Boss With Benefits (A Lantana Island Romance Book 1)

by Talia Hunter

  Short staffed? Dalton frowned, but didn’t comment. If Smythe thought they were under staffed, he was likely to want to keep all the current employees, which was a good thing. And Dalton hadn’t yet told him about Rosa’s employment being part of the deal.

  Where was Rosa, anyway?

  “Those records are in my office,” he said. “Come through.” Dalton waved him into the room next door, frowning at the wood chips that were still scattered over the floor. Mere had been going to clean his office today, and it wasn’t like her to forget things.

  The Dalton Project flashed through his mind. Perhaps Rosa had stopped Mere from doing the work. She might have decided to sabotage the sale by making the resort seem slip-shod and badly run. Maybe that’s why Rosa wasn’t with Smythe as he’d asked, showing the man around.

  It was Rosa’s wildness that had first drawn him to her, but he hadn’t guessed she could be manipulative and deceitful. Maybe he’d misjudged her, and she wasn’t the person he’d thought she was.

  Smythe looked down at the wood chips with a frown, then opened his briefcase and pulled out a wad of papers. “I’ve made a list of all the things I need to review. As well as the staff records, I’d like to start with the resort’s financial statements for the last five years, guest records, plans and consents for all buildings and structures, any and all correspondence with local authorities, and certifications including your liquor license, food preparation, business registration, and fire safety certificates.”

  “I’ll ask Rosa to help find everything you need,” said Dalton. “I assume you’ve already had a tour of the place?”

  “Not yet.” Smythe shifted some of Dalton’s papers so he could put his list on Dalton’s desk. “And I stored my suitcase behind your reception desk for safekeeping. If you could have someone book me into a room, I’d like to unpack.”

  “Rosa didn’t show you where you’d be staying?”

  “I haven’t seen anyone. The reception area was deserted, and after waiting a half hour or so, I found the records myself and got started on my own.”

  Dalton’s muscles tightened. He might have been mistaken about Rosa’s integrity, but surely he couldn’t have been that wrong. She wouldn’t ignore Smythe, would she? Had something happened?

  He pulled a folder out from his drawer and thrust it at Smythe. “Staff records. Start with those, and I’ll be back.” Without waiting for the man to protest, he turned and strode out, heading for Tiny’s house.

  Tiny’s front door was hanging open. That alone was enough to make his heart kick up a gear. But when he found every room empty, his worry turned to panic. Where was she?

  As he was running out of the house, he saw someone hurrying down the path toward him. Mere. Thank God.

  “Where’s Tiny?” he called, taking the steps in a single leap.

  “I didn’t know you were here,” said Mere breathlessly. “I was supposed to be watching out for you, but I had to—”

  He reached her and grabbed her upper arms. “Where’s Tiny?”

  “She collapsed. Fainted, I think. She was out for a couple of minutes and seemed okay when she woke up, but Rosa’s taken her to the hospital just in case. We both tried to call you, but couldn’t get through.”

  Dalton clutched at his pocket and realized it was empty. Dammit, he’d left his phone on the speedboat’s console and forgotten it was there. He wouldn’t have heard it ring over the noise of the speedboat’s engine, even if he’d been able to get a signal out on the water.

  “Smythe’s in my office,” he told her. “Book him into a room and get him as much of what he needs as you can find.”

  Mere nodded. “Okay. But the guests in Bure Two have a problem with their water, and—”

  “Just do what you can,” said Dalton, already starting toward the speedboat. “And tell Smythe I’ll call him.”

  As he pulled away from the wharf, pushing the speedboat’s engine as fast as it would go, he cursed under his breath. What if Tiny hadn’t fainted, but had suffered another stroke?

  Why hadn’t he got her off Lantana Island sooner? He should have made her get on a plane and managed the sale of the resort from Sydney. It had been a mistake to stay as long as they had. A mistake he’d correct as soon as he possibly could.

  20

  Dalton found Tiny lying in a hospital bed with Rosa sitting beside her. His sister was awake, but pale, with dark smudges under her eyes.

