by Pamela Yaye
Kim and Gabby burst out laughing and greeted Robyn with one-arm hugs.
“You’re not going to believe this.” Kim’s words fell from her lips in a gush, and stars twinkled in her big brown eyes. “Yesterday, I told Jaxon how much I love sailing, and this morning, I found out he rented a fully staffed yacht to celebrate our two-month anniversary.”
Robyn whistled. “Girl, your man’s the real deal.”
“Tell me about it. I almost fell off my chair when he showed me pictures of the yacht, and he booked live entertainment, too.” Kim admired the marquise-cut diamond on her left hand, gazing at the engagement ring adoringly. “Jaxon is the love of my life and, hands down, the most romantic man I’ve ever met. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to prove I’m not dreaming.”
“Me, too!” Gabby shrieked, giving Kim a high-five. “Geoffrey means everything to me, and I cherish every moment we spend together.”
Robyn cocked her head to the right, studied her friend closely for several seconds.
Were her eyes deceiving her? Was that a love-struck expression on Gabby’s face? The trio had been besties ever since Merriweather Academy—but this was the first time she’d heard her friend gush about someone. “You sound head over heels in love.”
“I know,” Gabby said, releasing a dreamy sigh. “Isn’t it great?”
“I never thought I would feel about a man the way I do about Jaxon, and I wish that kind of love for you, too, Robyn. I hope you find your soul mate and live happily ever after.”
Robyn wanted to tell Kim about her feelings for Sean, about how much she enjoyed spending time with him but couldn’t. Kim would be upset, and Robyn didn’t want to put a wedge between them.
“Have a seat,” Gabby said, patting the empty stool beside her. “Take a break.”
“Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen, whipping up one of your new signature recipes?” Robyn asked, helping herself to a garlic shrimp from the oversize plate and popping it into her mouth. Like everything Gabby made, it was moist and full of flavor.
“I’ve worked double shifts for the last two weeks, so I’m taking the rest of the day off. I trust my staff, and I know they won’t let me down.”
Kim spooned sugar into her cup of coffee and stirred. “Robyn, sit, and I’ll fill you in on all of the latest wedding developments.”
“I have to get back to my office, but you can tell me all about it tonight.” Robyn had been looking forward to girls’ night for weeks and was excited about spending some quality time alone with her girlfriends. These days, she hardly saw Kim and Gabby—unless they were doing wedding-related stuff—and she missed seeing them outside of work. Jaxon Dunham and Geoffrey Girard were great guys with big hearts, but Robyn was tired of hearing about how wonderful they were. Tonight was supposed to be about reconnecting with her girls, not discussing floral arrangements, seating charts and honeymoon destinations.
“What time are we leaving for the Comedy Store?” Robyn asked. “I’d like to leave early so we can get good seats.”
Kim and Gabby shared a puzzled look, shifted uncomfortably on their stools.
“I thought the comedy showcase was tomorrow night,” Kim said.
Gabby nodded. “Same here. I must have gotten my days mixed up. Sorry.”
“Do you have other plans?” Robyn asked, knowing the answer to the question even before it left her mouth.
“The guys are taking us to The Tower Bar for dinner and dancing.”
“You’re more than welcome to join us,” Gabby added, wearing an apologetic smile.
To watch you coo and fawn all over your fiancé? Been there, done that, and not doing it again! Robyn decided, masking her displeasure by wearing a blank expression on her face.
“I’ll tell Jaxon to invite one of his cute investor friends, and we’ll make a night of it,” Kim proposed. “How does that sound?”
Like torture. I don’t do blind dates. Never have, never will.
Robyn felt tears sting the back of her eyes at her disappointment. What was the matter with her? Why was she getting so emotional? Why did it feel as if she was mourning the loss of a loved one?
Because you are, whispered her inner voice. You lost Kim to Jaxon and Gabby to Geoffrey and now you’re all alone.
