Page 6 of Spring Break with a Bodyguard
“Thanks,” she says, her eyes meeting mine. For a moment, neither of us moves. As the wind whips her hair around her face, I’m struck by a sudden, irrational urge to tuck it behind her ear again. To let my fingers linger against her skin.
But I drop my hand abruptly and take a step back. “We should go,” I repeat, more firmly this time, as much to myself as to her.
Teddy nods, her expression unreadable as she gathers the last of our lunch debris. We walk back toward the hotel in silence, the only sound the crunch of sand beneath our feet and the distant laughter of beachgoers.
As we approach the service entrance, the harsh fluorescent lights of the hallway seem to wash away the golden glow that had surrounded us moments before. Teddy’s shoulders straighten, her chin lifting as she slips back into her role as Theresa the housekeeper.
“Back to work,” she says with a small smile that doesn’t quite reach her blue eyes. “Thanks for joining me, Javi.”
I nod, suddenly uncomfortable with the casual use of my nickname. “You’re welcome.”
As Teddy disappears down the hallway, I lean against the wall, trying to regain my composure and my professional distance, wondering what the hell just happened out there. How the hell did Teddy Hollister manage to slip past defenses gleaned from years that have withstood far greater threats?
Worse still, I’m not entirely sure I want to reinforce them.
THREE
TEDDY
The afternoon sunslants through the windows of room 214 as I strip the bed. I’ve lost count of how many rooms I’ve cleaned today, but I’m sure my check sheet will tell me later. Right now, I’ve got a fitted sheet to wrestle off the bed while trying to stop thinking about that lunch on the beach two days ago.
Like the warmth of Javier’s fingers against my cheek.
I yank at the stubborn fitted sheet, determined to focus on the task rather than the memory of that fleeting touch. I’m here to prove myself, not develop a crush on a man who clearly views me as nothing more than an assignment. A man who, until two days ago, could barely conceal his disapproval of me.
The sheet finally surrenders, and I ball it up for the laundry cart, wincing as my shoulders protest the movement.
Three days into my experiment in humility, and I’m already conflicted. Not from the work—that’s hard but satisfying in a way I never expected. No, I’m wavering because of dark eyes that see too much and rare moments of kindness that make me forget why I’m here.
A knock at the door nearly makes me jump out of my skin. “Five minutes until the staff meeting,” Carmen, the head housekeeper, calls through the door. “Don’t be late, Theresa.”
Right. Theresa. My alias. Another reminder that I’m here under false pretenses, trying to prove I can be more than just the family disappointment. Getting involved with security personnel—especially someone as observant and unflinching as Javier—would only prove Preston and Brogan right about me.
The staff room is already crowded when I arrive, the air thick with the scent of industrial cleaning supplies and someone’s leftover lunch. I slip into a seat near the back, aware of the sideways glances from my coworkers.
“Spring break officially starts tomorrow,” Carmen announces, her voice cutting through the murmur of conversation. “That means full occupancy, more mess, and zero tolerance for delays. The Sandpiper might be smaller than our sister properties, but we maintain the same standards.”
I sense Javier’s presence before I see him, a shadow in the doorway. I haven’t seen much of him since that day on the beach, but I know he’s around. I can feel him.
Or maybe it’s wishful thinking; who knows? He looks good in his hotel-issued shirt and dark pants, far from the usual dark suit he usually wore when guarding my cousin. But then, I’m sure Javi looks good in everything he decides to put on.
“Additionally,” Carmen continues as I force myself to pay attention, “we’ve had reports of items going missing from rooms on the third floor. Nothing major yet—phone chargers, small electronics—but security will be increasing patrols.”
I frown. That’s not good. Certainly not when I just started working at the Sandpiper.
“Miss Holden,” Carmen’s voice snaps me back to attention. “You’ll be moving to third-floor rotation starting tomorrow.”
“Sure,” I say as Carmen calls on another employee with their new assignment. After all, I’m game for anything. With eighteen days left to prove myself, I need to be the best that I can be. I need to show Preston and Brogan—and myself—that I’m serious about earning my place in the family business.
* * *
After my shift, I stop at HarmonyWorks, one of the boutiques in Seaside Square. My infamous rent-tripling fiasco had nearly shuttered this place—Uncle Thomas’ first commercial property that he purchased with his own money decades ago. The shopping center holds special meaning for Aunt Elaine, something I’d overlooked in my misguided attempt to impress Preston and Brogan by boosting the family’s bottom line.
Ironically, my PR disaster had an unexpected silver lining. While negotiating a solution with the shop owners, Preston fell in love with Crystal Francia, HarmonyWorks’ determined proprietor. Their initial clash over lease terms somehow transformed into romance, and now she’s my cousin’s girlfriend—and my friend. Not best friend, mind you, for that spot’s reserved for her longtime friend Wilhelmina “Willy” Genaro who just happens to be engaged to Brogan.
The Hollister men certainly have a type—strong-willed businesswomen who don’t take any nonsense.
Crystal greets me with a warm smile as I enter, the scent of lavender and sandalwood enveloping me. “Teddy! I didn’t expect to see you today. How’s the grand experiment going?”
