"Oh, I signed up for a reality TV dating show. They usually find brides for farmers, but they agreed to help me find one," Jason said.
Flavia choked. "You actually believed they could? And I thought dating that billionaire was stupid!"
Jason frowned. "It was worth a shot. I'd tried everything else. And even if they didn't, I figured it'd squash the rumours about me and Gaia. There was never anything between us. You and me, well, that was...we really had something, didn't we?" He couldn't keep the desperation out of his tone. He hoped she didn't hear it.
"We did," Flavia said slowly. "While it was just us, we did. Until every reporter in Australia got wind of the auction and made my life hell. What would they do if they knew about us?"
"I can protect you," Jason insisted. "You could stay at the resort or at any of my houses. You could hide from the media as long as you have to."
Flavia shook her head. "Forever? I don't think so. They hacked my email account. They would find out one day, and it would start all over again. I'd get called a whore again, and all your fangirls would join in, hating me for having you. Just like that TV anchor when you were younger. You dated her for a bit, and she got death threats all over her social media. You'd have to protect me from the whole world, locking me away without any access to the internet. I can't do that, Jay."
Though he didn't want to, Jason understood. He'd heard Angel and even Jo complain about the band's constant media attention, so he'd taken it on himself to steal the spotlight as much as possible. It had worked for the girls in the band, but it wouldn't work for any other woman in his life. Not once the media circus found out who she was.
"Fuck," he said finally.
"I'll drink to that," Flavia agreed, raising her drink to clink it against his.
Jason drank deeply, not stopping until he'd drained his glass. It would never end. He could never have just one woman, or the media would eat her alive. Not as long as he wanted to be a rock star.
Maybe that's why Angel had broken up the band. Not because she was sick of music, but because she wanted to settle down to a normal life. Or as normal as life could be for someone like her, with the man she intended to marry.
"Another one?" he asked. "I'm buying."
Flavia nodded, and Jason waved over a waitress to order two more drinks. Lunch arrived not long after, and it occurred to him that Flavia was a tour guide who'd seen places in the Kimberley where he hadn't been.
"So, the Gibb River Road and Uluru," Jason began. "Worth seeing, or just something we sell to tourists?"
Flavia smiled mischievously. "You really should see them for yourself. Uluru's awesome, but Mount Augustus is bigger. Everyone wants to see Uluru, though, so that's where the tours go. You should see it in the wet season. The waterfalls..."
Jason sat and listened, caught up in the wonders of places he planned to visit. Next year, he promised himself. After the wedding and everything was over. Before he signed the recording contracts and had to get back to work in the studio. But not with Flavia.
EIGHTEEN
Xan loaded the last bag into the resort's four-wheel-drive just before the skies opened up. She'd bought too much, she knew, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Besides, it was nice to have the time to experiment in the kitchen again. She hadn't done that since her last Christmas at home, almost three years ago.
If she stayed here much longer, Australia's hot, summery Christmas would seem normal, Xan thought as she bumped along the track to the boat ramp through the driving rain.
The boat was there, but Baz wasn't, so she left the car by the water's edge and sprinted up to the pearl showroom for some shelter.
A harried-looking Erica was on duty at the reception desk today, nodding wearily as she listened to someone on the other end of the phone line. "No, ma'am, I'm afraid I can't do that," Erica said for what sounded like the umpteenth time.
Xan offered Erica a grin of greeting, which the other woman returned, and settled in to wait.
After a moment, Erica beckoned to Xan, then put a finger to her lips. Next, Erica pressed a button on the phone.
"You're not listening. I said to get the resort manager on the phone, now. She knows who I am, even if you don't! Wait until your boss hears about this!" blared a familiar voice through the phone's speaker.
Xan pulled a face as she recognised the unmistakable tone of Gaia Vasse at her most obnoxious.
Erica smothered a sigh. "No, you're not listening, ma'am. I know who you are, but that doesn't change the fact that the resort is closed for Christmas. There's no one left on the island. No one to call, so no visitors are allowed out to the island."
