Chapter 16
If you think crossbreeding is bad, try crossing a woman.
Flynn
I ’m surprised to find the kitchen empty the next morning. I figured Sophia would be here inhaling coffee considering how much she drank last night. The woman is not a good poker player. She can’t hide when she has a good hand. Whenever she smiles at the cards, everyone knows to fold.
“Sophia?” I shout her name but she doesn’t respond.
I better make sure she’s awake. She’ll be pissed if she’s late for work. And it’ll probably be my fault for some reason that only makes sense to her. I knock on her bedroom door. When she doesn’t answer, I enter.
I frown when I notice the bed is made and the bathroom door is open. She’s not here. Did she sneak out of the house? What the hell!
I know she was pissed last night. I don’t know what about. We were having fun playing poker but after she went to the bathroom, she came back spitting mad.
Every time I asked her what was wrong, she threw me a glare cold enough to chill my bones. I’m surprised she didn’t try to walk back to my house.
I’ll learn why she’s mad soon enough. Sophia can’t give anyone the silent treatment. The woman enjoys talking entirely too much.
I grab my stuff and head out. I need to get to work.
The morning passes in a blur as I review the punch list for one of the luxury bungalows at Hideaway Haven Resort . The owner requested that we finish one bungalow at a time. It’s less efficient than constructing twenty bungalows at once, but the customer’s always right. He’s also paying extra for the inefficiency.
“Hey, Flynn,” Hudson greets. Speaking of the owner.
“Please don’t tell me you want us to change the bathtub again.” I groan. “The bathroom is already finished.”
He grunts. “The bathtub can stay.”
“Good.” The bathtub is cast iron and a bitch to move due to its weight. “And, before you ask, this bungalow will be ready by the end of the week.”
He nods in approval. Hudson’s a man of few words.
“Anything else you need?”
“To go over the bungalow schedule. I have several requests for reservations already.”
My eyes widen. “Already?”
As far as I know, he plans to charge a fuck ton of money for these bungalows. I wouldn’t think there’d be people lining up to stay in them, but what do I know?
“The bungalows are secluded and separated from the rest of the resort. With the addition of the helicopter pad, guests will be given complete privacy.”
Ah, he’s aiming to host celebrities.
“Must be nice to have connections to famous people.”
He scowls. Hudson was a wide receiver in the NFL until he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon. He recovered, but he never got his explosive speed back. Without it, he didn’t have a place anymore in the NFL.
He returned to Smuggler’s Hideaway and built the Hideaway Haven Resort. Although he returned to his hometown, we don’t see much of him around the island. He keeps to himself in a log cabin on the property of the resort.
“Sorry.” I rub a hand down my face. “I should have kept my mouth shut.”
He shrugs it off.
“Come on.” I motion him toward the office. “Let’s go over your schedule.”
Gary rushes out of the trailer before we reach it. “Boss.”
“Yeah?”
“The phone’s ringing off the hook for you.”
“Huh? Why hasn’t anyone tried my cell?” I reach into my pocket but come up empty.
“Good luck.” Gary throws my cell at me before hurrying off.
“Shall I come back?” Hudson asks when my cell rings.
I decline the call but notice I have several missed calls. I’ll deal with them later. “Let’s go over this schedule.”
We sit at my desk, and I pull up the planning software.
“We’ve finished fourteen. Fifteen if you count the bungalow that will be finished this weekend. For the remaining five, the foundations are poured and the framing is done. We’d finish them a lot quicker if we could work on them all at once. It saves a ton of time when arranging electricians, plumbers, painters—”
“I get it. When could you have all five finished?”
“In a month at the earliest.”
He frowns. “I’ll miss several weeks of tourist season.”
“You’re going to miss several weeks no matter how we configure the schedule since tourist season is already in full swing.”
He stands. “Let me think about it. I may…”
He trails off when my phone rings again. He motions for me to answer it.
“Flynn,” I answer.
“Is this Flynn Ryland?”
