by Amelia Judd
He quirked an eyebrow.
“I mean,” she hurried to add, “do you want me for more than a night?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.” She hopped down from the stool to stand in front of Pax.
“We both know there is something between us.” He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. As if thinking better of the contact, he pulled back and shoved both of his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “But if I asked you to stay, I don’t think you would. And if you’re not willing to give it a shot…” He shrugged. “Then what I want doesn’t matter.”
Sage felt her face drain of blood and her fingertips go numb. Had Pax just suggested she move to Costa Rica? Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She might be close to falling for him, but he hadn’t said anything about love or commitment.
A painful vision of her childhood flashed through her mind. The spring of her sixth-grade year, her mother had moved them from Chicago to St. Louis to live with Clive Clumenaur, an artist she’d been dating for two whole weeks.
The transition had been incredibly hard for Sage. She’d missed her friends, her school, even their small apartment back in Chicago. By the winter, of course, her mom’s relationship with the guy had ended in one final supernova blowup. So her mom moved them back to Chicago to hook up with the guy she’d dumped to move in with Clive in the first place.
A different version of the same story repeated three more times through junior high and high school. It had been a horrible way to live. The constant fear of being uprooted again, never having a true home. Sage couldn’t do it again. She valued stability, and stability required commitment—not attraction, or lust, or whatever it was that Pax felt for her.
“Give it a shot?” She tipped her chin up and ignored the vise closing around her heart. “Are you suggesting I quit my job and move to Costa Rica so we can ‘give it a shot?’ What the hell does that even mean? We go on a few dates and reevaluate? What if you get sick of me in two weeks or two months or two years? Where does that leave me? In a foreign country. No boyfriend. No job. No home.”
She clamped her mouth shut and glared at him. She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. She needed to get control before she hyperventilated or cursed him out or pulled a total girl move and hurled one of his oversized throw pillows at his head.
Hands still in his pockets, Pax stared back at her with a resigned expression. “I understand.”
His emotionless response drained her anger faster than she thought possible. Had she actually thought he’d profess his love and beg her to stay? If so, she was a bigger fool now than she’d been six years ago.
“Maybe I should leave?”
“My home or Costa Rica?” he asked in a tight voice.
“Both. I emailed my preliminary analysis of La Vida to Will yesterday. I can use the information I’ve gathered to prepare the final report from home.”
Pax’s jaw clenched and he nodded in silent acceptance.
Sage’s heart squeezed even harder in her chest. She turned to leave before she did something really stupid like start crying.
“Sage, wait. I don’t want—” Pax froze and his gaze flew to the door. His body went rigid. “What the hell?”
A knock on the front door triggered a hazy memory that dropped her stomach to her toes.
Before either of them could move, a lilting female voice drifted in the open windows on the warm ocean breeze.
“Paxton, dear, are you home?”
Chapter 11
Unbelievable. Talk about the worst freaking timing ever. Pax’s stress level couldn’t handle any more blasts from his past.
“He must be home. Katherine said that was his car.” The familiar male voice sent another jolt of tension up his spine.
Damn. It was worse than he thought.
He leaned close to Sage since his open windows left nothing in the way of privacy. “This isn’t over,” he whispered. “Don’t leave Costa Rica. Not yet.”
Chewing on her lower lip, Sage nodded, and then her gaze darted from the front door to the trail leading away from his house.
“Don’t even think about it,” he warned. “No way am I facing them alone.”
“Try to be patient. They really do love you.”
“Huh. I just don’t get why they’re here,” he mumbled more to himself than to her.
Sage made a strangled sound beside him.
He dropped his gaze to her. “What?”
“There’s a chance that I kind of, maybe, sort of invited them to visit.”
“You’re kidding me. When?” he demanded stepping toward her.
She shuffled backwards, cringing. “Last night. From your phone. I may have sent an email inviting them.”
“May have?”
“Okay. I did,” she admitted in a rush.
“You sent it from my phone. Do they think it was from me?” His voice shot up a notch.
“Maybe. I signed your name on the email.” She stepped around the couch in an obvious attempt to put space and furniture between them. “In my defense, I was a little tipsy when I sent it, and I didn’t think they would get here until I’d already left.”
“That wouldn’t make it any better,” he roared.
She shrugged. “It would have for me. I think it’s best if you spend some quality alone time with your parents. I’ll see you later.”
Before he could stop her, Sage sped through his backyard and down the trail leading to the resort.
Unbelievable. First Kat and now this. He really would kill Sage this time. He rubbed a rough hand through his hair and counted to ten. Then he counted to ten again and grudgingly walked to the front door at the sound of a more demanding second knock.
Pax swung the door open. His smiling mother and stone-faced father stood directly in front of him with large suitcases at their sides.
“Oh, Paxton! It’s so good to see you!” His mom rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a much stronger embrace than you would expect from such a slender woman. Then again, no one had ever called Ann Bennett weak. “We are so glad you finally invited us to visit. I hope it’s okay that we came so quickly. We just couldn’t wait any longer to see it for ourselves.”