"But I'm not a visitor. I'm a friend of the owner," Gaia insisted. "Put me through to Jay Felix. I know he's around. I saw him in town earlier this week!"
Xan signalled to get Erica's attention, then patted her own chest. "Say you'll put her through to me," she mouthed silently.
Erica nodded. "Ma'am, I'll try one more time to put you through to the hotel manager. Please hold. Transferring you now." She pressed a couple of buttons before sagging in her seat in relief. "Thank you. She's been calling all week, and every time we give her the same answer, but she just won't stop!"
Xan slipped behind the counter and picked up the receiver. "How do I take her off hold?"
Erica pointed.
Xan took a deep breath and unleashed the mining magnate. "This is Xan Lane, manager of Romance Island Resort. How can I help you?"
"You can tell me where Jay Felix is!" Gaia barked.
"I'm afraid our guests' privacy is very important here at Romance Island Resort," Xan said smoothly, crossing her fingers as she hoped Gaia didn't know she wasn't on the island at all.
"He's not a guest! He's the owner. And he invited me up here for a private Christmas celebration, he said."
Gaia was a good liar, Xan decided, but not quite good enough. "Then he must have forgotten. Mr Felix is not currently on the island. I suggest you take the matter up with him."
Gaia audibly ground her teeth. "He's not answering his phone! Damn it, don't you know who I am? I'm Gaia Vasse. I have a right to know where he is!"
More lies, but Xan heard the edge of desperation in the other woman's tone. Gaia had been bitten by the fangirl bug. Badly. What had Jay done to the billionaire to make her into his biggest fan? Jay didn't care a fig for her, but she evidently still held a torch for him. Xan felt sorry for her. "I think if you did, he'd have told you, Miss Vasse, but he's spending Christmas and New Year with his family. And with no one on the island, the resort is closed to guests. Even guests of the owner, seeing as he's not here."
Gaia made Xan repeat her explanation several times until it was Xan's turn to grind her teeth, but she eventually got the message and ended the call.
"Good riddance," Erica said. "I just came in to close up, and made the mistake of picking up the phone. I thought I'd be stuck here all day!"
"So who are you spending Christmas with?" Xan asked.
Erica shrugged. "Baz and his family have invited me to theirs, seeing as my family's all on the east coast. I figure it's better than spending it on my own. What about you?"
"Actually, I decided to be the island's caretaker while the resort's closed, to give all our staff a proper break. I'm looking forward to having my own private island for a whole two weeks."
"Oh wow." Erica's expression turned dreamy. "So you're not celebrating Christmas at all?"
Xan smiled. "I am. I'm going to try my hand at a roast pork I saw on one of those cooking shows. I got the smallest one they had, but I still think I'll be eating leftovers into next week. All my supplies are down by the boat ramp, waiting for Baz to take me back to the island. Then my holiday starts."
"No presents, though," Erica said. "Or a tree."
"My family sent some presents from the UK, and I have my eye on the little fibre optic tree that's sitting on the reception desk in the foyer. No one will miss it for a few days." Xan winked. "Then it's just me an
d the fish until next year."
Erica pulled down the shutters, sealing off the reception desk. She reached for the door to the pearl showroom and rattled it to make sure it was locked.
Speaking of fish and pearls...
"Is there any chance I could see that ring before you close up?" Xan asked wistfully. "If I could put one thing on my Christmas list, it would be that."
Erica shook her head. "Sorry, Xan, it sold right after I showed it to you. The next day, I think. Kenji's already started work on the rest of the collection. Maybe I could let you know when another piece is ready for sale?"
Gone. Xan would never know the couple's story, or whether they'd fallen in love at Romance Island. She'd never afford anything bigger than the ring, either. Too good for her.
"Sure, why not?" Xan said, forcing a smile. At least she could admire it and dream.
NINETEEN
By Boxing Day, Xan was sick of roast pork. Oh, sure, it was delicious, but for every meal, two days in a row? She wanted something else for dinner.
