Instead, he pulled up his schedule on his phone for the next few days and looked it over. This wasn’t his first gig at the Diamond Oasis, which everyone affectionately called the Billionaire Club. He’d been hired last year to sing during the week-long pop extravaganza. It was an upscale clientele for sure. The venue was clean, the management was friendly, and he got to hang out with some of the other pop stars. Security at the resort had been good too. No crazy fans trying to climb into his window. Still, he kept Shadow’s room locked up tight and the blinds closed, and had a security guard posted at the door and the patio at all times just in case.
Tomorrow he was scheduled to take a group on a schooner excursion. No singing, he just had to be on the boat with thirty or so people, interacting with them. Not too bad of a deal, except it would be pretty hot in his black costume. Nothing he could do about that, though.
A knock came on his door, and he crossed the room to open it. Riley stood there holding a takeout bag, a logo from The Shrimp Next Door on the side. Sir Barks-a-Lot whined and wagged his tail. She smiled at his dog, then raised her gaze to him. “Here’s your food. I already put Shadow’s plate in room 177. Will he be coming soon? I don’t want it to get cold.”
“He was in there. He was just hiding from you.” That was his go-to answer. No one usually questioned him.
“Hiding?” Riley wrinkled her nose.
Oh. That’s right. She didn’t know who Shadow Walker was. Jalen took the offered bag from her and motioned for her to enter his suite. “He doesn’t want the public to know his true identity. He goes by Shadow Walker and wears a mask when he performs.”
She blinked. “Why?”
He set the bag on the desk. The smell of shrimp filled the room, and his stomach growled. He gave Riley an appraising look as he pulled out the food containers. “He couldn’t catch a break until he dressed up in his ninja outfit. Part of his appeal is the anonymity.”
Jalen had been asked that same question many times, but he’d never answered it as honestly before. Something about Riley made him want to talk to her. Tell her things he didn’t normally divulge. He had to admit, it scared him. Divulging too much could be dangerous in his situation.
Her eyebrows raised. “Really? So, no one knows who he is?”
“Right.” He waited for the usual questions. Do you know who he is? Will you tell me? But she didn’t ask, which made him like her even more.
He stared at all the food. There was so much of it. He’d never be able to eat it all himself. Plus, he had another plate in the next room. “Are you hungry?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. When she didn’t immediately answer, he kept talking. “I mean, they gave me a lot of food. I don’t know if I can eat it all. And it would be a shame to waste it.”
He began to sweat. Was it obvious he kind of liked her? Should he have just offered to give her some in a take-out box? Why was he feeling so awkward all of a sudden? “I mean, you don’t have to eat with me if you don’t want to,” he said quickly, hoping to dispel the odd tension in the room.
She smiled. “I’d love to eat with you. I must admit I’m starving.”
He relaxed. Maybe it hadn’t been awkward. It could have been in his head. He did tend to overthink things. He pulled both chairs to the desk. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks.”
After he dished up the food, he grabbed a fork and sat down. “This looks delicious.”
“I asked them what their bestselling dinner plate was, and they said this one. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with shrimp scampi and grilled asparagus.”
He stabbed a shrimp. “Good thinking.” The flavor burst in his mouth, and he couldn’t help but moan. He was going to have to restrain himself, or he’d start shoveling it in like a slob. “This is delicious.”
She smiled in response.
“So, what is it you do, Riley? What brings you to the Cayman Islands?”
She shrugged. “I do a little of this and that.”
Hmm. She was being evasive. That wasn’t good. He studied her. “What does that mean?”
She laughed, but it felt forced. “It means I’m working at a temp agency because I couldn’t get any other job.”
Ah, she was embarrassed about being a temp. He shook his head. “Nothing to be ashamed of. It’s honest work.”
A look flitted across her face, but it was gone just as fast. “I guess.” She picked up her napkin. “How about you? Do you like being Shadow Walker’s manager?”
“No one ever asks me that.”
She gave him a funny look. “They don’t?”
“No.” They ask him all kinds of questions about Shadow. That was about it. No one really cared about him.
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “Probably because all people really want to know is Shadow’s real identity.” He studied her reaction.
Riley took a bite and chewed it slowly. “I guess the mystery of it intrigues people.”
“You’re probably right.” He was so used to people only paying attention to him because of Shadow that it felt weird to sit and have a normal conversation. Did he enjoy being Shadow’s manager? That was a hard question to answer because that was a front. Even though he did all the duties a manager would do, the thrilling part of his job was getting to go out on stage and sing. But he couldn’t tell her that.
“So? What’s your job like?”
Jalen had to choose his words carefully. “It’s crazy sometimes. Shadow gets way too much attention when we go places, which can be tiring. But it’s also fun. I enjoy the work I do. I get to help him make music, which makes people happy. That’s fulfilling.”
She smiled. “I can see you love music.”
She was perceptive. And pretty. And everything he should be staying away from. That’s why his next sentence surprised even himself. “Shadow will need an assistant on the schooner boat ride tomorrow.”
“Oh, sure.” She pulled out her phone. “What time?”
