Me And Mr. I.T. (Kupid's Cove Book 2) (10 page)

Regardless of our secondary assignment, our first task was to get the business rooms up and running. For me that meant laying out the ballrooms on paper, so I could stage them with equipment and furniture for the new brochures. I had to transform them from fancy reception ballrooms to high-end conference rooms. Once the rooms were ready, I would have to locate about three dozen businessmen and women to come in and mill around while our photographer took pictures. The only saving grace was I could repurpose the old ballroom pictures for the brochures as well. Often, business conferences hold after hour parties, and by utilizing our rooms, they can hold a professional business meeting in one room and walk into a classy after party in just a few steps. With full catering and accommodations available onsite, Orchid Reef would be a no brainer for any company looking for a place to hold their convention.

My heart raced with the excitement of a new challenge for an old job. Sometimes marketing became repetitive, but a change like this would allow me to come up with fresh possibilities to market Kupid Enterprises. I held my clipboard with the layout of the rooms on it and entered the first one. The decorating had yet to be finished, but I could see the potential already. The plan would be to have one ballroom repurposed to accommodate large groups. They were in the early stages of removing the fancy wallpaper and replacing it with a clean fresh look that would include multiple whiteboards and pull down screens, as well as a Promethean board with a full suite of audio equipment.

My eyes roamed the room, visually placing tables and workspaces at the best angles to take the pictures for the brochures. When it came to marketing, you don’t need to have the best of everything, all you need is a hook. For Kupid Enterprises the hook was the sun, beach, onsite accommodations, and of course, a business center that would cater to every need, regardless of the time of day. My job is to pull that off, even if it does give me heartburn.

“Aloha, Mrs. Kekoa,” a voice said and I turned, surprised to see Leilani waving at me from the doorway.

“Oh, aloha, Lei,” I greeted her. “Sorry, I’m not used to answering to Mrs. Kekoa. How about if you keep calling me Ellie?”

She smiled and stepped further into the ballroom. “That explains why you didn’t answer the first four times I said it.”

I laughed. If only she knew the truth. I would never answer to that name again once I left this island, but for now, I had to do a better job of remembering I am, in fact, Mrs. Kekoa.

“Maltrand and I have only been married for a few days. I’m sure it will get easier to remember,” I explained, hoping I didn’t sound like a fool.

She brushed her hand at me. “No problem. I heard from Katie it was all rather sudden.”

I smiled and pointed my pen at her. “You’re not kidding! It’s weird going from a Miss to ‘Mrs.’ overnight. It also makes me feel old to hear Mrs. out of someone’s mouth. Maybe I’ll go with Ms. instead.”

“I’m sure Mr. I.T. wouldn’t mind,” she said, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops,” came a mumbled apology, “I mean, Mally won’t mind.”

I snickered as she dropped her hand. “I’ll tell you a secret. I call him Mr. I.T. in my head all the time. Especially when we’re at work. It makes it easier for me to separate him into two roles, coworker and husband.” I forced myself not to roll my eyes at my words. For the love of Pete, I was laying it on thick with the whole husband thing, granted the plan involved making sure everyone believed it, but it was still weird.

She giggled and clapped her hands together. “I’m so glad it’s not just us! He’s so wonderful, so don’t think I’m making fun of him.”

I shook my head and patted her shoulder. “I don’t, trust me. But how can you let such a perfect nickname pass you by, right?”

“Exactly.” She grinned and motioned at the door. “Anyway, I had better head back to the front desk. I came down to make sure everything was to your liking upstairs. Katie said to make sure anything you need, you have.”

I thought about the bed situation and bit back the request for a rollaway. “Everything is perfect. It’s just the two of us, so we’re doing fine. Room service was accommodating last night and the kitchen is stocked with coffee, so we’re golden.”

“Great, just let me know when you want housekeeping to come up or when you need clean bedding. I won’t send them up until you request them.”