A faint thumping sounded outside. It took her a moment to realise that it was the sound of a helicopter. One that was approaching the island, when it was closed.
Gaia, Xan fumed. No matter who the woman had bullied into flying her here, she wasn't staying. She could climb right back into that helicopter and fly back to town.
Xan marched up to the helipad, intent on giving the billionaire a piece of her mind, but by the time she reached it, Shou was already lifting off. Xan shouted and waved, but Shou didn't hear her over the sound of his aircraft.
Swearing, Xan quickened her pace. Gaia wasn't leaving the helipad without a talking-to.
She slammed into a body bigger than her. Harder, too. Not Gaia.
"Watch where you're going!" Xan shouted at Jay, glaring.
He beamed. "Merry Christmas to you, too. Fuck, it's good to be home." He enveloped her in a hug.
Xan shoved him off her. "What are you doing here?"
"Escaping from my family," he admitted.
"I thought you liked your family." Xan would give anything to have her parents here with her instead of on the other side of the world.
Jay ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I do. Most of the time. But when they spend three days taking it in turns to tell you off for doing that reality dating show, or breaking up with the girl I'd chosen...fuck. Why'd the network have to air the interview with Penelope just before Christmas? Mum was full of hints on how to get her back. Dad just kept warning me about marrying a girl I barely knew. And Jo...she just ripped into me about it. Said I was playing with all the girls' feelings, degrading them...fuck, she made it sound like I was the lowest form of life on earth. When I tried to tell her the girls had signed up for the show and they knew what it involved, she said I was exploiting vulnerable...vulnerable...victims, I think she called them. Like I was some kind of creepy predator dude! Fuck me...having you shout at me's better than that." Jay slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for his villa.
Swearing under her breath, Xan made her way back to her unit. Before she'd taken four steps, the rain started again, punctuated by thunder and lightning in a proper tropical storm. Xan broke into a run.
She wasn't surprised at Jay's family's reaction. She'd watched The Rock Star Wants A Wife herself, marvelling at the budding romance plot Paige had constructed between Jay and Penelope.
By the time she reached her veranda, she was soaked to the skin, which didn't matter so much in the heat, but she hadn't been struck by lightning or hit by falling branches or coconuts, which was more important. The hazards of living on a tropical island in the wet season.
The thunderstorm continued for the rest of the afternoon, keeping her holed up in her house instead of swimming in the lagoon like she'd planned. Not that she really minded. She had a whole stack of books from the resort library, and no one to interrupt her reading.
At least, until someone hammered on her front door.
She found Jay dripping on her door mat. "What is it?" she asked, folding her arms.
"Do you have anything to eat?" he asked, sounding sheepish. "I don't have anything in the house, and there's no one in Catering. Where is everybody?"
"Off enjoying a Christmas break with their family and friends," Xan told him. "We agreed that the extra time off would be better than a Christmas bonus, especially when we had no bookings until next year."
"Oh." Jay scrunched up his face. "So what am I supposed to eat, then?"
It was on the tip of her tongue to say he should have thought of that before he returned to the island, but it would be completely out of character for Jay to think about anything before he did it. So she sighed instead and said, "I have some roast pork."
His face lit up. "Seriously? I haven't had a pork roast in...forever. Christmas is for seafood and all the cold things, not roasts and stuff, Mum says. You are a fucking legend." He squinted at her. "You look like you need a holiday, Xan. Try to relax more. It's still Christmas somewhere in the world!"
"I was on holiday until you turned up," Xan said before she could stop herself.
His grin died, but he held her gaze. "You're right," he said quietly. "You were...enjoying some peace and quiet before I got here. I won't bother you again, Xan. I'll go raid Catering instead. I'm sure I'll find something I can make sandwiches with. Or I'll call Shou to fly in some supplies. You enjoy your roast. Maybe you could write the recipe down so I could try it one day."
