Chapter 5 This is either my smartest idea or one of the dumbest things I'll ever do. Only time will tell. The plan began to percolate in my brain somewhere between the moment I laid eyes on Sloane and when she sank into my arms, her body taut with stress, but it didn't truly formulate until I pulled away and admitted to myself that I'll do anything to keep this woman in my life. Anything means sabotaging Henry's big plans for Mermaid Beach. I can't sit back and watch as he blows up her entire life, and if there's any hope in hell of convincing him not to, it's going to be through Abbi. There's no one else on this planet Henry cares about pleasing but her. If I can get Abbi in my corner, I might have sway, and the only way to get Abbi in my corner is for Sloane and her to become friends. So, tomorrow night it is. I'll throw Sloane over my shoulder and carry her out if I have to. As long as King Kong isn't standing in the driveway, on guard. "Hey, Frank." I stroll past him toward my car, pretending the sharp points of the gravel aren't cutting into my bare feet. He grunts in answer, his heavy brow furrowed at my dripping clothes. Getting into that shower fully dressed also probably wasn't a smart idea, but with Sloane in that bikini, it was the only way things wouldn't go too far, too fast. On the plus side, the sight of him has killed my erection. Skye and the other coffee shop girl with the short dark hair loiter behind him, their eyebrows crawling halfway up their forehead. "Hello, ladies." "Hello," they echo, synchronized, giant smiles splashing across their face. A guy sits on the porch of the blue trailer, cigarette in hand, watching quietly. One of her staffers I haven't met. I wonder if he was one of the guys I axed from Wolf's hire list. I wait until my back is to them before I allow a wince. Why didn't I at least slide on my shoes? This is going to be the most uncomfortable drive home ever. And I'll be doing it with a sizeable pile of rooster shit on my hood. Again. Connor's bare ass is the first thing I see when I step into the kitchen. "Come on, at least put some briefs on. Your sister is here." Not that Ryan hasn't had the misfortune of seeing her half brother's junk once or twice. He finishes chugging orange juice from the carton and then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "She's not getting up for another hour or two." He eyeballs my golf shirt and dress pants. "Why are you ready for work?" I grab a coffee pod and travel mug and set the machine to brew. I wish I had time to stop at Sea Witch for a real coffee and a chance to see Sloane. Better yet, I'd rather just wake up next to her. "Golf pro session starts in twenty minutes." Archie wasn't kidding when he said he'd drag the guy out of bed if he had to. The sun just crested a few minutes ago. Official tee-off times aren't until 7:00 a.m. Connor's grin is iconic. "Wow, you really want to impress Wolf, huh?" "More like I'm trying to not embarrass myself." I survey the kitchen. "Did the cleaners come?" A perk that comes with the house that we only discovered one morning when we rolled out of our beds to find strangers inside. They come once a week but never this early. When I crashed last night, there were dishes in the sink and tequila spilled on the counter. "You're kidding, right?" "Right, I forgot." Ryan's eyelids are incapable of shutting until the kitchen is spotless. "You coming in later?" "Yeah, I think so." He bends his injured knee. "The icing helped." So did a day having his dick polished by Katie and Rachel, I'll bet. "Dorian will be pleased. He was seconds from weeping yesterday." "Are you surprised I'm his favorite?" "Nope." And I don't know how Connor does it because he is always the most annoying person in the room. But there's something more important we need to discuss. "Look, Britt and her friend are staying here this weekend, so don't be inviting anyone else, okay?" "Shut the fuck up." Connor slams the fridge door and turns around to give me a full-frontal view. "I'm going to meet Little Lyle?" "Not like that, you aren't." I jut my chin at his flaccid penis. "And she's off-limits, so don't even think about it." "Dude." His laughter is way too raucous for this time of day. "You, of all people, don't get to lecture me about staying away from sisters⁠-" "You didn't even know Ryan until a few years ago." It's a weak excuse, I know, but I'll use everything in my arsenal where Britt's concerned. "I swear, you lay so much as a hairy little pinkie toe on her and our friendship is fucking over." I deliver that with my index finger in the air and the hardest look I can muster at this hour. "She's my baby sister, and unless you can commit to never looking at, talking to, or so much as breathing in any other woman's direction for the rest