She released him but only took a small step away. “Isn’t that right, Richard?” she asked in a tone that brooked no argument.
Pax looked at his dad. Richard Bennett had always been a big man, his presence commanding attention. But now, even though it had only been a few years since he last saw him, Richard’s hair looked grayer than black, and his face had thinned with age. He appeared healthy, just not quite as large as he used to seem.
His dad cleared his throat. “Yes, I wanted to see what made this place so damn special.” Under his breath he added, “It must be great since you gave up everything for it.”
And here we go again.
“Richard, we’re here to support Paxton’s dreams, not to create problems for him. Remember that, or I’ll call the jet to take you home immediately.”
Pax raised an eyebrow. “You have a jet now?”
“Oh no, no. Owning a private jet alone is very expensive.” His mom leaned around him to peek inside. “We share it with three other families. We have to juggle our schedule around theirs.”
“Hmm. Sounds rough.” Pax tried to keep a straight face.
His mom swatted his arm playfully. “I know full well how privileged we are to have this lifestyle. But don’t forget, I grew up on a farm. I learned about hard work and sacrifice at an early age. You never forget those lessons.” With that, his mom stepped past him to walk fully into his home and, up until that moment, his sanctuary. “Don’t mind me, I’m going to show myself around.”
“You get it from her, you know?” His dad shuffled uncomfortably. “Still beats the hell out of me why you choose to do things the hard way.” He bent down and picked up his suitcase before following his wife into Pax’s home.
Half in shock
, Pax remained immobile at his front door as his parents wandered around his living room and backyard. First Sage, then Kat, and now his parents. How had all the disappointment and heartache he’d left in Silver Bay found him here?
His mom stepped back into the house from the outdoor living area. “There are two glasses on the counter. Are you entertaining?”
Only the thought of running away. “No.”
“You would get more afternoon sun on the pool if you put it on the other side of your yard,” his dad yelled from the backyard. “Ever thought about moving it?”
Pax grimaced and raked a hand through his hair. “No.”
“Dear, can you show me where your guest room is? I’d like to unpack and freshen up before dinner. Kat invited us to the hacienda tonight, and Sage is here too. It will be just like old times! Won’t that be fun?”
No. Pax gritted his teeth, stepped from his front door, and led the way to his guest room.
Family could be such a pain in the ass.
•••
Sage slipped from bed before sunrise and tiptoed to the bathroom, hoping not to disturb Kat. Halfway through her shower, she realized she hadn’t scanned her bathroom for unwanted reptilian visitors when she first entered. Hmm. The jungle bathroom must be growing on her…
When she crept from the villa thirty minutes later, soft dawn light filtered through the trees and the boisterous calls of the native birds greeted her. She grinned, enjoying the warm breeze that rustled the leaves and swished her hair about her shoulders as she followed the path to the hacienda.
When she reached the hacienda, sounds of activity and the smell of fresh bread drifted from the kitchen. She took a deep breath, tipped her chin up, and pulled her shoulders back. She couldn’t show any fear if her plan was going to work.
Sage stepped into the kitchen, which gleamed with natural stone countertops and high-end stainless steel appliances. She scanned the room until her gaze landed on the chef. Susanna was furiously chopping peppers and barking orders in Spanish at the same time. Though Sage cringed inwardly at the knife in the chef’s hand, she couldn’t back down now.
“Buenos días, Susanna. I’d like your permission to make chocolate croissants for the guests.”
Susanna lifted her eyes from the dish she’d been preparing and wiped her hands on her apron. Without saying a word, she stared at Sage with an intensity that made her gut clench. Sage held the other woman’s gaze and bit down on the inside of her bottom lip. She couldn’t lose this stare down.
After what felt like an hour, but was likely less than a minute, Susanna gave a full-bodied sigh. Then she dipped her head as if granting her royal approval and pointed to an open work space.
“Gracias.” Sage hurried to get started before the almighty ruler of the kitchen changed her regal mind.
Sage gathered the supplies and the recipe card for the chocolate croissants. She knew croissants were difficult to make and that many amateur and even some experienced bakers refused to attempt them. Luckily, she had an innate talent for baking, and while the recipe looked complicated and would take a lot of time to make, it seemed doable.
She’d always found peace in the kitchen and today was no exception. With her hands in dough, her mind wandered to the previous evening.
After the near silent treatment that the Bennett boys had pulled at dinner last night, Sage had serious doubts about her reckless invitation. Neither son nor dad said more than “pass the wine” the entire time. Once the brief, awkward dinner had finished, everyone had looked pretty relieved to go their separate ways for the rest of the evening.
Sage knew how difficult and unsupportive Richard had always been about Pax’s dream of building La Vida. She also knew Richard hadn’t asked for, and might not even deserve, a second chance, but she still hoped Pax would give him one.
After the painful dinner, she had decided to try her hand at making the chocolate croissants Pax mentioned loving so much. She figured she owed him that much since she’d sent a falsified invitation to his borderline estranged parents and all.
“Are you doing it right?”