Before Xan could think of a fitting reply, Jay took off through the palm trees down the track he'd made uniquely his own.
She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to call him back and apologise. It's not like she actually wanted any more of the pork. But he was right – she did deserve a holiday. Somehow, she suspected her holiday was over before it had barely begun, all thanks to Jay Felix.
TWENTY
To Xan's surprise, Jay was true to his word. She didn't see or hear him for three days. No, not even his usual morning swim: the wet season had well and truly set in, with the first cyclone of the season forming off the coast. The cyclone was to blame for the week-long storm, someone had said on last night's news report. It sat off the coast, brooding, like it was choosing its target carefully as it built up its strength. Last report she heard, it was a Category Three, but they'd predicted it would intensify to a Category Four if it stayed out at sea much longer. The resort had been on blue alert – the lowest level of cyclone watch – for almost a week now, but that didn't mean anything unless the cyclone moved. At Divers Tavern in town, the regulars would be placing bets as to whether it made landfall at Hedland, Dampier or Exmouth. Cyclones never actually hit Broome. They just sort of cruised past and made a few waves, before sweeping through some other town and causing flooding inland.
Still, she should check if anything had changed. Once the cyclone was gone, the storm-tossed lagoon would be safe to swim in again. Xan was dying for a swim.
Xan pointed the remote control at the TV, but all she got was a blue screen. She flipped through the channels – all blue. That meant something had taken out the satellite dish again. The internet would be down, too, and the security system. Not that it really mattered right now – she and Jay both had access to every building on the island with a swipe of their wristbands.
Last time this had happened, Jay had jumped out of a helicopter and crashed it into the satellite dish. She wouldn't put it past him to do something that stupid again.
Sighing, she found some shoes and headed out into the downpour to his villa.
A long, wet walk later, Xan hammered on Jay's door. After a moment, she heard him shout, "Yeah, I'm coming!"
He took his time, but Xan waited on the veranda until the door whooshed open. Jay leaned against the doorframe, drinking her in. "You know, I think you're the only woman I've ever met who could make it through rain like this without looking like a drowned rat. Come in and get dry. I might even have some spare women's clothes in here for you to change into."
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Xan followed him inside and accepted the towel he offered. "Thanks, but I'll only get soaked again on the way back. It's the closest I'll get to a swim until this storm passes."
"Yeah. I miss my swim." Jay sighed and perched on the couch. "So, to what do I owe the honour of this visit?"
Xan remained standing. "What did you do to the satellite dish? The TV link is down."
"Wasn't me this time. I've been reading."
A likely story, Xan thought.
"I was watching TV last night when we lost reception," Jay continued. He held up his hands as if to calm her down. "It's not just TV that's down, but internet, too. I made a few calls, and managed to get someone to fly out here to fix it today." He looked inordinately proud of himself.
"Who?" Xan demanded.
"The IT guys. Seb and Cameron. Shou said he'd fly them in. They'll check everything out, fix what they can, and head back this afternoon. If they can't fix it, they'll call someone who can."
Wow. He'd actually done the right thing for once. Except that those boys were supposed to be on holiday, not working. "How'd you talk them into coming in to work on their days off?"
Jay shrugged. "Easy. I swore it'd only be one day, we'd fly them in and out, and they'd get an extra day of time in lieu at the end of their break. They agreed."
Xan didn't know what to say. Jay Felix, being responsible? Doing her job, of all things? "Thank you," she said finally. "Can you let me know when they arrive?"
"They're already here. Been holed up in their office for the last hour now."
"I should go find out if they've made any progress," Xan said reluctantly. Damn it, she deserved an extra day off, too. Maybe she'd just take it.
Jay shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it. They said they'll tell me when they're done, or when they give up. I got the impression they didn't want an audience. Look, when they turn up at my place, I'll bring 'em round to report to you, too. In the meantime, enjoy your holiday, Madame Hotel Manager." He executed a courtly bow.
The Rock Star's Wedding Page 7