He almost took it back but didn’t see how he could do that and not look like an insane person. He had no use for an assistant on the boat ride. What would he tell her to do? He was stupid. All he wanted was to spend more time with her. Which was really dumb because he would be dressed as Shadow and wouldn’t even be able to talk to her like he knew her. But he was now stuck.
He sighed. “Nine in the morning. The boat will leave from the west dock.”
“Sounds good. Should I meet him at the dock or at his room?”
If he said room, he could chat with her while they walked. It was probably the stupidest thing for him to say, and he would regret it later on, but he smiled and said, “Meet him at his room.”
Chapter 3
Riley tried to calm her nerves as she waited for the clock to tick down the last five minutes before it was time to knock on Shadow’s door. When Jalen had said Shadow would need her on the schooner, she about choked on her shrimp scampi. What happened to not meeting him at all? She wasn’t about to argue, of course. Spending the morning with Shadow would be a fantastic opportunity.
She studied her face in the mirror once more. She’d dared to put on a little makeup, even though yesterday she’d gone with the natural look. Hopefully, it still gave that hometown-girl impression since she had only used a smidge of eyeshadow and lip gloss.
Even though she’d kept the bun, she decided the suit was too formal for a schooner boat. A dressy blouse and slacks would have to do. She tucked her travel-sized sunscreen into her bag and pulled the strap over her shoulder. She’d packed a few things she thought might be helpful. It made the bag kind of bulky, but hopefully, she would prove useful to him and therefore make it worth it. The clock told her it was time to head over to his room. At the last second, she realized she’d forgotten her fake glasses, and she grabbed the over-sized pair and shoved them on.
The man standing outside Shadow’s door was so muscular, he could have been a bodybuilder. Maybe he was before joining Shadow’s security team. He stood aside
when she approached the door. Jalen must have told him about her, which was good because he looked like he wouldn’t mind physically removing anyone who didn’t belong there. She wiped her hands on her slacks before knocking.
The door opened, and Shadow stood there, dressed in his black ninja outfit. He seemed a bit taller than the last time she saw him. His gaze traveled over her, and he smiled. “You must be Riley.” He extended a gloved hand.
Even through his leather glove, she could feel the warmth of his body heat. For some reason, it made her breath hitch. “I am. Are you ready?”
He nodded and took a step into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He motioned toward the exit sign. “It’s this way.”
As they started walking, his security guard broke away from the door and followed. It was odd, having their own bodyguard trailing along behind them. But she supposed that was just how it was when you were famous. Were people that creepy? Surely a boat of wealthy people wouldn’t be dangerous.
She glanced at Shadow. Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe his gait? Or was it the way he carried himself? He seemed more self-assured than when she’d seen him with Jalen. Whatever it was, she could almost picture him as someone she’d seen before. Maybe an actor?
Excitement shot through her as she walked with him. If he was famous outside of his mask, this was going to be much easier than she thought. She just needed to keep her wits about her and study his every movement. Except she had to do it in a way that wasn’t obvious. Tricky but not impossible. Especially if she could be so helpful that Shadow would request she help him during other outings or shows.
They walked to the exit door, and he opened it for her, which was a surprise. She hadn’t really gotten the “gentleman” vibe from him before. He’d been kind of standoffish in the lobby. She smiled at him. “Thank you.”
As they crossed the grounds, he folded his arms and looked at her. “So, Riley, tell me about yourself.”
Was he making small talk with her? Another thing she hadn’t expected. She strained to think of something she could say. The seconds piled up, and she panicked. “I’m pretty average.”
She wanted to smack herself. What was that? I’m pretty average? She had the chance to tell Shadow Walker anything, and that’s what came out of her mouth?
He didn’t seem annoyed by it, though. His lips curled up a bit like he was trying not to smile. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”
She had no spare time. Between working, trying to pay all the bills, and taking care of her father, she basically slept in her spare time. But that was immensely dumb. Hobbies. What were her hobbies before her father got sick?
“I used to knit.” Great. Another stupid thing came out of her mouth. She was not usually this flustered. Why was she so tongue-tied? It was just a guy in a ninja outfit. Possibly a famous person. And judging from his lips, maybe even an incredibly hot, famous person. Ugh. She was going to totally mess this up. She was sure of it.
He took the sidewalk toward the water, and she matched his steps. “Used to?”
Now what? Apparently, she was incapable of lying right now. She swallowed and tried to smooth it over. “I’ve been busy lately…taking care of my father.”
Oh, this was going from bad to worse. Why did she bring her father up? What was wrong with her?
“Your father?”
They were almost to the schooner. She needed to abort. Abandon ship. Quickly. “He’s been ill. But that’s not important right now. Let’s get you ready to do this thing.” She whipped out a bottle of water from her bag. “Thirsty?”
He paused for a split second before he took the water from her. “Thanks. Just what I needed.” He took a drink, replaced the lid, and handed it back to her.
“I’m sure I’ll need more as the sun beats down on me.” He motioned to his clothes. “Black is probably the worst thing to wear in this climate.”