of your goddamn life⁠-" "Okay, okay, I got it." Connor's hands are in the air in surrender. "Is her friend hot?" "Yeah, and also off-limits." Dani's been Britt's best friend since they were five years old. I taught that kid how to ride a bike and picked her sobbing little body up when she fell off said bike. She's as close to a sister to me as anyone can be without being Britt. The last thing I want is for either of them to end up with a guy like Connor. Or one like me, for that matter. Connor's face twists with displeasure. "Fuck, man, you're killing the weekend party vibe, and it's only Tuesday." "There is no vibe here this weekend. No parties, no strip Marco Polo, and no walking around naked." Shit, I almost forgot. "Tash might be staying here too." That earns a raised eyebrow. "The ex is coming to Mermaid Beach?" "Yeah." I give the thirty-second rundown about the Golden tickets and Belinda's instructions. By the time I'm done, Connor is shaking his head and laughing. "And she rides at dawn, you sucker." "Not happening. Not on me, anyway. I'll barely be here. My schedule is jam-packed. I don't have time to think, let alone anything else." I fell asleep reading about the Axis Core CEO's rare mineral collection. "Really ..." A pensive frown touches Connor's face, so contrary to the comical cowlick sticking straight up in the air. "So you don't mind if I show her around." "Around town or your dick?" He shrugs noncommittally. I think on that for a solid five seconds. Does the idea of Connor and Tasha hooking up elicit any sort of reaction-a tight chest, a burn of jealousy, the urge to punch him in the face, like I felt yesterday when Sloane was asking questions about our sordid past and I thought she might be interested in hooking up with us both? No, it doesn't. Not even a little bit. That reality makes me smile. "Have fun playing tour guide." I head for the stairs. "Olivia McEowan," Archie prompts, his short legs working double time to keep up with the pace of my long ones down the hall. "McEowan," I echo, digging through my memory to find relevant facts. "CEO of Black Titan, a multinational oil and gas company with operations in Texas and Alberta, Canada. Olivia took over for her father ten years ago, after he died in a skydiving accident that investigators deemed suspicious but could never prove foul play. News flash: someone definitely fucked with his parachute," I ad-lib. "Olivia owns a horse ranch and likes to bathe in her billions after Sunday church." That last part is also in interpretation but likely accurate. Archie snorts. "Her close friends call her Ollie, but she doesn't allow anyone else to. Husband left her for the nanny. Three children, all girls, all compete in equestrian sports. The youngest shows Olympic promise in ..." I struggle for the specific one. "Show jumping⁠-" "Show jumping. Honestly, man, equestrian sports and competitive duck herding? This is what I have to work with?" I toss an annoyed glance his way. "What is the point of meeting with these people anyway?" "To get them to book their events here." He says it like I should know this. "You've got a meeting with Belinda about it this afternoon. It's in your calendar. She wants to go over special events targets for the next two years." "Two years?" "Oh yeah! These companies book years out, and the contracts are huge. We're talking millions." I whistle. This is the first I'm hearing of this. "And corporate has big prizes for the people who bring in the biggest contracts." "What kind of prizes are we talking about?" "Oh boy, I don't know. Cars, vacations, that sort of thing." We round the corner and push through the doors of Opal Reef. Chester is waiting for us. "What's the verdict?" I ask by way of greeting. His hollowed cheeks blow out with a deep exhale. "So, the good news is I got someone in late last night to assess the system." "And?" "And it's what Ray thought it might be-a faulty part that is about to kick it." I curse. "Do they have the part?" "In Switzerland, so I made him sit in that chair-" He points to one of the dining tables in the corner. "-until after midnight when he could call his head office in Zurich. They put the part on a FedEx plane. It should be here by 4:00 p.m., and then he'll come and install it ..." Chester's words drift as a form appears in my line of sight, her long, fiery red hair gleaming in the midmorning sun. Abbi approaches, her pastel pink dress hugging her round belly. It's only been a few weeks, and yet she's grown noticeably. She's still all baby, though. Baby and tits. There's a radiant glow about her. I've always heard that about pregnant women, but I've never actually seen it until now. God, she is so happy to be carrying Henry's child. And I'm genuinely happy for her, even if he is a prick. "Ronan?" "Huh?" Chester's