Robyn knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn’t change the way she felt. For more than a decade, Kim and Gabby had been her closest friends, and now they were head over heels in love and planning their lives without her. And it hurt like hell. Robyn hated to admit it, even to herself, but she was envious of the relationships Kim and Gabby had, and she secretly wondered if love was in the cards for her.
An idea came to her, one that turned her frown to a smile. Robyn considered inviting Sean to the comedy showcase, even rehearsed what she was going to say when they talked. He’d look great at her side, no doubt about it. Images of him filled her mind. She appreciated being with a man who was not only attractive but intelligent, and Sean was the total package, exactly her type. But they were friends and nothing more, and since she didn’t want to give him the wrong impression, she couldn’t ask him out.
“Hi, Robyn, how are you doing this glorious morning?”
Jonah Gray, the jovial bartender with the perpetual twinkle in his eye, greeted her with a smile. Eighty-six years young, he’d worked at the resort for decades but showed no signs of slowing down. He was as skillful at handing out advice as he was at mixing drinks and was loved by all. From the time Robyn had arrived at the Belleza, she’d bonded with Jonah. He was a father figure to her, someone she could depend on, and she enjoyed hearing the colorful stories about his past, along with his tales of buried treasure at the resort. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Nothing, Jonah, thank you. I’m not staying.”
Kim wore a long face. “Come on, Robyn. Don’t be like that. I want to go with you to the comedy showcase, but I can’t be two places at the same time.”
“We’ll hang out tomorrow,” Gabby said. “We’ll do whatever you want, okay?”
Still, Robyn was unable to shake her foul mood. Feeling her cell phone vibrate, she took it out of her pocket. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Sean’s picture come up on the screen. Her mind raced, jumped from one thought to the next. What was wrong? Why was he calling?
“I have to take this call. I’ll see you guys later.”
“Who is it?” Gabby asked, her tone filled with concern. “You seem upset.”
Robyn stumbled over her words and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. It was a lame explanation, one she doubted her friends would believe, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say. “It’s my, uh, mom. She’s been having...car trouble, and... I’m worried about her. I’ll see you guys at the afternoon staff meeting.”
Hustling out of the dining room, Robyn put her cell phone to her ear and spoke in a whisper. “Hello, Sean. Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?”
“No, of course not. What makes you think that something’s wrong?”
Sighing in relief, Robyn marched from the restaurant and ducked out one of the side doors. Bikini-clad women, men with perfect bodies and rambunctious children were soaking up the sun and frolicking in the pool. Conversation and high-pitched laughter sweetened the air, and the scent of fresh pineapple made Robyn’s mouth water.
“When your number appeared on my phone, I got worried,” she explained, feeling embarrassed for jumping to conclusions. “I thought maybe you were in police custody.”
“I am in trouble...”
Oh God, no! Not Sean. He didn’t do what his father is accusing him of.
“I’ve fallen hard for a pretty event planner from New York, but she won’t give me the time of day. Any ideas on how to win her heart?”
Robyn scolded Sean for teasing her. But his soft, sensuous plea and the
yearning in his voice made her long to be back in his arms. Her pulse quickened at the thought, and a delicious sensation caused her body to tingle.
Plugging her ear with her finger to block out the noise around her, she listened intently to what Sean had to say. Never before had a man made her feel this way, so special and desirable. He spoke about missing her, about how anxious he was to see her again, and it took everything in her not to confess her true feelings. Robyn pictured him sitting inside his office with his feet propped up on his desk and smiled at the sexy image scrolling through her mind.
“Did you get the roses?”
Robyn nodded her head, though he couldn’t see her. “Yes, I did, and they’re beautiful. I was going to call to thank you, but I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“You could never disturb me. Talking to you is the highlight of my day.”
Excited by his words, she rested a hand on her stomach to calm the butterflies within.
“I’m making you dinner tonight,” he announced, his tone full of confidence and bravado. “Be at my place at seven o’clock.”
