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“Better you than me,” Dylan joked as he stared up at the night sky.
“You should be aware that I got an email from Rowan’s media team. Someone on board took a picture of you and him yesterday when you were up here, and it’s now circulating online.”
“Are you kidding?” Dylan growled as he ran a hand down over his face and gripped the back of his neck. “I’m used to this shit, but it fucking pisses me off that someone violated the one place where Rowan should have privacy.”
“I’ll discuss it with the captain and remind everyone. We’ll do our best to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Maybe it’s Owen. That guy gives me the creeps.”
“Has he said anything to you?” I asked.
“He’s barely spoken to me. I’m just a lowly actor.” Dylan shook his head. “After working in Hollywood for so many years, you learn to size up who the predators are right quick. I hope Rowan knows who he’s dealing with.”
A gentle breeze wafted over us, and I took a deep breath of the briny air. I heard the rumble of the tender down below again.
“I bet Charlie’s going back to pick up Ro and his guest. There was some guy chatting him up at the restaurant.”
My entire body stiffened at that bit of news. “That’s nice. I’ll have the Rowan Carter ‘thank you for coming’ gift bag ready for his departure tomorrow morning.”
“And what would be included?” Dylan smiled at me.
“Mouthwash, wet wipes, and the number of the nearest sexual health clinic. Just in case. I’m sure Rowan is careful, but accidents happen.”
Dylan’s loud laughter rang out. “I’ll give you fifty bucks to say that to Rowan’s face.”
“I’m not taking that bet, Dylan.” I shook my head. “All jokes aside, I need this job. And I can’t let Ravi down. He really came through for me when I needed work and I couldn’t get a reference from my last employer.”
Glancing up, my troubles were set aside as my gaze caught on a shooting star dancing across the skyline. I made a wish. Strange, I hadn’t done that since I was a kid.
“And with this gig, I’ll be able to launch my own concierge service. It’ll mean seven days a week and no vacations for a while, but I’m willing to make the sacrifice.”
“Good for you. It’ll be tough on your personal life though. You got a girlfriend or boyfriend back home?” Dylan asked.
“Nope.” I wondered how much I should reveal to someone I’d only known for a brief time. Then I realized that Dylan would respect my privacy given his history with the Hollywood press. “I had a boyfriend, but we broke up a year ago. We lived and worked together at his parent’s hotel in Atlanta, so the breakup was life changing for me.”
I’d spent the past year outrunning my heartache, but the pain grew duller as time went on. We’d been together for nine years until one day Anton locked me out of our apartment, then sent me a text telling me I was fired. He refused to give me a reference. He’d also gone on a shopping spree before he kicked me out, using the credit cards under my name and racking up tens of thousands of dollars in charges. Dumped, fired, and in debt, I’d hit the trifecta of bad luck.
“I’m sorry,” Dylan replied as he stretched out on the lounger. “I’ve been married twice and had too many girlfriends to count. I’ve taken a break from all that since I got sober. Sometimes you need breathing room to figure out what you want. To figure out your truth.”
Dylan’s expression was haunted again, and I wondered what other secrets the man was dealing with. There was something weighing heavily on his mind.
“Has Rowan had many boyfriends?” I asked, my mouth overriding my brain.
Dylan turned and faced me. “Not for a long time. You may have noticed that Rowan’s not your typical douchebag billionaire. He’s good people. But he’s had his privacy violated, and he doesn’t trust easily. Everyone envies him, but his life is far from perfect. Especially when you suspect most people just want to be near you because of your money. They don’t really care about Rowan the person.”
“That’s a damn shame.”
“That’s reality.” Dylan paused. “He had one relationship that made front page headlines two years ago.”
“I’ve read about it.”
“It was the same for me in Hollywood. I had people that I thought were true friends, but as soon as my star power waned, bam, they were gone. Goodbye. And then they ran to the press with all kinds of half-truths… You think that there’s no one you can ever trust, including yourself. And that is a dark and terrifying place to be.”
“Except for Rowan? He’s always been there for you.” I got up and wandered over to the railing, looking out to the island in the distance, the twinkling lights on the shoreline the only visible sign of life.
“I wouldn’t have made it through rehab the last time if I hadn’t had his support, his kindness. He called me every day when things were bad, got me referrals for treatment. I wish more people could see beyond his money to what an awesome guy he is.”
I turned to face Dylan, a question on the edge of my tongue.