gruff voice breaks into my reverie. "I was just saying that if all goes as planned, it'll be good as new tonight." "Perfect. Thanks for being on top of this." I drop a pat on his shoulder. "If there are any delays at all, let me know immediately." With that, I move to close the distance to Abbi, embracing her in a hug. "I was hoping I'd run into you." I inhale deeply. She smells like her strawberry body cream but also, fuck, like Henry's cologne. I know that scent. He must have rubbed himself all over her before they parted ways, like an animal marking their territory. "Same." She pulls away, regarding the dress shirt I swapped this morning's golf shirt for, the top buttons undone. "I heard you're still resisting the tie." "You mean the noose?" "Is that what you wore to my wedding? A noose?" "That was an exception." And it sure fucking felt like I was dying that day. "Seems I don't have a lot of say in what I wear, but I draw the line at ties." They remind me of church picnics and Sunday dinners at my great-aunt Edna's, who smelled of mothballs and baby powder and forced me to eat liver. "Someone has to make sure you don't show up to important meetings in rock band T-shirts and jeans," she teases, reaching up to adjust my collar. "Who's been tattling on me?" Belinda, obviously. "More like looking out for you." Abbi's hand drifts, patting my chest on its way back down to her side. "So? How are things? Really?" "Is this for an official report to His Highness?" "No, it's between you and me. I promise." Her expression is earnest. God, it's been years since Abbi and I traded secrets. She was always so easy to talk to. The overwhelming urge to dump everything out into the open hits me. But where do I even begin? Definitely not standing here, in Opal Reef, with people lingering nearby. I check my watch. It's 10:00 a.m. "You've probably had breakfast." "My first, yes." She rubs her belly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "But I heard the pastry chef is doing a trial run and needs volunteer samplers." I chuckle at her appetite and holler over my shoulder, "Archie, reschedule my next hour for me, 'kay?" "But you have⁠-" "I don't care. Tell them Mrs. Wolf is hungry." I drape an arm around her shoulder, a friendly gesture that would piss off Henry to no end. "Lead the way, Red." She moans through a bite as I watch her devour a freshly baked pain au chocolat. Fiona Crumb, pastry chef extraordinaire according to the hotel's website and aptly named, was only too happy to send a platter of various treats to Seraphina's for Henry Wolf's wife. We've since abandoned our table and found a cabana to stretch out in-aka hide-while admiring the expanse of gulf water and white sand. It truly is an idyllic spot, despite the oppressive heat that the ceiling fan does little to combat. Everything will change tomorrow, when the wave of media open attendees rolls in and the hotel is buzzing with activity, but for today, it's just Abbi and me and a few staff prepping for the onslaught of activity. I ordered them to leave us alone. "You have a little bit of ..." I gesture at the corner of my bottom lip to mimic where a glob of chocolate smears hers. She attempts to lick it off before reaching for a napkin. "These things are always so messy. Sorry." "No need to apologize. I don't mind watching you lick chocolate sauce off yourself, Red." "Ronan!" Her cheeks pink. This has always been our usual MO when we meet up: I drop flirtatious innuendo that makes Abbi blush furiously while dirty memories cycle through my mind. I end up leaving with a raging hard-on and overwhelming jealousy aimed at Henry. This time, however, I'm not overwhelmed by lust-even though we're lying next to each other and a sheen of sweat coats her skin-because I'm too focused on all I need to get off my chest. "So? Tell me, what's going on?" she prods, rolling onto her side to face me. "I need your help." A frown of consternation furrows her pretty face. "With?" Fuck it. I may as well lay it all out on the ... well, cabana bed. "With stopping your husband from blowing up someone's life." "When did he tell you all this?" "About the eminent domain stuff? Yesterday morning, while we were touring the course. You didn't know anything about it?" "He never mentioned it, but Henry always has a dozen projects on the go, with a hundred fires to fight. I don't know how he keeps up with all of it." She's quiet for a moment, likely digesting what I've detailed-which is everything since the moment I stepped into the Sea Witch-while she scoops out jam from a pastry's center with her index finger. The longer I watch her do it, the more my base needs return to the forefront. "Seriously, can you eat that like a normal human being?" Her finger pauses midway to her mouth to lick the jam