Chapter 9

9

ELLA

My day spent cleaning rooms rushes past like it has somewhere to be. So do I, but I’m stuck. Not literally like how Jack’s Jeep was in the dunes last year when we first officially met. But if I meet him, I’ll have to come up with a reason I was in his bed and I don’t want to lie.

Then again, he still thinks my name is Jasmin. How will I keep up the charade?

On the next installment of Ella & the Dumpster Fire, find out if her dignity winds up in the dumpster and she takes up permanent residence with that sketchy band of raccoons.

This reminds me that the payment for Dad’s care is coming due and I cannot lose this job. If I let him down, I’m letting my mother down. He’s all I have left. If I can just make it until I get a raise, I’ll have a little extra cash I can keep and eventually find a roommate … or something.

Pacing the path near where Jack and I had our posh picnic (after the Jeep but before swimming), I imagine he’s sitting on the plush cushions and waiting for me. Has he already ordered our food? I should cut my losses and offer it to the raccoons .

My stomach rumbles. In high school, I worked at my dad’s favorite diner, and employees were given one free meal per shift. That’s where my love of cheeseburgers, fries, and milkshakes came from. But Jewel Island doesn’t comp its workers. We’re just lucky to be surrounded by so much beauty and luxury. Unfortunately, the sight and scent of wealth in the air doesn’t fill my belly. But we do get paid more than average, way more, in exchange for signing an NDA, given all the rich and high-profile guests.

However, cleaning a toilet is still cleaning a toilet. If I had a hotel or bed-and-breakfast, things would be different. But that’ll never happen. However, a date with Jack is on the menu.

Wringing my hands, I fret, what am I going to do?

He was gracious this morning because he could’ve screamed, pointed at me on the floor next to his bed, and called security. I wouldn’t have blamed him.

But he did recognize me after all. The way his expression changed sparked something in me that’s remained lit all day.

I eye the path that leads to the secret little picnic garden. If I had a coin, I’d toss it. Heads: run. Tails … run. Gazing up toward the night sky, I startle when someone’s hand lands on my arm from behind.

My shriek catches in my throat. It’s Jack.

Amusement dances in his eyes. “I’ve been watching your shadow through the bushes for the last five minutes. While you’ve been pacing, dinner has been waiting.”

“Yeah, um, I should probably—” Go hide in the cabana storage building.

“I’d like you to eat a cheeseburger with me.” His tone is sincere yet firm.

I nod because I kind of owe him an explanation. His hand finds mine and an inner thunderbolt rocks through me. When I don’ t move, Jack leads me into the enchanted garden area. I wait for lightning to strike. Maybe it already did.

The low table surrounded by cushions is almost the same as last time, except the resort’s decorators changed the color scheme from vibrant orange and pink to blue and silver. The low lighting flickers romantically.

Bark Wahlburger sits expectantly off to the side. He yips when I sit down as if to say, Finally .

Domes cover our meals and we take our places, same as before.

This time, Jack says a quick word of thanks and we dig in. At least, I do because I’m ravenous.

He starts to take a bite of his burger, then sets it down and asks, “So, are you going to tell me what brought you back to Jewel Island and why you were in my bed?”

I hesitate before replying, “Testing it for you.”

“Princess and the Pea style?” He chuckles.

I offer a weak nod.

“But for real.”

It takes me a long time to swallow as more fibs fly at me. Instead, I opt for the truth. “I never left.”

His eyes widen because this must surprise him.

Biting my lip, I ask, “Do you mind if I finish eating and then tell the story?” I don’t want to get indigestion or accidentally talk with my mouth full. His seeing me in all my messy bedhead morning glory was bad enough.

“Sure, but only if you tell me your real name.”

How’d he know it’s an alias? Sharing my name is a risk, but I nod and scarf down the rest of my food. We make small talk as if we’re easing into a cold pool of water rather than when we both jumped in last time—rather, he gracefully dove and I plopped in so he didn’t have a chance to see my underwear .

After I polish off my milkshake, I say, “Shall we take a walk on the beach? It’s neutral territory.”

Jack frowns. “Technically, I believe it’s resort property.”

“International waters?” I try.

“Do you have a boat?” he asks.

This time, I take him by the hand and drag him off the resort’s main drag and into the sand. Granted, he followed me on his own steam because the man is a giant. I cannot imagine him going anywhere or doing anything against his will.

