Page 21 of Island Guardian (Brookwell Island #7)

Chapter Thirteen

Trina had had a remarkably restful night. When her alarm went off, she hopped out of bed in a great mood. She refused to blame it all on that amazing kiss, though she knew it was a factor.

It was her wedding day. For a woman who had been convinced she had the worst luck with men, Rhett was proving her wrong at every opportunity. Nothing more unlikely had ever created so much happiness.

She pulled on a t-shirt and shorts and hustled out to the kitchen. Driven by a need to give back, she’d contacted the concierge last night. Groceries would be delivered any minute and she would make breakfast for her soon-to-be-husband. Incredible, but true.

Her kitchen skills wouldn’t pass for expert-level, but she had invested time to get really good at a few dishes. Working from the recipe in her head, she had the frittata nearly done by the time Rhett joined her in the kitchen, smelling fresh and clean from his shower.

“You made breakfast?” He stared at her. “I thought you were just setting up a room service delivery. ”

Had she made a misstep? Suddenly unsure, she avoided his gaze. “Is it a problem that I cooked?” She handed him a cup of strong black coffee. He might be better at selling the story, but she’d been paying attention. Because she did care about him as a friend at the very least.

Her lips tingled with the memory of the way he’d kissed her, refusing to let her get away with the white lie inside her head.

The main reason they’d been rivals came down to her fears and the pain she carried all by herself. She had to own that, though she didn’t believe she had to confess everything to him right here over breakfast. But she wanted to change the dynamic so that when this ended they could still be friends.

One brief kiss had shifted her focus, given her another idea. Would Rhett be patient enough to help her break down the walls she had built up to protect herself?

Would he even be interested? He’d said he was attracted to her, but could he mean it?

“No, not at all.”

She did a double take, thinking he was answering the question in her head. If she’d said the words out loud, she’d be mortified. He was studying her over the rim of his coffee cup and she scrambled to act normal.

“I’m just surprised,” Rhett continued. “It smells incredible. I’m sure it’ll be a thousand times better than room service.”

“Maybe not a thousand.” She smiled at his enthusiasm. “I’ve always had an easier time cooking when room service is a convenient backup plan.”

“Well, it’ll be perfect, I’m sure. But so much work? I didn’t want you to lift a finger, especially not today.”

“You deserve far more than a simple breakfast. Legal marriage is no small thing. You know I would’ve been happy pretending. ”

“Until it blew up in your face.”

“True,” she agreed. “But this is a serious obligation and I know we’ve covered it. I know you’re okay. I just wanted to do something nice.”

Finally, a warm smile brightened his face and the tension pinching the back of her neck smoothed away.

“I can’t wait to dig in, thank you.” He moved a little closer to check the pan, without crowding her or even touching her. “And when you’re ready to talk about anything, I’ll listen.”

She nodded. Not a chance she’d let Luca intrude on the day ahead of them. Tucking a wayward curl behind her ear, she shooed him aside so she could serve.

Rhett dug in, eating for several minutes in silence. He paused for a slug of coffee and then grinned at her. “This is delicious, Trina. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” His enthusiasm made her happy. She wanted to create fun and happy memories all day long today.

“Is this a family recipe?”

“Yes.” She smiled, thinking back. “My grandfather used to love to make breakfast. Whenever I visited, he would let me help and we would try and surprise Nonna. They had the best garden.”

“That’s wonderful.” He got up to refill his coffee. “I’ve often envied you growing up in Europe. It always seemed so idyllic. Way better than dinky South Carolina.”

She laughed. “Home is home, right? And the grass is always greener elsewhere. I couldn’t wait to get out and see the world on my own terms.”

“True. But you like living in South Carolina?”

“I love it. I hope I never have to leave.” She chased the last bite of frittata around her plate.

“Another espresso?” he offered.

She held up a hand. “No, thank you.”

He dished up another helping from the skillet to his plate. “Seconds?”

“Half, please.” Yesterday she had been too nervous to eat much of anything and today she was starving. As they fueled up, she marveled over how easy it was to sit here with him, as if they’d been friends for years, rather than bitter competitors.

