by Claire Adams
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, Molly,” I smiled. “I’m more than happy to make the offer, especially because I know how good you are at your job.”
She raised her eyebrows. “How do you know that?”
“Your parents,” I admitted. “And Jason.”
She smiled. “They might not be the most unbiased sources.”
“I trust them,” I said. “Speaking of your parents, how are they?”
“They’re both doing really well,” she replied. “Neither one shows any signs of slowing down.”
“It’s the work ethic all three of us learned from,” I said. “My father was the same way.”
Molly’s eyes turned soft for a moment. “I was sorry to hear about your father, Tristan,” she said. “I wish I could have been there for the funeral.”
“It was…a difficult day,” I nodded. “But it didn’t come as a shock, and that helped. A part of me was relieved, you know. At least he wasn’t suffering anymore. The chemo was very hard on him.”
“I imagine it was hard for you, as well.”
I cleared my throat and changed the subject abruptly, unwilling to appear vulnerable in front of Molly. “It was a while ago now. Anyway… Have you had a chance to explore the resort?”
She seemed to understand my reluctance to talk about my father. “Not yet,” she replied. “I’m going to start exploring tomorrow. Once I’ve caught up on some sleep.”
“You’ll need to have dinner once you’ve rested a bit,” I pointed out. “I can hold a table for you at one of our four restaurants?”
“Alani already offered,” Molly answered. “But I think I’m just going to order in room service tonight.”
“No problem,” I nodded. “The food here is amazing. We’ve got the best chefs from around the world.”
“You always did strive for excellence.”
“Anything less is unacceptable,” I nodded.
“I’m proud of you,” Molly said unexpectedly. “You achieved everything you set out to achieve—in record time no less.”
“I didn’t start from scratch,” I pointed out. “My father built up the empire halfway; I just took over from there.”
“And took it to greater heights,” she said. “Starting a resort in Hawaii was always a dream of yours, wasn’t it?”
“I… Yeah,” I nodded. “How did you know that?”
“You mentioned it to me once,” she said. “The last time we saw each other…at the family Christmas party six years ago.”
The Christmas party… I kept my expression calm, even as the memory came rushing back to me. I could almost smell the scent of holly and mistletoe.
“We kissed that night,” she said unexpectedly. “Do you remember?”
I sat there for a moment, blinking at her like an idiot. I had not expected her to bring up the kiss like that. There was no inflection in her tone, but her expression was studying, and I felt suddenly self-conscious. I remembered the day after the Christmas party. I had been staying at her parent’s house in the guest room, next to Jason’s.
When I had gone down for breakfast, Molly had been there, looking like sunshine. She had turned to me with expectation, and I had watched the joy fade from her face at my indifferent and uninterested attitude. I made a point of announcing to the whole table that I drank too much last night and couldn’t remember a thing that had happened.
A couple of hours later, I packed my bags, said goodbye to Jason’s family and drove off, while Molly stood on the porch steps next to her brother and parents, looking hurt and disappointed.
No matter how hard I’d tried over the years, I’d never been able to get that last image of her out of my head. It haunted me to this day. Perhaps that was the reason I wanted to give her this trip; it was my way of apologizing. It was my way of making up for what could never be.
I forced myself to meet Molly’s eyes, knowing that I had to be convincing. “What kiss?” I asked with my eyebrows raised.
“You kissed me in the library of my parents’ house,” Molly said. “The Christmas party was raging in the other room, but you pulled me away so that we could be alone.”
I wrinkled my brow, as though I were struggling to remember the moment. Then I laughed. “Are you positive this happened?”
Molly didn’t laugh; she didn’t even crack a smile. “A hundred percent.”
“Well, then… I must have been really drunk that night,” I said casually. “Because I can’t remember a thing.”
Her eyes were cold, and I could sense the same hurt that had engulfed her six years ago. While a selfish part of me was happy she still cared, another part of me knew I needed to hurt her a little now in order to spare her more hurt somewhere down the road. My lifestyle wasn’t suited for long-term relationships. I wasn’t suited for long-term relationships. And, Molly was not some random girl in a club.
She was my best friend’s sister. If I got involved with her only to neglect her later in the relationship, it would effectively end my friendship with Jason, and I just couldn’t take that risk. Denying the memory seemed like the easiest way to spare Molly from unnecessary entanglements—and to spare myself from unnecessary temptation.
“You weren’t drinking that much,” she said.
I shrugged. “I’ve kissed a lot of different women in my life, Molly,” I said, hating myself for appearing so flippant and uncaring. “I don’t remember half their names. Sometimes even their faces blur together.”
I saw her cringe a little, and I didn’t blame her. “In any case, you’re Jason’s sister,” I continued. “If we did actually kiss… I think it’s better that kiss stay in the past where it belongs.”
She looked intense for a moment and then in the next breath, she seemed to relax. “You’re right,” she nodded. “It was obviously a meaningless kiss, anyway.”
I pushed back my disappointment and nodded. “Right…”
“I’m sorry for bringing it up,” she said.