Robyn could think of nothing else she’d rather do, but going to Sean’s house for dinner was out of the question. She racked her brain for the perfect excuse. Since yesterday, she’d been telling one lie after another, but what choice did she have? If she told Sean the truth—he’d be upset, and Robyn didn’t want to lose his friendship. “I wish I could, but I, uh, can’t. My car’s in the shop, and it won’t be ready until next week—”
Robyn broke off as her gaze fell across the couple walking on the pathway. Damn. Could this day get any worse? Apparently so, because Sean’s parents, Kurt and Ilene Parker, were headed straight for her. They had lunch at the resort every week, so seeing them shouldn’t have affected her, but it did. She had to remind herself they had no idea she was talking to their estranged son.
The Parkers were an attractive couple who reeked of wealth and class. Ilene had delicate features, reddish-brown hair and a slender physique that belied her age. Her husband had salt-and-pepper hair and mustache. Kim favored her mother, right down to the way they walked, and the resemblance between Sean and his father was striking.
“I have to go,” she said, anxious to get off the phone. She couldn’t risk the Parkers overhearing her conversation with Sean, not when they were still furious at him for quitting his job. “I have to get back to work.”
“I’m not letting you go until you agree to dinner.”
Oh, yes, you are. Robyn thought, trying to squelch her growing sense of fear. She was supposed to be in her office, planning the Dunham Foundation gala, not flirting with Sean—a guy she had no business talking to. She reminded herself that he was a player who collected women like trophies, and Robyn was better off alone than sharing him with someone else.
“I won’t take no for an answer, so you might as well give in now,” Sean insisted.
Before she could respond, Ilene Parker caught her eye.
“Hello, Robyn,” Ilene said with a friendly wave. “If you’re not too busy I’d like to have a word with you about Kim’s bridal shower.”
Robyn’s pulse quickened, and her stomach coiled into knots as the couple approached. Feeling trapped, she did something she knew would make Sean mad. She hung up the phone, greeted the Parkers warmly and followed them back inside the resort.
Chapter 4
Sean stood inside the kitchen of the SP Grill, staring at his iPhone, at a loss for words. Had Robyn just hung up on him? He wanted to call her back, but his pride wouldn’t let him. He was a Parker, and Parker men didn’t beg. Not even for hazel-eyed beauties like Robyn Henderson.
Sean put his cell phone on the counter, scooped up the mail and plopped down on a wooden stool. He’d connect with Robyn later, after he finished his paperwork, and hopefully, she’d be in a better mood when they spoke. Sean wasn’t used to her being cold and abrupt with him and wondered if his sister had anything to do with Robyn’s odd behavior.
Yawning, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Since he’d arrived at the restaurant that morning at 6:00 a.m., he’d been running from one appointment to the next, and it was the first time he’d taken a break. These days, Sean was busier than ever, but he wouldn’t trade his twelve-hour work schedule for anything. He was excited that his dreams of owning a restaurant were finally a reality—even if it meant losing sleep. When he wasn’t training his staff, he was ordering supplies, overseeing food deliveries and selecting artwork and furniture for the restaurant. His work was never done, and more times than not, he crashed on the couch in his office. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t afford to fail. If he did, he would be finished in this town.
He’d never failed at anything, had always pushed himself to be the best; Parkers always did. His worries intensified, and try as he might, he couldn’t shake his doubts. Would his grand opening be a success? Would the food critic from the LA Times give the SP Grill a favorable review? And most important, would his family show up? Deep down, Sean wanted them to, even if it was just for appearance’s sake, but he wasn’t holding his breath. They’d let him down before, and he’d be a fool to put his hope in them. Not after everything that had happened since he quit the Belleza.
He felt a sharp pain stab his chest. Yesterday, when he’d had lunch with Robyn, he’d pretended he didn’t give a damn about his family, but the truth was that he was miserable without them. He was disappointed in his parents, pissed at Kim for betraying him, but they were his flesh and blood, and life just wasn’t the same without them. Thankfully, he still had his younger brother, Ryan. Though he and his musician brother didn’t talk often, Sean knew if he ever needed him Ryan would be there in a heartbeat, no questions asked.