Sage jumped at the sound of Susanna’s voice behind her.
“I think so. I’m about to put the dough in the refrigerator. I’ll clean up here and be back to work on the next step of the recipe when it’s chilled.”
Susanna nodded. “This looks good. Maybe better than mine. You can make them tomorrow too,” she added as she walked away.
Sage smiled to herself, confident this was Susanna’s version of lavish praise.
“She likes you.”
She looked up. Pax stood leaning against the arched doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m winning her over one baked good at a time.” She finished wrapping the dough and placed it in the industrial-sized refrigerator. “How are you doing this morning?”
Pax groaned, dipped his head, and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I keep thinking karma’s done with me, but then she gets one more kick in when I’m not looking.”
“Your dad being a pain?”
“For the most part, he’s silent and scowling. So Mom is filling the silence with constant chatter about things I never needed or wanted to know.” Pax began to pace the kitchen. “She told me all about the knee pain Dr. Cambridge, Silver Bay’s longtime veterinarian, has been dealing with. She also told me my sisters started puberty late so she thinks that’s why they look so young for their age.”
Sage grinned.
“It’s not funny,” Pax grumbled, his brow furrowed. “No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be able to forget that information.”
“How long are they staying?”
He locked his gaze on hers, suddenly serious. “They leave in two days.”
The same day she left.
“Why did you do it?” he asked.
She didn’t bother pretending to not understand his question. “Because La Vida is special. What you’re doing here, with the community and with your guests, is really great. You deserve to keep her.”
“My loan—”
“Won’t get approved,” Sage interrupted gently. “Without a larger down payment, there’s a good chance Pembrock will deny your application.”
“Is that why you brought them here?” Pax’s voice rose in anger. “You want me to ask Mommy and Daddy for money? Damn it, Sage, I thought you knew me better than that.”
“You spend your time trying to show people that it’s good to both give and receive help.” Sage stepped toward him, her voice also rising in frustration. “Doesn’t that apply to you? Are you too good to get help from people who love you? Jeez-o-Pete, Pax, we all need help sometimes.”
“Not from him.” Pax shoved his fisted hands into his pockets and shook his head. “He doesn’t want to help me.”
“And I didn’t want to come to Costa Rica or ride a horse through the jungle or shower in a bathroom wide-open to slimy reptiles or learn to surf, but I did all those things. And guess what?” She paused, shaking her head in wonder as a grin tugged at her lips. “I’m happy I did.”
Pax sighed. “I’ve fought with him for years. He won’t change his mind.”
“You don’t know that. Show him La Vida. Give him a chance.”
“I’ll try.” Pax dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck again. “But we might kill each other if we have to live together for the next two days.”
“You’re a creative, resourceful, intelligent man. I’m sure you can find a way to get space from your parents.”
His head shot up and a devilish gleam lit his eyes. “You’re right. I run a resort after all.” With palpable excitement, Pax spun on his heel. “I’ll catch you in a bit,” he said over his shoulder and charged from the room.
“Oh boy,” Sage murmured to herself. She really hoped his excitement didn’t involve evicting her and Kat from their villa so his parents could stay there instead. Sure, she probably deserved it after interfering with his life the way she h
ad. She chewed her lip. Hopefully, his generous nature would beat back any thoughts of revenge he might be harboring.
She finished cleaning her work area, slipped the apron from around her neck, and hung it on one of the hooks mounted along the wall. In the main room, she spotted Brick at the coffee bar. He stood with a cup in his hand, staring toward the outdoor tables with a frown settled between his eyes.
She joined him at the bar and began filling her own cup of steaming, fragrant coffee from the thermos. “Something wrong?” she asked him.
Brick shifted his eyes to her. “Oh, hi, little lady. Didn’t see you there.” He took a drink of his coffee and looked back to the area he’d been staring at before. “I’m wondering why Pax is kicking that couple out of La Vida.”
“What?” Sage followed Brick’s line of sight and saw Pax deep in conversation with the older couple she’d seen around the resort all week. “What’s he doing?”
“He’s asking them to move to a different hotel for the rest of the week. He’s never done anything like this before. He must be real desperate to free up their villa. He would have to be to risk an annual.”
“An annual?”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s what we call the guests who come back every year.”
Holy buckets. Sage fiddled with the necklace she’d slipped on that morning as Mr. and Mrs. Floral Print and Pax rose from the table and shook hands. Thankfully, no one appeared angry or offended. In fact, they all seemed quite happy if their smiling faces were to be believed.
As the couple moved down the path toward the villas, Pax headed directly toward her, a look of triumph written in big, bold print across his handsome face.
He stopped directly in front of her but looked at Brick. “Can you drive the Kiplingers to their new hotel? They’re leaving shortly.”
“Sure, boss.” Brick set his coffee on the bar and took off in the same direction the couple had just headed.
Pax turned to her with a satisfied expression. “The Kiplingers are going to finish the rest of their stay at a five-star resort not far from here. My parents can move to their villa after we return from zip-lining this afternoon.”