“No, not at all.”
“I should get to my room; I’m exhausted.”
“Of course,” I nodded, standing up to walk her to the door. “I’ll be a little busy the next few days, but if you need anything at all, please feel free to ask my staff.”
“Thank you, Tristan.”
Alani turned towards both of us when I opened the door, ready to escort Molly to her suite. Molly turned to me for a brief second. Her light blue eyes looked a little conflicted, but then she gave me a small smile and turned away from me.
I watched her leave with Alani, remembering the perfect kiss we had shared and all the little pearls of hope that had come with it. That hope was gone now; all I had left was the memory.
Chapter Six
Molly
I was in one of the resort’s four luxury pools, thrilled at the idea of being able to swim in December. The water of the heated pool was refreshingly comforting. I completed my twentieth lap and got out of the pool to relax on one of the lounge chairs with a drink and a good book.
There was an older couple on the opposite side of the pool, sleeping under their sun umbrellas, and a middle-aged gentleman floating around in the deep end. Other than a few resort employees walking around, there was no one there. It was calm, quiet, and relaxing. But as peaceful as it was, I felt a little forlorn. It was slightly depressing to be at such a romantic resort all by myself.
I adjusted my black-and-white polka-dotted bikini, wiped myself off roughly, and lay down on the lounge chair, which had been set up with soft fluffy cushions for added comfort. The margarita I had ordered was only half empty, so I took a sip and picked up the book I was reading. I was so immersed in Fiona Barton’s world of mystery and intrigue that I didn’t even notice Alani approach until she was standing over me, casting her shadow over my page.
“Alani,” I said, marking my spot and setting the book down. “Sorry, didn’t see you there.”
“How are you doing?” she asked. “Can I g
et you anything?”
“Nothing at all,” I assured her. “I’m just enjoying the sun and the water.”
I had been at the resort for three nights now, and I had seen Alani every day. We had actually developed a friendship of sorts, sneaking in conversations between her shifts and between my trips to the beach. Alani was an easy person to talk to. She was friendly, open, and endearingly inquisitive. It helped that she didn’t seem to consider me a guest, and she often regaled me with funny stories about the other guests and their little idiosyncrasies.
“Have you finished exploring the resort?”
“Just about,” I nodded. “It’s massive.”
“It is.”
“The game room is crazy big,” I said. “Unfortunately, I can’t really play many games by myself. So I’m limited to swimming, reading, and exploring.”
Her expression turned sly. “You could always ask Mr. Dubois to accompany you,” she suggested coyly.
I snorted. “He’s way too busy to give me the time of day,” I said. “I haven’t seen him since the day I arrived.”
“Molly,” Alani said, leaning in towards me slightly.
“Yes?”
“You and I… We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“I think so, yes,” I smiled.
“Good, then can I ask you a personal question?”
I laughed. “I should have known that question was a trap. Okay, go ahead and ask me anything.”
She smiled. “Is there something between you and Mr. Dubois?”
I had been expecting the question, but I still paused to consider the possibility. “No,” I said, after a moment. “There definitely isn’t anything between Tristan and me.”
“Oh,” she said, sounding disappointed. “But…you like him, don’t you?”
“Well…”
“It’s okay,” she said. “Half the female staff here is in love with Mr. Dubois. He’s a very handsome man…and so young to be so successful.”
“Yup, that’s Tristan,” I said flatly. “Mr. Perfect.”
She laughed. “You do like him.”
“Or maybe I’m just annoyed with how perfect he is,” I pointed out.
“Love and hate aren’t too far apart, Molly,” Alani told me.
I groaned. “Fine, yes,” I admitted. “I do like him… I’ve liked him for a long, long time now.”
“Oh?” Alani asked, with interest. “Do tell.”
“He and my brother met during their college orientation,” I said. “They hit it off right away and became instant friends. They’re very similar, my brother and Tristan. I suppose they bonded over all the things they had in common. I had just turned fourteen the first time I met Tristan. Jason brought him home for Thanksgiving to spend the weekend with us.”
“You had a crush on him,” Alani smiled, as though she lived for stories like this.
“I fell in love with him,” I said, laughing at myself. “I took one look at him as he walked through those double doors and I thought, ‘that is the man I’m going to marry one day.’”
Alani laughed. “Aw, that’s a strong reaction.”
“It was,” I sighed. “I spent the whole weekend finding any excuse to be near him. By the end of the weekend, I was convinced that Tristan was the only man I would ever love.”
“And was he?”
I laughed. “I’ve still got the rest of my life to get through before I can answer that question. I don’t know if it was love or infatuation,” I admitted. “But I do know that I’ve never felt that way about anyone since then, except for Tristan.”
“And, you never said anything to him?” Alani wanted to know.
“I never had the guts,” I admitted. “I knew it wouldn’t have mattered even if I had told him. He only ever saw me as a child, his best friend’s kid sister.”
“So, nothing’s ever happened between the two of you?”
