Page 20

“I’m just tired,” I told her. “Too much fun in the sun today, and now I want to rest in my quiet room.”

She knew that the mention of Eddie would have affected me, but she also knew that I wouldn’t want it mentioned in front of Leanne. The one good thing about that whole mess was that he didn’t want anyone at school to know about it either, so I was spared the humiliation of a public breakup.

So, Angela just nodded, accepting my explanation. Saying goodbye to everyone, I headed out of the restaurant and into the lobby. It was just after eight o’clock in the evening, so there was still plenty of activity in the open space. I didn’t pay much attention to anyone around as I made my way toward the elevator, but something strange caught my eye before I reached it.

There were tropical plants dotted around the lobby in an attempt to match the island’s vibes. They were in big clay pots, and the plants themselves were taller than I was.

But they weren’t really thick enough to hide behind, which was relevant because there was a teenage girl currently trying to do exactly that.

Her tall body was crouched behind the plant closest to the elevator, and her eyes darted around as if she were looking for someone.

Someone dangerous?

Concern about the girl’s safety had me moving in her direction without a second thought. I slipped behind the plant next to her and her brown eyes snapped to me in surprise.

“Don’t worry, I’m a friend,” I said, reading the alarm on her face. “I just saw you hiding here and… are you okay?”

The girl bit her bottom lip and glanced around again before leaning in closer to me. My back straightened, and I braced myself for what she might say.

“I’m trying to ditch my mom.”

There was no stopping the laugh that bubbled up inside me and escaped along with a long, relieved exhale.

“Why?” I asked, less concerned now.

“Because she’s driving me crazy.” Her surly tone and eye roll were classic symptoms of a bad case of teenage sass. “We’ve only been here a few days, and I swear she’s tried to squeeze in a year’s worth of quality time. I just want a few minutes alone.”

It was tempting to point out that a crowded lobby wasn’t the best place to be alone, but I held back because I understood what she really meant. It was the same reason I took a solo walk on the beach earlier today. I just needed to be alone with my thoughts for a bit.

“I get it,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning a shoulder on the wall beside me. “My mom was the principal of my high school, and I love the woman, but it was rough to have her constantly hovering at home and at school.”

The girl cringed. “That sounds like a nightmare.”

I chuckled. “I survived, and I’m sure you can get through your family vacation.”

She stood up with a sigh. “Yeah, maybe.”

“I’m Heather, by the way.”

“Christine.”

Christine? That was the name of Greyson’s daughter.

But it was a common name. It didn’t mean that she was-

“Christine! I’ve been looking for you.”

Audrey’s voice came from nearby, and I knew that this was indeed Greyson’s daughter. And the thin blonde with the pouty lips who was rushing toward us was the woman I briefly spotted outside of the resort when she called Greyson her husband.

“Where did you go?” She didn’t seem to notice me as her eyes settled on her daughter. “Do you know how worried I was when you ran off?”

“I was bored,” Christine huffed. “You were talking to the concierge, and I figured I’d go explore a little.”

“I was booking our boat excursion for tomorrow afternoon.”

“Dad won’t go on a boat. What’s he going to do?”

Audrey gave a careless shrug. “It’s only two hours. I’m sure he’ll find some way to keep himself busy.”