Page 90 of What Happens in Paradise

‘I’m sorry.’ I frowned. ‘When you say “that particular room type”, what do you mean? And what led you to believe there wasn’t a sofa?’

‘I checked.’ Hazel clasped her hands together.

Shechecked?

Jesus.

I wondered whether she’d actually called the hotel or researched the room online. Right now wasn’t the time to think about how she’d done it, though.

Hazel was glaring at me. Clearly, she suspected that something was going on between me and Alejandro, so I needed to shut down her concerns.

Fast.

‘You’re right.’ I nodded. ‘The room was very small. Unfortunately, everywhere was fully booked at such short notice. There were several events on that weekend, so all that was available was the one room. That’s why there is only one charge on the card.’

‘You didn’t answer my question: if there was only one room, then where did youbothsleep?’

‘I slept in the bed of course,’ I said firmly.

‘And yourunderling, Alejandro?’ She raised her eyebrow. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to remind you how inappropriate it would be for a person in your position to share a hotel room with a subordinate, do I?’

‘Of course not!’ I scoffed, my heart now hammering so hard, I felt like I was about to pass out. ‘I’m well aware of the rules. Alejandro madeother arrangements,’ I said, hoping she’d understand what I was trying to imply and leave it at that.

But of course, she didn’t.

‘Meaning?’

‘Alejandro is a young man in a tropical paradise. I’m sure you’ve noticed that he attracts a lot ofattentionand it’s no different here in Jamaica. But I’m his boss so it’s not my place to ask questions about his personal life or whose bed he chooses to sleep in. His job was to accompany me to the café to research the food and refreshments there. And he did that. By the time it was clear that we couldn’t return to Ocho Rios and there was an accommodation shortage, he was off the clock, so he wasn’t obligated to answer to me.’

I finished my sentence and then zipped my mouth shut.

Despite the sweat pooling under my armpits and along my hairline, I had to act cooler than a cucumber.

Ihadto stay calm and confident.

The slightest stutter, the slightest sign of uncertainty could send this whole pack of lies crashing down and end my career.

‘I see.’ Hazel nodded. ‘Well, now the staff are back in the hotel, be sure to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t have any dalliances with our Jamaican Romance Rockstars. The last thing I need to deal with is another employee inappropriateness issue.’

‘Understood.’

‘Right, I have another meeting now. But let’s speak again tomorrow so you can fill me in on what decisions you and Hortense have reached.’

‘I’ll add it to my calendar,’ I said.

When I ended the call and put my computer screen to sleep, I leant on the desk and dropped my head in my hands.

That was close.

Dangerouslyclose.

Hazel definitely suspected something. So if I wasn’t sure before that I needed to shut things down with Alejandro, now I was certain.

It didn’t matter that the man hadn’t just rocked my world, he’d rocked my whole damn universe.

It didn’t matter that I felt more connected to him than any other man in my life.

My career was everything to me. I couldn’t lose it.

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