I resist the urge to ask what other Flynn she expected to answer the phone. “Yes, it is. How can I help you?”
“Did you give your zonkeys away yet?”
“Zonkeys? What are you talking about?”
“You know. The zonkeys.”
“Lady, I don’t know what a zonkey is. And I’m too busy to deal with pranksters.”
I hang up but she immediately phones back.
“I am not a prankster. I know you have two zonkeys and are looking for a good home for them. I want them.”
“Considering I don’t know what the hell a zonkey is, I’m pretty sure I don’t have any hiding in the bed of my truck.”
“Your truck?” She screeches. “How dare you treat an animal this way. Poor things. Good thing you’re giving them away to a good home now.”
“Are you not hearing me? I don’t know what a zonkey is and I don’t have any animals.”
“You’re serious. You don’t have two zonkeys to give to a good home? You’re not trying to jack up the price?”
“I do not have any zonkeys to give away.”
“I don’t know why you placed an advertisement in the Smuggler’s Gazette if you don’t have a zonkey to give away.” She hangs up.
I throw my phone onto the desk. “What the hell is a zonkey?”
“It’s a cross between a zebra and a donkey,” Hudson says.
“And they’re real?”
He nods.
I shake my head. “What the hell will they think of next?”
“Why are you asking?”
“The lady on the phone asked if she could have mine.”
He chuckles. “Have your zonkeys?”
“The Smuggler’s Gazette must have messed up and put the wrong telephone number in the ad. I’ll contact them now.”
“Go ahead. We’re done here anyway.” He waves as he exits the trailer, and I dial the newspaper.
“The Smuggler’s Gazette. ”
“Hey, Alaia. I’ve got a problem.”
“I hope it’s a juicy one. Can I quote you?”
I chuckle. Alaia is the reporter slash salesperson slash proofreader slash receptionist at the local newspaper. The gazette doesn’t actually report news but she’s always hopeful.
“My problem is you made a mistake in today’s edition.”
“Say it ain’t so, Flynn.”
“You put my phone number down for an ad about giving away zonkeys, but I didn’t place any ad.”
The gazette is mostly ads and coupons with some local feelgood stories thrown in from time to time.
“I’ve got the ad request here. It has your name and phone number on it.”
“But I didn’t place an ad. I didn’t even know what the hell a zonkey was until five minutes ago when some woman yelled at me for treating mine poorly.”
“Animals should be handled properly.”
“Except I don’t have any animals.”
“Are you sure?”
“Am I sure if I don’t have any animals? I think I’d remember if I had an animal. Especially some mythical creature referred to as a zonkey.”
“Oh, zonkeys are real. I googled them after Sophia phoned in your ad.”
“What did you say?”
“I googled what a zonkey is. It’s a crossing between a zebra and a donkey. They’re rare but they’re real. It’s sad they’re sterile but apparently most genetic hybrids are sterile.”
“What did you say after you said you googled what a zonkey is?”
“What do you mean? What did I say?”
“You said Sophia phoned in my ad,” I remind her.
“Oh yeah. She said you were busy working out at the Hideaway Haven Resort and didn’t have any time to phone yourself.”
“But I did have time to get phone calls from strangers accusing me of mistreating animals?” I grumble.
“Um… Did I screw up? Are you mad?”
Shit. I didn’t mean to yell at her. She has nothing to do with this. “Sorry, Alaia. I’m not angry with you.”
“But you are angry with Sophia? I thought she was living with you.”
I love small towns, but I could do without the small town gossip.
“Sophia is merely staying with me while her bathroom gets fixed.”
“And how long will the repairs take? From what I’ve heard, they haven’t begun yet.”
I walked straight into her question. I know better. I know to keep my mouth shut. Especially when I’m speaking to one of the biggest gossips on the island.
“Have a nice day, Alaia,” I ring off before she has a chance to ask any more questions.
At least now I know why people are ringing me to ask about zonkeys. What I don’t understand is what Sophia’s pissed about. But I will find out.