Page 46 of The VIP Package

Do I have the wordsI fucked The Fortressscrawled on my forehead?

I settle for playing it cool. “Sorry, I’m groggy. I’m not used to sleeping so late. Let me start again.” Setting the muffins on a table by the door, I stick out my hand. “Camille Plier. My best friend is Eve Goodrich. She came here as a guest three months ago and spoke fondly of you. Maybe you remember her?”

“Oooh,Eve.” Sybil’s strange silver eyes go round and delighted as she cradles my hand in both palms. “Of course I know Eve. What a treat!”

I laugh at the woman’s contagious enthusiasm. “I’ll tell her you said so.”

“Give her a smooch for me.” There’s that saucy grin again. “With tongue, please.”

“That might feel weird, considering she sucks face with my brother.”

She lets go of my hand but doesn’t miss a beat. “Kit’s your brother?” She leans on the doorframe, folding her arms in a nonchalant way that lifts her lush breasts into the V of her t-shirt. “No weirder than if you and I made out. Is it any different than two sisters who date the same guy at different times? It’s not like we leave incestuous cooties in each other’s orifices.”

My brain attempts to untangle that puzzle, then gives up. “Fair point.” And now I can’t stop staring at her mouth. I wouldn’t mind kissing Sybil. “I was hoping I’d get a chance to meet you. Is Kora around?”

“She’s at the off-site meeting withAshton.” She grins as she says his first name, and I catch myself blushing. “Between you and me, I think she just needed a break from our houseguest.”

“Houseguest?”

Gripping the doorframe, Sybil leans back and yells down the pathway behind her. “Hey, Lacy! Stop talking dirty to the parrot and come meet the stowaway, runaway bride.”

I don’t get a chance to respond before a pretty brunette with a pixie cut pops up behind Sybil’s shoulder. “Hi,” she says, sticking out her hand. She has golden-brown skin and light-green eyes I could get lost in. “I’m Lacy. Sybil’s an old college pal, but we sometimes have sex, and I work as a consort at another Jilted Brides resort.”

That’s one hell of an introduction. “Pleased to meet you, Lacy. I’m Camille.”

“Camille got here a couple days ago,” Sybil informs her. “Mr. Holyfield has been taking care of her.” She smiles as she turns back to me. “We came over to see if you’d like to join us for a pool day.”

I tuck my hands in the pockets of my robe. “I didn’t think any pools were open.”

“They reopened the east one,” Lacy supplies. “They got it done early, so we’re free to use it now.”

“I’d love to.” The thought of a pool day with two friendly women sounds perfect. “I got stung by a jellyfish yesterday, so I’m glad there’s a way to go swimming without risk.”

“A jellyfish?” Sybil tilts her head. “There’s an eco-barrier around this whole island to keep them away from the resort. Does Holyfield know about that?”

“Um, yes.” I’m not sure how much to admit. “I was on a boat. We must have been outside the barrier.”

“Ahhh.” Sybil’s knowing look says I’ve confirmed her suspicions. “Anyway, we’ll be at the pool in about an hour if you’d like to join us.”

“I’d love to.” My eyes flick to a high-tech red cooler sitting in the shade near Sybil’s toes. “Did you bring me something besides muffins?”

“That was already here.” She squints at the cooler. “Were you expecting something?”

“Probably from Ash.” Last night, a cooler of food arrived on my doorstep. It was well after nine, and a typewritten note told me Lars had made extra smoked salmon baguettes with fresh dill. I devoured mine while hunched at my laptop, still typing up clinical notes.

Sybill looks dumbfounded. “The Fortress makes you food?”

“His personal chef does, I guess.” I crack open the cooler, eager to see what’s inside. “Let’s take a look.”

It’s packed tight with ice, along with an itemized list. There’s yogurt and milk, plus homemade quiche tartlets and fresh-sliced papaya. For lunch, there’s a massaged kale salad with chilled local shrimp. For dinner, it’s a tropical chicken rice bowl.

“Whoa,” Lacy says. “That’s quite a feast.”

No kidding. “This looks delicious.” I tuck the note in the pocket of my robe and grab the container on top of the cooler.“There’s enough kale salad to feed at least three. How about I bring lunch for our pool day?”

“Perfect,” Lacy says. “Sybil baked bread, so we’ll bring that as well.”

“Plus local strawberries we picked this morning.” Sybil smiles warmly. “And lots and lots of chilled white wine.”

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