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She would think about that moment for the rest of the night. After eating her food while watching Wyatt close up the bar, she headed up to the top floor and let herself into her home.
The Sunset Suite was just that. She didn’t even really think of it by its name all that often. It was as much home to her and her parents as a condo or apartment would be to anyone else.
The three bedrooms were off to the right of the large entryway, each with their own private bathroom and balcony.
Straight ahead of the double-door entry was the large gourmet kitchen, complete with a massive island and professional-grade appliances ordered specially from Leon for her mother. A massive living space with a sectional sofa and flat-screen television sat just to the left, followed by the dining room, which had a long table that easily sat twenty. It sat next to a wall of glass doors that led out to the private balcony, which was easily as large as the living room.
Outside was another dining table, this one a lot smaller, which sat under a pergola. There were two more seating areas, one with a sofa and television area, another with chairs huddled around a firepit.
There was an outdoor kitchen for grilling, complete with a bar area for drinking. They even had a yard of sorts. Basically, it was a small space with fake grass. There were, however, plenty of real trees and bushes filling every inch of the patio, which the lawn crew took care of on a regular basis. It gave the perception of privacy even though the balcony walls were made of glass and there were tourists just below on the beach and the pool deck that it all overlooked.
From below looking up, one would only see a wall of green. Looking out through the greenery was by far one of Jade’s favorite views.
Then there was the pool. It was small, only twelve by ten, but just big enough for her to enjoy. Lounge chairs filled every available spot for her family or guests to enjoy.
She slipped off her clothes and slid into the cool water, trying to get Wyatt out of her mind. She didn’t come down here to hook up with a sexy bartender. She needed the employees to take her seriously and how could they if she allowed herself this small indulgence?
As she did with everything in her life, she ran through the pros and cons as she floated in the water, looking up at the night sky. By the time she pulled herself out of the water, she had made up her mind. Wyatt was a distraction she couldn’t afford.
CHAPTERFOUR
Standing just inside the kitchen doors, Wyatt watched Jade laughing with Leon, the head chef. The man was easily twice her age and twice her girth, but Jade appeared to be enjoying his company so well that it made him wonder. At least for a split second. Then he noticed the way Jade laid her hand on Leon’s arm, and he understood that she thought of him as family.
He knew that the man had been working as head chef at the resort for more than twenty years.
Leon had been crossed off Wyatt’s suspect list early on due to several factors, the main one being that the man had never left the island. Not once in his entire lifetime. There were plenty more, but that was the one that had stuck out the most.
Besides, after being there for a few days, he’d grown to like the guy and trusted that he had nothing to do with the kidnappings.
When he stepped into the kitchen, Leon glanced over Jade’s shoulder and waved him in further.
“There he is now,” Leon said, as Jade turned to look at him.
Instantly, he knew there was something different about the way she looked at him. Yesterday, she’d been flirty and easygoing around him. Now, the moment she saw him, she tensed, and her spine straightened, as if she wanted to project a business attitude towards him. Even her jaw was set firm as she ran her eyes over him.
Which meant, no doubt, that she’d talked herself out of flirting with him. Too bad. He was having fun. He wasn’t opposed to flirting with someone to get more information. But something told him that it wouldn’t have been that easy with Jade.
She was the type of distraction he couldn’t afford.
“Morning,” he said casually as he approached them.
“Almost afternoon for me,” Leon said with a chuckle. Wyatt really liked the guy. Maybe it was due to the man giving him free breakfast and telling him he was too thin all the time.
It wasn’t completely true. Wyatt had at one point been too thin. Then he’d joined the forces and had bulked up to his one-ninety weight, thanks to the extra reps and hitting the gym three times a week.
The resort had a nice gym, which allowed him not only to watch customers and employees but to keep in shape while he was on the mission.
“Thanks, Leon. I’ll get that information for you when I can,” Jade said easily and nodded to him. “Shall we?”
He waved his hand and motioned for her to lead the way. Leon shoved a small covered plate in his hands and winked at him, then he followed her out of the kitchen. She headed towards the back hallway to the massive wine room, which held a walk-in beer fridge where they kept all of the canned and bottled drinks.
“Shall we start in here?” she asked, motioning to the wine room.
He reached past her and opened the door, then held it wide as she stepped inside and turned on the light.
While she ran over his last order sheet, he lifted the lid on the plate and smiled down at the warm honey-butter biscuits Leon had given him. He leaned against the doorjamb and ate a biscuit.
When she glanced over at him, he offered her one.
