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The remaining stragglers met my stare while awkwardly huddling closer to the entrance.
“Oh my gosh, did you see that SUV? It had all tinted windows—that’s gotta be them,” red-haired guy said as he pulled out his camera.
“He’s with Henna, right? They’re always on again, off again, but staying at the resort seems like a big step in the relationship department,” some girl said offhandedly while looking outside.
Wait a second…I knew that name. Why did I know that name? I’d always thought it sounded kind of pretentious, always wanting to say Hannah when I heard someone say Henna. I’d seen a segment done about her at Shay’s house while watchingEntertainment Now… Wait…oh, shit.
“Ryan Prince! I’m such a big fan! I lovedForever—one, two, and three!” someone yelled.
Chaos ensued as a woman wearing a sun hat and large sunglasses charged toward the entrance, her dainty hand intertwined with that of the man walking behind her. Tall and tan with golden-mussed hair covered by a black ball cap and a pair of perfectly proportioned sunglasses that made him look every inch the celebrity he was now.
My heart beat wildly inside my chest. So fast, in fact, that I wondered if it would pummel through my breastbone and plop out on the counter, right in front of everyone.
Suddenly my coworkers had all shown up, trying to see what the ruckus was about. The ever-growing group of people in the lobby and the couple that was charging through the doors had expanded to a full-fledged assembly of people, flashing lights, and yelled inquiries.
Henna James was an heiress, a socialite, and most recently known for dating Ryan Prince.
The couple drew closer. Ryan hadn’t pulled his head up yet, but he did drag his hand from Henna’s, forcing her to look back in bewilderment. Her flawless hair was swept into a low chignon, and her bikini was barely covered by a black wrap, leaving her long, lean legs on display, along with her perfect cleavage. I’d never seen boobs that perfect in person. Shay’s were the closest I’d seen when she wore that one red bikini, but she did some crazy thing with boob tape that helped boost those suckers.
The closer they got, the more aware of my surroundings I became.
My khaki pants had bleach on them from when I had to wrestle the cleaning bottle so the spray function would work, my shirt was a god-awful shade of neon green, I wasn’t wearing a stitch of makeup, and my hair…
Oh. My. God.
I could not see Ryan like this. Iwould notsee him like this.
I crept backward, keeping my eyes on the fast-approaching couple. Why didn’t they have people to do this for them? Didn’t they have people to click the boxes and sign the forms? They should have just been ushered into the pool by security and someone holding large green leaves.
“Bexley, want to grab this one?” Sondra asked, smiling at me.
The hell?
Why on earth would she assume I’d want to handle it?
“No, um…I haven’t taken my break yet. I’m going to go on it,” I said in a rush.
“Okay, sounds good.”
I was nearly free, and Ryan was pulling off his sunglasses. I refused to see that shade of aqua blue I’d yet to find in a single other pair of eyes since meeting him.
I turned, ready to flee, and then the phone rang.
I repeated in my head that I should go, just walk away, refusing to help in any way with what was going on right now. I’d sooner burn this place to the ground than have Ryan Prince realize his ex-girlfriend worked at the resort where he was vacationing with his heiress lover.
“Bexley!” Jonah shouted toward my retreating form.
I continued toward the back office, not caring that the loud thrum of voices started to quiet.
“Bexley, it’s someone named Cole, says he really needs to talk to you!” Jonah yelled again, across the room, foreveryoneto hear.
My face flushed crimson, my chest burning and aching from the shame that threatened to explode from the inside out. I wanted to keep going, grab my cell, and call Cole myself, but it was my son on the phone, waiting to hearmyvoice right then, and I wouldn’t turn my back on him, no matter what the hell was going on.
Slowly, keeping my eyes trained on the floor, I walked back toward Jonah and grabbed for the cordless phone.
Right as it was about to reach my ear, I heard three words that would shift everything, toppling my emotions with that deep timbre that used to brush against my skin.
“Bexley? Bexley Black?”
