Page 50 of Moonlighter

“Quite long indeed,” I say just to be an ass. “Massive.”

That gets me an eye roll from Alex. “Rolf, please tell me that bag you’re carrying has coffee in it.”

“A half-decaf coffee with two percent milk and an almond croissant. But I haven’t decided yet if I’m giving it to you. I don’t like to be out of the loop.”

She stops in front of him. “Rolf, you’re a genius, a lifesaver, and I treasure you. I will fill you in as soon as possible.”

“That’s better.” He hands her the bag.

“How’s your grandmother?” Alex asks.

“The same. They say she needs nursing care. I shouldn’t even be in Hawaii right now.”

There’s a tap on the door, and then Gunnar steps in. “Ready? We’d better head down.”

I look down at my towel. “Guys, I need a minute.”

“You’re not coming,” Gunnar says. “We’re keeping the threat level high, so I’m escorting her today. It looks less weird to have the bodyguard sit through the meetings. We don’t want to blow your cover.” He turns toward the door. “You’re on for dinner, though.”

“Oh. Well,” I say uselessly.

“Later, boyfriend,” Alex says

Within five seconds, they’re all gone. I get one more curious look from Rolf before the door clicks shut, leaving me standing mostly naked in a hotel room I never planned to visit. I feel a little slutty, if I’m honest. Like a high-priced escort.

Then again, slutty looks good on me. So I go back to the house phone and order a light breakfast and a pot of coffee.

I doa nice long workout in the hotel gym. My only interruption is when my bad knee begins to throb, and I have to take a break to rewrap it. I first tore my ACL back in college. The reconstruction surgery went really well and didn’t interfere with my career. That was almost fifteen years ago, though, and I’ve been warned that arthritis is a common long-term result.

Last season I had some pain, so we’ve been monitoring the situation. They tell me I might need another surgery, but I’ll put that off as long as I can.

I’d meant to go running on the beach after the gym. But my knee is still acting up, and I call it quits after only two miles. New plan: lunch and then a swim in the lap pool on the terrace. There’s more than one way to get a cardio workout.

In the hotel restaurant, I take a seat indoors at the bar and order lunch. I’m just finishing an excellent blackened fish sandwich when someone takes the barstool right beside me. “A coke, please, and put it on this guy’s tab.”

I look up and find it’s Gunnar, and he’s alone. And I almost choke on my last bite of fish. “If you’re here, and I’m here, then who’s with Alex?”

“Easy,” he says quietly. “She’s in the world’s dullest lunch meeting with Pieter, Rolf, and a content provider from L.A. The reason I’m here right now is that Tatum is seated about ten barstools down from you.”

“Oh.” I know better than to look around for Gunnar’s target, so I push my plate away and keep my focus on him. “Then you’re not here to deliver a lecture from my brother?”

“Not a chance.” Gunnar chuckles. “But forgetting about the security camera was a rookie move.”

“Yeah. I know.” Thank goodness I didn’t peel Alex out of her clothes until after we moved to the bedroom.

“Besides, your brother is one to talk. It would be hypocritical of him to lecture you for hooking up with Alex.”

“Wait, what?” I stiffen. “My brother and—?” I can’t even finish the sentence because the idea of my brother and Alex together makes me irrationally angry.

“No! That’s not what I meant.” He laughs. “Good thing, though. You look like you’re about to slug someone.”

Do I? My fist is clenched, which is weird because jealousy isn’t my style. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

“I just meant that he’s no saint.”

That’s interesting. So much of my brother’s life is a mystery to me. But I don’t want to pump Gunnar for details, so change the subject. “What’s the plan for tomorrow night? Alex is giving some kind of speech?”

“Right. We’ll cover her when she’s at the podium, and you’ll stay close to her at the table. There’s no need for anything more drastic than that.”