His grandmother didn’t need to know that he’d thought of Natalie Bond for years and when he’d heard the place of business the head chef was representing, it’d brought back flashes of the college girl he’d once had his eye on.
They used to talk. They were friends. She didn’t want much more.
He was a senior, her a junior. She focused on school, not boys. He knew because he’d asked around and been told repeatedly she kept to herself.
But he’d never been able to get her out of his mind. And now, with the freedom to chase any dream whenever the mood struck, he found his fingers flying over the keyboard and searching for the island he knew she’d grown up on.
She wasn’t on social media that he could find, but he saw her name listed as an employee here. A manager. Director of Customer Relations.
He didn’t think her family owned the place, but what did he know? She hadn’t come across as someone who came from wealth. At least not the type of person who boasted of it like others on campus.
He didn’t care about those things.
All he cared about was seeing her again.
“You’re coming back for the wedding, right?”
He sighed. As much as he wanted to get out of going, he knew he wouldn’t be able to.
“I’ll be there.”
“I’m not sure why you couldn’t have just stayed here another two weeks. Now you’ve got to drive back.”
“I’m flying,” he said. “No way I’m driving that far for the weekend.”
It was less than two hours by helicopter and he’d scheduled it with Bond Charter for Friday night and they’d pick him up on Sunday. His preference would have been to fly in Saturday, but he was lucky he could get it on Friday.
He didn’t care about the cost; it was still much faster to take off from here than go sit in an airport and dread the return home for his cousin’s wedding and seeing his father with whoever might be hanging on his arm.
“You always did things your way,” his grandmother said.
“That’s right. Get that from you too.”
His grandmother laughed on the other end. “I’ll let you get on with your night.”
“Thanks. Talk to you soon.”
He hung up, slipped his phone and keycard into his pocket, and headed out in search of food. There were a few restaurants on the grounds, might as well try one before hitting the store to stock the kitchen.
The minute he got off the elevator, he took two steps out to see which direction to go for the more casual place. A burger would hit the spot.
“Can I help you find something?”
The voice he remembered from over a decade ago washed over his back, his blood gushing through his veins at torrential downpour speed and a smile filled his face as he turned. “Natalie Bond.”
Holy crap, was it really true about this island and fate? It had to be for him to run into her this early.
Her eyes searched his face, her smile mirroring his. The light in her gaze told him everything, warm and unwavering, he needed to know. He’d made the right call coming here.
“Arik, not with an E, Crest. Holy cow, what brings you to Amore Island?”
He wanted to say,“You,”but even he knew that edged a little too close to creepy.
2
GOOD FACE
“Would you believe I was just passing through?” Arik asked.
