

He nodded. “It appears I’m being summoned by one of the guests, is that it?”

Alex smiled at him. “You wanted to be hands-on, did you not? She’s asking for you specifically.”

Wasn’t it enough that he’d been commandeered into playing Santa this morning when the actor originally hired to play the part had called in sick? The entertainment manager had run to him in a panic. No one else was available to do it. And the resort had announced the event weeks in advance. In the end it was easier just to don the suit and get the whole fiasco over with.

Only he’d come face-to-face with a woman he hadn’t ever expected to see again.

Now he apparently had to go smooth the ruffles of a guest who no doubt felt slighted somehow or was trying to finagle a room upgrade.

“I tried to take care of it myself. Explained to her that I was co-owner of the resort. But like I said, the guest insists on seeing you specifically.”

Reid sighed and stood. The guest in question had to be one of those checking in this morning who he’d greeted. Apparently, they’d taken it to heart when he’d said that he’d personally see to any detail regarding their stay that they weren’t completely happy with. Though why Alex hadn’t just taken care of it by partially crediting the guest or explaining that they were at full capacity and had no upgrade to give out was lost on him.

Again, it was probably best to simply go get it over with. It was just clearly going to be one of those days.

Celeste shook her head and tried to blink away the image she was sure she had to be imagining. But when she opened her eyes again, the unwanted vision stood clear as day in front of her still.

This couldn’t be happening. “You’re the nasty Santa?”

Her words came out harsher and louder than she’d intended. Every eye currently in the concierge lounge turned to stare at her. She distinctly heard a giggle of feminine laughter from behind her somewhere.

To his credit, Reid Evanson looked as shocked as she was at the unexpected turn. Suddenly, the events of the morning seemed to make much more sense. She definitely hadn’t been imagining the waves of dislike emanating from the man playing jolly ol’ St. Nick.

Well, the feeling went both ways.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

He thrust his hands into his pockets before answering. “You’re the one who asked for me.”

He was being deliberately obtuse. Celeste tried to summon some semblance of calm. It didn’t help that the gentleman she’d spoken to earlier was shifting his amused gaze from one of them to the other. None of this was the least bit amusing.

“I mean, what are you doing here on this resort?”

“You two know each other?” the other man wanted to know.

“We were acquainted once,” Reid answered briefly.

Despite herself, she found herself studying him. He’d aged well. Clean shaven before, he currently sported a close-cropped beard slightly darker than the sandy blond hair on his head. He wore said hair longer, nearly touching his shoulders. Instead of the Santa suit from earlier, he now wore a formfitting T-shirt tucked into pleated khaki pants. It all showed off the physique of a man who clearly took care of himself. Had he always been so muscular?

“Why did you ask for me?” Reid wanted to know.

“I didn’t. I asked to see Santa Claus.” This time, the person behind her didn’t even bother to try to hide her laughter. Heaven help her, she knew how ridiculous she sounded. She had half a mind to let out a giggle herself.

Without another word, he stepped around the long, highly polished counter and gently took her by the elbow.

“Let’s discuss all this in my office.”

His office? The room he led her to, if it held human emotions, would have no doubt been insulted to be referred to as such. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooked a scenic beach with a majestic view of the crystal-blue ocean into the horizon. Plush carpeting had her feet sinking in her flip-flops. A grand desk with three large monitors sat in the center of it all.

“You run the resort,” she commented as he shut the door behind him.

“I own it. Along with my partner, Alex Wiliston. “He was the gentleman you were speaking with earlier.”

The pieces started to fall into place. She remembered now that Reid came from a wealthy family of hoteliers. Though the family business had suffered some losses recently, Reid had taken the helm from his father and turned things around. Last she’d heard, Evanson Properties had not only returned to a profitable enterprise, the company had expanded, all thanks to the prodigal son.

“You decided to expand into the resort business, I take it,” Celeste said.

Something flickered behind his eyes. He gave a small nod before answering. “The Caribbean specifically.”

“I see. But earlier this morning…when I saw you…” Now she was just rambling.

“Just filling in for an employee who couldn’t make it at the last minute.”

“I see,” she repeated uselessly.

Suddenly, it was all too much. Far from fleeing her unpleasant associations with the holiday as it related to her failed relationship, she’d somehow ended up face-to-face with someone who’d played a major role in the whole fiasco.

Reid had been her ex-fiancé’s best man. And she knew he’d never thought her good enough for his buddy.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Reid asked, for lack of anything better to say. How exactly did one proceed with this conversation? The scenario was so completely unexpected in so many myriad ways.

She shook her head. “No. Thank you. I just had some coffee and a mimosa to wash down several pastries.” She took in a shaky breath. “But I’m guessing you already know that. Seeing as you were probably behind the delivery to my room.”

“I was. Did you enjoy them?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Are we really doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Pretending I’m just another one of your regular guests?”