Did she just say ‘clean bedding?’ Am I blushing? Lord have mercy on my soul and swallow me whole right here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some innocent young flower who’s never had sex before. Believe me, I’ve had
plenty
of sex. In college, I slept with any guy who was interested, as long as he wore protection and had a clean bill of health. I’m not proud of that, but it’s the truth. Once I was out from under the heavy thumb of my military father, I had some oats to sow. Add to that the need to prove to myself I was beautiful and worth sleeping with, and you had a lethal combination. Thankfully, since then, I’ve become much pickier about the kind of guy I’m willing to spend the night with.

Thinking about having sex with Mr. I.T. didn’t feel like a one-night fling on spring break. I didn’t even feel like I should call it ‘sex’. I felt like I should call it making love and that, in and of itself, scared me more than anything else I’ve ever dealt with, especially after the Bain incident. I had real feelings for my pretend husband. Not good.

I remembered to smile and nod. “I’ll let you know. Also, can we use the washing machines in housekeeping? We don’t know how long we’ll be here, but we packed light.”

She laughed softly and shook her head. “Ellie, you’re in the penthouse suite at Orchid Reef Resort. When you need your laundry done or dry cleaning dropped off, call the front desk and we’ll arrange it.”

I put my hand on my hip. “We may be staying in the penthouse suite, but that’s out of convenience and nothing else. We don’t want special treatment, Lei, we don’t own the place.”

She walked to the doorway and paused. “While that’s true, I think getting married and then having to go right back to work constitutes a little extra special treatment. While we’re doing the wash, you can go for a moonlight stroll on the beach with Mr. I.T. You’re working, but you can’t forget to be newlyweds, too. Honolulu is for lovers.”

I thanked her and she waved as she headed back to her job. Right, Honolulu is for lovers. I’ll be sure to remember that while I’m not making love to Mr. I.T.

Chapter Nine

Mr. I.T.

The last few days weighed heavily on me as I finished connecting and programming the Promethean board in the new conference center. I rested on my knees and closed my eyes for a moment, reliving the hour in bed this morning when I got to hold her, even if she didn’t know it. She slept peacefully, snuggled up to my chest, her hand resting on my waist and her right leg thrown over mine. I used that hour to study her closely as she relaxed in sleep. If she thinks for a minute I haven’t noticed all the little things about her, the things she thinks she’s hiding, she’s wrong.

I’ve noticed the tiny scar that runs up from her lip to her nose. I’ve noticed the colored contact in her right eye and the way the lid falls a little bit lower than the left. I’ve noticed the limp she tries to hide, even though I know it must be painful and awkward to do it. What it all means together, I don’t know, and I wasn’t dumb enough to ask. Lying there still for so long, when all I wanted to do was kiss her awake, gave me plenty of time to plot out ways to get the information from her willingly. Once I knew everything she was hiding, then I might just try kissing her awake, and making her mine.

I shook my head and forced my eyes open. Maltrand, you’ve got to remember what’s happening here. She’s not yours, and you only have about a one percent chance of ever making her yours. Guys like you don’t end up with girls like her.

I heard music and pushed myself up, checking the computer that I had running the board. There was no music coming from the computer, but it was there, faintly floating toward my ears. I strode from the ballroom and walked through the hallway, my footsteps muted by the thick carpeting under my feet. Following the sound of the guitar, I found an empty ballroom and listened to the melody that flowed through the partially closed door. Whoever was playing had incredible talent.

To avoid detection, I slowly peeked my head around the door, hoping they didn’t notice me intruding on their concert. My breath hitched when I saw the familiar figure on a stool, her beautiful black hair resting on her back as she held a guitar propped on one leg. I couldn’t see her face, but something told me her eyes were closed.

She played from memory, her body swaying a little as I recognized John Mayer’s “
I Don’t Trust Myself”
. She had me entranced by the music and in love with the musician.

I felt the weight of that word crash down on my heart, and I knew, in that moment, nothing would ever be the same. A month from now, when we took these rings off and stopped calling each other Mr. and Mrs., the weight of knowing I would never hold her hand or kiss her lips ever again would crush my heart completely. Why did I have to fall in love with the one girl I could never have? Talk about torture. She’s beautiful, clearly far more talented than I even realized, smart, sassy, and sexy in a way she didn’t believe. Instead, she pretends to be a wallflower in social situations.

