“And what would that be?” Allyson asked, afraid it meant her needing to see Caydan again. She’d been able to avoid him thus far today and would like to keep it that way, at least until she sorted a few things out.
“I need you to call this number.” Shaun handed her a piece of paper. “I want you to tell her all about New Hope Resort.”
This definitely was better than what she thought he might want, still it was a very odd request. Seems to be all I get here. I’m starting to get the feeling odd is the norm in Tabiq. But she wasn’t all that comfortable with blindly following orders, even when they came from one of her bosses.
There had to be more to it. Was it possible they had met a local they thought would suit one of the vacant positions? Was this some unorthodox interview? If so, she could save them a lot of time and let them know she’d already handled that. But she hadn’t mentioned any employees leaving. Sadly, she’d intentionally kept it from them.
I’m sure if they knew, this would be a much different conversation.
“What can you tell me about the person I’m calling? Do they frequent resorts? Is it the beach that might attract them here?”
“You don’t need to sell her on the place,” Shaun said.
Good, because I’m not in sales.
Bennett chimed in, “Trust me, you’re not doing anything illegal.”
“I would hope not,” she declared.
Bennett added, “All you need to do is let her know about it. Feel free to let her know how accommodating the staff is.”
Accommodating? I haven’t been here long enough to know that. Not really. She’d have to base her words on their reputation prior to her arrival. And struggle not to tarnish it.
“That sounds easy enough. But wouldn’t Caydan be more suited to talk about the staff?”
“Possibly,” Shaun said.
Shaun wasn’t giving her anything to go on, but what the heck. It was one phone call. If the woman didn’t want to hear about the resort, then she’d hang up and that would be that. Shaun said it wasn’t about selling her on the place, so the call should be quick either way.
“Okay, I’ll give her a call.”
She expected Shaun and Bennett to get up and leave, but they didn’t. I guess I’ll give her a call now. It wasn’t the first time she had someone observing her on the job. Allyson had spent hours training staff on phone etiquette. She hoped they weren’t so impressed that they added this to her regular duties.
She gave Shaun a quick smile like she had this then dialed the number. Allyson wished there was a name on the paper so she knew who would be on the other line. It rang a few times, and she thought for sure it would go to voicemail. Leaving a message would accomplish the same thing. I hope.
But at the last second a woman answered, “Hello.”
“Hi, my name Allyson King and I’m calling from the New Hope Resort in Tabiq.”
“Tabiq?”
“Yes. It’s a small country near—”
“I know where it is.” Wow, that’s rare. I’d never heard of it until Drake announced he was building here. The woman continued, “What I don’t know is why you are calling me about it.”
“Actually, I’m calling in regard to the resort, New Hope.”
“A resort. In Tabiq?”
“Yes. It’s an all-inclusive resort and the weather here is—” Allyson began.
“I’m familiar with the weather. Who built this resort?” she asked.
What a strange question. Did it matter? To her, I guess it does. Allyson gave Shaun a smile as though the call was going smoothly. In many ways it was, except she wasn’t positive what the end result was supposed to be. “It has several owners.”
“They are . . .?”
She didn’t see the harm in providing that information. It was public knowledge she could obtain herself if she looked. “Drake Fletcher and several members of a family by the name of Henderson.” There was complete silence on the other end of the line. She waited a few seconds. Had the call been dropped or could the woman have hung up? “Hello?”
“I’m here. What else can you tell me about this resort?”
Good. I have her interest. “It’s been open for about a year and has proven to be a relaxing vacation spot.”
“And you work there, in Tabiq?”
“Yes, I do,” Allyson answered proudly. “I’m the—”
“You don’t sound as though you’re from there.”
I don’t, but you do. Allyson had no idea what that had to do with anything, but she wanted to keep up the persona of a warm and friendly resort. “No, I’m not. I’m from Connecticut.” She remembered she wasn’t calling a number in the US, and this woman might not have a clue where that was. “That’s in the United States.”
“I’ve been to New York. How did you obtain my number?”
She didn’t want to throw Shaun under the bus, but she didn’t want to lie. Shaun had given her so little to go on, so her answer wasn’t really a lie.
“I was given your number and asked to tell you about New Hope. Hopefully, I’ve answered any questions you may have.”
“So you manage the resort?”
“No. I actually work in another department.” Saying she was in HR always sounded as though there was a problem.
“Sales?”
“No. I assist with staffing.” More on the staffing issues, but still staffing.
“Do the Hendersons manage this resort?”
It was odd she didn’t seem to care about any of the amenities. Instead, her questions were all about the business side. Maybe they want to sell the place and this is a potential new owner.
“No. That would be our Mr. Pintino.”
“Thank you for your call. It has been very . . . informative.”
Before Allyson could add anything more, the woman hung up. She was left holding the receiver, stunned. When she placed the phone back in the cradle, she looked at Shaun. “I’ve got the feeling she’s interested in New Hope.”
“I’m sure she is. You handled that call very well,” Shaun said.
“Thank you. She also seemed very interested in you. I mean the Henderson family.”