  Rosa got to her feet when she saw him. “It wasn’t another stroke,” she said. “The doctor said Tiny might just have been dehydrated.”

  Dalton let out a long, relieved breath. “Thank God.”

  Tiny gave him a weak smile. “I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

  “You scared me,” he told her. “What happened?”

  “I fell, that’s all.” She waved one hand. “It was nothing.”

  “Okay.” Dalton could see from Rosa’s face that Tiny was underplaying it. “I’ll go and talk to the doctor. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Rosa got up and followed him out of the ward. Once they were out in the hall with nurses and orderlies bustling past, he pulled her into a quiet corner. “What really happened?” he asked quietly.

  “She was in bed, and I told her the buyer was arriving,” she said, flicking him a guilty look. “I’m sorry. I thought she deserved to know. But she got upset and tried to get up too fast. Her legs crumpled and she hit the floor pretty hard. I think she passed out. When I tried to help her, she didn’t respond for a few minutes.”

  Rosa looked pale, and her eyes were more silver than green, as though all the color had drained out of them. If he wasn’t so damn angry, he’d put his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But he’d told her not to upset Tiny. And her Dalton Project notes were still in his pocket. Had she ever once been honest with him?

  “Did she hit her head?” he asked, keeping his temper with an effort.

  “I don’t think so. She fell forward, onto her knees first, then she tipped. According to the doctor, it was dehydration and low blood sugar, combined with upsetting news.”

  He blew out his breath. “At least it wasn’t more serious.” It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but he was still going to get Tiny on the first plane out of here.

  “There’s the doctor,” said Rosa, indicating a man hurrying along with a clipboard in his hand.

  Dalton stopped him, and the doctor confirmed what Rosa had told him.

  “I’d like to keep her in overnight for observation,” the doctor said. “All going well, you’ll be able to check her out in the morning.”

  “Can she fly?” asked Dalton. “I’d like to get her on a plane to Sydney tomorrow.”

  “I can’t see why not.”

  Rosa was staring at him, her eyes wide. “Tomorrow?”

  “Thanks, doctor,” said Dalton as the man moved away to the next ward. Then Dalton turned to Rosa. “You should go back to the resort now. Smythe is asking for a lot of documents, and Mere won’t know where to find them. Most will be in the filing cabinet in my office, but some…” He stopped. He had to. Her expression was so stricken, the words in his throat faded and died.

  “I don’t understand.” There was a hitch in her voice. “What’s happening?”

  Dalton put his hand in his pocket and touched the piece of paper he’d ripped from her notepad. He wanted to ask her about it, but what was the point? It was easier this way. Better to end it with her now, before things got any more complicated.

  Still, when he spoke again, his tone was gentle. “As soon as they discharge Tiny, I’m taking her to Sydney. I want you to be in charge of the resort until the sale goes through. I’ll send people to pack up Tiny’s things for her.” He stopped again. Rosa’s face was pale and she was worrying her hands together in front of her. “Are you okay?” He touched her arm. “You need to sit down?”

  “So that’s it?” she asked. “It’s all over?”

  “It has to end. Surely you get that n
ow?” He kept his hand on her arm to steady her. “I’ll make sure Smythe gives you at least three months, but there’s a good chance he’ll keep you on permanently. I can’t see him wanting to take over the role himself.”

  “No.” She shook her head, frowning. “How can you sell the place when Tiny hasn’t agreed to it? You can’t do it.”

  “I don’t need her to agree. I can sell it anyway.”

  “What?”

  “It’s complicated. But I can legally take control of the resort and sign the papers.”

  Rosa was staring at him as though she’d never seen him before. Her voice rose. “But you wouldn’t do that, would you? Does she know? Have you told her?”

  “Not yet. That conversation’s only going to upset her again, but now I’ll have to tell her, and she’ll have to accept it. I intend to save her life, whether she wants me to or not.”