I sat down at the piano, her back still to me and picked up the tune at the chorus. When I played, I sang the words I knew were true. I don’t trust myself with loving her.

She turned instantly, her face flooded with surprise and then relief to see me sitting at the keys. She waited a few measures then strummed back into the song, her fingers moving and her eyes closed. I watched her, my fingers knowing instinctively where to move on the keyboard. I’ve been playing piano since I was old enough to reach the keys. Lessons were the one thing my father never fought with my mother over when it came to us boys.

A smile began to tug her lips upwards as I sang and before long she was humming along with me. In the notes of that song I heard only one thing whispered to me; the next month was going to be pure agony and pure bliss, all at the same time.

Ellie

Our hands swung between us as we walked on the beach. The sun had set already and the stars filled the sky so brightly tourists were still swimming and frolicking on the beach.

“Consider me pleasantly surprised by our impromptu concert this morning,” he said.

“I wondered how long you would go without saying anything. Though I could say the same thing about you and the piano. Where did you learn to play?”

He shrugged. “My mom made me take piano lessons. Once I was in high school, I played for choir and band. Mom always said I could have been a musician in a band or orchestra.”

“But you don’t believe that?” I asked, surprised by the sudden lack of self-confidence.

“Maybe. Maybe I should have pursued it, but the past is the past. I screwed up and now I only play for fun, and an occasional luau.”

“You didn’t screw up, Maltrand. You made a different choice. You’re not too old to play the piano in a band or orchestra, if that’s something you want to do. Heck, you’re not too old to do anything you dream about doing. Unless you’re dead, then you’re too old,” I teased, winking at him playfully.

His eyes traveled the length of me and stopped again at my eyes. “I’m not dead, or old, and believe me there are a lot of things I dream about doing.” I smiled shyly and looked away.

“Okay, changing the subject. Consider me pleasantly surprised by dinner,” I said, bumping him in the shoulder with mine.

“Because?” he asked, bumping me back, but holding me so I didn’t fall at the same time.

“Because I had no idea you could cook, and I don’t mean just macaroni and cheese, you cook amazing food.”

The grin he wore on his face told me that my words pleased him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked, which helped hold me up considering all the wine we drank with dinner.

“I don’t know if stuffed portabella mushroom in wine sauce is amazing food, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Are you kidding me? My talents don’t expand much past a sandwich or frozen pizza. I’m always impressed when someone can create such delicious food with so little effort.”

The left side of his lips went up in a smile. “I don’t know if you can say little effort, but I enjoy cooking. It always relaxes me after a long day.”

“I’m sorry if you had a long day. I tried to pitch in as much as I could. I thought they would have the room done by the time we got here. I didn’t waste time, though. While you were doing your hook and connect bit, I was making a list of employees and looking at annual salaries. It feels a little awkward knowing that information.”

“Hook and connect bit?” he asked, laughing.

I laughed too, the wine freeing my usual close to the vest tongue. “Sorry, I don’t know the right terminology. Install and connect? Audiovisual spinmaster?”

He laughed with abandon and then spontaneously kissed my cheek as we walked. “I like audiovisual spinmaster. It’s sure a lot better than Mr. I.T.”

I slowed my steps until were standing in the surf, letting the warm water roll over our toes. “Does it really bother you that much when I call you Mr. I.T.?”

He looked out over the ocean as though pondering the best way to answer. “Honestly, it does bother me. I worked hard and overcame so many obstacles to get my degree. Maybe that’s why it rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s because I like you, Ellie, and when you call me that, even behind my back, I know it’s because you don’t respect what I do.”

I turned his face toward me. “I’m so sorry if that’s how it makes you feel. I have nothing but respect for what you do, Maltrand. I can’t do one tenth of one percent of what you do every day. If anything, I call you that because I’m envious that you have the kind of mind that can problem solve, and repair anything. I see an hourglass spinning on my computer and freak out. You said you like me, well, I like you, too, and I don’t want to do anything that upsets you or rubs you the wrong way. But, I do want to hear you tell me you understand that I respect you and the work you do at Kupid Enterprises. I feel absolutely wretched that what I thought was ‘cute’, you were offended by.”