The feeling of guilt from earlier blossomed once again in Reid’s chest. Celeste was indeed his guest. A paying customer. He hadn’t meant to come off as boorish as he had out on the beach. But he’d just been so thoroughly disconcerted at seeing her again after all this time. If he was being honest with himself, he’d imagined encountering Celeste Frajedi more than a few times over the years. Not that he’d ever been able to explain to himself exactly why that was so. He had no reason to be thinking of her at all.

“But that’s exactly what you are,” he answered. “An appreciated guest. Hence, my desire to apologize for my behavior earlier. I hope the gesture served as an adequate apology. I should never have let…our history, so to speak…affect in any way how I treat a guest at my establishment. There’s no excuse for my having done so,” he added with complete sincerity. He really didn’t have any kind of excuse. Not even considering the morning he’d had. On top of the missing Santa and the shock of seeing Celeste again, he’d started the day with another aggravating, infuriating phone call with his father, who was once again trying to take over the company he’d almost single-handedly destroyed.

Celeste looked far from convinced by his words.

“I can assure you such behavior on my part won’t happen again,” he told her. “In fact, you can forget I’m even here.”

The skeptical look she speared him with clearly said he hadn’t done much to convince her any further.

You can forget I’m even here.

Hah! As if she could forget his presence for even a moment. What a mistake it had been to come here. Of all the resorts she could have chosen as a substitute for her regular vacation spot, how in the world had she landed on this one? The cruel fates were clearly laughing at her.

Celeste flopped herself down on the wide king bed back in her suite and draped an arm across her face. No, she couldn’t so easily forget that Reid Evanson was right here on this very island. Nor could she forget the way he’d made her feel three years ago. As if she could never be enough for the likes of his best friend. Never mind that Jack had turned out to be a reckless, disloyal excuse for a fiancé who had eventually left her stranded at the very altar where they were to have made their vows. Sure, now she realized just how much of a favor he’d done her. Aside from saving her from what could have been years of betrayal and heartbreak, he’d helped her come to a conclusion about herself. She clearly wasn’t the type of woman who was meant for a family or a steady relationship. He’d enabled her to avoid the mistake of a lifetime.

A mistake that could have led her straight down the same path her mother had traveled.

But that knowledge hadn’t stopped the sting of rejection, nor the burn of embarrassment as she’d faced down a whole church full of wedding guests to tell them that the ceremony had been suddenly called off.

Reid had been there every step of the way. He’d witnessed her humiliation in its entirety. And she’d received the distinct impression that he felt she’d only gotten what she’d deserved.

An incoming message on her phone pulled her out of her thoughts. The screen lit up with the profile picture of her sister smiling as she held her toddler niece. Celeste groaned and debated whether to answer. On the one hand, she felt drained and conversations with her sister could often be one-sided; Tara’s side. On the other hand, Celeste could really use someone to talk to right about now.

With no small amount of doubt, she pressed her thumb on the icon to answer.

“Hey, Tara.”

“Hey, sis.” The sound of a musical children’s show could be heard playing loudly in the background.

“What’s up?”

“Just calling to see how things are in paradise. Still can’t believe you’re there and not here.” Ah, so this was the routine guilt-trip call. Cynical as it sounded, Celeste couldn’t help the thought given past experience.

Celeste sighed deeply as she shifted to a seated position on the edge of the bed. “Well, it just so happens, I’m beginning to doubt my decision to come.”

Tara’s sudden exhalation came through loud and clear across the tiny speaker. “What’s happened? Spill!”

“Let’s just say there’s someone here I didn’t expect to see. Ever.”

“Details, please. Is it a man?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. But that’s not the import—”

But Tara cut her off. “Ooh, this is getting interesting. Is it someone you had a previous fling with? Can you have another one? Hot and heavy with no strings attached! You could so use that, you know.”

Celeste rubbed a hand across her tense forehead. Honestly, Tara didn’t know her in the least. “I don’t do flings.”

“Well, maybe you should start. Heaven knows your serious relationships don’t turn out so great.” She grunted a laugh. “They don’t turn out at all.”

Ouch. So much for a sisterly conversation to make her feel better. Foolish of her to even entertain the notion. Celeste found herself wondering if she should have answered the phone after all.

“So, who is it?” her sister asked after a heavy pause.

“Never mind. It’s not important. Forget I brought it up. How’s Mom? And little Nat?”

It wasn’t often any of them referred to her niece by her full given name, Natalie.

“They’re all fine,” Tara answered. But she wasn’t having it with the attempted change in topic. “And no way you’re going to try to drop the matter of this mystery man. Tell me who you ran into. And tell me what he means to you.”

Celeste opened her mouth to respond with a resounding and emphatic denial that Reid Evanson meant absolutely anything to her whatsoever. That she’d hardly thought about him over the past three years.

But the lie wouldn’t form on her tongue.