by Tracy March
“I’ll remind you that your bonus isn’t dependent upon the quality of the marketing campaign,” the Queen said flatly. “We’ll worry about that. You’ll earn your bonus only if Trent ends up with a fiancée.”
Cyn nodded as if she didn’t already have a death-grip on that little fact. “I have a good feeling about Naomi Longworth.”
“I do, too. That’s why I chose her.” The Queen shook her head slowly. “But Trent is the one who has to have a good feeling about her, not us.” She drummed her fingers on the top of the desk. “I am getting worried now that we’re down to two girls.” She pointed at Cyn. “You’ll need to be more persuasive this time.”
Cyn tensed. “More persuasive?”
“Both you and Naomi will be arriving in time for dinner on Friday. Instead of just a meet-and-greet like you had with Ava, let’s plan for you and Naomi to have dinner together, too. She already has some information about Trent, but you can give her insider tips and insight. That way, she’ll be even more intrigued by him when they meet on Saturday.”
Cyn furrowed her brow and forced herself to think before she spoke. “If I had insider tips and insight about dating, I wouldn’t be single myself. You have no idea how much I want to earn that bonus, but I might not be the one for this part of the job. I mean, I’ve planned the date Trent wants—”
“The insider tips and insight wouldn’t be about dating. I’d imagine Naomi is familiar with how that works. You’d be sharing information about Trent.”
“But I hardly know him,” Cyn said. “I wouldn’t have any idea what to tell her outside of”—How he’s the boss but it hasn’t gone to his head. How he wishes out loud and expects it to come true. How amazing it is to kiss him—“what I’ve learned from working with him. And that’s been virtual and long distance, except for just recently.”
The Queen gave her a knowing look that almost had Cyn squirming in her chair. “You’re familiar enough with him to influence her—you even know his friends. Tell her about Liza and Cole…that type of thing.”
Of course she’d want Naomi to know about Liza—whose parents were co-owners of the Baltimore Orioles—and her pro baseball player husband Cole. Funny she hadn’t mentioned Paige or Lane.
“I understand.” Bone-tired from traveling, Cyn stifled a yawn. “Sorry. I just need a good night’s sleep, and I’ll dive into garden party planning in the morning.”
“I’ll see you bright and early,” the Queen said.
Back at her cottage, Cyn ran a deep, hot bubble bath in her claw-foot tub and propped a romance novel on the tray table that stretched across it. Maybe she’d read about some clever way to help her create chemistry between Trent and Naomi.
Cyn took off her rumpled clothes, stepped into the tub, and sank up to her shoulders in the water, leaving one hand dry to turn pages. She settled in and read until the bathwater cooled and her fingers turned pruney. Grabbing a fluffy towel, she got out of the tub, put on her favorite citrus-scented lotion, and had her pajama top halfway over her head when her cell phone rang. Tugging the top into place, she glanced at the incoming phone number.
Trent?
Her heart skipped ahead a beat. She grabbed the phone, hoping she hadn’t let it ring too long. “Hello.”
“How was your trip?” Trent sounded relaxed…and close. As if he was right there, not a thousand miles away.
“Pretty uneventful, which is good. Until your grandmother wanted to grill me about you and Ava as soon as I got home.”
“Oh no,” he said. “I should’ve been the one to sit for that interrogation. But it’s been kind of a crazy day in paradise.”
“Fighting off a flock of angry Chickcharnies bent on turning your head around?”
Trent laughed, low and sultry. The sound swirled up her spine and she smiled.
“Just business.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, both hissing in Cyn’s ear. “It takes a lot to make it feel so free and easy down here.” His tone had turned serious.
She couldn’t imagine the pressure he was under to keep the resorts running at peak performance. The industry was extremely competitive and the Queen expected perfection. Now he’d added his quest to find love, all while making a marketing campaign out of it. She was amazed how he managed to do it all so effortlessly—at least the business part. Who knew what would happen with the love and the marketing campaign?
“What’d you tell Gran about me and Ava?” he asked.
“That you liked her. That it’s probably wait-and-see until you meet the other girls. At least that’s the impression I got.”
