by Claire Adams
“It has been a long time,” I nodded. “Too long.”
Alani cleared her throat, and I realized she was still in the room. “I’ll just wait outside,” she said, with a knowing smile. She shut the door behind her, leaving Molly and me alone together.
I gestured towards one of the chairs opposite my desk. “Come, sit down,” I said. “You must be exhausted after the flight.”
Molly followed me to the desk, and I noticed that she was preoccupied with the view as she sat down. “I am,” she replied. “I had been hoping to head straight to my room and get in a couple of hours of sleep first.”
“I’m sorry, I should have thought of that,” I said. “But I just…had to welcome you to Hawaii.”
Molly smiled, and I was struck again by how much she had changed. There was a new confidence about her that hadn’t existed before. There was more maturity in her features, which lent itself to her beauty. She really did look like a modern-day Grace Kelly.
“Have you had anything to drink?” I asked. “I can get some refreshments up here.”
“No need,” she said quickly. “Your staff already saw to it. I met Ben downstairs.”
“Ben,” I nodded. “I expected him to bring you up to meet me.”
“There was an emergency he needed to sort out,” I told him.
“Thank God for Ben,” I said. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
We fell quiet for a moment, and in that silence, Molly’s eyes met mine. She was looking at me with a curious expression, and I couldn’t help searching her face. It felt as though there was an unspoken conversation that needed to be had, sitting between us and distracting us both.
“Thank you for the plane ticket, Tristan,” Molly said at last, breaking the silence. “I haven’t traveled first class in quite some time.”
“You’re most welcome,” I replied. “How was the helicopter ride here?”
“Fabulous,” she said, and her eyes lit up. “It was amazing experiencing Hawaii from that vantage point. This island is breathtaking.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I nodded.
“Tristan…” She looked at me awkwardly.
“Yes?”
“Are you sure I can’t pay for this trip?” she asked. “I feel bad staying here for free.”
“Nonsense,” I said immediately. “I want to do this.”
“You wanted to do this for Jason,” she pointed out. “I’m not Jason.”
I was surprised to find that I was annoyed at the mention of Jason. He was just another reminder that Molly was off limits to me. Then again, I reasoned that I needed reminders to keep me in check, especially if Molly was going to be around for the next few weeks.
“You’re a lot prettier than he is,” I joked, brushing off my initial annoyance. “Which means you’re more deserving.”
She smirked at me. “This was very generous of you,” she said. “And, I want you to know how much I appreciate it. So does Jason.”
“Of course,” I nodded. “Don’t even mention it.”
She nodded. She seemed to be working through something in her head, and I wondered for a moment if she was remembering the last time we had spoken.
“How have you been, Molly?” I asked.
“I’ve been better, to be honest,” she replied. “I’m sure Jason has already told you that I was laid off.”
“I am sorry,” I said. “It’s always hard when companies choose to scale back.”
“It wasn’t a corporate decision; it was a legal one,”
“I heard,” I nodded sympathetically. “I don’t know if Jason mentioned to you the possibility of a position here.”
“He did mention it,” she replied. “And, I’m flattered and grateful but…”
“Too weird?” I offered.
She smiled. “I don’t know yet,” she clarified. “Maybe we can just…see how it goes.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I nodded. “Like I told Jason, there’s absolutely no pressure. If you decide you enjoy the atmosphere here, the job’s yours.”
“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 6
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 get 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 i
t!” 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.”