Shaun and Bennett got up. “That does not surprise me either.”
“I’m not sure she’s going to be staying with us anytime soon,” Allyson added.
Bennett replied, “I think you’ll be surprised.”
“I hope it all works out.” Whatever it is they want from that call.
“I have a feeling it will.” As Shaun was about to leave the office, he turned back and said, “I’m glad you came forth with your concerns about Pintino.”
Oh, God. I’m not sure I want to know. “Did you find anything?” She hoped the answer was no, but the stern look on Shaun’s face said otherwise.
“Let’s just say the information you provided me about his mother the other day has been beneficial.”
“His mother? What does she have to do with his qualifications?” Allyson asked.
“Oh he’s qualified. But trust me, this isn’t where he should be. If you come across any further information you believe to be valuable, let me know. Otherwise, just go about your regular duties and let me handle things going forward.”
She knew she should tell him about last night. It wasn’t as though she was hiding the fact she had spent time with him. Everyone on the beach had seen them together.
“As HR manager, it might help me to know if there is an issue. It should be documented in his file.” Not that she believed for a second Shaun or Bennett would share anything with her. But she had to ask.
Bennett interjected, “We don’t have any information in regard to that yet. If there is something we believe you should know, trust me, you’ll be informed.”
Neither Bennett nor Shaun had divulged anything substantial. And probably never will. They left her office, leaving her more puzzled than anything. Between the mysterious call and the comment about Caydan, she was beginning to think High View Falls
actually might be easier to manage. Stress-free resort. Yeah, right.
Allyson still needed that walk, probably more now than before. Getting up once again, she opened her office door. Really? Caydan stood there, his hand up as though he was about to knock.
“Hi,” she said, not trusting herself to say anything more.
“Do you have a few minutes?”
She nodded and stepped aside to let him in, then walked to sit behind her desk. This feels like déjà vu. Allyson intentionally left the door open. It felt safer that way. I’m more afraid of myself than I am of him.
The office was small, and Caydan easily turned in his chair and was able to grab hold of the edge of the door. With one push, he slammed it shut. Didn’t anyone get that this was her office?
Picking her battles, and she knew they were about to come, she chose to ignore it. “What do you need to see me about?”
“I want to talk about last night.”
That was a topic she needed to avoid. “Caydan, we’re on the clock right now so this is not the time to discuss the kiss.”
He grinned and said, “Although that was the highlight of my night as well, it’s not why I came here.”
She felt her cheeks warm. Being a redhead, her cheeks liked to try to match her hair when given the chance. “Then what do you want to talk about?”
“You said you asked Shaun here because you didn’t—”
“Believe you were the right person for the job.”
“Tell me the truth; has that changed?” Caydan asked.
Maybe talking about the kiss would be easier. Last night was all about telling him the truth and look how that turned out. She couldn’t allow a replay, definitely not in her office. But she didn’t want to lie to Caydan. Things might be complicated between them, but they didn’t need to get any more so.
“The truth?” He nodded. “No, it hasn’t. Not that I don’t think you can do the job. Actually, I think if you wanted to you’d probably be better than most. But that’s the issue. I don’t believe this is what you want. Sorry, Caydan. I can’t explain it. When I look at you, I get this feeling like you . . . resent being here. I know it doesn’t make sense, but it’s just a . . . vibe I get.”
“You’re right. New Hope is not what I plan to do for long.”
It was a great opportunity, and she couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t want to make it work. “Then why did you accept the position?”
“That’s not something I can get into right now.”
She crossed her arms and asked, “Will you ever tell me? Or is telling the truth only one-sided?”
Caydan got up and said, “I won’t ever lie to you, Allyson. But right now there are things I can’t discuss with you.” He walked around the desk and reached a hand out to tip her chin so she met his eyes. “I don’t want you doubting yourself. You’re a very intelligent woman, and they’re lucky to have you. But whatever happens, I don’t want you blaming yourself.”
“Caydan, what’s going on?”
He raised a finger to her lips. “When the time is right, I’ll tell you everything. I promise. Just know not everything you hear is accurate. Can you trust me a little while longer?”
How couldn’t she? With him so close to her, she couldn’t think straight. Allyson wanted, no needed, to believe in him. Whatever Shaun thought he knew, he had to be wrong. Caydan was being misunderstood. She didn’t want their contact to break, so nodding slightly was all she could do. But his cell phone rang, and the moment was over.
Caydan pulled his phone out of his pocket, and his expression changed. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
Once she was alone, she got up and closed the door. Her desire for a walk had been replaced by wanting to shut out the rest of the world. She debated picking up the phone and calling Scott for more advice. None of this was something she wanted to admit. What was Caydan talking about?
Everyone seemed to be speaking in riddles today. Caydan was right, she was an intelligent woman, and up until this job, she’d never doubted that. But now? She felt out of her element. Whatever was going on in New Hope surely wasn’t a normal HR issue, yet it seemed to affect her in some way. That wouldn’t be a problem if everyone didn’t seem to want to keep her in the dark. How am I going to help fix any of this if I have no clue what anyone is talking about? She could be an asset. Allyson had graduated at the top of her class and had proven herself over the last ten years in HR. It was foolish for them not to utilize her knowledge and strengths. But I’m not sure their egos will allow it.