“Close enough.” Water splashed in the background, and a wisp of wind carried over the line.
“Are you on the beach this time of night?” As soon as she asked, Cyn realized it had been near this time last night when he’d been walking down the beach and spotted her on the deck at the villa. Clearly it was dark now in the Bahamas, but she imagined him as he’d looked in the sunset—shirtless and seriously sexy.
“Yep,” he said. “On my way home.”
No wonder the guy had no time for romance. She considered ribbing him about having such a rough life—walking home on the beach, feet splashing in the surf—but she knew how hard he worked to earn those few minutes of relaxation.
“Long day,” Cyn said.
“But a beautiful night.” He stayed quiet for a beat. “You should see the stars.”
Cyn’s breath hitched. “I did.”
“Wait ’til you see them from Turks and Caicos.”
“Hmm. They’re the same stars, right?” she asked lightly.
“But they always feel different…depending on who you’re with.”
Cyn’s pulse fluttered. She would never look at the stars the same again without thoughts of kissing Trent. But he’d be sharing the stars with Naomi in Turks and Caicos. Cyn swallowed hard.
“Everything’s all set for Friday. We’ll keep a schedule similar to last week’s.” She forced herself to focus on what would make him and the Queen happy. And her, too, since she was so eager to help her parents.
“That’s what I’m calling about. There’s something else I want to add to the date Saturday.”
“What’s that?” Cyn asked. “We’ve got the yacht scheduled for the day. And lunch and snorkeling at the private beach. Then dinner at the resort.”
“Let’s add a stop before or after lunch and snorkeling.”
“Sure thing, boss. You name it, I’ll plan it.” She squeezed her eyes closed, bracing herself to hear his romantic plans for Naomi.
“We should go to Little Water Cay.”
Cyn quickly opened her eyes and blinked. “You want to take Naomi to Iguana Island?”
“Why not?” he asked with a smile in his voice. “Where else can you see thousands of iguanas in one place? I’m amazed every time I go there.”
Iguana Island was one of few attractions in Turks and Caicos other than award-winning endless stretches of powdery white-sand beach, and snorkeling in the warm turquoise waters offshore.
“Should be fun.” Cyn couldn’t wait to see Little Water Cay herself. “Want me to squeeze a visit to the Caicos Conch Farm in there, too?” she teased. “Because nothing says romance like iguanas and a conch farm.”
“I figured we did enough conching in the Bahamas. But now that you’ve brought it up, we could take in a show at the conch farm.”
“A show?”
“They have two friendly, trained conch that perform at the farm.”
Cyn’s insides knotted. “Nuh-uh.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You mean I won a trophy for slaughtering animals capable of performing a show?” She’d had no idea.
“About a dozen of them. No wonder that Chickcharnie was after your head.”
“If you decide to add the conch farm, I’ll have to skip the show.”
“Just Little Water Cay. I’m a little conched out.”
Cyn moaned. “That was the lamest pun ever.”
“No wors
e than yours. ‘If I do stir so myself.’ Seriously?”
She bit her bottom lip, grinning. He’d remembered. “Let’s call it a tie.”
“Mmm…maybe.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay. I’ll add the iguanas. Anything else I can do for you?”
“Keep me company until I get home,” he said. “I’ll only take a few minutes.”
But an hour later, they were still talking, and Cyn was wide-awake.
Chapter Eleven
Trent took a flight to Turks and Caicos Friday morning, and made sure everything was ready for his guests. Sitting in his office at the resort, he reviewed the itinerary for the weekend, his insides a knot of nerves over meeting Naomi, and trying to figure out how he felt about Ava. He wasn’t good at this dating game, but he had to make it look like he was, if only for the camera.
Cyn had shown him pictures of Naomi and given him a little background info, just as she’d done with Ava. Naomi was clearly a knockout. Any red-blooded guy’s dream come true—at least on paper. Of course he wanted things to go well with her. That was the whole idea. His and Naomi’s falling for each other would make for an impressive marketing campaign, and an amazing happily ever after. Cyn seemed eager to facilitate all of it—what more could he ask for in an employee? Trent swiveled his chair away from his desk, propped his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his hands.