“So what do you want to do today?” he asked once he’d cleaned his plate for the second time. “After my staff meeting.”

“Beyond getting ready for the wedding?”

He shrugged that off. “We have hours yet. We could take a walk on the beach or check out a museum. And you’ve come this far, we have to visit the Mile Marker Zero. It’s a great spot for selfies.”

“I can’t tell if you’re kidding.”

He leaned back against the counter, watching her. “I’m serious. There isn’t much work after my morning meeting.”

“Won’t your staff be upset that you’re leaving?”

“On my wedding day?” He snorted. “Besides, I’m only shifting to a hybrid approach. They’ll probably love not having me underfoot, spouting off new ideas every week.”

She knew better. It was plain to see how much the staff here admired him.

“I’ll be back in person every couple of weeks as needed. More often if some sort of crisis pops up. I’m telling you, this crew is a well-oiled machine. My people know what to do.”

“Is it an awful thing if I asked to sit in on your meeting?” She wanted to see his leadership in person.

At his scowl, she immediately back pedaled.

“Not to intrude. I won’t say a word. I just want to see a different management perspective.

Harper and I have talked about how she does things, but I’d hate to miss a chance to see you in action. ”

His brows lifted toward his hairline. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or cautious.”

“Flattered, of course. Why the doubt? ”

He set his coffee aside and leaned on the edge of the island. “Because I’m staring at the hospitality queen,” he teased.

When he looked at her, his eyes glinting with amusement, she felt so close to him. So close to something wonderful. She would bring this moment to mind when it was time to kiss him after they exchanged vows and rings.

She ignored his compliment, her mind on work once more. “I would like to brainstorm some ideas. Ways to bring in local foot traffic, not just to benefit the Inn, but also the island in general.”

He bobbed his chin. “We can brainstorm and do touristy things at the same time. And of course you can sit in on my meeting. It’ll give me a chance to introduce you.”

Happy with the plan, she started cleaning up. “Not a chance,” Rhett waved her off. “My strongest kitchen skill is cleanup duty.”

She returned to the bedroom in search of an outfit that would bridge both a professional meeting and the touristy things that would follow.

She was halfway dressed in a funky wrap top and pattern skirt when the Inn phone started ringing.

She’d checked her email earlier and Maria had assured her everything was under control.

She followed the sound and found the device in Rhett’s office. “Good morning, Maria. Is everything all right?”

“Yes, ma?—”

She heard a scuffle and then, “Trina! Trina, my darling! You didn’t call back.”

Luca . Her vision hazed and she nearly bobbled the phone. “Luca, this is highly inappropriate.” Following her instincts, she went to find Rhett. “I’m working.”

“No, no,” he argued. “You’re toying with me.”

“I’m not.” She hated that her voice felt tight in her throat. She was a professional. Damn it. Rhett had told her she could be scared and smart. She needed backup .

While Luca rambled on in his syrup-coated voice, she found Rhett at the kitchen island.

He looked up from his laptop and whatever he saw on her face brought him to his feet.

Just having him there, braced for anything, gave her an instant boost of courage.

She was a grown woman—stronger now than she’d been as a teenager.

She swallowed, pushing down all those old insecurities.

“Luca, I am working,” she began again. At Rhett’s signal she put the phone on speaker.

“Trina, you work too hard. I’m here. Stop playing. I came all this way for you.”

She feared that was exactly what he had done. “I wasn’t even expecting you this early. I cannot change my schedule.”

“Nonsense. What is early among friends? Your parents tell me America is pushing you too hard. You need a break. Relaxing time, yes? Come out with me this evening.”

“I’m not available,” she said. “Not this evening.” Her gaze dropped to the opal engagement ring on her finger. “Not anytime soon,” she added. “My work is demanding, Luca.”

“No, no. We have much catching up to do. We’ll have more than dinner, my darling.”

She didn’t like the sharp edge creeping into his tone. Or the icy fingers dancing down her spine. When Rhett opened his mouth, she pressed her fingertips to his lips and shook her head.

He gave her a warning glare. He wouldn’t let this continue unchecked. She appreciated his protectiveness, but she needed to make Luca understand. Better still if she could do it without any extra drama. “I have meetings all day and being late is bad form.”