His features relaxed a bit with my words. “You think I’m cute?”

I snorted and pushed him in the shoulder. “I said I thought the name was cute. I heard it in passing one day when Gideon answered someone’s question. He said, “Oh, it was me and Mr. I.T.” I thought it was cute because it rhymed.”

He hung his head and shook it a little. “Great, even my boss calls me Mr. I.T.”

I ran my hand down his cheek, the five o’clock stubble scratching my palm. “Now I’ve made matters worse.”

He looked over my shoulder and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I guess I can’t stop it from happening.”

“Maybe instead of being offended by it you should wear it with pride. You said you overcame so many obstacles to get your degree and here you are, heading the IT department of a multimillion-dollar corporation. When we call you Mr. I.T. we do it because we know you will come to our rescue, fix our problem, and have us up and running again quickly.”

“So you’re saying it’s not an insult, but a compliment,” he asked, still chuckling a little as we started walking again. “Maybe you’re right and what I’ve taken as an insult wasn’t meant that way. I don’t mind it when you call us Operation Me and Mr. I.T. It makes it feel inclusive that way.”

I hugged his arm and laid my head on his shoulder as we walked. “It’s not negative, in any way, unlike when you call me honey bunches.”

He stopped and looked down at me still hugging his arm. “You’re offended when I call you that? I’m just teasing you.”

I shrugged. “I know, but it brings back that night in my apartment and I’m embarrassed that I threw myself at you and you turned me down.” Why was I telling him this? I was opening myself up for a discussion I didn’t want to have this early in the game of our ‘marriage’. If he says something that hurts, I’m going to have to deal with him for the next twenty-nine days.

He started walking again. “I’ll never say it again. I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention. I didn’t stop to think that memory meant something different to you than it did to me.”

“What did it mean to you?” I asked, surprised that he had a different version to relate.

“It was the first time you opened yourself up to me and indicated in any way that you were interested in me. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but something tells me there was a bit of truth to the words.”

“There was a lot of truth to the words, which I suppose is why it bothered me when you said no. I’ve never had a guy turn me down before you. It was hard on my ego.”

He kissed my forehead. “I wish I hadn’t turned you down. I wish I had taken you up on the offer because maybe you wouldn’t have ignored me for the last two months. It’s been so hard working with you every day and wondering why you turned tail and ran every time you saw me. I thought I was doing the right thing that night, but it turns out I made an even bigger mess of things.”

I stopped and let go of his arm. “I think if anyone is to blame, it’s me. I was the drunken woman falling down the sidewalk, which I would like to make clear, is something I usually never do. I like my wine, but I tend to drink it indoors where people won’t see me teetering down the road at all hours of the night. That’s bad for the business.”

“You were upset about your boyfriend. It’s easy to understand.”

I laughed, my voice carrying across the water like a never-ending echo. “I wasn’t upset about Mark. I never had any real feelings for him. He was a distraction from whom I was really crushing on.”

“Ellie, watch out!” He interrupted my sentence and my head swiveled in his direction the instant before something hit my face and knocked me to the ground. “Ellie!”

He ran up to me and knelt in the sand, while three other people came running over. They were all talking at once and I couldn’t understand anyone. I tried to concentrate on what Maltrand said, but I only heard, “I tried to warn you.”

I kept my right eye covered where the object hit me and motioned to them. “I’m okay, really. I’ll go back to the room and put some ice on it.”

A man in Bermuda trunks picked the offending object off the sand and I saw the familiar shape of a Frisbee. “It got away from us, I’m so sorry,” he was saying.

I pushed myself up with one hand and Maltrand helped me the rest of the way up. “Don’t worry about it. Accidents happen,” I assured him, even though I could feel my eye swelling. “Enjoy the rest of your time at Orchid Reef Resort,” I said, letting Maltrand lead me toward the hotel.