by Jenna Brandt
“Because Wade, you’re wasting your true talent. I’m not saying you aren’t a wonderful baker who makes gorgeous cakes, but your true gift is painting. Your natural ability to use light and colors the way you do, is only seen a handful of times in a generation. It’s a shame no one took you under their wing and guided you when you were first starting out. Maybe you wouldn’t have given up on your gift if that had happened.”
“I’m honored that you feel that way about my art,” Wade said, his heart filling with warmth at the high praise from his idol.
“Not just your art, Wade. Now that I’ve gotten to know you, I see that you’re just as special as your art is.”
“I’m truly touched, Ian. I can’t tell you how much all of this means to me,” Wade said, choking back the tears that were threatening to fall. “I often doubted myself, thinking that I had been special for a small town, but once I got to New York, I just wasn’t good enough to make it.”
“I want to encourage you to pursue your gift, and to never doubt yourself. I will be by your side every step of the way if you do. It’s never too late to follow your passion.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying a meal together on the veranda. Once it was over, Ian stood from the table.
“Why don’t the two of you go for a walk in my garden before heading back to the island,” Ian suggested.
“I’d like that.” Wade reached out his hand to Tara. She placed hers in his, allowing him to guide her out into the cool evening air.
“So, how was your first birthday with the club?” Tara inquired, allowing her hand to remain in his even though she knew she shouldn’t.
“Better than I could have ever imagined,” he admitted with a grin. “I haven’t felt this happy in a long time.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said, returning his smile. “I love when I can make a guest’s experience wonderful.”
“You did, but it wasn’t just what you planned,” he said, stopping for a moment and pulling her towards him. “It’s you, Tara. You’ve made this the best experience of my life.”
Her eyes drifted up to meet his and she could tell he truly meant it. “Then I guess I’ve done my job expertly.”
“Is that all this is to you, just a job?”
She shook her head, even though she knew she shouldn’t admit it; she couldn’t help herself. “No, it’s more than that.”
Wade’s head dipped down until his lips touched hers. His kiss was like a tender caress, and it made Tara melt into his arms. She knew she shouldn’t let it continue, but it felt too good to pull away.
Romantic music started to play throughout the garden, causing Tara to pull back slightly and look around in confusion. “Where is that coming from?”
Wade chuckled, looking around the area, then pointed to several places. “There are loudspeakers sprinkled throughout the garden. I think Ian is back at his matchmaking attempts again. I think he’s hinting for us to dance.”
“I thought you said you weren’t a dancer,” Tara questioned with skepticism.
“I said I didn’t need to take lessons, and that’s because I already know how. I learned to dance for business events,” he explained, as he gathered her into his arms. “Most of the time, I don’t want to dance, but right now, here with you, there’s nothing I want more.”
They swayed to the rhythm of the music, their movements becoming one. Tara could feel his heart beating against her own chest, and she could swear hers matched the pace of his. She leaned her head against his shoulder, enjoying the feel of being in his arms.
“I really can’t believe all of this happened by chance,” Wade said, the shock still audible in his voice.
“Maybe it wasn’t by chance, Wade, maybe all of this was supposed to happen for a reason,” Tara pointed out, lifting her head up to look into his eyes. “When I set up your experience based off your questionnaire and dossier, I had no idea who bought the painting from your art show or its’ connection to Ian. I didn’t know that this was going to turn out the way it did, but I can’t help but believe it was meant to be. I’m not sure how you feel about God, but I have a strong faith. I think He planned all of this to help you come back to your first love.”
“I believe in God, too, but I haven’t always been the best about making my faith a priority.”
“That doesn’t matter to God. He loves us regardless of what we do, or don’t do.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“It’s okay. God is patient with us. He gave you that gift, knowing you were meant to use it. You might have taken a break from using it for a while, but it doesn’t have to be forever,” Tara said, stepping out of his arms and moving over to take a seat on one of the benches underneath a nearby tree.
“I get that God would want me to use my gift, but what if I start painting again and no one likes my art? What if the critics say I’m a celebrity just trying to work another angle?” He slumped into the spot next to her and crossed his arms. “I don’t know if I could take rejection like that again.”
“But you deal with rejection all of the time with your show, I’m sure. Not everyone is a fan of baking competitions.”
“That’s different. Though I enjoy baking, I never really considered it a part of my soul like I did my art.”
“You know, your hero sees something in your paintings, and he’s an expert. Doesn’t his opinion and support count the most?”
“You’re right. His opinion does make me re-think what I’ve let go of.” Wade glanced over at Tara, a vulnerable look in his eyes. “What do you think of my art?”
“It’s breathtaking,” she said, wanting to reassure him of how wonderful she thought it was. “I couldn’t take my eyes off the painting you gave me, not to mention all the ones I’ve seen while I researched you.” She swallowed a couple of times, then added, “and especially the one today. I nearly cried when I looked at it. I could tell it was done with so much love.”
