Lying in the Sand (2 page)

“You spent so much time with Grace, completely ignorant to what she was trying to do. That didn’t make me feel good.”

“If you told me what she said to you, I would have believed you in a heartbeat. You kept your silence the entire time.”

“To prove that I
did
trust you.”

“And this new girl isn’t my ex-fiancé. She’s just a girl looking for a job. How can you possibly be threatened by her?”

She couldn’t help but compare him to Coen or Henry. Or even Derek. They wouldn’t even hire a female assistant to begin with. Coen didn’t work with female clients, and Henry stayed away from women altogether. “Having you work with a gorgeous girl every day doesn’t exactly make me comfortable.”

“I admit she’s a pretty girl. But she’s got nothing on you, Nancy. If you think working closely with a pretty face is going to change the way I feel about you, the woman I live with and have declared my soul mate, then why are we even together?”

Her heart skipped a beat at his words. “You don’t mean that.”

“I said it a long time ago. Without trust, there is no relationship.”

“And when you trusted someone who didn’t deserve it, you almost lost me.”

The anger flashed across his eyes but disappeared just as quickly.

“I don’t want some girl throwing herself at you every day, trying to seduce you every time I’m not around.”

“Where are you getting this from? We spoke to her for five minutes. How could you gather this information that quickly?”

“How can you gather enough information to hire her on the spot?”

Thatcher ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “She’s not going to throw herself at me. Not everyone finds me attractive in the way you do.”

“Thatcher, you’re the single sexiest guy on this island. Not only are you handsome, but you’re sensitive, successful, and humble. Believe me, she’d jump your bones at the first opportunity.”

“Who cares what she would do? The only person I want is you. Being around a pretty face doesn’t phase me at all. Believe me, the only girl I want naked on my bed is you.”

“I know that, Thatcher. I know you would never betray me.”

“Then why is this an issue?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I had to fight for you with Grace. I don’t want to do that again.”

“You never have to fight for me, Nancy. I’m forever bonded to you. Nothing anyone can do will take me away. Only you can change that.”

She stood up from the stool and stepped away. “I guess I’m just jealous. It just seemed like you were smitten with her.”

“I liked her. A lot.”

She looked out the window, seeing the shore in the distance.

“But I’m head-over-heels for you.”

“Coen refuses to work with female clients and Henry doesn’t even hug other women.”

He put his hands in his pockets then moved in front of her. “It sounds like their women don’t trust them.”

“They do. But why make an awkward situation at all? I think Coen made the best decision for his marriage. He respects his wife and eliminates any possibility of too much contact.”

“But his job requires him to touch his client—mine doesn’t.”

Nancy was growing frustrated. “Fine. Forget it.” She turned away then walked toward the door.

Thatcher grabbed her arm and yanked her back. “This conversation isn’t over. Do not walk away from me.”

She tore her arm away. “There’s nothing left to say.”

He kept his hands by his sides, staring her down. “I have a very strict set of rules for relationships. The reason why I have them is because they always work. Boundaries are necessary for success. There are certain things I won’t negotiate on. This is one of them.”

“Fine.” Nancy already knew she wouldn’t be getting her way.

“But since Grace unnerved you and I was ignorant to her intent, I’ll make an exception.”

She stared into his eyes, trying to hide her surprise.

“And because I love you so much. If you don’t want me to have a female assistant, I won’t. But just remember that this request hurts me. When it comes down to it, you don’t trust me. Grace may have tricked me, but never once did I even consider doing anything with her. My fidelity was never an issue, just my good-hearted nature.” He stepped away and turned around. “I’ll call her back and tell her there’s been a mistake. Then I’ll search for male assistants.”

Now Nancy felt guilty. “Thatcher, wait.”

He turned around, the tension in his shoulders. His blue eyes had darkened to gray. The hurt as well as the anger shined through.

She walked across the hardwood floor until she reached him. “I’m sorry…”

“For what?”