Just like Robyn. He glanced down at his cell phone, hoping she’d sent him a text message explaining her behavior, but no such luck. Sean had his restaurant, his friends and an active social life, but he still felt as if there was something missing. Or rather, someone. For years, he’d secretly lusted over his sister’s best friend, but it was never the right time to make his move. But that was about to change. Kissing Robyn at her condo that fateful night then in the restaurant parking lot yesterday confirmed it—she had feelings for him, too.
A grin claimed his lips. The realization made him feel proud, happier than the richest man in the world. Finally, after years of playing the field, he’d found someone special, a woman who’d captured his heart with just one kiss. Because of the earlier, drunken episode, Sean had to convince Robyn he didn’t think of her as a “booty call,” because she wasn’t.
Before they could start a relationship, he had to help Robyn overcome her fears, had to prove that he could be trusted with her heart.
His mind wandered, returned to the night he’d argued with his parents and found solace in Robyn’s arms. None of his ex-girlfriends could hold a candle to her, and now that they’d reconnected, he wouldn’t let Kim come between them. Who cares what my family thinks? Our relationship is none of their business. It was bad enough she’d stolen the resort from him; he’d be damned if he let her ruin his chance with Robyn, too. She was unique, as rare as a ten-carat diamond, and Sean wanted the chance to prove he was the right man for her.
“Here they are! Hot off the presses!”
Sean watched his assistant manager, a petite spitfire named Jolene Warren, march into the kitchen, waving a green piece of paper in the air. Taking it from her outstretched hand, he peered at the new menu.
“Isn’t it great?” she asked excitedly. “It was printed on recycled paper, totally affordable, and the intricate designs on the bottom of the page really make the SP Grill logo pop.”
Sean assessed the prototype with a critical eye and realized he didn’t like anything about it. It looked cheap, like something you’d see at a roadside diner, and the color scheme was hideous.
“How many menus do yo
u want printed? Two or three hundred?”
“I think we need to go back to the drawing board,” Sean said.
“Why? It looks fantastic.”
“My last name is synonymous with luxury and class, which means everything associated with the SP Grill has to be lavish and expensive, even the menus.”
“But it’s environmentally friendly,” Jolene argued, hitching a hand to her hip.
“Leave everything to me. I’ll take care of it.” Sean dropped the sample menu on the counter and stuffed it under the stack of mail he planned to shred. “Did you email the press release I wrote for the media?”
“Yes, and I printed off the updated reservation list, as well. Seventy percent of the dining room is booked for our grand opening, and the cast of Ex on the Beach will be here filming that night, too,” she said. “I also created a Facebook page for the SP Grill. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s great, Jolene. Keep up the good work.”
A smile brightened her round face. “Thanks, boss. I’m going to go work on the staff schedule, but if you need me, just holler.”
His assistant manager exited the kitchen, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Sean wanted to call Robyn back to check up on her, but since he didn’t want her to think he was needy, he finished reading his mail, then helped himself to leftovers from the fridge. He’d made lunch for his staff after the orientation session but had been too busy answering questions to eat, and now his stomach was growling so loud he was sure Jolene could hear it in the back office.
As Sean ate, he mentally reviewed his schedule for the rest of the week. He was off tomorrow, and if everything went according to plan, he’d be spending the day with Robyn. The thought made him grin from ear to ear. He could hardly wait. Before yesterday, he hadn’t seen her in months, but he planned to make up for lost time. They’d have breakfast at his house, then head to the beach.
Past conversations with his dad, about love and relationships, played in his mind. Sean scratched his head, tried to recall everything his old man had told him about women. What was it he used to say? “Treat a woman like a queen, and you’ll always have her heart.” With that thought in mind, Sean picked up his cell phone and accessed the internet. He was perusing the Cartier website, searching for the perfect gift for Robyn, when he heard footsteps pounding on the hardwood floor of the dining room. Sean didn’t see anyone, but he heard a male voice calling his name and rose to his feet.