Page 88 of A Taste of Paradise

‘Yes,’ he replied with a chuckle. ‘You’ve taken me out countless times, but I’ve never taken you. Where I’m from, a man asks a woman on a date.’

Lily grinned. ‘Is that what you’re asking? For a date?’

‘Yes. Do you accept?’ he replied with a playful grin.

‘How much time do I have to decide?’

‘As long as you want. I’m in no rush. Whatever pace you want, I’m happy to go along with it.’

‘Is … now too soon?’ Lily suggested, as her smile was lost against his lips.

And as she and Shay kissed again, this time with more intensity, she could hear her beloved father’s words in her head.

Give thanks when it all works out. Because good things might not come easy, but they’re always worth it.

Chapter 61

The following morning, Erin was on her customary walk through the resort gardens but today was different. It was her first free day since she’d started at The Palms and, as she stood under the cloudless blue sky watching the waves roll onto the beach, she felt … peaceful.

There was no longer any urgency to ensure that everything was perfect. No frantic calls to deal with, or urgent guest matters to troubleshoot.

The party was over. In more ways than one.

The cool ocean breeze caressed her bare shoulders as her palm-print sarong flapped gently against her legs. The two-piece she wore was a fluorescent-pink halterneck she’d picked up weeks ago, and this was its very first wear.

Erin closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, before casting off the sarong and securing it under her flip-flops. Then she raced into the surf and gave a little scream as the cooler water temperature welcomed her. She hadn’t expected that.

‘It’s so … cold …’ she exclaimed in exhilaration, though the nippiness began to wear off as her body adjusted and she submerged herself entirely to speed up the process.

Popping back up from beneath the gentle waves, Erin waded further away from the shore, keeping a close eye on the hotel buildings so she wouldn’t lose her bearings.

Over and over she dived down and resurfaced as the sun rose beyond the palm trees and the earlier chill was completely obliterated by a now-seducing warmth.

Mack had been right, this was the best time to enjoy the Caribbean sea.

The thought of him brought Erin instantly back to reality like a slap to the face, jerking her back out of the soothing calm she’d been enjoying among the waves. She cringed afresh at the memory of last night, and the baseless accusations she’d made.

Suddenly, she no longer felt like swimming anymore and she waded back towards the shore, the water tugging her back as it tried to keep her in its arms, but there was no winning her over.

She strode onto the sand, taking a sharp course to the left to retrieve her belongings, the surprisingly strong current having swept her away from where she’d started.

Sighing, she picked up her sarong and shook it off, sending a flurry of sand into the air.

‘Hey, watch it!’ The voice came out of nowhere.

Turning in surprise, she realised that she’d dusted someone else on the beach entirely with sand. He sputtered, trying to remove the grains from his mouth while Erin’s heart sped up automatically upon realising who it was.

‘You seem to sneak up on me a lot,’ she intoned, unable to meet Mack’s gaze as he came closer, brushing his hands against his white T-shirt as he attempted to dust himself down, the smooth plains of his chest firm beneath the cotton.

She was going to have to bid farewell to that and that face that made her light up whenever she saw it. Forget the smile and the scent of his cologne, which had all too quickly become a favourite.

She sucked in a deep breath to subdue the sudden emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. This was insane. How did he affect her like this? Did he have some mysterious power over her? And worse, why did she have to mess it all up by accusing him of wanting to take down The Palms?

When in reality he’d saved it.

Erin cringed afresh, figuring exactly why he’d sought her out and what he was going to say. Surely he was here to fire her, deliver the news in person instead of Grant, who Erin imagined would also soon be surplus to requirements at The Palms, given his admission to them both about his central role in the hotel’s anticipated demise.

Erin still wasn’t sure whether to be angry at Grant or feel sorry for him that the guy had so little faith in the resort, or indeed his own talent.