“You’re the most amazing thing that ever happened to me and I don’t want to lose you. I’m afraid to even risk it.” She felt the tears bubble underneath. “Every day I wonder what you see in me. I’m not perfect like you. I’m not talented like you. You’re the single most beautiful person I’ve known, on the inside as well as the outside. I’m full of flaws. I’m jealous, insecure, and gullible. The math just doesn’t add up…”

Thatcher’s eyes softened. He moved his palms to either side of her face, forcing her to look at him. “We’re the opposite sides of the same coin. I may excel in some aspects more than you, but you succeed in areas where I struggle. We aren’t soul mates because we’re identical. We’re soul mates because we fit together perfectly. So don’t compare me to you because we’re the same entity.” When a tear fell down her cheek, he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb.

She placed her hands on his forearms and felt the tendons and muscle underneath. “You don’t have to get rid of her. It’s okay.”

“If this is what you want, I’ll do it.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Thatcher studied her face. “I’m starting to realize that relationships are also about compromise. If there’s something I can do to make you feel more comfortable, I should.”

“No, I trust you.”

He smirked. “Now we’re butting heads again.”

Nancy knew her request was immature. But after Derek betrayed her, hurt her and lied to her face, she couldn’t help but feel a little paranoid. Thatcher swept her off her feet and made everything better. If she ever lost him, the aftermath would be unbearable. “Have you ever had something so amazing that everyone else wanted it too…?”

He stared into her face. “Yes. You.”

Her cheeks blushed slightly. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

“You can’t.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and left them there for a long time. Then he pulled away. “This is your last chance. What do you want me to do?”

Even though Nancy didn’t want Lily around, she had to get over it. Thatcher was around women everywhere he went. If something was going to happen, it really didn’t matter when or where. “Yes.”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“Without trust, there is no relationship, right?”

He kissed her cheek. “Yes. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it easier to trust each other.” His hands moved up her back then rested under her ribs. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, savoring the connection they both felt.

Chapter Two

“Are you nervous?” Derek asked.

Cheyenne finished styling her hair in the mirror. Her appearance was important and she had to look perfect. Working at the most prestigious hotel on Maui wasn’t a joke. Even if her fingernails weren’t perfectly trimmed it was grounds for dismissal. “Yeah.”

Derek leaned against the doorframe. “Don’t be. You’re going to do great. Besides, the Four Seasons in Wailea Bay is a great place to work with advancement. The hotels around here make serious dough.”

“I’m just glad to have a job.” She smoothed out her dress even though it was free of wrinkles. Then she made sure the yellow hibiscus flower was positioned behind her ear. She turned to her brother. “How do I look?”

He winked. “Like a million bucks.”

She walked down the hall then grabbed her purse. “I should get going.”

Derek walked out with her, heading to her small car in the parking lot. “Just don’t be yourself and you’re good.”

“What?” she asked.

“Don’t be a brat. That’s all you have to do.”

“I’m only a brat to you. I guess you didn’t pick up on that.”

He chuckled. “Nope. I assumed you were a pain in the ass in general.”

She rolled her eyes. “Bye.”

He grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a hug. “You’ll do great, sis. I know you will.”

She relaxed then pulled away. “Thanks, bro.”

He opened the door for her. “Now get going.”

She got into the car then headed to the beach. When she arrived, she parked in the rear of the parking lot, the designated area for employees. She checked her make up one more time before she got out and walked to the hotel, trying to make sure she walked gracefully on her heels.

The hotel doors slid open and she entered the lobby. The hardwood floors contrasted against the pale walls. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and various chairs were scattered in front of TV’s. Hawaiian flowers were in vases, and the room had the distinct smell of the beach.

She walked behind the counter then headed to the employee room. She put her purse down and clocked in. Her first day was working the night shift on a weekday. She was grateful it wouldn’t be so busy.

When she came back to the counter, she looked at the other concierges. “Hi, I’m Cheyenne.”

“Vanessa. Nice to meet you.” She shook her hand and gave her a slight smile.

“This is my first day.” She felt stupid saying that the moment it happened. Obviously, it was her first day.

“Well, let me know if you need any help. It’s usually pretty slow at this time of day.”

That was a relief. “Okay.” She turned to the computer then played around with the program. She had been taught once before, but the instructor was going so quickly she had a hard time keeping up.

The doors to the beach opened, and a family walked inside wearing swimsuits and towels. Two little boys carried their buckets and shovels, tracking sand on the floor. They were ignorant to the mess they were making.

Once they were gone, Vanessa turned to me. “When things like that happen, we need to clean it up.”

“We do? Don’t they have janitors for that?”

