by Elyse Riggs
Now it’s lunch time, and that means the Beaky Tiki. Only today feels different. Yes, I’m meeting my friends, but I’m certainly not lying to them for that asshole Chase. It feels like that whole part of my life is over anyway.
I get to the Beaky Tiki early, pushing through the crowd to fight for our favorite table. Then I sit, order a drink, and wait to see the uber surprised look on Angie and Fi’s faces when I’m actually early for once.
As I sip my drink, I suspect that I’m getting a few odd looks. Not from the locals, but from the paparazzi.
Nothing to see here, I think as I give a sarcastic smile and wave to them. I’m just a girl who now works at Banana Burger.
One of them, to my surprise, actually does take my picture. I glare at him, wondering if I should get up and confront him. That’s not cool.
That’s the exact moment that Fi shows up, though. So I just smile up at her as she approaches and soak in the shocked expression on her face. She even pretends to fake a heart attack as she approaches the table. I give her a polite golf clap.
“What the hell, Kaylee?” She looks at her watch.
“Oh, I had free time this morning,” I answer.
She knows by the tone of my voice that something’s off. “What are you talking about?” she asks suspiciously. “You never, ever, ever have free time.”
“I got fired.”
Fi, who hasn’t sat down yet thanks to her theatrics, drops her purse in the sand. She stoops to pick it up and then sits, placing it heavily on the table. “What are you talking about? You’re the best pastry chef that restaurant has ever had.”
I look away. The emotions I’m still feeling over it all are still raw. About Chase, about the job, about my life. All of it.
I try to meet her eye. “The tabloids. Irrefutable proof that I wasn’t sick all weekend. And that I was right here at the resort all along.”
Fi shakes her head. “Oh, Kaylee, I’m so sorry, love.”
Angie seems to materialize out of nowhere, probably because I’m not paying attention. “Now this is more like it,” she says with a wink. “I’m supposed to get here last.” Then she looks around and her expression changes. “Uh-oh, what did I miss?”
“Kaylee got fired,” Fi fills her in.
“What the hell is wrong with them?” Angie demands.
“I know, right?” Fi chimes in.
I shake my head sadly. “Hey, I hate it, but I don’t blame them. I got caught lying. And all for that asshole Chase.”
Fi’s eyes flash. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. There’s more? Hold on, I’m going to order our food because I have a feeling we’re going to need it. Nobody say anything that’s important while I’m gone, okay?” She points her finger at Angie and then at me and we both nod.
Happy to change the subject, I ask Angie how things are at the animal hospital.
She shrugs and takes a sip of her water. “Oh, it’s actually pretty quiet today. Nothing crazy.”
I nod. That’s good.
Fi comes back from the bar area with a frown on her face.
“Problem with the food?” I ask, hoping that’s not the case.
She sits down and scoots in. “Nope, the food is all good. It’s just that the photographers are giving you a really hard second look. They might be onto you. If they were suspicious before, well, they’re more than that now.”
Oh yeah, I forgot my giant, stupid looking hat. Well, I didn’t forget it, it’s just that whatever part of my life that was, it’s over now anyway. The truth is I miss my hat, it keeps the paparazzi from recognizing me. And I miss Chase too.
That settled, Angie leans forward, and the look of concern on her face has me fighting back tears. “Tell us what happened, Kaylee.”
I take a few deep breaths to steady my nerves, because the truth is, I don’t even really know what happened. “I have no idea.” I’m honest because I’m done lying for him. Forever. Even though that’s a lesson I learned way too late.
“We had a great time last night. He got exactly what he wanted out of that zoom meeting or whatever.”
“And there it is,” Angie interjects. “He got his way. And then what?”
“Then we went out for dessert.”
“Oh, dessert,” Angie says, “where?”
“Maui Island Treats.”
“Okay,” Fi says, “that sounds pretty good.”
“It was,” I say, thinking back. “Everything was fine. More than fine, even.”
