Interesting.
“Thank you.Meitaki ma’ata, Serita,” Libby said.“Did I pronounce that right?May-tah-key mah-ata.”
“Perfect, and you’re welcome.Meitaki ma’atato you, too, for your understanding.We don’t usually make a mess of our bookings here atAre Moana.”
“It’s no problem, and I’m sure Cranky—er, Mr.Jones—will understand too.”If he ever manages to pull his head out of his ass.“Come, sweetie.Let’s go get some breakfast.”
Libby led Karim toward the kitchen.
She needed coffee, and she needed it quick.
Chapter 4
Atthetableinthe large communal kitchen, Libby sat Karim on her lap so he could eat his puffed rice cereal.Along with toys and tissues, her go bag was always stocked with food, powdered milk, and a bottle of water.She was always prepared.Always thinking ahead.
When Karim was settled and eating his breakfast, Libby logged on toAre Moana’s Wi-Fi on her phone, which she held behind Karim’s back.If he saw it, he’d want it, and she disliked being glued to her phone in front of him.She didn’t want him to grow up thinking staring at screens was the norm, but sometimes life happened, and she had to grab her media minutes whenever she could—especially as she needed to find them a new room,pronto.
Her quick research gave her several accommodation options, though none were within her price range.She’d have more options after she visited the Tourist Information office in Avarua, the island’s largest district.Deciding that she’d spend the morning there orienting herself, she used her remaining time while Karim ate to research Daniel Jones.
That foul-mouthed, so-called British hero would be Libby’s ticket back in the running.She’d make Juliana eat her words about babies getting in the way of a woman’s career, and she’d also prove her wrong for thinking baby-hormones would make Libby “soft” and “no longer have the guts” to expose the truth.
Well, whatever the truth was about Daniel Jones and Isabella, Libby would find out.
The internet connection was slow, but there was enough juice to bring up the latest on Daniel Jones—which wasn’t very much, apart from him not being seen in public for weeks.There were rumors and conspiracy theories about him being too depressed and tormented by his accident to leave the house.There was no mention at all of his traveling overseas.How had he gotten out of England undetected?
Libby swiped through dozens of photos of Daniel Jones sprinting across a finish line, his face contorted with effort and determination.Then a few hundred more of him on a podium, a gold medal around his neck, and of course, there were a whole bunch of him doing his trademark victory dance—the lightning strike.
But it was the several million photographs of him and Isabella together that really got Libby interested.Glitzy red carpet images.Early morning strolls with coffees in hand.Shopping trips at exclusive London stores.The usual.A picture painted a thousand words, and Libby had worked forHot Gossiplong enough to know what the articles would be about without having to read them.
Cranky and Isabella were a very good-looking couple, especially when he smiled.Bright, vibrant, and happy.A world apart from what she’d seen of him so far.Grumpy, miserable, and hostile.
Working forHot Gossiphad put her on the front line for a few nasty confrontations—once, a cop she’d exposed for selling drugs to minors at an exclusive Beverly Hills school had spat at her as he’d been pushed into the back of a police car—but that was work and she’d grown a thick skin to deal with that kind of crap.
But on the flight, she’d only been friendly, and Daniel Jones telling her to shut up had stung.Sure, he’d been through trauma, but deep down, he was just another arrogant celebrity who thought he was better than everyone else.She’d come across plenty like him, and as Juliana used to say, “It’s always open season on celebrities.”
Which meant Daniel Jones and Isabella were fair game.
“They earn millions,” Juliana would say.“It’s our job to bring overly entitled famous people down a peg or two.You just need the guts to do it.”
Yeah, Libby had guts.Juliana was wrong to think motherhood would change that.
So…Where was Isabella?
Like a bloodhound sniffing a trail, Libby ran a search on her, too.
Nice.It seemed that Isabella’s Christmas song was a hit, set to reach the top of the UK charts, and she was making a splash in LA too, photographed numerous times shopping on Rodeo Drive with the TV actress Alicia Hunter.Alicia and her movie star husband, Xavier, were one of Hollywood’s top power couples, so congratulations to little ol’ Isabella from England for infiltrating their A-list clique.
Had Isabella been too busy with her new friends to accompany her injured fiancé halfway around the world?
A spoonful of mushy cereal landed on Libby’s knee.
“Careful, honey.Eat nicely.”But Karim’s messy eating was a sign to disconnect.Reluctantly, Libby slid her phone back into her bag.“Good boy.You’ve eaten so much already.”
She tried to give Karim her full attention, but her mind raced with so many questions.
Did Isabella have work commitments preventing her from being here?
Were they planning to spend Christmas apart?