off. "What do you mean?" "I mean, you're killing me." I may be laser focused on Sloane, but I'm, well, me, and I've imagined Abbi's mouth doing that exact thing to my dick on more than one occasion. It's a little distracting, to say the least. Her eyes widen with understanding as they shift from her finger to me, down to the growing bulge in my pants. "Seriously? I'm a sweaty beached whale right now." "Shut up." I chuckle. Thankfully, she abandons the treat on the plate between us. "So, Henry actually banned you from this woman." "Basically, yes. And Belinda threw in her own threats." "And then you slept with her anyway." I open my mouth to argue in my defense, but she holds her sticky hand up. "I'm not saying they had any right to make demands like that." I heave a sigh, relieved she's not automatically taking Henry's side. "But this is a mess, Ronan. You know how Henry gets when it comes to business decisions and especially when someone's trying to stop him." "Can you blame her for fighting it? That's been her home all her life! Imagine if some massive company decided to open up next door to your parents' place." I've never been to the farm in Pennsylvania, but even Henry has admitted it's beautiful countryside. "Or if Henry lost Wolf Cove for whatever reason. That place means more to him than anywhere else. Especially his grandparents' cabin." "That would devastate him, and he would fight it, tooth and nail," she agrees. "But I don't see how this will end well for Sloane." "I guarantee you all this eminent domain bullshit wouldn't be a topic of conversation if he hadn't lobbied for it." Henry himself said the local government will do anything to please him. If he told them he doesn't want an access road next door to the hotel, I'd bet they'd listen. "There's got to be a way to change his mind." The pained look on Abbi's face isn't hopeful. "I need your help. Sloane already wrote me off in the beginning because I worked here. I think she's coming around, but she won't want me within a hundred miles of her when she finds out about this, and I can't lose her." Not that I have her yet. But I'm fucking determined. A soft smile curves her lips. "You really like this one, huh?" "I can't stop thinking about her," I admit. "And when I'm with her, it's like ..." I struggle to find the right description. "Time stops, and I don't give a shit about anything else. Does that make sense?" "You're such a romantic," she teases. "I don't know what I am, but I haven't felt like this about anyone since ..." My voice fades "Since Tasha," she finishes, incorrectly. I avert my gaze as I mumble, "Right." Abbi never did seem to pick up on how I truly felt about her. Sure, at first, I was still hung up on my ex, but those feelings quickly faded as she took on a prominent place in my life that summer. I didn't let on, though. I knew she was in love with Henry. Once they reconciled, all I cared about was keeping her in my life. "Okay." She reaches out to collect my hand in hers. "I don't know how I can help, but I'll try. I'll do whatever I can." I hold on tight so she can't pull away. "You've got to keep this between us for now." "Of course." "Henry figured out that I hooked up with her, but he thinks it's the usual. He can't know I have feelings for her. Not yet anyway." All he cares about is his precious fucking business plans, and he'll see this as an obstacle he has to crush. "I mean it, Abbi." I never use her real name. She nods emphatically. "And I want you to meet her." "Really?" Excitement glints in her eye. "Okay. When?" "I'm working on that." Sloane never agreed to tonight, but she also didn't say no. What am I going to find when I show up at her place? Her in a dress or a bikini? Or her not there at all. "Just know that when it happens, I'll need you as backup to deal with Henry so he doesn't fire my ass." He's not the type to keep giving people chances. I'm surprised he's given me more than one, but I have a feeling my luck card's about to max out. "So you want to use me?" "More like hide behind you, if I'm being honest." She giggles. "That's okay. I understand. Okay, I'll be your shield against my husband, but I cannot promise anything." "He won't be happy with me." Again, I question my sanity. "When is Henry ever really happy?" she mock whispers. "When he's with you." I give her hand a final squeeze before letting go. "Okay, so that's one big piece of news. What about Mermaid Beach? Are you liking it here?" "Loving it. I mean, how can you not?" I gesture out at the gulf. "Nothing beats this." "And the job? How's that going?" "Let's see." I stretch out onto my back. "I hate golf, and yet I spent two hours with our pro at the ass crack of dawn today, learning how to swing a club so I don't look like an idiot tomorrow." Marcus, the pro, said