Page 47 of Sapphire Storm

“Not yet,” Rachel said, “but according to one theatercritic, I benefitted from it being an off year for drama. So every now and thenI have to come up with a new joke like that to cover for the fact that I’llnever forget his review for as long as I live even though I’m always the firstto claim I don’t pay attention to them.”

Jonas and Ethan both guffawed.

“Could we be alone, please?”Roman’s cry wasn’tear-piercing, but it was close.

Before a stunned silence could seize the room, Ethan said,“Of course. Jonas, let’s give them time to catch up.”

He took his supervisor by the arm and led him out of thevilla even as the man stared back over his shoulder as if trying to determinethe source of Roman’s outburst. Ethan pulled the villa’s door shut behind themwith a loudthunk. They were halfway up the walkway when Jonaswhispered, “Are you attempting some sort of Pygmalion dynamic with that youngman?”

“I am. What do you think?”

“Keep at it, friend. You have your work cut out for you.Care to tell me why he’s so stressed?”

At the top of the walkway, Ethan stopped and turned. “Wouldyou care to address the rumor that you had an affair with a closeted NFL playerright out of college and that’s why you’re so reticent to discuss those years?”

Jonas nodded and smiled. “Yes. The rumor’s false. Now tellme, what’s going on with that child?”

“That’s a shame. I really saw you with a football player.”

Jonas rolled his eyes. “Then you do not know me at all, goodsir.”

Ethan shrugged and started across the lawn toward the mainbuilding.

“I’ll remember this the next time you’re looking forinformation out of me, Mr. Blake.” Jonas hurried to catch up.

“You know how it goes. Weddings are stressful andcelebrities are nuts. Put the two together and it’s a nightmare in white forthe support staff.”

Jonas caught up with him when he reached the entry door tothe conference center. “Tell that to the wedding planner, who’s met me fourtimes and has never so much as raised her voice.”

“Yeah, well, she’s probably getting paid a good deal morethan our friend Roman.”

Jonas stepped in front of him. “And he’s young,” he saidwith dramatic emphasis. “Too young to handle certain emotional stresses the wayyou or I might.”

“I’m not sleeping with him, Jonas.”

“This isn’t judgment. It’s concern. Two of our security teamare in real trouble with the GM over that young man. I don’t want to see youend up in the same boat. You and I, we are an endangered species here atSapphire Cove. We must be protected.”

“I’m sorry. What species is that?”

Jonas lifted a warning finger. “Gay men in their forties whoread full-length books, who have an appreciation for art and culture. Actualculture. Not the kind you watch for thirty seconds on a phone.”

Ethan snapped his fingers. “I trumped you on the theaterreference just now, though.”

Jonas shook his head, waving both hands in the air in frontof him. “Doesn’t count. Broadway is a different animal. You’re one of the fewpeople here who knows the difference between a Dürer and a Degas, and neitherof us listens to roaring club music on the way to work that sounds like Britneychewed up theBenny Hilltheme song and spit it out at ten times thetempo.”

Ethan grimaced with false humility. “I do enjoy a bit ofArmin van Buuren now and then.”

Jonas cleared his throat. “I’ll say this only once. Don’tsleep with that boy, Ethan. He’s nothing but muscles and mess. And I need youhere. Desperately. The other day Connor tried to engage me in a conversationabout theReal Housewives of Beverly Hills,and I had to breathedeeply and silently recite some mantras so he couldn’t see how badly I wanted tocry out for help.”

“Roman Walker and I arenotsleeping together.”

Jonas nodded and moved off into the halls of the conferencecenter.

But before he pushed through the doors, he looked back overone shoulder. “Yet,” Jonas added.

Realizing he’d just had one of the lines he’d used on Romanused on him, Ethan sucked in a deep breath and stretched out his neck a bitbefore returning to his office.

14

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