“What happened next?”
I shrug. “We went back to his suite. Went to bed. He didn’t even say goodnight. In the morning he was grumpy as hell and looking for a fight. I think he just wanted me out. And it worked.”
“I’m so sorry,” Angie says. “That’s so not fair. Then you got fired? One right after the other?”
“One right after the other,” I say. “Vivian was with Ralph, and she had the tabloid right there in her hand. With me on the front cover. Exploits of the woman helping the billionaire. Only they don’t know it’s fake.”
“Shit, Kaylee,” Fi says. “Hey, at least you’ve got the money, right? You’ll show them when Scrumptious Chocolate takes off and becomes a national company to be reckoned with.”
Then our food arrives. And chips and salsa too because my friends are the best and they love me. I need that cheeseburger more than I ever needed a cheeseburger in my life. And it doesn’t disappoint. “Oh, yes. This is exactly what I need after a really crappy morning. Thank you, guys.”
“No problem,” Fi smirks. “So, when are you going to be ramping up chocolate production? I have a few co-workers willing to buy all you can make.”
I think about it in between delicious bites of cheeseburger. In fact, I finish the cheeseburger off and I’m still thinking. Because it’s actually a pickle.
My tiny apartment doesn’t have enough room to ramp up production. My plan all along was to use the counter space at the resort during my off hours. And everything was working fine. Until stupid Chase came along with his stupid sea-green eyes and stupid corporate issues.
And now Fi and Angie are both staring at me again. “I honestly don’t know the answer to the question. My apartment is too small, and now I’m out of my job at the resort. And Banana Burger won’t work nearly as well, even if I get permission.”
“Banana Burger?” Angie asks. “What are you talking about?”
“I got a job there today. After I got fired.”
“Why?” Fi jumps in. “Why would you do that? You have enough money to get a small shop now. You can make and sell the chocolates in the same space. That’s how most of the candy companies do it.”
“I don’t know,” I say.
Fi and Angie look at each other and then at me. “What don’t you know? You’re not having second thoughts about chocolate, are you?”
“I’m having second thoughts about the money,” I blurt out. I shouldn’t have. I should have just processed that part of my inner monologue privately. But now it’s out in the open. I’ve earned every other thing in my life the hard way, and it just feels wrong. “I think I’m going to send it back.”
Fi spits her drink out onto the table. “Sorry,” she says sheepishly. She wipes it with her napkin, all the while studying my face like there will be a quiz later.
“In my defense, though,” Fi continues, “for a moment it sounded like after all of the shit that Chase guy put you through, you’re thinking of giving him back the money.”
“Yeah, that,” Angie adds. “Please tell me your kidding.”
Judging by the expression on Fi and Angie’s faces, they are one hundred percent sure that I am either certifiably insane or having some kind of psychotic break. And who’s to argue with them? “No, you heard right. I just don’t want to be reminded of him or his stupid money.”
“No, no.” Angie jumps in. “The money isn’t stupid. Plus, you earned that money, Kaylee. You put up with a lot of shit from that idiot. You’re the one who made it happ
en. And you lost your job because of him. You deserve it all.”
“You deserve double,” Fi says. “Please, please, please don’t do this. You really need the money, Kaylee.”
I know that they’re right. I do. And I know that they’re looking out for me. And that if I do this, it could be years before I get another shot at putting Scrumptious on the map. The bottom line is this. It doesn’t feel like my victory with his money.
I pull out my phone.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Fi says. “Think about this for a minute, Kaylee.”
“Yeah,” Angie says. “There should be some kind of cooling off period before you do something this drastic. Like twenty-four hours or something.”
“At least sleep on it first?” Fi offers.
I sigh. Sending the money back is what I want to do, but I’m having an awful day so I decide to listen to my friends. “Okay,” I say. “I’ll sleep on it.”
“Whew, that was a close one,” Fi says.