“Yes. But we can’t afford to wait. This is a five star hotel. We can’t afford a bad review.” She handed Cheyenne a broomstick and a dustpan. “Get to it.”

Cheyenne bit her lip and didn’t complain. She bent over and swept the dust into the pan, making sure she removed every grain of sand. Then she carried her equipment back behind the counter. When she turned around, a woman was standing at the counter.

“Oh, hi.” Cheyenne came to her. “Do you need something?”

Vanessa glared at her.

“I mean, I hope you’re enjoying your stay at the Four Seasons. Can I do something to make your stay even better?” She said it in a professional voice.

“What time is the luau?”

Luau? What luau? “Which one, ma’am? I’ll look it up.”

“The one at the hotel. It’s in the evenings, right?”

Uh… Cheyenne quickly typed on the computer, trying to figure it out.

Vanessa stepped in. “It begins at seven in the evening, and all food and beverages will be provided.”

“Thank you.” The woman walked away.

“Do you know anything?” Vanessa snapped.

Cheyenne held back her tongue. Her normal response was to snap but she knew that wasn’t appropriate. “I’ve only been here for five minutes…I guess I need more time.”

She rolled her eyes then stood at her computer. The phone rang and she took the call.

Cheyenne sighed and stood at her computer. She knew the job wouldn’t be glamorous but she didn’t expect it to totally suck. The rich people were snooty, and her coworker was ridiculously impatient. But she needed a job if she wanted to go back to school, so she decided to stop complaining.

A man walked through the doors with a bag over his shoulder. He held his phone and he was typing on it while he walked. He wore a black suit with a gray tie. His short brown hair had a slight curl at the end. Over six feet tall, he walked across the lobby like he knew his way around blindfolded. Cheyenne spotted him, noticing the strength of his shoulders and his wide chest. She wondered if he was an actor or model. Famous people tended to stay at hotels like this.

He stopped a few feet from the concierge’s desk then put his phone back in his pocket. When he looked up, his blue eyes focused on her.

Cheyenne stilled, feeling her spine shiver.

Vanessa spotted him then hung up the phone quickly. “I can help you, sir.”

He kept staring at Cheyenne, his face unreadable.

Cheyenne froze to the spot, unsure what to do.

“Welcome to the Four Seasons,” Vanessa said. “I can help you.”

He ignored her. Instead, he walked to Cheyenne’s desk. “Hello.”

Cheyenne’s lips felt numb for a moment. Why was he at her desk? Why did he ignore Vanessa? She knew she must look like an idiot gawking at him so she composed herself. “Hi…”

His blue eyes shined with an innate light when he looked at her. His face was fair, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw. His lips were thin, and a thin line of hair formed on his chin like he hadn’t shaved in a few days. “Hello,” he said again.

Cheyenne realized how stupid she looked. “Welcome to the Four Seasons at Wailea Bay. How may I assist you?” Her robotic voice faltered because of her nervousness.

He gave her a gentle smirk. “Is it your first day?”

Was she that obvious? “Yes. I apologize.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’ve just never seen you before. And I would definitely remember you.”

Her spine shivered at his remark. What was she supposed to say to that? She clicked her mouse just to have something to do with her hands. “Do you visit the Four Seasons often?”

“I come to Maui for work often. This hotel is my favorite place to stay.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” She tried to hide her anxiety but it was becoming more difficult. “What is the name of your reservation?”

“Stinson is the last name.” He pulled out his wallet and set it on the counter. “Gray is the first.”

“Gray?” she blurted. “That’s your first name?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

She never heard a name like that. She turned her attention back to the computer and tried to pull up his reservations. The system was foreign to her and it was difficult for her to locate what she needed. “I’m sorry it’s taking so long…” She was starting to feel flustered.

“Don’t apologize,” Gray said. “I’m not in a hurry.”

Vanessa glared at her then shook her head.

Cheyenne kept searching until she found it. “I found it. I have a club level ocean view room for three nights. Is that correct?”

“It is.” He pulled out his credit card and played with it in his hand.

“Alright.” She finished the check-in procedure. “And the credit card you’ll be using?”

He handed over a thick card made entirely out of metal. She was surprised by how heavy it was. She scanned it then returned it to him. Gray turned his attention to a vase in the corner. She took advantage of the opportunity to gawk at him. Then he switched his attention to her, his eyes boring into her face.