Bark Wahlburger trails behind, stopping and snuffling the ground like a little detective that’s caught a scent—if I don’t come clean, he’ll likely sniff out the truth.

When we reach the water’s edge, the moon rises in the sky, and I take a deep breath. “Okay, here goes.”

Amusement flickers in Jack’s eyes as if he’s prepared for more tall tales.

“My name is Ella Hibbert and I have a bad habit of falling for attractive jerks. Well, two, and the most recent is why I’m here.”

He nods and then tips his head. “For the record, I’m not a jerk.” He scrubs his hand down his face. “Though, there’s probably an arena full of women who’d disagree.”

“I wasn’t including you.”

“So you don’t think I’m attractive?” he asks as if shocked.

My cheeks blaze like the midday sun in the summer. “I didn’t say that I fell for you,” I correct.

I didn’t fall for him much , maybe teetered on the edge. Dipped in a toe. But the conversation and kiss we shared was my fallback when I needed to escape the monotony and challenges of life. So perhaps I fell halfway. Like I Fa and still have the two L s to go.

“That’s—” He cuts himself off.

“Were you going to say that’s rare? Are you used to all the girls falling for you?” I can’t keep the playful teasing from my voice, which regrettably sounds a lot like flirting.

“Actually, yeah." Relief seems to wash over his features, but then they sharpen like he’s seizing a target.

Our gazes meet. The moment stretches between us. I search his eyes because there’s no denying the elastic pull that started last year and hasn’t ceased. But I can’t fathom what he sees in me. Jack could have any woman he wants. Probably has an arena full, as he said.

I cannot imagine, in any world except clown town, that he’d possibly be attracted to me. I mean, I’ve got a great tan now from living on a tropical island, but that’s about it.

Laughter dances on his lips. “Attractive and also, maybe I’m a little arrogant at times.”

I poke him in the ribs because I see what he did there and counter, “Must come with the territory of wearing a fancy watch.”

He glances at it. “My grandfather gave it to me when I got called up.”

I tip my head, unsure I heard him correctly. Called up? Like the first time he used the phone? This past year, I’ve seen rich people do extravagant things with their money, but rewarding their grandson for making a phone call is pretty extreme.

He holds out his hand for me to shake and says, “It’s nice to officially meet you, Ella.”

I slide my palm against his. His skin is rough and his grip is strong. For one strange moment, I imagine myself curling up in his massive hands and taking refuge there.

Giving my head a little shake, my vision blurs for a second until I regain focus.

Jack’s eyes sparkle. “That’s more like it. I knew your name wasn’t Jasmin. Ella suits you. ”

The way he says my name, smoothing out the L s, suits me just fine. It’s soft when everything about him is the opposite. It’s like he caresses the letters, somehow making each one his own.

Or maybe the cheeseburger, fries, and milkshake is what’s making me feel tipsy and snoozy—my most substantial meal in a long time.

I’m the real trash panda here.

We start walking. Before I make my confession, Jack tells me about encountering a woman at the airport who gave him the dog.

“He was stuffed in her sweatshirt? Poor thing. That must’ve been traumatic.” I scratch Bark Wallburger by the ears.

I’m still dancing around answering his original question. With the ice broken, I take a deep breath, preparing to tell him the story that I’ve never revealed to anyone. “The first time I came to Jewel Island, I was here for spring break during my senior year at college.”

“I remember you from the Beachside.”

“If only we’d made eye contact earlier. Before you left …” I go quiet because I don’t want it to sound like I’ve been pining over him. I haven’t. It’s just what happened next was the catalyst for everything that went wrong.

His voice is grave when he says, “No. You wouldn’t have wanted to meet me that day.”

Oh. Alrighty then.

“Anyway, there were a couple of guys there too. They asked my friends and me to dance. I was the only single one at the time and let myself be smooth-talked by Slater.” I whisper his name in case we’re somehow being recorded. Unlikely, considering the lapping of the water and our distance from the resort, but I have to be careful.

“We had fun that night, I guess, then stayed in touch. That fall, I went through a really tough time. He was sort of there for me. Looking back, more like I told myself that story because I was seeking comfort.”

“What happened?” Jack asks.

“He said?—”

Jack interrupts. “I meant what caused the tough time?”

I’m afraid that once I open the box that had been stowed in the back of my mental closet, deep in my heart, I’ll never be able to close it again.