After they walk back through and the guests begin to follow, Luke stands, pulling me to my feet.
I hope he doesn’t cause another scene.
He goes in the other direction, pulling me along through the trail leading back up to the resort.
I want to ask him where he’s taking me, but he seems to need a few minutes of silence. We end up at the resort office. A black SUV is already idling for us out front. The driver opens the door for us, and I climb in ahead of Luke.
“Where are we going?” I finally ask.
He gets in and leans his head back, eyes closed. “I told you, the jet is ready.”
My mouth drops open, and the car begins to move.
“We—I haven’t packed up yet.”
He might be able to afford to replace his personal items in the bungalow, but I can’t just go out and buy it all without feeling the effects in my limited budget.
“I had them pack it up for you.”
It’s that rich-people speak again. Snap your fingers, and somebody picks your laundry up off the floor. Irritation rises on my skin. I would have preferred to at least know we’d be leaving so soon.
Would it kill him to clue me in on the itinerary?
“What about your important meeting?”
“We’re doing it now.”
The SUV pulls to a stop in front of a restaurant as he speaks. “This shouldn’t take long, and then we’ll be off.”
I wanted to congratulate Fallon and celebrate her marriage. Despite our initial meeting and me thinking I was homewrecking her relationship, I like her.
Luke’s expression is hard and full of conviction. We aren’t going back to the reception.
CHAPTER 23
KATE
He opensthe door and gets out, reaching a hand in to assist me. The restaurant is not the kind of place I would expect to have a meeting with an important client. It has an A-line roof with a steep pitch, almost resembling a tepee. The entire front has dark, diamond-shaped windows. Guests are seated at the tables spread out under an awning, surrounded by palm trees and hibiscus flowers.
As we walk in, I feel completely overdressed.
“I don’t have my notebook,” I whisper to Luke.
“Just use your phone to make notes of any numbers, dates, or names we discuss. You don’t need to write it all, just the highlights.”
“Okay.”
We go right past the stand with hostesses, and he leads me up a stairway in the middle of the room. The interior is nice, but it’s not overly fancy. The wooden beams and potted plants give it an earthy, natural feel.
As we reach the top of the stairs, we enter a small private dining area near an open balcony. In the distance, I can make out the whitecaps of the ocean reflecting in the moonlight.
There are already three men sitting down, all dressed in suits and ties. They stand to greet us, bowing slightly.
Luke returns the bow before extending his hand to the shortest one in the middle.
I’ve heard him speak this language at the office when he was on the phone. The older man responds with a smile and says something in return. Luke chuckles, nodding as they take their seats.
I find mine next to Luke, pulling out my phone. I glance around for someone who might be a translator.
