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Hayden blinked. “Me what?”

Frankie cackled next to her.

“When are you planning to pop the question?” Taylor elaborated, mischief alight in her green-blue eyes.

“Why amIthe one popping the question?” Hayden stuttered, her cheeks going dark.

“Should I be the one to ask?” Frankie giggled, leaning in close to Hayden.

Thoroughly flustered, Hayden cleared her throat and took a sip of her water. “Well, I wouldn’t say no-”

“So that’s a yes?” Alex pushed, her grin almost cat-like.

“Would you quit it?” Hayden spluttered, her movements turning clumsy. “We’ve only just started dating!”

“No time like the present,” Elliot said as she returned, taking her seat beside Cam again.

Hayden only rolled her eyes. “Can we talk business instead?” she mumbled in defeat. “Tay, how is the new resort coming along?”

Taylor laughed, looking like she might tease Hayden some more, but relented. “We’re nearing the end of construction,” she said proudly, nodding at Alex. “Alex’s guys have been unbelievable. I don’t think opening a new resort has ever been this easy.”

“You’re welcome,” Alex said with a grin. Her eyes slid over to me. “What about you, Reid?”

“Me what?”

“Any new developments?”

I narrowed my eyes at her and chose my wordsverycarefully.

“I narrowly managed to keep my executive assistant thanks to a visa mishap,” I said, watching the shock wash over their faces. “But Warren pulled a rabbit out of the proverbial hat and saved my ass.”

“So you get to keep your beloved executive assistant by your side,” Hayden said, waggling her brows like a villain straight out of a silent movie.

Irritation bubbled beneath my skin but I pushed it aside, focusing on keeping the ruse believable.

“Reid would move heaven and Earth to make sure Mia doesn’t leave,” Taylor piped up, and I bit my tongue.

“Wait, who’s Mia?” Frankie asked, her face scrunched in confusion.

“Mia is Reid’s right hand woman,” Hayden explained gently. “She’s the one who runs Reid’s day-to-day so Reid can spend her time testing her new games.”

“I resent that,” I cut in. “I do a lot more than just play video games.”

Hayden winked at me, and I knew she was kidding. I also knew that I was more heated by the assumption that Mia meant more to me than she should than Hayden’s accusation.

“Oh, I know Mia,” Elliot said. “She’s the one who used to help me set brunch dates. She’s gorgeous.”

That she was.

But that wasn’t the point just then.

“Yes, she’s very efficient,” I said a little dismissively. “So you’ll understand why the sudden threat of her deportation had me a little shaken.”

Alex’s stare burned into the side of my face, searing holes in my skin.

I ignored her.

“I’m actually thinking about expanding into the global media market,” I announced, hoping to change the topic.