“Well…”
“I knew it!” she cried triumphantly. “What happened?”
“We kissed,” I said. “It only happened the one time, and… I thought it meant something.”
“But?”
“Apparently, it only meant something to me,” I admitted. “Tristan claimed not to have remembered the kiss at all.”
“Seriously?”
“It’s believable, coming from Tristan,” I said. “He was always a player. Every time he and Jason came home during the holidays, they would regale us with stories about their conquests.”
“He’s had a lot of girlfriends?”
I smirked. “Tristan’s never had girlfriends…he has flings. And apparently, the list is so long that he can’t even remember all their names. Apparently, even their faces blur together.”
“Wow.”
“Yup.”
“Considering what I know about his romantic track record, you would think I’d be completely disinterested,” I sighed. “But… I can’t seem to squash my feelings for him. It’s been six years since I saw him, and it hasn’t made one iota of difference.”
“He’s the one that got away, huh?”
“I never had him in the first place,” I said. “He’s only ever been a daydream for me.”
“He did kiss you, though,” Alani pointed out.
“Because he was drunk,” I said. “Or so he claims. I didn’t really think he was that drunk, but what the hell do I know? The ugly truth is that he probably would have kissed any girl in that situation.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said confidently.
I laughed. “How can you know that?”
“Because I saw the way he looked at you when you entered his office the day you arrived. He’s definitely noticed you the way a man notices a woman.”
“Uh… I think you may have read a little too much into his reaction.”
“No, trust me, I can tell,” she promised. “The trick is you need to force him to see the woman you’ve become. He’s got you trapped in his head as his best friend’s little sister, and that’s the barrier between the two of you.”
“Uh… Alani—”
“I think I have a plan to get him to pay some real attention to you.”
“Alani, that’s really not necessary,” I said quickly. “I think it’s just better that I come to terms with reality and accept that Tristan and I will never be together.”
“But—”
“He’d probably make a terrible boyfriend, in any case,” I said. “Womanizing is not a vice that’s easily fixed. And as far as I know, Tristan’s never really committed to any woman for longer than a few days.”
“It only takes one woman to change that,” Alani said optimistically. “It only takes the right woman to come along.”
“That’s a little more pressure than I’m comfortable with.”
She laughed. “Okay then,” she said. “Forget that. Don’t you want him to eat his heart out? Think of it as revenge for not remembering that kiss.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “And how do you plan to get him to eat his heart out?”
“If you haven’t already noticed, I’m very popular with the guests here,” she said proudly. “Particularly the male guests.”
I smiled. “I’ve noticed.”
“Have you eaten at Pepe Albero yet?”
“Not yet,” I answered. “I’ve been trying out the other restaurants.”
“Well, Tristan eats dinner every night at Albero,” Alani informed me. “He has a standing table that’s reserved for him. I suggest you start eating dinner there, too.”
“He might feel obligated to ask me to join him,” I said. “But I doubt I would want that.”
“He won’t get a chance to ask you to join him,” Alani said slyly. “Because you’re going to be having dinner with someone.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Who?”
“A different guy…every night.”
I stared at her for a second before I burst out laughing. “This is Hawaii,” I reminded her. “I don’t know anyone here; how am I su
pposed to get a different date every night?”
“You may not know anyone here, but I do,” she pointed out. “Leave the men up to me. Your only job is to turn up at Albero every night looking stunning.”
“Who are these men you plan to rustle up for me?” I asked curiously.
“I’m in the hospitality industry,” she said. “All my friends manage fancy resorts, hotels, and restaurants in and around the island. I know lots of wealthy men who vacation here every year. They’ll be happy to do me a favor, especially if it includes dinner with a beautiful woman.”
“I… This plan is…”
“Diabolical? Brilliant?”
“Crazy,” I corrected. “The word I was going to use was crazy.”
She laughed. “Men want what other men have,” she said confidently. “You need to shove that little truth in Tristan’s face. He has to learn that he can’t just brush you off like you’re his plaything. We’re going to make him regret the day he ever turned you down.”
I bit my lip and considered Alani’s proposal. It sounded insane, but at the same time, I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my body. It would be nice to show Tristan what he was missing. It would be nice to see him eat his heart out.
“Well?” she pressed. “Are we doing this or not?”
“Uh… I don’t know,” I said.
“Come on, Molly,” she encouraged. “Why should you sit here feeling forlorn, when you could be enjoying yourself?”
Slowly, I felt a smile slip onto my face. I pushed away my doubts and nodded once. “Okay,” I agreed. “Let’s do this.”
“Excellent,” Alani said emphatically. “Operation Eat Your Heart Out is underway.”
Chapter Seven
Tristan
Ben was standing in front of my desk with his clipboard in hand. “We still haven’t gone over the overheads,” he reminded me.
I groaned. “We’ll do that after dinner. I need a break before I can tackle overheads.”
“Fine,” Ben nodded. “What about staff disputes; can you handle that now?”
“I expect you to.”