I was surprisingly good for a beginner, but he was likely blowing smoke up my ass. "So, is this job something you can see yourself doing long term?" "You know, I think I'm starting to. I'm still lost and relying on everyone else to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to do, but I don't feel as dumb as I did a few weeks ago." "That's promising." "It is." I pause. "I know you had a lot to do with it, so thank you." She shrugs. "Honestly, it didn't take more than a casual mention once to Henry. After that, it was all him, and you impressed him, Ronan. You earned the chance." Her smile is encouraging. "How is working with Belinda?" "How is working with Belinda." I echo her question while choosing my words carefully. "She's been great, actually. Training me. We've spent a lot of time together. There's a chance she may want to fuck me again, but other than that ..." Abbi's eyebrow arches. "A chance." "More like a definite." "Ronan-" "I'm not going to. I swear. Even if Sloane wasn't in the picture, I wouldn't ..." I let that denial trail off because it's probably a lie. We share a look and then burst out with laughter. And that's how Henry Wolf finds us. "When I asked where my wife was and they told me she was meeting privately with my director, I wasn't expecting this." He sizes up our intimate and horizontal position. "How cute." Nothing in his tone matches that word. "Hey, honey." Abbi rolls onto her back to peer up at Henry, one hand smoothing over her belly. "We were just taste-testing your chef's menu. This one is my favorite. It's called a beignet, and it has rose petal jam. Here, try it." She reaches the donut-looking thing and holds it up to him. "I had one not long ago." Henry studies it, then her and me. "That's what you were doing in here?" "Well, yes. And catching up. Why?" There's the slightest edge to Abbi's voice, the same edge that always appears whenever Henry's tone hints at suspicion. I stifle the urge to smile. How that jealous, controlling prick ever allowed that night in Wolf Cove to happen is beyond me, but I'll be forever thankful for his momentary lapse in lucidity. "Because I've seen how you eat those, Abbi," he retorts smoothly, "and I doubt Ronan heard a single word you said." "I have no idea what you mean." A devilish glint flickers in her expression as she collects a dollop of jam spilling out of the treat. This time when her finger reaches her mouth, she takes her time, sucking it off. His jaw clenches. This is one of the things I've always loved about Abbi-she's all sweet and innocent ... until she's not. But I don't need to stay here and picture them fucking, which is what they'll be doing in T-minus-five minutes or however long it takes him to drag her to their suite. "He's not wrong, Red. Consider me suitably tortured for the day." I slide out of the cabana. "Text me later about that thing," Abbi calls out. "Will do." "What thing?" I hear Henry ask as I walk away, his voice softer now that they're alone. "None of your business. Put your hand here. She's kicking. I think she likes sweets." I smile as I take the stone path back toward the hotel. Whatever else Henry is, he's a doting husband to her. Maybe that's why I'm not leaving here with that same burning envy I normally feel that Henry has what I want. Does that mean I'm finally moving on? Or, more than likely, it's because I think I've found a woman who can make me as happy as Abbi would have. As happy as Tasha did. Or, dare I hope, happier? There's only one way to know for sure. I dig out my phone. Don't flake out on me, Sea Witch. 6pm sharp. In "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" by CrushReel, the storyline unfolds as renowned photographer Jane finds herself drawn to the charismatic rookie model, Hector. Little does she know that Hector harbors a secret—he is actually the heir to a powerful business empire. As their romance blossoms, Hector grapples with concealing his true identity to capture Jane's heart. However, their love story takes a tumultuous turn when jealousy rears its ugly head, threatening to unravel the delicate balance they've built. This modern romance novel delves into themes of hidden identities, unexpected love, and the complexities of maintaining a relationship shrouded in secrecy. With its blend of sweet romance and suspenseful twists, "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" stands out for its exploration of hidden feelings and the consequences of revealing long-held secrets. For readers seeking a captivating tale that combines elements of romance, intrigue, and emotional depth, this ongoing story is available to read at CrushReel. Immerse yourself in the world of Jane and Hector as their journey unfolds against the backdrop of hidden truths and heartfelt revelations.