by Tracy March
Cyn slathered on some sunscreen and headed back outside, finding everyone gathered near the yacht’s two massive sunbathing trampolines. She and Jamie had set up a sun seeker’s paradise on one side complete with enough pillows to furnish a small hotel. Gordon had affixed his camera to a tripod and was busy directing Trent and Naomi, who lounged close together against the pillows, drinks in hand, the ocean and resort creating a dramatic background.
“Did I miss anything?” Cyn asked Jamie.
“We’re getting some phenomenal shots for the marketing campaign if Naomi turns out to be the one.”
“Cool,” Cyn said, looking away from the scene and focusing on the variegated blues and greens of the sea.
“Give me a silent toast,” Gordon called to Trent and Naomi. “Face each other, knees touching.”
Cyn turned her attention back to Trent and Naomi, and they did as Gordon instructed. She figured it had to be awkward being on a first date in front of an audience, much less in front of a camera. But Naomi was clear on what she’d signed up for, and she didn’t appear the least bit uncomfortable. Trent seemed to be easing into his role, too, or maybe he felt more chemistry with Naomi than he had with Ava. Cyn hoped so…didn’t she?
“Looking good,” Gordon said. “Now lift your glasses, heads tipped toward each other.”
Trent and Naomi followed his direction like professional actors.
“Got it,” Gordon called.
Naomi slowly bowed her head until her forehead lightly touched Trent’s. Cyn’s stomach pitched, and she pressed her hand over it. That’s what Trent had done to her after their unforgettable kiss. The memory sent tingles swirling inside her like fairy dust.
“Love it, Naomi.” Gordon had shifted totally into director mode. “I’ll take more like that if you’ve got it.”
On cue, Naomi reached up and smoothed her fingertips down Trent’s scruffy cheek. Cyn could practically feel it beneath her own fingers, she remembered the texture so vividly. She could barely stand to watch the couple who might make her twenty-five thousand dollars richer.
“That’s gold,” Gordon said. “But we’re going to have to cut it for now. Evidently someone wanted to see some iguanas.” He raised his eyebrows at Trent. “And there’s Little Water Cay.” Gordon pointed beyond the yacht’s bow at a flat, brushy island about a mile away.
“Aw,” Naomi said. “Just when things were getting cozy.”
Perfect timing. Cyn casually kept her gaze on Trent and Naomi, shading her eyes with her hand as if she were enjoying the view of the island. Nearby, Gordon stepped away from the camera. Trent pulled away from Naomi, took the last swallow of his drink, came to his knees on the trampoline, and turned toward Little Water Cay. “Ready to see some iguanas?” he asked, grinning.
He seemed as fascinated with the iguanas as he had been with the mythical Chickcharnies. Cyn loved his enthusiasm for all the quirky island lore and creatures.
Naomi scrunched her nose, scrambled up onto her knees, and joined him, clutching her drink in one hand and his biceps in the other. “Iguanas?”
“Yep. Sometimes they’re even waiting onshore.” Trent faced Gordon, causing Naomi’s hand to slip from his arm. “We should definitely get some shots with the iguanas. They’ll be perfect for the blooper reel.”
Was it Cyn’s imagination, or had Trent withdrawn a little from Naomi after the camera had stopped rolling? Cyn’s wishy-washy feelings surfaced again. Did she want him to fall for Naomi or not?
Only time would tell if Trent had found his match.
…
On the south shore of Little Water Cay with everyone, Trent scanned the stretch of white-sand beach for iguanas but saw none. Even so, he heard them scurrying in the brush. He clapped Gordon on the shoulder. “The iguanas must’ve seen you coming and they all ran and hid.”
Everyone chuckled except for Gordon, who scowled playfully. “I could make your blooper reel really embarrassing.”
“Uh-oh,” Naomi said. “Beware of the man with the camera.”
Trent smiled, glad she was joining in. He hoped they’d find more to talk about while they were here on the island. Naomi was definitely easy on the eyes, and she seemed eager to get close to him physically, but could they connect with each other beyond that?
Gordon shouldered the camera and Stuart readied the big, furry microphone. Cyn nudged his elbow. “That thing will scare off the iguanas, for sure. How about I walk in front of you so they won’t see it coming?”