“It was one of my favorites, but at the time, I needed the money to stay in New York. I had been flattered that anyone wanted to buy it. I’ve always regretted letting it go.”
Tara wondered if he just meant the painting, or the woman in it. She knew it wasn’t her place to care, but she couldn’t help but feel jealous over the woman who so clearly captivated his heart. She had to know who she was and what happened between them. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out the question, “Who was the woman in the painting?”
“It was a long time ago, and she’s gone now,” Wade said in a low tone as he averted his eyes and looked down at the ground.
“I’m sorry, it sounds like it’s still painful.”
“It is, and I don’t want to talk about it.” He stood up from the bench and started to move away, saying over his shoulder, “I think we should be heading back to the plane.”
By Wade’s reaction, Tara could tell he still loved the woman in the painting. She respected his request not to discuss it anymore. From his clear reverence of her, Tara knew she was making the right decision in blocking anything romantic with Wade. Even though she couldn’t deny she had feelings for him, she refused to let herself get involved when his heart clearly belonged to someone else.
Everything was snapping into focus. When she had done her research about Wade, she had wondered why he never dated anyone long-term. Now it was so obvious, he’d never gotten over the loss of his ex. How could he commit to another person when he was clearly still in love with the woman in the painting? It didn’t matter anyway. She needed to focus on her career, and getting mixed up with a guest was the worst thing she could do for it. She only had the flight back and the obligation to make sure Wade made it safely off the island. Once that occurred, she would never have to see or think about him again.
“Before you go, I want to tell you one more time, how glad I am that I got to meet you, Wade,” Ian said, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. “Don’t give up on your dreams, laddie, and make room for new ones
while you’re at it.”
Ian ended the hug, then turned his attention to Tara. “And you, lassie, I want you to make room for more than just your career,” he said, pulling her into an embrace as well, adding as he whispered in her ear. “I think there’s something special between you and Wade; lean into that.”
Tara pulled back and averted her eyes, choosing not to directly respond to what the elderly man said. She liked and respected Ian, but he didn’t understand why it wouldn’t work between her and Wade. “Thank you for having us, Ian. You were wonderful to do all that you have.”
“Any time, any time,” Ian said with a wide grin. “I hope you will both come back and visit me soon.”
Wade tried to make conversation with her on the limo ride and flight back to the island. Tara was polite and answered all of his questions, but she kept her emotional distance from him. It was time she started treating him just like any other guest of the club.
“Is something the matter, Tara? You’ve seemed off since we left Ian’s place,” Wade observed, coming to sit next to her on the couch in the lounge.
She shook her head, leaning away from him and yawning. “I’m fine. It’s just been a long few days. I think we should both get some rest for the remainder of the flight.”
“I was thinking we could pick back up in our Star Wars marathon where we left off earlier,” Wade suggested.
“You’re more than welcome to, and I can have one of the flight attendants set it up, but I really think I need to rest right now.” Tara avoided looking into his eyes, knowing she would see confusion in them. If she wasn’t careful, he would suck her right back in and she would find herself agreeing to go with him.
“All right then, I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” Wade said, standing up from the couch. “Goodnight, Tara.”
“Goodnight, Mr. McAllister,” she said, laying down and resting her head on one of the pillows with her eyes shut.
Chapter Seven
Tara had a restless night’s sleep. She knew it was because of the guilt she felt over how she had treated Wade the night before, but she couldn’t help herself. It was important that she re-establish boundaries with him before it was too late. Continuing on that course of action, she made sure she got up before he did and asked the chef to prepare breakfast. She ate quickly, knowing that he would want her to eat with him.
When he came out of the suite, he seemed surprised to see her up and ready for the day. “Did I miss something? Are we getting back earlier than expected?”
She shook her head. “No, I just decided to get up early this morning and get a head start on the day. Breakfast is ready for you,” she said, gesturing to the table. “Help yourself and I’ll be back in a bit to check on you.” Without waiting for a response, Tara quickly scurried from the room.
She really didn’t have any pressing work to do. She kept herself busy in another part of the jet, however, preparing for her next guest who would be arriving in a couple of days. When she heard the pilot announce that they would be landing shortly, she made her way back to the lounge.
“How was breakfast, Mr. McAllister?”
“It was great,” Wade said with a frown, adding, “But I’m not sure why you’ve gone back to using my last name, Tara. What’s going on? You’ve been acting funny since last night.”
Tara shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. “Nothing’s going on. You had a fun time on an island getaway, and soon you’ll be headed back to the real world. I’m a smart enough girl to know not to read anything more into this than what it was.”
“Tara, I don’t think—”
Before he could finish what he was going to say, one of the flight attendants came into the room to inform them that they needed to be seated and buckled in.
Relief flooded Tara, knowing she wouldn’t have to argue with Wade about what had gone on between them. It was better if things ended on a polite, professional note, rather than stir something up that was doomed to fail.
An hour later, they were safely back at the resort.