  Rosa’s lip pushed out in a stubborn expression that reminded him of Tiny’s. She was still pale, but her back had straightened and her contrite gaze had turned into a glare. “That’s not fair. Today was scary, but not serious. You can’t sell her home behind her back.”

  “Once she’s in Sydney, she’ll realize how much better it is for her there.”

  “Look, I agree she should go to Sydney. But if you decide for her, you’re saying her opinion doesn’t matter. You’re treating her like a child.”

  “Then she should stop acting like a child.”

  Rosa’s eyes widened. She stepped forward to jab her finger at his chest. “You refuse to listen to what she wants, because your mind was made up from day one. You never gave her a chance. You never gave the island a chance. And you’re not giving us a chance.”

  “There is no us.” A rush of outrage made his response sharp. “The whole thing between us was a plan you cooked up with my sister. The Dalton Project. You really thought if you slept with me, I’d change my mind?”

  Her cheeks went even redder and her voice rose. “How dare you? Okay, I admit I was trying to get you to like the island so you’d want to stay. But I never wanted anything to happen between us. I knew all along it was a bad idea, because you’re such a selfish jerk you can’t let your sister live her life her way.” She was trembling with rage now, and some of the nurses had stopped what they were doing and turned to stare. “You have to control everything and everyone, don’t you?”

  “Shh,” he said. “Keep your voice down. This is a hospital.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.” Her volume didn’t drop. “You’re not in charge of me.”

  “That’s clear.” He shook his head. Even now, he couldn’t stop staring at her with a kind of awe. She was wild, and stubborn, and he couldn’t imagine she’d ever see sense. But her eyes were incandescent, and her spirit was too big to be contained in such a small body.

  “Dalton, don’t you know how I feel about you? But I can’t be with someone who’d—”

  “I told you, I don’t do complicated. Besides, how can I believe a word you say?”

  “That’s unfair, and you know it. I’d never use sex to get something I want.”

  Her volume switch was still turned up too high, and the word ‘sex’ seemed to echo down the halls. Pretty soon the nurses would be cooking up popcorn and pulling up chairs.

  Dalton shook his head. She was impossible to reason with and completely wrong for him. It was going to be difficult enough getting Tiny on that plane without Rosa’s disruptive influence. He had to get her out of here.

  “Come on. You need to get back to Lantana.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the exit. “I’ll get you a water taxi.”

  She yanked her hand from his grip and started back toward the ward. “I’m going to talk to Tiny. She has a right to know—”

  “Stop.” He put one arm up in front of her to create a barrier, his hand against the wall. “You can’t. Tiny already collapsed because you upset her. If you rush in there like this—”

  “Because I upset her?” Rosa glared at him, both hands on her hips. “Because I told her what you were doing behind her back.”

  “Can’t you ever, just once, do what I ask?”

  “Not if you’re wrong.”

  “Would you let it go already?” His temper was rising. “This time, you don’t get to do whatever the hell you want.”

  “So, I should only do what you want? What a surprise.”

  He reigned in the rise in his own voice with an effort. “I won’t let you see her again unless you’re calm and reasonable.”

  “You think you can stop me?” She shoved the arm still blocking her way, and he tensed to keep it where it was. With a furious exclamation, she rounded on him. “I’m calm, See? Cool as the Fonz.”

  He waited, keeping his arm up, until she let out a long, frustrated breath and slumped with her back against the wall. The anger drained out of her as quickly as it had arrived.

  “Okay, you win. I give up.”

  There was a note in her voice he’d never heard before, and had never expected to hear. Defeat and resignation. Coming from her, it sounded all wrong. And it made his own anger fade just as fast.

  “Please don’t do this,” she said softly. “If you make her leave, you’ll break her heart.” Her eyes were luminous and wide, her expression so open and vulnerable, it hurt to look at her.

  Dalton couldn’t breathe. His chest was bound with iron bars. He wanted to reach out and touch her cheek, but he clenched his fists, fighting the urge. Arguing with himself.