“Brilliant idea,” Stuart said with a knowing glance at Trent, who envied the offer. Was Cyn flirting with Stuart, or just playing along? He gave the question a lot more thought than he should have.
Jamie shook her head. “You guys.”
“And, we’re rolling,” Gordon said. “Lead the way, Trent.”
Trent took Naomi’s hand and led the group to a nearby boardwalk. “This walkway traverses the island, and there are brush paths vectoring off it that lead to the beaches. A certain one I know will take us to a pretty private, pristine powder-sand beach.”
“That’s a lot of Ps,” Cyn said. “Pretty private, pristine powder-sand beach. Say that three times fast. Bet you’d say peach at least once.”
Naomi squeezed his hand. “So we’re going to the beach?”
“Yep. And I can almost guarantee you’ll see some starfish in the water and you’ll find at least one sand dollar. But only after we see the iguanas.” Trent led them along the boardwalk for a while, everyone falling behind him and Naomi, giving them a little space. Soon they reached a particular area of trees and brush where Trent stopped.
“I don’t see any,” Naomi said.
“Lucy,” Trent called and waited.
Nothing.
“Lucy.” The underbrush rustled and Trent looked toward the noise. Within seconds, a large iguana loped out of the greenery and stopped just feet from the boardwalk, blinking lazily in the bright sunlight. “Naomi, meet Lucy.”
“That’s kind of wild,” she said. “They come when you call them?”
Trent had hoped for some of the over-the-top wonder and enthusiasm he’d gotten from Cyn when he’d shared something cool like this. He glanced back and met Cyn’s gaze. Her jaw had dropped and she mouthed, “No way.” He smiled proudly.
“Some of them come,” he said to Naomi. “They’re really tame, and not the least bit shy.”
“Why are those beads on her neck?” she asked.
“She’s been tagged for research. There’s a little rod with a couple of beads on each side pierced through one of her frills—those pointy things that look like spines but they’re actually just skin. Lucy’s beads have a certain color pattern. That’s how I know it’s her.” Several more iguanas came out and joined Lucy, none of them with beads.
“Neat.” Naomi tipped her head. “You must’ve been here before since you knew where to find her.”
“Plenty of times. The iguanas have been endangered for a while. My family’s company donates to the nature reserve here, also to research and the efforts to conserve them.”
“I like that.” Naomi smiled demurely, took his other hand in hers and faced him. “I see lots of things I like right now, and I’ll bet you’ve got more to show me.”
…
It was well past midnight when Trent stepped up to the door of Gordon and Jamie’s bungalow. This trip, everyone had stayed on the resort in private beachfront cottages, complete with infinity pools and surreal ocean views. He hesitated to knock at this hour, but he’d never sleep if he couldn’t talk to Gordon and Jamie now. They were leaving first thing in the morning, so there’d be no time then, and he didn’t want to have this conversation on the phone.
Bracing himself for what he might hear this time of night, he tipped his head toward the door, relieved to hear the murmur of muffled voices. He swiped his hand across his brow and knocked quickly. Hopefully Gordon wouldn’t open the door wearing underwear, but Trent was willing to risk it.
“Who is it?”
Jamie asked from the other side of the door.
“Trent.”
The door swung open and Jamie stood there looking puzzled. She wore a white waffle-fabric robe with the resort logo embroidered on it—complimentary for every guest. The tie of a bathing suit peeked out from behind her neck and she looked younger with her damp hair slicked back from her face.
“What are you doing here, Romeo?” she asked as Gordon stepped up behind her wearing swim trunks and a T-shirt.
Trent gave them a sheepish look. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“Naw, mate,” Gordon said. “C’mon in.”
Trent stepped inside. He was always proud of the accommodations at the resorts, but he rarely got to see them at night with the pool lights glowing, accent lamps casting a warm haze over the space, and the lull of gentle ocean waves in the background. So peaceful. And romantic. No wonder people wanted to come here.
“Is everything okay?” Jamie asked.
“I think so.” Trent gestured toward the cozy couch and chair in the living area of the open-concept cottage. “Can we sit?”
