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“I did. Do you by any chance know if we have any envelopes I could put it in?”

His face scrunched up while he tapped the bottom to his chin. “I can’t remember seeing one, but I wasn’t really looking. Are you mailing something?”

“Something,” I answered back.

He had a triumphant look on his face as he replied. “If you can’t answer me, then I can’t help you.”

“Fine.” I rested my hands on the counter and leaned forward. “You’re so damn annoying. I wrote Stella a letter, and I want to make sure no one else reads it before her.”

Cocking his head to the side, Dean asked with a smirk, “Has O been on the warpath?”

“You know damn well she has. She’s been telling Stella lies. I don’t want her leaving here thinking I was a mistake.”

“See what happens when you can’t keep your dick in your pants? Nothing but trouble.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. From now on, he’ll stay nicely put away for no one to see.”

“You say that now until the next pretty lady comes along and bats her eyelashes at you.” He laughed, slapping the countertop when he saw the murderous look in my eyes. “I’m joking, mate. You need to lighten up a little.”

“My dick is no laughing matter,” I said with a straight face, only to crack a smile.

“No, it’s not. You know, if you ever get tired of the ladies, I’m waiting for you.”

“As nice of an offer as that is, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Sorry, dude.”

“You can’t say I never offered.”

That was true. At least once a charter, Dean offered. At first, I thought he was joking, but I quickly learned he was serious. I think the entire crew was shocked to learn he was gay one night when he got drunk and told us all about his ex-boyfriend who stole his credit card and maxed it out while he was away one season.

Dean was rugged with muscles that were always popping out of his shirt and the kindest smile you ever saw. Not one thing about him said he was into men until he opened his mouth and started to talk about dick.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about if you put it in her room. All the guests will probably go to their rooms when they get back, and if not, they will before turndown service. If you’re afraid O’s going to find it, put the letter in her bag or something.”

I could very well see O going in there after I’d been onboard this whole time.

“Thanks, man. I’ll do that. It’s not like I can get her alone to tell her I left a note. If it was that simple, I would tell her what I had to say. I’m the bad guy now. All the guests look at me like they want me dead, so it’s obvious Stella told them what O said, and they all believe her.” I stretched my neck out, trying to loosen the tight muscles.

“Sucks to be you.” Dean patted me on the back as he walked past me. “I’m going to go rest before I have to start dinner. Good luck.”

“Thanks again.”

On my way to Stella’s room, I decided I’d put the letter I wrote in her bag, that way no one else would find it. I only hoped she’d read it when she saw it.

The only problem was I had no idea which bags or even which side of the room was hers. There were two purses on the dresser: one black and the other a dark purple. From what I knew about Pen and Stella, I was guessing the purple was Pen’s and slipped the letter into the black one before I zipped it shut.

Backing out of the room, my radio went off, letting me know it was time to pick them up.

I’d finished my mission just in the nick of time.

10

Stella

Pen squealedas she spun around like a little kid trying to get dizzy and fall down. “I can’t believe you’re finally here and unpacked,” she said as she plopped down beside me on my plush white couch and closed her eyes.

“I certainly didn’t think it would take this long to find a place to live.” I looked out my wall of windows to the Pacific Ocean that was now my daily backdrop.

“Real estate is a hot commodity in Malibu.” Pen rolled her head to look at me. “Plus, you wanted to find your dream house. There’s no sense in buying a house you’re not in love with.”