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“Yeah.” He bobbed his head, skewering her with sharp brown eyes, not letting her off the hook. “I’ve never seen you look at a man that way. Gotta say, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
She tried for breezy. “Pssh. It’s all in your head. Nothing is going on.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing.” He crossed his arms. “All I’m saying is, be careful. A guy like that will walk all over you if you give him the chance.”
She stiffened. After all the time she’d spent with Sterling, she didn’t think Tione was giving him enough credit. “He’s a better man than he seems.”
His jaw tightened. “I don’t see it, but I know you’re not stupid.” He heaved a sigh. “It’s great you’ve remembered you’re a woman, but couldn’t your first crush be on someone better for you?” He shifted, looking uncomfortable. It wasn’t in his nature to pry, or talk about relationships and feelings. He was saying what he was for the sake of their friendship and her happiness. She needed to remember that. “What about Shane? He’s a good guy.”
She barked with laughter, unable to help herself, and wiped moisture from the corner of her eye. “Oh, man. You should know better than anyone, you can’t choose who you think is hot. Shane is a nice guy, but there’s nothing there. Less than nothing. I’d date you before I dated him.” Panic flashed into Tione’s expression, and she gurgled. “Oh, please. As if I’d go there.” She straightened and kissed his cheek. “I appreciate you looking out for me. Now, do you think we could stop having this conversation and focus on the menu?”
He looked up at the ceiling, his lips moving silently. Then he said, “You have no idea how happy that would make me.”
* * *
Free time wasa new concept for Sterling, and he found he didn’t quite know what to do with it. Stuffing his keys and phone into his pocket, he left Sanctuary and crunched across the parking lot, then past the flax and native grasses of the sand dunes to the beach. He’d decided to invest in this place based on photographs and testimonials. It had seemed to have the best of everything. Near a town, but not within it. On the edge of the forest but with modern conveniences, and a short jaunt from the beach.
Now, he decided he may as well explore the area and see its pros and cons firsthand. He had the time. He already knew he could hear the ocean from inside the lodge at night, when everything else was silent. It was something he’d never experienced before. At first, the constant sound had annoyed him, but after a while, it lulled him to sleep. Reaching the sand, he untied his shoelaces and continued on in bare feet. He didn’t want to ruin his expensive leather shoes, and he hadn’t walked barefoot on a beach in, oh, fifteen years or so. People who lounged about on beaches were idle. He had more productive ways to spend his time.
As he picked his way along the foreshore, sand squished between his toes, soft as powdered sugar. Further down, he could see the silhouettes of children playing, but the wind carried their voices away. Gulls dived overhead and other seabirds skimmed the surface of the sea, past the breakwater. White-tipped waves rolled onto shore, and a strange sense of calm descended on him. He lowered himself to the ground, his toes burrowing into the warm sand, and leaned back, tilting his face up to catch the sun. Something rustled in the dunes. There was a splash as a bird caught a fish and soared off with it. The summer rays caressed his cheeks, and his lips curved.
Serene. Carefree. At peace. This was exactly how he wanted the guests at Eli’s future hotel to feel.
The creak of a rusty hinge disrupted his tranquility, and his eyes flickered open.
“And here, you’ll find the wet suits, paddleboards, surfboards, and sea kayaks.”
Kat’s voice. He tried to tune her out by focusing on the rhythmic sound of the ocean.
“The shed is unlocked at six every morning and locked again after dark. No one should be on the water overnight, but otherwise, you can borrow equipment any time you want.”
He sighed. It seemed his peace was at an end.
“Awesome-sauce. Thank you,” an American-accented woman said.
“No worries. Make yourself at home. I’ll see you later on.”
Sterling’s hands interlaced behind his head, but he straightened when footfalls approached.
“Kia ora. Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Kat sat beside him, tucking her legs beneath her butt. Her waterfall of hair cascaded down her back, shimmering blue-black in the harsh sunlight. Her hands rested in her lap, and he studied the koru tattoo wrapped around her wrist. He’d never had thought he’d find tattoos sexy, but on her, it was feminine and intriguing. He wanted to trace the outline of the ink while she explained what each elegant swirl meant.
“It is,” he agreed. “I’ve been enjoying the peace and quiet.”
“I hope you sun-screened.”
His brow quirked up in question.
She shrugged. “Looks like you’d burn easily.”
“I do.” He took his eyes from her and watched a figure in the distance jog into the waves with a surfboard.
“You ever surfed?” she asked.
“No.” Eli had invited him out on a couple of occasions, but he’d always declined. He wasn’t athletically gifted—or particularly coordinated—which was why he stuck to running.
“You know what? That won’t do. I’ll have to teach you.”
He jerked around, looking at her incredulously. Was she yanking his chain? He’d given yoga a second try, and even enjoyed himself doing it—not that the words would ever cross his lips—but surfing? Nothing good could come of that.
