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“Why couldn’t it?” I said, in a low, deep voice.
There was a moment of silence. Then, Lena drew herself up.
“I was a model, Alex. I used to be a model, anyway. I will be again one day. And one of the first rules about modeling is that you need to be professional. There are all kinds of sleazeballs in the business who want a girl for more than just a photo shoot.”
“Is that what you think of me? Asleazeball?”
“No! I mean, I don’t know. I hardly know you, Alex. That’s the point. But youaremy boss. And it was wrong of us to sleep together. I know that, and so do you.”
I hung my head for a moment and looked away. Lena was right, of course. But I’d thought this was different. I thought that we had a special connection. And besides, it wasn’t like I was married or anything.
“So, what are you saying? That we made a mistake, and because of it you’re going to walk out?”
“I won’t walk out,” said Lena. “I know you’re busy right now. But at the end of the week …”
“You’re leaving?”
Lena stiffened her mouth and nodded. I could see that this was as hard for her as it was for me.
“And what if I say you don’t get to leave?” I said. “What if I told you to stay?”
“Then I’ll have no choice …”
“No choice?”
“No choice but to tell everyone what happened on Friday.”
I felt my jaw clench and the muscles in my body stiffened.
“You’d blackmail me.”
“No. No, Alex, I’d never do that.”
“That’s what it sounds like. And frankly, Lena, I could do a lot better than to have someone around me who threatens that sort of thing. So fine. I want you gone by next week. The sooner the better, as a matter of fact.”
I turned and stormed out of the roof garden. When I turned back, I saw her standing, framed by the green leaves and the gorgeous blue sky around her.
That’s the trouble with Hawaii. It’s so beautiful here that sometimes it doesn’t feel real at all.
Chapter Five
Lena
Iwasdevastatedafterour conversation in the roof garden. I felt like I’d let Alex down. And yet, at the same time, I knew I was doing the right thing. For myself, and him. He was arrogant and cruel, yet the kindness he’d shown me and the trust he’d placed in me as his PA made me feel worse. Like I was taking advantage of him. Friday had brought extraordinary circumstances, and I knew we were attracted to each other. In some ways, it wasn’t surprising that we’d slept together. Or that it had been so good. And yet, if it was so good, why did I feel so guilty?
The following day was Tuesday, and since I hadn’t done much all weekend, I was happy when Krista called me and asked to meet me for dinner.
“Oh, by the way,” she said. “Erin Caster over atSwim & Bathing Agencyspoke to me today! I told her you were looking for work. Can you send your headshots over to her with a note for tomorrow?”
“Oh my God, Krissy!” I said. “Yes, sure I will. Exciting!”
I didn’t tell her that I’d be back at the temp agency in a few more days. The salary for my job paid well—in fact, the two weeks’ pay I’d get from being his PA was more than enough to cover my rent for the month with money to spare. But I knew I should be focusing on trying to salvage what I still had as a career. I had savings in the bank from all the jobs I’d done in my twenties, but the money wasn’t going to last forever. It was important to plan.
So, on Tuesday afternoon, I rushed home at lunch to grab a stack of my best pictures from my apartment. I picked up a few stamps as well—I had a stack of them around in case something like this ever came up, and headed back to the office.
I still had a couple of minutes left for lunch by the time I got there, and I was ahead on my work for the day. So, I took two envelopes from the stationery supply room and wrote two notes.
The first was an official resignation from Honolulu Hotels Ltd., valid from Friday. I didn’t see the point in giving notice, but I knew this kind of thing was important for payroll to have. I didn’t just want to leave without saying goodbye. And yet I didn’t know how to say goodbye to the handsome, charismatic man who’d shaken the foundations of my world.
