Page 1 of Sapphire Spring

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NaserKazemihad spent most of his adult life trying to get rich people to rein in theirspendthrift ways, and so he’d learned, long ago, the best strategy for gettingan A-type personality to do what you wanted them to do—never, under anycircumstances, tell them what to do.

As a CPA, he’d encircled his clients with facts and figuresthat corralled them onto a better, more prudent path.

As the newly hired controller for Sapphire Cove, the personresponsible for maintaining the resort’s bottom line, his successes hadinvolved alternatives over admonishments.

His proudest moment since taking the job three months beforewas the colorful PDF he’d submitted to the hotel’s general manager outlininghow the resort could afford better landslide insurance if they reduced theinsane amount of money the man was spending on in-room toiletries and thecustom-made glass bottles they came in. The presentation had worked its intendedeffect, even if several of the gruesome landslide photos he’d included hadcaused his boss to cry out as if he’d been struck. Naser had remained unfazed.Connor Harcourt, Sapphire Cove’s general manager, had also been his best friendsince their freshman year of college. Naser was no stranger to the expressiveflourishes the man made when he didn’t get his way.

In the end, numbers couldn’t be argued with—arrange them inthe right order, and they could make a hard truth easier to swallow, but thetruth was still there, impervious to bullying, threats, or displays of emotion.That’s why they’d always been Naser’s first love.

But sometimes when it came to men like his bestfriend—successful, determined, wealthy, and entitled men—only an outrightthreat would do, and that’s why, when he found Connor in a huddle with thehotel’s executive chef and pastry chef fifteen minutes after Connor wassupposed to have left on his first vacation since taking the reins of theresort, Naser gripped him by one bicep and whispered into his ear, “If youdon’t leave in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to show everyone who workshere the coffee cake footage.”

Connor’s round blue eyes blazed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Naser would totally dare, and they both knew it. It wasperfect blackmail material. That’s why it still occupied a special folder onNaser’s phone.

In it, a pajamas-clad Connor screamed louder than the smokealarm in the kitchen of their college apartment as he hurled glass after glassof water at their smoke-billowing microwave. Today, Connor Harcourt was asuccessful former events planner who’d saved his family’s resort from ruin theyear before. Back then, he’d been a child of such privilege he’d grown up withhis own personal chef. Which was why, shortly after moving in with Naser, he’dset a coffee cake to reheat for five minutes, reducing it to a charred,ember-studded husk and filling their apartment with acrid, yellow smoke. In thewake of the incident, and in the interest of keeping their apartment fromburning down, he’d insisted on giving Connor several classes in kitchenprocedures.

Suddenly, the two men had departed the resort’s massivekitchen, making a serpentine path through the tide of bleary-eyed guests whowere crossing Sapphire Cove’s marble-floored lobby in search of the breakfastbuffet. As agreed, Jonas Jacobs, the resort’s special events director, andGloria Alvarez, its assistant general manager, fell into step behind them.Jonas wheeled the suitcase Connor had abandoned in his office when he’d shownup earlier that morning after assuring everyone, including his fiancé, hewouldn’t make it in to work that day.

“Don’t forget the contractors are coming tomorrow to measurefor the new fitness center.”

“On it.” Gloria’s voice made Connor jump. He realized he wasbeing corralled out the front door of his own resort by not just one, but threeof his senior staff.

“And the organizers for the arborist conference have calledtwice to complain about the vegan menu for their awards dinner, so don’t—”

“They’re my ten o’clock,” Jonas responded.

The four of them stepped through the automatic doors andinto the hotel’s motor court, which was largely shaded by a vine-threadedpergola. The vine was a luscious morning glory. It required almost constantpruning, but its deep blue blossoms were a nod to the hotel’s name. OverNaser’s objections, Connor had insisted it was worth the expense.

On the other side of the gurgling French fountain, LoganMurdoch sat behind the wheel of his cherry red pick-up truck. When SapphireCove’s tallest and most muscular staff member was on duty as the hotel’ssecurity director, he typically wore a blue blazer, khakis, and a white dressshirt. But today was the start of his and Connor’s first vacation in a year anda half, which was why he sported a T-shirt bearing the logo of his father’skickboxing gym.

At the sight of his fiancé spreading his arms in a gestureofDidn’t we talk about this,babe?,Connor spun and planted a fingergently on the center of Naser’s chest. “And you! Don’t freak out about yoursister’s event on Friday.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“You’re not now, but you’ll probably start as soon as Ileave.”

“I’m fine, Connor.”

“And Pari’s event will be too. Jonas is more than capable ofhandling her. We have a very clear contract. And I gave her a ton of discountsand a room for the night, so she should be happy as a clam.”

“How do we know when a clam is happy again?” Naser asked.

“Nas!”

“You didn’t have to do all that, Connor.”

“Of courseI did. I granted yoursister lifetime diva status when I was nineteen.”

“Another mistake. Your chariot awaits.”

“You know, Logan and I could always wait to leave untilSunday. I’m pretty good at handling Pari.”

“You buy her things and get her drunk. It’s not exactlythree-dimensional chess. Go, Connor. You’ve earned a break.” Connor went totake the handle of his suitcase when a thought seized Naser, and he seizedConnor’s arm. “And Blondie, know this. If you and Logan pick a site thatinvolves camping or a long hike, I will unleash a plague of locusts on theceremony.”

Connor and Logan’s weeklong road trip to the PacificNorthwest was also a location scouting trip for their wedding. Both men lovedthe ocean, but they worked day in and day out in a sunny paradise, so they’ddecided to host their destination wedding in a sweater-friendly setting wherethe beaches were more suited to the type of dramatic, moody walks made by thecharacters on the British television shows Connor and Naser liked to bingewatch. The last time they’d discussed it, Connor’s heart had been set on CannonBeach, where a dramatic haystack rock sat just offshore. Logan seemed on board,but mostly becauseThe Goonieshad been filmed there, and he’d beenobsessed with the movie as a kid.

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