“You work too hard, my darling. Once we sort this out, you will love your life. As your mother says, you and I are meant to be.”

Rhett glowered now and she suspected her expression matched his. “I love my life as it is right now,” she stated. “I love my career and my role at the Inn. If you can’t accept that, I understand if you go back early. Your time is valuable.”

“So is yours,” Rhett whispered.

“What was that? Who is there?” Luca demanded.

“I have no idea. I’m at a professional event,” she said with as much attitude as she could muster. “Ciao!”

“Wait, my darling. You cannot be angry with me for my concern. You are worth the wait. What a tragedy it would be to have come all this way and not spend a moment with you. I will wait, my love.”

Rhett bristled once more. “Say it again.”

“Good bye, Luca.” She quickly ended the call before Rhett lost his temper and threatened Luca with bodily harm.

“What the hell was that?” he demanded. “How did he get through?”

“Maria called and I answered.” She planted her hands on her hips. “How could I not after yesterday? He wrestled the phone from her hand.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“You won’t.” The phone hummed in her hand. She glanced down and then turned the device to show the text message to Rhett.

“I feel sorry for your managers,” he grumbled.

“That makes two of us.” Belatedly realizing she still held his wrist, she released him. “Thanks for the moral support.”

Standing so close, his gaze dropped, just for a second. The flare of heat in his gaze startled her, until she remembered her shirt open, her bra on full display. Embarrassed, she clutched the fabric to cover herself. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry, excuse me…” In her haste, she dropped the phone.

And he caught it.

“Take your time,” his voice trailed after her. “They can’t start the meeting without me and I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“That’s silly. Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll come meet you once I get myself pulled together.”

Literally pulled together. She straightened the top and tied it at the side. She couldn’t believe she’d been standing there in her bra in front of him.

While Luca made noises about a future that scared the hell out of her.

“We’ll go together, or I’ll reschedule.”

The nerve. He knew she’d feel worse if he did that.

If only she had the time to redo her makeup, she’d splash some water on her face. Her cheeks were so hot, she thought they might never cool down.

“Rhett?”

“Right here.” He stood in the bedroom doorway, his back to her. “You doing okay?”

“Not even a little bit,” she blurted without thinking. “I can’t believe this. I—you.” She fanned herself with both hands. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Please, don’t be.”

“You must think I was?—”

“Flustered,” he supplied. “You handled it like a champ. Like a professional.”

“He’s a pain in the ass and we both know it,” she groused. “I swear he took arrogance classes from Antonio.”

“Want to tell me what he did before stealing the phone from Maria this morning?” Rhett dared her to talk with one raised eyebrow.

“Definitely not the day for that, thank you.”

“I got an email from Harper this morning. The Guardian Agency is digging in. It wouldn’t break my heart to make their job easier.”

She gulped as she pulled on another pair of wedge sandals.

Whatever they found wouldn’t involve her beyond the documented facts of being raised in the same neighborhood.

Any information she added to that wouldn’t change anything.

She hadn’t filed a report at the time and it was years past the legal window to do so.

She smoothed lipstick over her lips and fluffed her hair around the headband. “I’m ready. I haven’t made us horribly late, have I?”

He straightened, seemingly filling the wide doorway. “No.” His gaze roamed from her head to her toes and back. When Rhett did that, it felt like a warm caress as opposed to being ogled. “You look lovely. No one would blame me if I rescheduled the whole damn meeting.”

“Nonsense.” This time when her cheeks heated, it felt wonderful. “We had a plan for the day.”

“Let me call in a favor and get Luca evicted from the Inn.”

“That sounds amazing,” she admitted. “Let’s discuss it after your meeting.”

Seeing no other way, she hooked her hand through his elbow and steered him out into the main suite. He grabbed his laptop and they headed over to the conference room.

While he conducted his meeting, she could come up with another excuse to keep her secrets buried.

If she didn’t have to share her darkest, most appalling story, she wouldn’t.

While they were off to a good start, Rhett wouldn’t be her husband forever and therefore he shouldn’t bear all of her emotional baggage.

She didn’t want to look too closely at why that made her sad.