Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
I hadn’t before now because I wanted to be sure Bailey was a keeper. “I have a few trailers on my property that I rent out to staff for the season at a low price,” I explain. “It’s on the water.”
“Wow, seriously?” Her eyes light up. “Do you have any available?”
“Come on, hook a girl up, boss!” Jeremy goads.
I chuckle. “I’ve got one. You can come check it out tonight. I will warn you, it’s tiny, but the bigger one has been spoken for, and you don’t want to bunk with that guy.”
“Did you hire someone else too?” Jeremy scans our passengers in the water while chatting.
“No. Well, sort of?” Do I call Ronan a hire? But the trailer’s not even for him because he’ll be in my bed. “It’s for Ronan’s friend, who needs a place to crash because Ronan’s losing his house.”
“And Ronan is …” Bailey prompts.
“Her man,” Jeremy offers before I have a chance to answer.
“I don’t normally have non-Sea Witch staff staying there, but there’s a lot goin’ on right now.”
“Oh. Right. The hotel.” Jeremy nods.
“You’ve already heard? You weren’t even there today!”
“I got a few texts,” he admits.
“And? What’d you hear?” What is the staff saying about the crazy rooster commune lady?
“That you accused Henry Wolf of a bribery scheme.”
I cringe. “It was a little softer than that.” Not much, though.
“And Wolf fired Ronan.”
“Yeah, that part’s true.”
“Ronan, your boyfriend,” Bailey says, trying to piece our conversation together.
“Yes. He’s a director there. Was a director.”
“At this hotel.”
“Uh-huh. Next door to my house, and the bane of my existence.” Though it’s beginning to feel more like Henry Wolf is the problem. The giant building beside me is suddenly tolerable.
“Was it because Ronan punched him?” Jeremy asks.
“No, though that didn’t help.”
Bailey’s head ping-pongs back and forth. “Wait, so Ronan punched this Wolf guy?”
“In the eye.” Jeremy points to his own eye. “Henry Wolf owns the hotel.”
“Where Jer also works,” I throw in with an accusatory tone.
“Only two days a week.” He gives me a pointed look that might as well say out loud that I sabotaged his career aspirations.
“Where you’ll be full-time after you abandon me in the fall,” I remind him.
Bailey’s forehead furrows. “So Ronan and Jeremy work for this hotel, and this is an issue.”
Jeremy chuckles. “Man, you’re so new. Okay, let’s take you back to the beginning.”
While Jeremy gives Bailey the CliffsNotes version, I keep watch of the people and boats around us. Everyone is enjoying the sun and water, blissfully unaware that my world is falling apart.
One of Sander’s dinghies is heading this way, the colorful banners peddling ice cream and boiled peanuts fluttering in the breeze.
I groan when I spot the driver. “I can’t deal with him today.”
“Who is he?” Bailey asks.
“My ex.” I give her a flat look. “He’s a cheating, lying ball sac masquerading as a nice guy.”
She hums with understanding. “I’ve had a few of those.”
“He keeps away from us mostly, especially since Ronan threatened him.” If he’s coming around now, he must have a reason, and I’m sure it’s not a good one.
“Gosh, there’s so much drama here.”
“I know. Please don’t quit on me,” I whine.
“You kidding? I love drama.” Her eyes dance with genuine excitement.
“Then you are in the right place. Here, lemme run interference.” Jeremy hops around the bar and positions his tall, lanky body on the outer edge like an easygoing bouncer.
“Thank you. I don’t have it in me to be civil. Today has already been a day.” And it’s barely one o’clock.
“Ladies! Who wants ice cream!” Cody hollers. “It’s the best in all of Mermaid Beach.” His skin is bronzed from weeks in the sun, shirtless. I’ve never seen him so dark. The idiot’s going to get skin cancer.
But our group of girls falls for his charming act like … well, like I did … waving their hands in the air as several scramble back to our little barge for their cash.
It gives Cody an excuse to close in, his little motor rumbling. “Hey Jer, how’s it goin?”
“All good,” Jeremy says. He doesn’t know how to be an asshole even when he’s trying to be.
“Yeah? How’s working at the Wolf?” Cody swaps cash for ice cream bars, sparing several grins and a wink for a blond in a hot pink string bikini.
“Still early days, but no complaints.”
Cody’s eyes skim past me to land on Bailey. “You’re new.”
“I am. First day.” Bailey leans over the bar. “And you are …”
“Cody. Want one?” He holds up a vanilla bar. “On the house.”
“How can I resist.” She holds her hands up, beckoning him to toss it to her, which he does.
Ripping open the wrapper, she slides the long bar into her mouth in a suggestive manner and then moans. “You’re right. You do have the best ice cream.”
What is she doing? Why is she flirting with him? This is what he wants.