  If he gave into it, he could fix all this. He could have what he now knew he wanted. He could have Rosa. And Tiny would be happy, at least for today.

  But at what price? Tiny would stay on Lantana, and without the help she needed, she’d be withdrawn and miserable, slowly pulling further away from him like his father had. And if she had another stroke, it would be his fault. Another unforgivable mistake.

  It took him forever to form words and force them out through the tightness of his throat. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is the way it has to be.”

  The words landed on Rosa like a blow, and he saw her flinch. His arm dropped because he didn’t have the strength to hold it up any more, but she made no move to rush back into Tiny’s room.

  “Then you’ll have to tell her goodbye from me.” Her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were transparent and he could see the tears trembling behind them. He could also see her fighting to keep them in, refusing to let them overflow. She turned slowly, her back ramrod straight, and walked slowly to the door. Her chin was high, and her movement stiff. Every step she took sent a fresh pain coursing through his chest.

  He didn’t stop her. “This is the way it has to be,” he murmured again, although there was nobody to hear it but him.

  21

  “Can I get you anything?” asked Dalton, hoping Tiny would say yes. If only she’d show an interest in something. Anything. At this point, he’d even pour her a glass of whisky if she asked for it.

  Tiny shook her head. Her therapy was done for the day, and now she was slumped in an armchair in the house Dalton had bought for them. From her chair, she had a good view of Sydney Harbor, but Tiny obviously wasn’t enjoying the view. Her eyes were as dull as her expression.

  They’d been in Sydney for ten days, and Tiny was on a rigorous schedule. Though Dalton was realistic about how long her recovery might take, and how much better she’d get, it was heartening to see she was already making great progress. Though her words were still slurred, she was articulating herself better, using longer sentences and forgetting words less often.

  She also cried even more than she had in Lantana, and she talked to him a lot less.

  He sunk into the chair opposite her. The last thing he wanted to do was act happy when all he could do every damn minute was think about Rosa. But for Tiny’s sake, he needed to pretend everything was fine, so he forced a note of cheer into his voice. “I spoke to Doctor Cooper again today and he’s finally agreed to meet with me. He’s the best, the one
I told you about who’s been doing amazing things. I’m wearing him down, and I’m pretty sure I can get him to take you on as a patient.”

  Tiny gave no sign she’d heard him, but stared straight ahead with a glazed look in her eyes. He couldn’t stand that look. It made him want to shake her.

  His phone rang and he tugged it out of his pocket with a feeling of relief. Between Tiny’s misery and missing Rosa, he’d take any distraction he could get.

  “Frank,” he said when he answered it. “Did it all go through?” The last few days, he’d spent every waking minute managing the company takeover. Today, Frank should have banked the profits.

  “A hundred percent.” His company manager laughed. “Check the bank account, then open the champagne. It’s time to celebrate.”

  Sure enough, when Dalton pulled up his company’s accounts, the number of zeros was impressive. He stared at the numbers, waiting for a sense of joy, or accomplishment, or… well, anything. Frank had sounded happy. So why did Dalton feel empty?

  He glanced up at Tiny. Truth was, right now he’d give away the whole damn lot if it would put one real smile on his sister’s face.

  In his email was a notification of another transfer that had gone through today. Another impressive amount he’d had wired directly into his sister’s account.

  “Payment came through for the resort,” he said to Tiny. “You’re a rich woman.”

  Her gaze flicked to him, but her voice was toneless. “That’s your money.”

  “No, it’s yours. You’re the one who ran the resort all those years. I don’t want a penny of it.”

  She blinked and for the first time, he saw a flicker of interest in her eyes. “Okay. Then I’ll buy a ticket back to Lantana.”

  “What?” He shook his head. “Tiny, you know you can’t go back. You’re getting better here. Your neurologist says he’s seeing results, and you must be happy to be walking so much easier.

  She sucked in a loud breath, then let it out again, slumping even further as though the effort had exhausted her. “Let me go.” Her voice was soft, but her gaze was fixed on his.