Get your head straight for round two, man.
A light knock on the door snapped him to attention. He straightened in his seat, hoping nothing critical had come up at the resort. “Come in.”
The door opened and there stood Cyn wearing a bright green sundress, her slender legs tapering to the sandals on her feet. Her hair was swept up into a high ponytail, windblown strands framing her face. Trent’s heart stammered. She made business way too sexy.
“You look surprised.” Cyn smiled brightly at him. “Your secretary said it was okay to knock.”
“Hey.” He stood and walked toward her across the sizable office. “Sure it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting you guys until later.”
“It’s just me for now. I came to see if you’re ready for tomorrow.”
Trent stood. “I think so… I hope so.”
“It’ll be awesome,” she said. “I’m here early so Naomi and I can have dinner together and I can tell her all your secrets.”
“I’d like to be there for that,” he said lightly, but it felt a little weird knowing he’d be the subject of their conversation. “But since I won’t be, make up something good.”
“Count on me.” She grinned and quickly scanned the large office with all its executive trappings, including a postcard-perfect view of the shimmering ocean. “Nice digs.” She made a sweeping gesture. “The real-life resort puts the website pictures to shame.” She wandered over to the picture window and gazed out. “And that bright white, powdery beach. No wonder it’s rated up there with the top in the world.” She turned to face him, adding way more value to the million-dollar view. “If my boss wasn’t working me so hard, I’d be out there frolicking in the surf for sure.”
He lifted his eyebrows and fought a grin. “Did you say frolicking?” It was safer to tease her than to get sidetracked imagining her in a bikini.
She scrunched her nose and nodded. “But you didn’t have to call me out on it.”
“Oh yes I did. I mean, what is frolicking specifically?”
“Um…merriment, I think. Light-spirited play. You know…” She shrugged. “Fun.”
“Sorry you have to work tonight.” He joined her by the window, and they both turned toward the view. “But there should be some time for frolicking and merriment tomorrow—yachting in the azure waters of the Atlantic, meeting some exotic iguanas, and maybe even snorkeling.”
Her expression brightened more with each activity he mentioned. “I can’t even tell you how exciting my job has become.”
“You’re happy, then?” Trent asked.
She nodded. “I scheduled the stop at Iguana Island tomorrow,” she said, and he wondered why she’d quickly changed the subject.
“I couldn’t decide between that and going to Splashdown Grand Turk.”
Cyn furrowed her brow. “What’s that?”
He flashed her a full-wattage smile. “Space nerd central. They have replicas from NASA’s Mercury space program.”
“Like what?”
“A scaled version of an Atlas rocket and a full-size Friendship 7 capsule—the one that splashed down near here in 1962. This place is part of space history.”
“Wow,” Cyn said, seeming genuinely interested.
“And they have a replica of John Glenn in his spacesuit, and lots of other cool space equipment.”
“Like Lego astronauts?” she asked with humor.
He tipped his head back and moaned. “I hate to think what other gems Paige and Liza have told you about.”
“I’m sure you know things about them that they wish you’d forget.”
“Don’t get me started,” he said lightly. “Especially on Paige.”
“I won’t.” Cyn gave him a conspiratorial grin. “At least not now. This is a big weekend, and we need to focus on Naomi. Gordon’s hoping to get some useful ‘couple’ footage for the marketing campaign. The camera will adore you and Naomi together.”
“You really think we might be a match?” He locked his gaze on hers.
She gave him a bright smile and said, “Yes, I really do.”
Chapter Twelve
Cyn and Jamie tore themselves away from the warm Saturday-morning sun and stepped inside the salon of the decadent cruising yacht. They took a quick tour, stashing their belongings in one of several richly appointed staterooms where Gordon and Stuart had already stored some of their equipment. Cyn oohed and ahhed at each turn and with every glimpse of the view of the surrounding water, so blue it nearly glowed.