“Oh. Right. I didn’t think about that.” She squinted up at the sun. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. We’ll be done before lunch when it will start to get hot in earnest.”
She frowned. “I should have brought a parasol.”
His laughter carried over the air, making the people on the schooner turn to look at them. Most of them were older women wearing sunhats, which kind of surprised Riley. He was a pop star. She expected the crowd to be in their twenties. However, the club was super ritzy, and most of the people she’d seen walking around were older, so she should have taken that into account. Shadow waved as he approached them. “Hello, everyone.”
A chorus of hellos came back at them. The crowd seemed excited, although not overly so. Shadow climbed onto the boat, turned back, and extended his hand to Riley. “Careful,” he said in a low voice. “The water is a bit choppy today.”
She grabbed onto his gloved hand, grateful for the assistance. The captain of the boat motioned to a bench for her, and she sat. The bodyguard joined her.
Shadow stood on a crate at the front of the boat and grabbed hold of the mast. “Welcome to the schooner boat excursion. I’ll be your host today. Is everyone comfortable?”
As Shadow Walker talked, she couldn’t help but notice how he seemed to feed off the group's energy. He became more animated as the crowd shouted out things to him, answering his questions and asking a few of their own. He was so different from her first impression of him. Maybe he’d been tired that day. She had no idea how long he had to travel to get there.
The boat sailed out around the island, and Shadow gave some interesting facts about Grand Cayman. She wondered if he’d looked them up himself or if the resort had sent him the things to say. After a few minutes, she noticed a bit of sweat on his jawline, and she stood, handing him the water bottle again.
“Thanks,” he said as he uncapped it and drank. This time he almost drained it. She felt terrible for him. It had to be at least eighty degrees out.
When he handed it back to her, she could have sworn he winked at her. Maybe she just imagined it. That had to be it, right? Why would a famous guy wink at her, of all people? Especially when she was doing her best impression of an old schoolmarm. Even so, her heartbeat picked up. “Do you want some sunscreen? You’re looking a bit pink.”
He seemed to appreciate her attentiveness. “I have some on. I should be fine.”
“Okay.”
The boat ride was enjoyable, and Riley quickly found herself lost in the stories about the island that Shadow told. Every once in a while, she’d hop up and hand him some lip balm or a cloth to wipe his face. She’d packed just about everything she could think of, and it paid off. By the time they got back to shore, he was smiling at her.
“Thanks for coming along on this excursion. You were a godsend,” he said as the crowd dwindled. The security guard stood off to the side as people passed. He seemed ready to intercept if anyone came too close.
“I’m glad I was helpful.” She waited as the last of the people got off the boat. It would be nice to spend more time with him. She still had no clue as to who he was or why he seemed familiar to her. If she could get him talking, maybe she could extend the time she had with him. “So, what made you decide to go into the entertainment business?”
He took a moment to think before responding. “I guess I’ve always wanted to be a singer. I love music and could never think of anything else I’d like to do. Even growing up, I never thought I’d be happy with a regular nine to five.”
“Do you write your own songs?”
“Yes, almost all of them. I get presented with a lot of songs now that I’ve made a name for myself. ‘Every Part of Me’ was written by someone else. I liked the message of the song. But mostly, I write my own. I love the creative process. There’s just something about crafting words into a story that is thrilling to me.”
She could relate. Not that she was able to write anything artistic like Shadow. But she did want to write articles that mattere
d someday. She didn’t want to be a tabloid reporter forever. “I totally get that,” she found herself saying before she could stop herself.
He leaned on the mast. “Do you write?”
Oh, great. Why did she say that? Now she had to make up something. “A little.” Wow. Maybe she could just tell him she was a tabloid reporter. Why were these words coming out of her? Lucky for her, the crowd had all dispersed, and they were next to get off the boat. She didn’t wait for him but headed to the ladder to climb down. After she was on the dock, she watched Shadow jump easily down. He had a grace to him that she couldn’t explain. He looked quite physically fit.
“A little? What does that mean?” Even with his mask on, he looked genuinely interested in her answer.
Okay, she really had to make something up now, or she was going to out herself big time. “I mean, I used to do some writing…like novels and stuff. But I’ve been busy lately.” Novels and stuff? Oh, brother. She was so dead.
“What kind of novels?” He seemed to slow down as they walked. She took it to mean he wanted to keep talking to her, which was insane. Why would he want to talk to her? It had to be her imagination.
But now she had to figure out what kind of imaginary novels she’d been writing. If she were to write a book, what would it be about? As she wracked her brain, all thoughts of books left her. She couldn’t remember the last novel she’d even read. Why couldn’t she come up with anything believable?
The seconds ticked by and she needed to answer him. A man came out of the resort. He was dressed all in white. It reminded her of a show she watched once with a ghost who wore all white.
Sweat beaded up on her forehead. “Stories about ghosts and stuff. Silly junk. Nothing important.”
“Ghosts? Like, horror?”
Crud. She didn’t know anything about horror novels. How could she lie about something like that? “No,” She heard herself saying. Why was it so hard to lie right now? She wasn’t usually this awkward.
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