My phone buzzes and I stare down at it. It’s a message from Chase.
Come soon. At the beach. The call with the final decision of the board is going to happen in half an hour.
“Ugh, speak of the devil,” I say.
“What is it?” Angie asks.
“I have to go. It’s the announcement of the final decision of the board of directors. At least after this call I’ll be permanently done with Chase Covington.”
All three of us raise our glasses to that. Then we drink.
I stand up to leave. Only, as I stand, I notice a bunch of people from nearby tables also stand at the same time.
Still, it’s not until I’m completely surrounded, and the flashes of the cameras start popping that I figure out what’s going on. Oh no. It’s a paparazzi feeding frenzy. And I’m the bait.
Fi and Angie jump up from the table and start screaming at them all and pushing forward, trying to help me make my escape.
Forward ends up being a bad idea, and the three of us change tactics to break free toward the ocean. The ocean. My happy place and refuge.
“We’ll be okay,” Fi and Angie say as they push, pull, and shove me through the crowd until I break free across the beach sand and toward the waves. “Go, Kaylee. Don’t look back.”
The moment I’m free, I break out into a sprint. Despite what Fi and Angie said, I do glance back to see if they’re okay. They are. And also, to see if I’m still being pursued by the crowd. The answer is barely. Obviously, these paparazzi assholes aren’t in very good shape. Cardio for the win.
I easily leave them behind in the dust and then continue at a jog the rest of the way across the beach until I can see the resort in the distance.
I know I’m home free now because if they follow me here, Covington security will take care of it.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Kaylee
I have to admit that by the time I see Chase’s smiling, smug face staring back at me across the beach sand I’m ready to rumble.
He’s not hard to spot, having rented out a covered cabana with several lounge and folding chairs scattered underneath in the shade. I’m getting close enough now that I can even see the mini fridge and snack table set up in the back.
And of course, the concierge is hovering nearby. After all, Chase, his highness of Covington, can’t be expected to do anything himself.
He didn’t even buy me the engagement ring, that was also concierge. The new realization makes me even angrier. Maybe I should have thanked the concierge instead.
I stop walking to stare down at it. I decide that it’s ugly and gaudy anyway. That’s basically how I see anything associated with Chase Covington now.
Chase is sitting on one of the lounge chairs and Liam is sitting on the one next to it. Ashley is currently rooting around in the refrigerator.
And then, in the last hurdle standing between me and the Covington inner circle, I glare icy needles into the last Covington security guard. He quickly steps aside to let me pass.
“Ma’am,” he says.
“Oh, don’t ma’am me,” I say without looking back.
Chase and Liam are watching something on Liam’s phone. He looks up as I approach. “Hey, babe.”
Ugh, I clench a fist. He looks happy, relaxed, normal. And I’ve had the worst day in the history of the world. And it all started with him being an asshole this morning. And now, he’s just laughing with his brother and ignoring me completely. “Hey, Chase, can we talk?”
For the first time, he looks all the way up at my face. Then his expression changes to a more appropriate flavor of oh, shit, she’s mad.
Liam notices as well. He takes his phone back and mutters something about joining his sister in the search for celebration alcohol, smartly leaving the two of us alone.
The panic in Chase’s face quickly melts away to indifference. And just like that, the infuriating Chase from this morning is back. Just as well, it’ll make all of this easier.
“You okay, Kaylee? You look awful.”
And now I’m counting to ten in my head to calm myself down, but I only get to four. “I said we need to talk.”
“Why?” he asks.
I get closer, close enough to bend down and whisper in his ear. To the outside world I’m sure it appeared sweet, but it’s not. “What do you mean why, you conceited, self-absorbed ass? Obviously, if we step away from your clan for a moment, I will explain to you very clearly what’s wrong. Got it?”
Instead of freaking out, he looks at his watch. “Five minutes,” he says. “Then the board of directors will call. Liam will put them on speaker. After that we can talk all you want.”