Jamie and Gordon took the couch and Trent settled in the chair. He’d thought he was ready to lay everything out for them, but now he wasn’t sure where to start.
“We got some killer shots of you and Naomi,” Gordon said.
“Your grandmother picked a fine one for you this time.” Jamie fussed with the belt of her robe. “Naomi’s really something.”
“For sure,” Trent said. Gran would fall for Naomi even faster than Gordon and Jamie had seemed to.
“We watched all the footage and loved it,” Gordon said. “You will, too. But let me just say, you could’ve done us all a favor and kissed her—especially when you two were frolicking in the ocean.”
Frolicking… Maybe Cyn had picked up the word from Gordon.
Jamie grinned knowingly. “I’m sure she wanted you to kiss her. As much as it would pain us to know we missed the moment, please say you kissed her good-night. She’d been waiting all day with that dreamy look in her eyes.”
Trent gave them an aw-shucks look, hoping Jamie would let it go at that.
“Don’t be shy.” She lifted her shoulders. “We all think Naomi could be the one for you.”
“She just might,” Trent said. Naomi was a great girl, and there were lots of things he liked about her. How she lit up when she talked about teaching tennis to kids in need. How she showed confidence without seeming conceited. How she looked in a bikini…But it didn’t seem as if the two of them had a lot in common. Trent was still struggling to figure out if they had made a real connection.
Jamie raised an eyebrow. “So you just stopped by for a chat?”
“I’ve got an idea for the marketing campaign I wanted to run by you before you leave in the morning,” Trent said. “I’m not sure we’re getting everything we need to make it as effective as we’ve envisioned.” He shook his head. “Like the kiss you guys wanted—things that have to come naturally and be sincere or else I might wreck my chances with these girls.”
Gordon shared a look with Jamie that told Trent they had the same concern. “It’s definitely a slow roll.”
Trent nodded, his confidence building. “What I’m about to ask you to do is going to put you in an awkward position, but if you agree to my plan, I think it’ll be best for most everyone involved—and the marketing campaign.”
Gordon’s face lined with concern while Jamie appeared more curious. “We’re listening,” Gordon said, and leaned forward.
Chapter Thirteen
Finally back in Maple Creek after another whirlwind weekend in paradise and a flight delay, Cyn flipped on the television and plopped down on the couch. Watching a Sunday night House Hunters marathon beat the repeats she’d played in her mind all day of the footage that Gordon had captured of Trent and Naomi. The two of them were gorgeous together in the same movie-star way as Liza and Cole Collins. Snorkeling hand in hand. Strolling arm in arm. Sunning on the trampoline, forehead to forehead. That one sent a shot of envy through Cyn every time.
Their new romance made her long for one of her own. She didn’t need anything grand like dates on a cruising yacht, or even something weird like a visit to Iguana Island. Just a cute guy who was fun to talk to, easy to be around, and—if she got to be picky about it—was a great kisser.
Like Trent?
Sure. Except he was a superrich resort tycoon who would never settle for a girl like her. He’d kiss her just to prove a silly point, but he’d date and marry “purebreds” handpicked by the Queen. Those girls came ready-made to fit into a life like his, something Cyn could never do.
Heavyhearted, Cyn took a mental inventory of the ice cream in her freezer. Dark chocolate cherry. Key lime pie. Caramel brownie swirl. Nothing struck her taste buds enough to get her off the couch and into the kitchen. If she had an ounce of sense, she’d be razing her way through every flavor, celebrating the 25K that would soon be coming her way. This time next month, she and her parents might even be eating ice cream cake at their out-of-foreclosure house. That’s what she should focus on.
Just when the TV couple house hunting in Kennewick, Washington, were about to choose among the rancher, the Cape Cod, and the split-level, someone knocked on the door.
Seriously?
Cyn tipped her head back and moaned. She dragged herself off the couch, slogged to the door, and looked through the peephole.
The Queen…
A lead weight dropped into Cyn’s stomach. She could count on two fingers the times the Queen had come to see her in this cottage. The day she’d moved in, and now. No doubt she’d want a finely detailed recap of Trent’s time with Naomi. She squeezed her eyes closed, pushed the wayward strands of her ponytail away from her face, and opened the door. Mustering a half smile, she said, “Mrs. Hawthorne. What a surprise.” Couldn’t you wait until tomorrow?
