“Okay, I can pretend to be reading this wrong, but I don’t think I am. I’m not judging or anything. If you and Slater hooked up, that’s great. He’s one of my favorite people. I’m really just being nosy and I’m sorry.” She reached over and gave Evie’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I never should have asked, but…”
“No,” she murmured, her face still squashed against the desk. “It’s fine. Really.”
“Are you sure? Because if it’s fine, you should probably pick your face up off the desk,” Maisie carefully suggested. “Or maybe I should just leave and shut the door…?”
Mortification filled her. How did she think she was even remotely sly enough to pull off a secret hookup? Hell, she never even realized that some of the things she said might be considered flirty or sexual, so now she not only had to really think about the things she said but also about where she looked. This was exhausting.
Slowly, she lifted her head and offered Maisie a weak smile. “You don’t have to leave. I swear I’ve never done anything like this before—you know, sneaking around. I really don’t want Milo to find out. I think it would make things super awkward.”
“He’s just your boss, Evie. He has no say in your personal life.”
“And I get that, but…it would definitely make things super awkward. For me and Milo. And Slater. So please don’t say anything. Please. Obviously, you and Axel already talked about it, but if you could…”
“Lexi noticed too.”
“Oh, God…” she groaned again as her head went back down.
“Um…I’m just going to stop talking now,” Maisie said. “And I promise to do some damage control. No one’s going to hear it from me, and I’ll tell Lexi to keep it to herself too. And as long as no one tells Nora, everything should be fine.”
“Mm-kay,” she mumbled against the desk.
Maisie got to her feet. “So, um…dinner’s at six and…”
Forcing herself upright, she immediately shook her head. “Yeah, uh…no. I won’t be there. I can’t.”
“Evie…”
“I’m serious, Maisie. You have no idea how embarrassed I am right now.” She reached up and touched her cheeks because they were on fire. “And I had no idea I was…ogling Slater over the fire. Who knows what I’ll do over dinner? Obviously, I have zero control over the way that man makes me feel. Or act! I think it’s just safer for me to eat in my cabin.”
“But…”
She held up her hand to cut her off. “I can’t. I appreciate the invitation, but this is for the best.”
“You know everyone’s going to wonder why you’re not there. If anything, it might draw more attention to the situation…”
“But you’re doing damage control, so there shouldn’t be a situation,” she carefully reminded her. “It’ll be fine. I’ll grab something to eat over in the restaurant before I go. I’m used to the rain and I can run down to my cabin and…yeah. It’ll be fine. I’m good.”
Maisie didn’t look convinced, but she also didn’t push the issue. “Remember to get the chocolate mousse.”
That made her smile. “I will. And thanks.”
“I guess I’ll see you around. Have a good night, Evie.”
“Thanks. You too.”
She didn’t breathe an easy breath until Maisie was out the door, then she nearly sagged to the floor with relief. It was short-lived because the next emotion to hit her out of nowhere was disappointment. One of the things she was loving most about being here at the resort was the feeling of community. She loved eating with everyone and how there was always something to do. With the way the weather was tonight, maybe there was something fun going on that she could join in on.
Of course, it was possible Milo or Nora or Slater would spot her on their way back to their cabins, but she could lie and say she got bored or maybe that she forgot something up here at the office and came back and then decided to join a group activity.
“That would be totally believable. No one would doubt that story,” she murmured.
Feeling better about the decision, she quickly finished the report she was working on and saved it.
“Oh, hey, Evie,” Milo said as he walked back into the office with Reece behind him. “I was hoping you were still here.”
She smiled. “Is everything okay?”
Nodding, he moved around the office putting his laptop down along with several file folders. “The weather is just not letting up, and I heard we’re all eating at Axel and Maisie’s. I wanted to make sure you knew about that so you didn’t go back to your cabin.”