“I have you booked on an afternoon flight, Mr. McAllister, departing at 4:30,” Tara said, glancing down at her watch. “I hope you enjoyed your birthday celebration here at the club.” Wade opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Tara’s phone buzzed. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “I have to go, Mr. McAllister, my boss is calling. Have a safe flight back to New York.”
Once she was out of ear shot, she swiped the screen and lifted the phone to her ear. “Good morning, Mr. Augustine, I just got back with Mr. McAllister after wrapping up his celebration. He was very happy with it.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but I need you to come into my office right away. Marilyn knows to be expecting you.”
Uh-oh, from the somber tone in his voice, she knew it wasn’t good news causing him to call her into his office. “I’m on my way, sir,” Tara said, changing directions from heading to the monorail for the staff villa and over to the elevator banks that led to her boss’s office at the top of the resort.
As Tara stepped out of the elevator and walked down the long corridor, she felt like she was marching to her own death. Did someone complain? Had she done something wrong? Was Mr. Augustine going to fire her?
“Hello, Tara,” Marilyn said with an obviously forced smile, as she came into the reception area. “Mr. Augustine is waiting for you.”
When the middle-aged woman mouthed, “I’m sorry” to her, Tara knew for certain she was in trouble. She steeled herself for the verbal lashing she was about to receive.
“Miss Wilson, take a seat,” said the tall, dark-haired man with olive skin and dark eyes from his spot behind his expensive cherry-wood desk.
Tara did as she was ordered, gripping her hands in her lap. She wanted to ask what this was about, but she knew it was better if she let him talk. Depending what this was about, she was better to see what he knew, than give anything else away without knowing it.
“Miss Wilson, I know you are aware of our strict no fraternizing with the guests rule here at the club. Not only did you receive the employee handbook, but you signed our employee agreement citing the rules.” Mr. Augustine pulled out a form and slid it across to her. “That is your signature, correct?”
“Yes, sir, it is,” she said, glancing at the paper.
“Then why is it that I heard from several employees that you appeared to be on a date with Mr. McAllister a couple of nights ago? One employee even swears he saw you kissing our guest in the garden.”
“Mr. Augustine, I can explain. None of it was initiated by me. I even pulled away when Mr. McAllister kissed me.”
“Did he force you? Because we have strict rules against guests misbehaving, as well. If he did, he will be kicked out of the club.”
Tara shook her head, her cheeks flaming red with embarrassment over her lack of good judgment where Wade McAllister was concerned. “No, it was nothing like that.”
“So, it was consensual, then?” Mr. Augustine asked.
Tara pressed her lips together, thinking about how she should respond. Lying would only make it worse. “Mr. Augustine, I know how this appears, and I understand why you would be upset. You know, however, from my references and my past employment history, nothing like this has ever happened with me before.”
“I should fire you right on the spot,” her boss said, crossing his arms over his chest. “It would remind everyone that I don’t tolerate this kind of conduct with my employees.”
“You could, and I wouldn’t argue, but you’ve seen how well I’ve done for the guests these past two weeks. You’ve seen what I have planned for your upcoming guests in the coming month. No one can do this job better than me.”
Mr. Augustine narrowed his eyes. He stood up and moved over to his bar and poured himself a drink. “You’re lucky you’re as good at your job as you are, Miss Wilson. If you weren’t, you’d be done here at the Billionaire Birthday Club. For now, I’m putting you on the tightest probation you’ve ever be
en on. One more mistake, even the tiniest, and you’ll be done. Do I make myself clear?”
She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Augustine. I promise I won’t fail you again.”
“Good, get out of here, before I change my mind.”
“Thank you,” Tara said, scrambling from her seat and leaving the room as quickly as she could.
As she headed back to her place at the employee villa, Tara was grateful she still had her job. Once she was changed and in a new suit, she was going back to the resort to get ready for her next guest. She had a boss to impress, and nothing was going to get in the way of that, especially Wade McAllister.
As Wade was packing the last of his things to return to New York, his mind kept drifting back to his time at the club. It hadn’t been at all what he expected, but it was exactly what he needed. It turns out that what was missing from his life was two things. The first was revealed more quickly than the second. From the moment he picked up a paintbrush again, he knew that he had made a mistake when he stopped painting. He had many questions about how it was going to fit into his current life, but he realized he owed it to his talent to figure out a way to make it work.
The second missing piece from his life came into focus more slowly. Over the past few days, he realized that he had closed his heart off to the possibility of love. Yes, he had dated women back in New York, but he’d always kept it casual, never letting anything develop past a certain point. Somehow, Tara had managed to get past all of his defenses. There was something about her that made him want to give them a real chance.
Wade shut his suitcase and called on the phone for the bellhop, then handed off his luggage once the young man arrived. He glanced around the presidential suite, debating what he should do next. If he left without talking to Tara first, he knew he would always regret it. She was the type of woman that only came around once in a lifetime. He didn’t want to walk away without at least seeing if she were willing to give them a shot at a relationship.