In other words, fuck you, Kaylee. I can tell by the look on his face that he has no intention whatsoever of talking to me. In five minutes, he’ll have everything he wanted out of this vacation. He won’t listen to me; he’ll be on a fucking jet. And that was the agreement, only I have some things to get off of my chest before that happens.
“Nope, it’s got to be now.” I grab his hand and pull him upright. Once we are up and moving, I don’t stop until we’re almost to where the waves are lapping at the shore.
“Okay, you can have like, sixty seconds,” he says, looking at his watch again. “What the hell is wrong with you, anyway?”
“What is wrong with me?” I cannot believe he is asking me this question right now. “What is wrong with me? First of all, you flipped out on me this morning and turned into an utter asshole. Secondly, because of all of our very public sneaking around so that you could get the board of directors to back off, the paparazzi got great pics of us on the beach all weekend.”
“So?”
“So, my boss saw the pics and they fired me this morning.”
“Okay,” he says, “so you can work full time on Scrumptious Chocolate, right? I thought that was the plan.”
I shake my head. “You just don’t get it, do you?”
His sea-green eyes flash down at me. Only this time in anger, like the first time we met when I spilled his drink on him. “Get what, Kaylee? You have more than enough money to start your chocolate business. And good luck to you. That was the deal.”
I should have known. “That’s all this ever was, right, Chase? Everything is just about money to you.”
“Hey,” he yells. “You got what you wanted too. I guess you could say we used each other. But don’t pretend I mean something to you because we both know that’s a lie.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask. At this point, I’m thoroughly confused. This is about him being a jerk, not me.
“Time’s up, Kaylee. I’m going to hear what the board of directors has to say. You can come with me or not, it’s your choice.” He turns and walks away from me. Away from the ocean. Back toward the cabana with his brother. And a world I don’t belong in. I never belonged in his world, and I feel so stupid for the way I felt the last few days.
The camaraderie, the heat, the joy of being together. I’m stunned that it was all a lie
, all a show. And he has the nerve to accuse me of being the same as him? I never lied to him. I lied to everyone else, though, and look where it got me? Standing alone on the beach, that’s where.
I guess he just dismissed me. Oh hell no. When the entirety of the situation hits me and my emotions kick in, I know what I have to do.
I spring back up the beach to the cabana. As I get there, I hear the raspy connection of Liam’s iPhone on speaker. The new board chairman makes a speech. It’s short, thankfully, and then he congratulates Chase on being named the new CEO.
I hear a series of moderately loud golf claps on the other end of the line. Then Chase thanks the board for their diligence and understanding under difficult circumstances. He says when he gets back into town, he’ll buy them all drinks. Then Liam and Chase say goodbye and Liam ends the call.
There is a long moment of silence after the call ends. It’s the perfect opportunity. “Congratulations, Chase,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “You got your way. You always get your way. This time it was thanks to me. I wonder who you’ll find next time to help pull your ass out of the fire. I’m sure that person won’t mean anything to you either.”
Liam looks confused. “What’s happening?”
Then I remember the second thing I sprinted up the beach to accomplish. The first was to make a big scene and get the things that bothered me most off my chest. Check.
The second thing is to throw the ring back at him. So, I reach down and pry the monstrosity off of my hand. “You see this? I don’t need it. I don’t need your charity and I don’t need you, you self-absorbed prick.”
I throw the ring back at him. At his head, to be exact. It plinks off of his left temple and falls into the sand. I breathe a sigh of relief. Ha, victory is mine. Scene caused; ring thrown. Now I get my storm-off.
If only I had been able to sneak off the night after our one-night stand, this whole thing could have been avoided and I’d still have my normal life.
It’s a bummer that I now have to settle for a storm-off. No, I take that back. As I turn and stomp away through the beach sand in the general direction of the Beaky Tiki, I feel a sense of completion. A small sense of accomplishment, and it makes me feel a little bit better.