The day wasn’t even half over, and she was mentally exhausted. She flipped the lock on her office door, turned the lights down, and walked back to sit behind her desk. She leaned back in her high-back leather chair and closed her eyes. If she could block it all out for a few minutes, maybe things would be clearer when she woke. And maybe I’ll forget how good even his simple touch feels. Especially the kiss on my temple. Somehow, that felt so intimate.
It was going to take a lot more than a catnap to make her forget.
* * *
Between the lack of dinner and sleep last night, Caydan was in a gruff mood. But a call from Roger was enhancing it.
“And there’s no way to trace who the call came from?” Caydan asked.
“Legally, no. I have no idea who it was, and when I asked your mother, she shot me a warning look that shut me up.”
“Damn it, Roger. We need that information.” Whoever had called her had upset her. If the Hendersons were going after his mother, this would become an all-out war.
“Caydan, she won’t speak to me about it. This is something you’re going to have to handle yourself.”
He and Roger had been friends since their paths had crossed while Roger still worked for the DEA. During one of Caydan’s investment opportunities, he’d come across individuals using children as drug mules. He knew it was bigger than anything he could stop himself. Roger had been the agent assigned to the case. Since the day Roger nailed those bastards, he had earned Caydan’s trust and respect. Not something that came easily. Over the last twenty years, Roger had become more like family. Even Caydan’s mother welcomed Roger, but there was a wall between mother and son that neither shared with Roger. Hell one she won’t even share with me.
“What is she doing right now?”
Roger cleared his throat and said, “Packing.”
“What? Where the hell does she think she’s going?” Caydan barked.
“Once again, she won’t tell me. She told the driver they would be leaving shortly for the airport.
What the fuck? She couldn’t take off right now. He had a timeline, and it had to be maintained, otherwise his plan would fail. And failure isn’t part of my vocabulary. Roger needed to handle this. Damn. He’s taken down major gangs, he can handle my mother.
“You need to stop her, Roger.”
“Caydan, I tried removing her crutches, but she said she didn’t require them now since she had a walking boot on. I don’t think anything short of tying her up is going to keep her here.”
He’d missed a call from her when he’d been in Allyson’s office. He’d tried calling her back, but she hadn’t picked up. After several more attempts, he’d become concerned and called Roger. He’d been worried his mother had been hurt, not planning some crazy trip to God knows where. “Damn it. I’m going to try calling her again.”
“Good luck. I don’t speak the language, but I have a feeling she is pissed off at you right now.”
“How do you know?”
“Hands flying in the air, speaking so fast I only caught a few things. Most I won’t repeat, but let’s say your name was attached to it. If I had to guess, I’d say she knows where you are.”
Shit. No way she is coming here. He needed to fix that and fast. “If I can’t talk her out of this, you better be on that plane with her,” Caydan ordered. It wasn’t an easy flight by regular transit. There would be a layover somewhere along the
way. But he knew damn well why his mother wasn’t utilizing Caydan’s private jet. Because my pilot would never bring her here without my permission.
“I already planned to.”
It wasn’t easy hopping on last minute flights, but he knew Roger would make it happen. No matter how much he has to pay for a seat next to my mother.
Caydan ended the call and tried his mother again. There was no way Roger was right. His mother had sworn she’d never return to Tabiq. Answer the phone, Mother.
“Caydan, I can’t talk right now,” she said when she finally answered.
“Mother, please don’t hang up.” Caydan wasn’t in the habit of begging, but if she was about to board a plane and fly to Tabiq, he needed to know. Hell, I need to stop her.
“I would never do such a thing. But I’m a bit busy at the moment.”
“Mother, where are you going?” Please don’t say Tabiq.
“I’m coming to see you,” she said sweetly.
“Mother, this is not the place for you. Not now. Give me some time to get a few things straightened out and then—”
“Caydan, there are things you don’t know. Things I should’ve told you. I am coming, and when I get there, you and I are going to talk.”
“Mother, I’ll come to you. Just stay in Switzerland.”
“No, Caydan. It’s time for me to come home. It’s time I return to Tabiq. I love you, Caydan, but I need to fix this before you do something you’ll regret.”
She ended the call. He tried ringing her phone back, but it went directly to voicemail. What the fuck do you need to tell me that can’t wait?
He received a text from Roger.
WE’LL BE IN TABIQ TOMORROW.
“Fuck,” he yelled. One damn phone call. How, after forty-five years, could one phone call cause his mother to return home? There was nothing here for her. No one had looked for her all these years. She was safe where she was. Tabiq wasn’t her fucking home.
He knew his mother well. And there’s nothing I can do to stop her. He also knew that was intentional. But who fucked it all up for him? Was that what Bennett had been doing yesterday when he was indisposed? He didn’t think it possible, but Caydan hated the Hendersons even more now.
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