Page 23 of Spring Break with a Bodyguard
A hint of a smile touches his lips. “I believe it’s called kissing. And while it wasn’t part of my original assignment, I don’t regret it.”
His directness catches me off guard. I’d expected professional distance, maybe even regret, not this calm acknowledgment.
“You don’t?” I ask, hating how vulnerable I sound.
“No.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t complicated. I report to Preston. You’re his cousin. There are professional boundaries that exist for good reasons.”
I nod, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. “So we pretend it never happened.”
“I didn’t say that.” Javi leans forward, his voice dropping lower. “I said it’s complicated, not impossible. But we need to be careful, especially with what’s happening at the hotel.”
The reminder of the thefts pulls me back to my other pressing concern. “About that. I think someone is deliberately setting up a scapegoat for the thefts.”
Javi’s expression sharpens. “You know about the thefts?”
I glance around to ensure no one is within earshot before continuing. “I saw Carmen’s notebook—she’s been keeping track of all the incidents. They’re too concentrated, too similar in timing. As the newest employee, I’d be the perfect fall person.”
Javi hesitates, then leans in closer. “You might be right to worry. Roberts has been asking questions about you specifically. He’s looking into your background and seems convinced you’re involved.”
“What?” My stomach drops. “How do you know that?”
“He approached me yesterday,” Javi explains, his voice low. “Asked if I’d noticed anything suspicious about your behavior. He’s pushing hard to build a case against you, despite having no real evidence.”
“So my instincts were right,” I murmur. “Do you think Roberts himself could be behind the thefts?”
“Roberts?” Javi asks, his voice neutral but his eyes alert.
“He’s on my suspect list,” I admit. “Along with Lisa from fourth-floor housekeeping and Eduardo, who seems to wander between floors a lot.”
Javi’s eyebrows raise. “You have a suspect list?”
I feel my cheeks warm. “I might have created a makeshift investigation board this morning.”
To my surprise, he smiles—a genuine, warm smile that transforms his usually serious face. “Of course you did. Preston always said you had a sharp mind for patterns and details. It’s why he was considering you for the assistant manager position despite... everything else.”
The casual acknowledgment that Preston has spoken about me—positively—to Javi is unexpected. “He said that? To you?”
Javi nods. “He’s harder on you because he sees your potential. So does Brogan. They just…”
“Say it,” I say as he exhales.
“They worry you’ll follow your mother’s pattern of taking shortcuts.”
The assessment stings, but it’s fair. “That’s partly why this housekeeping experiment is so important to me. I need to prove I can do the hard work, not just coast on the Hollister name.”
Something shifts in Javi’s expression—a softening, perhaps even admiration. “You’re already proving that. Five straight days in housekeeping during spring break is more than most people could handle.”
His words warm me more than they should. “Thanks. But it won’t matter if I get framed for theft and fired before my three weeks are up.”
“So what’s your plan?” Javi asks, leaning forward with interest.
I hesitate. “I’m not sure you’ll approve. It’s not exactly by the book.”
“Try me,” he challenges, a glint in his eye that suggests he might be more open to bending rules than his stern demeanor usually implies.
“I need to catch the real thief,” I explain. “Set a trap. But I’ll need help—someone with security clearance and access to areas I can’t reach.”
Understanding dawns in his eyes. “You want me to help you investigate.”
