My heart beats double-time while I stare at my screen, silently urging him to reply. Normally when we text, he responds quickly. But not this time. Is he ignoring me? On purpose?
“Here you go,” Mom says, handing me the boutique bag.
“Thank you,” I say, stuffing my phone back into my pocket.
“Should we shop more, or do you want to go see if your father is done golfing? We can drag him to the beach and try to get him in the water. He hasn’t gone for a swim this entire trip yet.”
I shake my head. “I’m actually not feeling well.” It’s not a lie. “I think I’ll take a little nap and then meet up with you and Dad at the beach later. Thanks for the wardrobe refresh. I can walk back myself if you want to keep browsing.”
"Don’t be silly. I'll go with you. Should I call the hotel and have them send a car for us?"
“No. That’s okay. I think the air might help.”
We go back out to the street, and I peek at my phone every few minutes on our walk back to the resort. Still nothing from Sebastian. My stomach is in knots. The second I get to my room, I’m calling him. Meanwhile, Mom makes small talk, none the wiser that my heart is breaking.
As we enter the lobby and pass the registration desk and the hallway that leads to the management offices, I think about confronting Sebastian in his office. He can ignore my texts, but he’ll have to say something to me if I’m standing right in front of him. And if he thinks he’s going to get away with lying to me, he’ll at least have to look me in the eye to make an attempt.
Once my mom drops me off at my suite, I lock the door behind her. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I dial Sebastian and put the phone on speaker. It rings and rings and rings. But he doesn’t pick up.
Fine. Time for plan B, then.
I freshen my makeup and change into one of my sexier sundresses with a plunging neckline. If I’m about to get dumped, I can at least remind him of what he’s losing.
Checking my cell phone for the millionth time, I slip it into my pocket and head downstairs. When I step out of the elevator, I don’t hesitate. I stride into the lobby, head high, eyes locked on the employee-only hallway, zeroing in on the door at the endwith the plaque that reads Management. I’m about five steps away from the hallway when a feminine voice calls out to me.
“Excuse me, miss? In the red dress? Can I help you?”
I turn around, preparing to tell whoever it is that I have an appointment with Mr. Argos, but the words die on my lips when I see who’s standing there behind the concierge desk.
It’sher.
The woman he kissed at the festival last night. Her dark hair curls long and soft over her shoulders, and she’s dressed in the hotel employee uniform of head-to-toe black.
As I stalk over to her, my heart stutters. Her name tag reads Daisy. Concierge.Concierge?Sebastian is having an affair with an employee?
“Can I help you with something?” she repeats, smiling brightly. “Maybe planning an itinerary?”
Swallowing my anger, I match her perfectly polished smile with one of my own.
"Actually, I’m looking for Sebastian. Is he in his office?"
Her eyes narrow. “Mr. Argos?”
“Yes. That’s the one,” I say, unable to keep the ice out of my tone.
She hesitates for a split second and then says, "I'm so sorry, but he's not here at the moment."
“Really.” I study her face, but I can’t read her expression. Is she lying to me? "Can you tell me when he’ll be back, then?”
“I can’t. He flew off the island this morning."
22
SEBASTIAN
"Sebastian?We weren’t expecting you for another few days. What are you doing here?"
“I missed you, too, Becker,” I say sarcastically.
