Page 21

Nason looks at me. Confused. Maybe a little hurt.

He looks around my room, and a new surge of panic races through me when I spot Lie’s phone on my bed close to mine. Oh, come on!

“Why?” Nason asks.

“That’s pushing.”

He sighs, leaning against my door frame. “Okay, fine. I won’t ask. You’ll tell me eventually, right?”

This one thing I’m taking to my damn grave.

When I don’t answer, Nason’s frown deepens. “You’re not seeing a minor, right?”

“Thank you for your vote of confidence,” I deadpan.

He laughs. “You’ve never not shared something with me before. I don’t know what to make of this. What else am I supposed to think?”

In reality, he should already know. There are only two people in this entire world that I think Nason would hold against me, and that’s his wife and his son.

We’re interrupted by my phone ringing. I move around him, leaning over my bed to reach for it, conveniently shoving Lie’s under my pillow as I do. The condom wrapper and lube on my bed make my stomach churn. This was far too close.

I stand again, raising my eye at the name on my screen. I meet Nason’s eyes as I answer, and I know he’s curious with the expression I shoot him.

“Hello. This is Laiken.”

“Mr. Hazelwood. Nice to speak to you. This is Maurice Calloway. How are you this evening? Is this a good time?”

“Hi Mr. Calloway,” I say, still holding Nason’s eyes. Nason’s mouth forms an ‘ O ’ as he watches me. “I’m good, thanks. Now is fine. I hope you’re well?”

“Very good. Putting out some fires, as you can imagine.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.”

He chuckles. “My understanding is that you turned down the nomination for the bar management position. Is that correct?”

“It is,” I agree.

“Because of Taylor,” he says.

I hesitate. “I don’t think Taylor is a bad person, and I don’t believe he means anyone harm.

I think he actually believes he’s doing good.

But he’s focusing on grass length and which flowers to plant in front of the Bane Island sign and how high the string lights should be hung, when we have bigger things to think about, like the job vacancies hindering our businesses and therefore the guests of the island.

He’s so focused on tiny, minute details in an effort to make Bane and Keone Reef attractive to potential new residents that he’s making the current residents miserable and ignoring the fact that there is no room for new residents.

It’s an endless cycle, and I know this expansion is to address that, but we need solutions right now, and he’s more concerned with grass length.

I’m not even going to get started on how he micromanages the managers.

I’ve witnessed it. I’ve seen the burnout firsthand from managers under him.

I love my job and I’m not willing to put myself in a position where I’m going to be miserable. ”

“I understand. I’m working on fixing this. But I want you to consider the position without Taylor being a factor in your decision. Is that something you’re interested in?”

I’m still staring at Nason. A beat passes. “Yes,” I answer.

“I’m happy to hear that. Consider it this week. I’ll be in touch next week for a meeting, and I’d like to discuss this at length.”

“Thank you. Okay, yes.”

“Very good, Mr. Hazelwood. And thank you for what you said about my son-in-law. I’ve been fielding complaints for three weeks now, and you’re the first person who has had something positive to say about Taylor.”

“I promise you that no one hates Taylor, but they’ve been living in frustration with him for years, and finally, someone is listening. It feels like a window is open only a crack for a short time, so they need to say everything they’ve been holding back for years.”

“Understood. Thank you for that insight. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Mr. Calloway.”

As soon as I hang up the phone, Nason is on me. “What was that?”

“Mr. Calloway wants to talk about me for the manager’s position without Taylor supervising.”

He beams. “That’s fantastic. You’ve had so many ideas for the bars and now you have the chance to make them reality.”

“Yes.” Excitement fills my chest. That would be amazing. “Get out while I get dressed. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“Where you abandoned cleaning up after lunch,” he muses, glancing around my room again.

I shove him out the door and shut it, pushing in the lock for good measure. Once it’s securely shut, I step into my closet and pause. “Lie?” I whisper.

He pokes his head out from between my hanging clothes in the back of my closet. I grin and crouch in front of him. “Did you hear?” I press my lips to his, cupping his face in my hands.

“Yeah. That’s exciting. I’m so proud of you. Congratulations, Laiken.”

I sigh. “Nason is in the kitchen. I’ll get rid of him as soon as I can.”

Lie leans his head against the wall. “It’s fine. Go celebrate.”

“I don’t have the job and I’m still not taking it if Taylor is involved in any capacity.” I kiss him again. “I’m sorry. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I know.”

Leaving him in the closet is really fucking difficult, but my options are limited. I slide him his phone before leaving my bedroom.

When I return hours later, Lie is asleep right where I left him.