Cheyenne quickly printed his reservations then pulled out the keys. “Here’s everything you need, sir. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”

“Thank you.” He took them from her and gave her another long heated stare. Then he grabbed his bag and headed to the elevator. When he was finally gone, she could breathe again.

Vanessa glared at her. “He’s one of our most lucrative clients. You acted like a total wreck.”

Cheyenne was getting really sick of her attitude. “It’s my first day. I’ll get better.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “I have no idea why he came to you.”

Maybe because you’re a bitch?
Cheyenne thought.

The manager came from her office then looked at Vanessa. “I just received a complaint about our customer service.”

Vanessa gave me another glare. “You can thank her for that.”

“Actually, he named you personally.” The manager studied her with cold eyes. “Apparently, you’re making a hostile environment which made our guest uncomfortable.”

Cheyenne couldn’t stop smiling.

“But I…I didn’t even say anything to him.” Vanessa was flustered.

“You only get two chances here at the Four Seasons,” the manager warned. “You only have one left.” She walked back into her office and shut the door.

Cheyenne wiped the grin from her face.

“I can’t believe that,” Vanessa fumed. “What a jerk.”

“Maybe you should just be nice to other people.” Cheyenne shouldn’t have said that but she couldn’t help it.

Vanessa stared her down. “You just made a bad enemy you can’t afford.”

Cheyenne ignored her, returning her attention to the screen.

Derek called Cheyenne when she arrived at her car. “So…how was the first day?”

“It was okay.”

“Just okay? You didn’t see any celebrities? Sneak any food?”

“No and No.” She started her engine.

“Then you must be hungry. I’m at the taco shop. Come join us.”

Cheyenne wasn’t in the mood for company but she was hungry. “Are you buying?”

“When have I ever let you pay for your own food?”

She smiled. “Never.”

‘Then get your ass down here.” He hung up.

Cheyenne drove to the taco shop then walked inside. Derek was sitting with Henry and Bryce, who were both eating. She walked to their table. “Hey.”

Henry whistled. “Nice dress.”

She smirked. “Derek bought it for me.”

Bryce stared at her, his eyes taking her in. “I like the flower in your hair.”

She absent-mindedly touched it, unsure why. “Thanks.”

Derek stood up. “I’ll get you some grub, fatty.”

“I’m not fat,” she argued. “But thanks.”

“That’s debatable.”

They ordered and paid for her food then she sat down with her tray.

“How were the rich snooty people?” Henry asked.

“Not snooty, actually.” She took a few bites of her food then wiped her mouth. “The other workers were the snooty ones.”

“Really?” Derek asked. “Why?”

Cheyenne shrugged. “I have no idea. But the guy I was helping complained about her and got her in trouble. It was awesome.” She smiled when she remembered it.

“Awesome,” Derek said. “Looks like someone has your back.”

She remembered Gray, with his bright blue eyes and powerful shoulders. He was definitely someone she wouldn’t forget, but she doubted she would see him again. It was probably for the best. He was far too distracting anyway. “I guess so.” She looked at her brother. “How’s Paola?”

“Fine as hell,” he blurted.

She rolled her eyes. “How’s Ren?” she asked Henry.

“Beautiful has hell,” he said with a smirk. “Actually, I should probably head home. She’s probably wondering where I am.”

“Someone’s whipped,” Derek said.

“Like you aren’t,” Henry countered.

Derek shrugged but didn’t comment. “I should probably head home too. Not because I’m whipped but because I’m horny.”

Cheyenne cringed. “Good to know.”

Derek dumped his trash. “See you later, kids.”

Henry left. “Bye.”

“Bye.” Cheyenne stayed in her spot and finished her food.

Bryce studied her from across the table, keeping his silence. Cheyenne kept her eyes downward, unsure what to say. She and Bryce were always awkward around each other. They said very little but the tension was in the air. She squeezed a lemon into her tortilla and kept eating.

“It’ll get better,” he said. His brown hair was lighter than his brother’s, but he had the same blue eyes. His arms were toned and defined, probably from his hours of swimming as a lifeguard. He was tan as well, his skin dark. The t-shirt he wore fit his body nicely, showing the contours of his chest and shoulders.