Page 23 of What Happens in Paradise

‘That’s very generous of you, but I’ll be fine on my own,’ I said, desperate to get her to change her mind. ‘Just like I was in Spain when I added several excursions to the couples’ activity list.’

‘We want to find events that appeal to both men and women. Alejandro can give us a male perspective, which will be useful.’

I swallowed hard.

I understood why they might want to get a male point of view.Thatwasn’t the issue. The issue was the particular male they’d chosen.

First management sent me to Jamaica. With Alejandro.

Then they put me in a suite next to him.

When I discovered that we’d be sharing an office, I thought that was bad. But that was the least of my problems.

Now we’d have to go on romantic excursions. Like an actual couple.

How the hell was I supposed to go on trips designed to foster romance, with a co-worker who was also the hottest man I’d ever laid eyes on, without doing or saying anything inappropriate or worse, developing feelings for him?

This was like putting a barrel of apples in front of Eve and telling her not to take a single bite.

How was Inotgoing to be tempted?

This wasn’t good.

At all.

9

ALEJANDRO

I closed the office door and exhaled.

That meeting did not go how I had expected.

When Hazel had first explained that they wanted me to come to Jamaica to help the head chef set up the restaurants’ operations and training, I was excited.

Marco was always dismissive when I suggested trying something new. It was only on the special assignments and meals that Jasmine had given me that I ever had the chance to put my own twist on different dishes.

With this trip, I thought I would finally have the opportunity to take on more responsibility, help shape a menu from the beginning, share my ideas and make my mark.

Based on the meeting I had just had with Hazel, thankfully I would still have the chance to do those things. But what I had not realised was that they also expected me to work closely with Jasmine.

If that was limited to working within the hotel, it may not have been so difficult. However, they wanted us to go on different excursions. Together. And not just any activities: visits that were designed to stimulate romance.

If I did not like Jasmine, this would have been fine.

But I liked Jasmine. More than I should.

She was beautiful, intelligent, strong, determined, ambitious and kind.

For a long time, I believed that in life, you were only ever lucky enough to find one person that you were drawn to so strongly. But now I was starting to realise that sometimes lightning did strike twice.

After I lost my girlfriend two years ago, I believed I would never be interested in another woman. That was it for me.

When I finally started to get through the fog of grief last year, Lola tried to encourage me to date again.

She introduced me to ‘friends’ whenever I would visit her in London and when she came here, she tried to set me up on the dating apps.

The women were pretty and nice. But like I said to Jasmine during our journey here,nicewas bland. It was like food without seasoning. Even the nicest steak needed a little salt to accentuate the flavour. There was never that spark.

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