“I couldn’t wait until morning,” the Queen said, as if she’d read Cyn’s mind. If the Queen were ever granted that power, Cyn would be out of a job, and pronto. “Intuition tells me that things went well with Trent and Naomi.” She pursed her lips in a tight grin. “It usually never lies, but I wanted to confirm that with you.”
Cyn stood there with the door half open, wishing a simple nod would suffice. Even that was more energy than she wanted to spend on the subject. “Right, as usual,” she said. “You hit the jackpot with Naomi.” And Cyn might have, too, yet somehow she didn’t feel as excited about it as she should.
The Queen nodded, gazing at Cyn expectantly.
Crap. This wasn’t going to be fast or easy.
“Would you like to come in?” Cyn asked. The place belonged to the Queen, after all.
“I’m sure you’ve had a long day. I’ll only stay a minute.”
Sixty seconds and counting… Cyn hated to be so snarky, but she needed a vacation—even after two trips to paradise.
The Queen stepped into the living area, inspecting everything in sight. Cyn clenched her teeth, thankful that she kept the place clean and uncluttered.
“You’ve set things up nicely.” The Queen nodded. “I love the sideboard.”
“Thank you. I’m really comfortable here.”
Cyn grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, and they sat on the couch, one of them on each end.
“So your time at dinner with Naomi was helpful?” the Queen asked.
“Definitely. She was so excited to meet Trent and learn more details about him. The two of them seemed compatible right from the start, and they looked adorable together. Wait ’til you see the footage Gordon shot for the marketing campaign.” Cyn raised her eyebrows. “And Trent was with her late Saturday night, too. Way later than he was with Ava.”
“All good signs.” The Queen straightened her spine even more than usual, seeming pleased with the news. “I’m sure Barron will be happy that the kids are compatible. He’s worried a lot about Naomi’s prospects.”
“Barron?”
“Naomi’s f
ather. He was Parker’s roommate at Princeton.”
Trent’s dad…
Even before all of this, Cyn had questions about Trent’s father, who was rarely mentioned by Trent or the Queen. But Cyn wasn’t about to ask any of them. They weren’t her business, anyway, and never would be.
“Barron might not have to worry much longer.”
The Queen lifted her chin and smiled. “Well, then. I’ve kept you long enough.” She stood, and relief rushed through Cyn. “We can talk about this more tomorrow.”
“And we’ve got lots of garden party details to go over.”
“It’s creeping up on us, isn’t it?” The Queen followed Cyn to the door.
“I’m distributing the posters tomorrow to all the usual places—Sweet Bee’s, the drugstore, the barbershop, Lane’s medical practice, the library…”
One of the Queen’s eyes twitched and she frowned. “I’m so sorry the town had to cut your mother’s hours there.” She patted Cyn’s arm. “I’d hate to think that’s the reason your parents’ house is in foreclosure.”
Cyn’s heart thudded, heat radiating in her face with every beat. As if she weren’t down enough tonight, now the Queen had brought up her parents and their woes. She gave the Queen a rueful smile. “Guess nothing’s a secret in Maple Creek.”
“That bonus you’ll be earning could go a long way toward helping them keep their house,” the Queen said, as if Cyn hadn’t already thought of that.
Cyn nodded. “That’s my hope.”
The Queen gripped Cyn’s forearm with unexpected strength. “Then we’ll both sleep better tonight knowing we’re getting closer to wedding bells and bonuses. There aren’t many girls I’d approve of for Trent, but the three I chose are top-notch. Ava might still be in the running, but judging by what you’ve said, Naomi could be the one for him. And he still has to meet Claire—another fine young lady I’d be pleased to have as a granddaughter-in-law. Either way, I want Trent to be happy.”
“Of course.” Cyn couldn’t agree with the Queen’s snobbery, and her tactics were suspect, too. But there was no questioning that the woman was dedicated to Trent’s happiness. As conflicted as she was over things, Cyn hoped for a happily ever after for them both. As for herself, she’d try to fix things for her parents, and dream about finding a happily ever after of her own someday.