Page 4 of Save Me
Shock grips me as I emerge. Rebel’s back is to me, her jet-black pixie cut styled to messy perfection. She’s focused on whatever she’s washing in the sink. Grocery bags clutter the counter, and the slow cooker is waiting to be filled.
“What’s on for tonight?” I ask, hoping she can’t hear the strain in my voice.
“Oh, hey! I thought chicken enchiladas and a side salad. The greens in the garden are looking good.” She peers over her shoulder at me, her smile bright even as her face shows worry. “You feeling okay? You were in there for a while.”
“Oh, I’m fine. Just … too much coffee on an empty stomach, I guess.” I stumble over my excuse. “How was the shop when you left?”
“The usual. Nothing exciting. I ran to get groceries after the morning rush. Skye’s training Lara.”
“Oh, good.” I forgot about the new employee. “How’s she doing?”
“Quick learner and funny. A lot better than that last one.”
“Well, that’s a low bar. But good. I was hoping she’d fit in.”
“She’s great! I’m going to get this all going, and then I’ll head back before Skye leaves for the cruise shack.”
“Right. What time is it?”
As if in answer, Gigi’s teal-and-yellow cuckoo bird pops out of its box to announce the eleventh hour. It instantly brings me back to the last time it so poignantly announced its presence, that fateful day when Ronan and I stood in this exact spot, naked and breathless—the whole reason I’m now in such a mess.
Hell, if I’m being honest, though, I was doomed the day he walked into the Sea Witch. Maybe that was Henry Wolf’s plan all along, though. Maybe Ronan is a plant, come to seduce and destroy me.
I swallow against a burst of nerves and resist the urge to touch my stomach. “I should get back to the office.”
Rebel’s brow furrows. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You seem off.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just …” In shock is what I am. Thank God Frank is taking the cruise shift. I don’t think I could play fun captain right now. “I didn’t sleep well.”
She jerks her chin toward my room. “Take a nap. You’re the boss.”
“I wish, but I have so much to do. Payroll and accounting stuff, inventory orders, next week’s schedule for bookings.” And I’d just stare at the ceiling while mentally berating myself anyway. No, keeping my mind busy and off my dire situation is the right move.
“Okay, well, dinner’s taken care of for tonight.” Rebel waves her hands around the kitchen to prove her point. “One less thing to worry about, right?”
“You’re the best.” Though the last thing on my mind is food, and I doubt I’ll have much of an appetite later either.
“Of course. We’re all in this together. We’re family.” With a wink, she sets back to her task.
“Exactly.Family. Not a commune.” I grab my purse and the keys to the Cherokee off the hook and head out the door.
3.Ronan
“Do you hear that?” Chester holds up a crooked index finger, aimed at the floor-to-ceiling aquarium in Opal Reef.
I pause and listen intently as a cluster of tropical fish glides past. “That weird whirring?” It fades in and out, a repetitive sound.
“Ray said it wasn’t doin’ that yesterday during his daily inspection, and it’s getting louder by the hour. Staff noticed it this morning.” The facilities manager frowns at the tank. Back in his day, I’ll bet Chester was a sturdy guy, but his cheeks have hollowed with age, and his lanky arms are more bone than muscle. “That there could be a big problem.”
I imagine every problem with this enormous fish tank is a big problem. It might rank up there with the most expensive feature in this entire hotel. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t know yet. Ray checked for clogs in the filtration systems and didn’t find any, so he’s pretty sure it has tobe a faulty part, but he needs the manufacturing company to confirm. They’re sending someone in tomorrow. Then we may need parts.”
“How long will that take?”
Chester shrugs. “They come from overseas.”
“You’re fucking kidding me right now.”