She’d never seen anything quite as spectacular as the yacht, with its sleek design, teak woodwork, high-end furnishings, over-the-top electronics, and every finishing touch she could imagine. Never mind the expansive decks and furnished outdoor spaces just begging for someone to pour a drink and relax there. Today, that someone would be her. Sure, she’d be assisting with production, but there’d be a little downtime, too.
She and Jamie headed back out onto the deck where they’d staged several camera-friendly areas for Trent and Naomi to hang out. The yacht’s uniformed crew would be at their service, fully prepared with plenty of artfully arranged food and colorful drinks. Now all that was left to do was wait for the speedboat carrying Gordon, Stuart, Trent, and Naomi.
“If Trent and Naomi can’t fall for each other on a yacht like this,” Jamie said, “then there’s no hope for them.”
Cyn nodded. “For real. I had dinner with Naomi last night. Mrs. Hawthorne nailed this one. If Trent doesn’t fall for Naomi, there’s no hope for him, either.”
“What was she like?” Jamie asked. “I mean, we know she’s a looker, but beyond that?”
“I’d say she’s perfect. She’s just like Trent, only female.” Cyn put on her sunglasses, hoping to hide the twinge of envy that might show in her eyes. “She was easy to talk to. Clearly she comes from money but she seemed down to earth. I think they’ll be really compatible.”
A motor buzzed in the distance and Jamie shaded her eyes, gazing toward the noise. “Guess we’re going to find out soon enough. Here they come.”
Cyn drew in a belly-deep breath of ocean air, eager to get her first glimpse of Trent and Naomi together.
The speedboat arrived quickly. With a flurry, Gordon and Stuart disembarked onto the yacht’s swim platform. Off balance, Gordon awkwardly shouldered the camera, and his foot slipped on the wet planks. Jamie slapped her hand over her heart, her mouth frozen in an O. If not for a split-second shirt-grab by Stuart, Gordon and the camera would’ve taken a costly dive into the ocean.
“Good catch,” Gordon said to Stuart.
“Whew!” Jamie cupped her ha
nd over her mouth and leaned close to Cyn. “If he’d gone in I would’ve had a heart attack.”
“He can swim, right?” Cyn asked.
“Yep. I was more worried about the camera.” Jamie grinned.
Once Gordon and Stuart were safely aboard, Cyn focused on Naomi, who wore a colorful translucent caftan over a bright coral bikini. Toned by countless hours playing tennis, her long tan legs peeked from beneath wisps of the flowing caftan. Her silky blond hair fell windswept around her shoulders, framing her model-pretty face. Aviator sunglasses topped off her sexy look. If this girl couldn’t sell Hawthorne Resorts, no one could.
Cyn watched from the deck as Trent took Naomi’s hand and helped her from the boat onto the swim platform. He wore a lavender polo shirt, unbuttoned, and sea-green swim trunks that hugged his hips just right. If Naomi didn’t think she was the luckiest girl in the world right now, she was crazy. Certainly Trent had to feel like the luckiest guy.
“You nailed the wardrobe today,” Cyn said to Jamie.
Only inches shorter than Trent, Naomi leaned in close and said something to him. Both of them broke out laughing, seeming oblivious to everyone else around.
Jamie nodded. “Sometimes a plan just comes together. I’ve got a feeling this is one of those times.”
Cyn’s stomach tightened. The heat of the tropical sun prickled on her skin. She rubbed her fingers over her bare forearm and squinted. “And I think it calls for more sunscreen.”
“For sure,” Jamie said. “You don’t want to burn up. That’ll ruin all the fun.”
Cyn hurried inside and below deck, knotted with nerves now that she’d actually seen Naomi with Trent. Proof positive that Cyn had a crush on him, even though she’d refused to admit it to herself. Ridiculous, right? He couldn’t possibly feel the same way in light of all the Queen’s girls he had to choose from—especially Naomi—and in light of his and Cyn’s differences. She was from the opposite side of the solar system compared to Ava, Naomi, and the third potential match, Claire. A regular girl without a pedigree. An employee who lived from paycheck to paycheck. Those were just two of thousands of reasons why she had to focus on earning her bonus, not a fairy-tale crush on another girl’s Prince Charming.