Chapter 2
Malcolm Holt
Taveuni, Fiji
Fiji was made up of hundreds of islands, so what was the chance she’d be at the same tiny, privately owned resort island as me?
But she’d been doggedly at my heels through customs, baggage claim, and then on the connecting flight on the puddle jumper.
It was hella awkward.
But seriously, what was I supposed to think when she’d looked at me like that? So many women had over the years—groupies, in particular. The number of women who would’ve been swooning at the same opportunity were plentiful.
It was her loss, actually.
But then she got off the puddle jumper at the Taveuni island airport.
“Mister and Missus Hale! Ni sa bula!” An island man wearing a baby blue Ring Gold t-shirt and board shorts shouted ebulliently. He crossed the distance between us and anointed us with flowered leis. “Welcome to Fiji.”
“We’re not—” I started but was cut off by Mystery Woman.
“I’m not a Hale, and neither is he. I mean, I would’ve been a Hale if the wedding happened, but it didn’t, so I’m not.”
Both the resort escort and I stared at her with wide eyes for a moment.
That was…a lot.
“Err, sorry to hear that.” The resort employee blinked a few times. “How would you like to be called?”
“Saylor is just fine. Saylor Tate.”
The resort employee nodded. “Got it. Saylor. Miss Tate.” The color in his cheeks probably had little to do with the heat. He nodded and turned to me. “Shit, you’re Malcolm Holt.”
I ducked my head and rubbed the back of my neck. He hadn’t said it loud enough for anyone to hear, but I didn’t want to take the chance. “I think you have a reservation for me under Logan Ecchols.”
My assistant was a pain in my ass who thought it was funny to book my reservations under character names from her girlie shows. Last time it’d been Jess Marino from something called Gilmore Girls.
I didn’t see the humor.
The resort employee nodded. “Right. Right. I think we were expecting you. I’m sorry, I’m new. Let me check.” He pulled out his cell phone and tapped away at the screen. “Ah, we had you down for the later flight. But you’re here now, so let’s head to the van and then the boat.”
“Boat?” Saylor repeated timidly.
“Yes, it’s about a twenty-minute boat ride to the island and then your honey—er, vacation can begin. Let me grab your bags.”
I hefted my backpack onto my shoulder and grabbed my roller. “I got these.”
“Sure, sure.” He bent over Saylor’s two bags and arranged them so he could pull them. “Can I grab your other bag, miss?”
Saylor shook her head. “I’m good. I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“It’s Vili.”
Saylor smiled. “Nice to meet you, Vili. Thanks for the help.”
“Sega na leqa.” A hint of interest darkened his tone, and I gritted my teeth. He’d literally just found out about her heartbreak and was already signaling his interest?
Asshole.
I planned on giving her a day—or two at most—before…shit, I’d already forgotten how she’d turned me down on the plane.
Fuck.
It was an awkward ride across the island to the dock where a fishing boat with a canopy bobbed against the current.
I’d stayed at Ring Gold Island before, so it wasn’t a surprise to me. But judging by the look on her face, Saylor had been expecting something…different.
I swallowed my chuckle and watched as Vili helped her aboard, then I helped him stow our luggage.
A few minutes later, we were bouncing across the water, a faint mist spraying our faces.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and just let the peace of the moment wash over me.
Something about the water here just felt different.
I might have a house on the beach in Cali, but nothing felt like the pristine beauty of the water in the South Pacific.
Saylor felt differently, judging by her shriek and the way she scrambled to get out of the spray.
My chuckle was lost in the roar of the outboard engine and the wind.
Since I’d been at the resort a year ago—for almost a month—I was welcomed by every employee we passed with back slaps and promises of great fishing.
I waved off an escort to my bungalow. “Same one, right? I know the way.”
“Err actually, the Hales uh, I mean Miss Tate has booked that treehouse. We have you in the other one.”
The other, lesser one he meant. I tried to hide my snarl of disappointment. I loved that treehouse. It had the most privacy. And a private plunge pool.
Vili gestured helplessly. “When the call came for your reservation, that one was already booked. Had been for almost a year. I’m so sorry.”
Saylor studiously avoided looking in my direction.
No offer to switch.
No conciliary shrug of apology.
I might as well not exist.
I tipped my head at Vili. “I understand. I guess I’ll take that escort after all. Don’t wanna take a wrong turn.”
“Great, great. Let’s just get—” he gestured to one of the guys lingering near the dining area. “Jone! You mind helping Logan to his bure?”
Leaving Vili to escort Saylor? Oh hell no.
“Jone looks busy to me.” I jerked my chin at the broom Jone clutched. “How about we all go together and drop Saylor off first?” My words might’ve been in the form of a question, but my tone definitely was not.
No way in hell was I leaving her to Vili and his leering
For the first time since we’d arrived, Saylor turned to me. She gave me a relieved look, and I nodded at her.
Our introduction might’ve ended awkwardly, but no way in hell did that mean I was going to hang her out to dry. Cleary, the woman had some heartache to work through. She didn’t need me or Vili circling her when she was so vulnerable.
And then we were off to our bungalows with the promise of someone bringing our luggage to us later.
I waited at the top of the steps as Vili showed her around her treehouse bure—not present for the tour but still close enough to hear if she needed some help. But Vili was solicitous and stayed in his lane.
Then Saylor and her curves and wounded eyes were forgotten after we crossed the beach and climbed the stairs to my treehouse. This one might not have all the amenities as the other treehouse, but the deck was stellar.
I leaned against the railing and stared at the endless ocean as the sound of the gentle waves lapped against the sandy beach below, and that sense of peace I’d been chasing washed over me. Closing my eyes, I soaked it in.
Ten months, nineteen countries, and so much jet lag.
I hadn’t been able to convince any of the guys to come with me. They thought I was nuts to immediately get on another plane and fly however many hours to get here. But this was something I just couldn’t find anywhere else.
Peace.
“Would you like me to go through the amenities with you, sir?”
I jolted at Vili’s voice. I’d forgotten he was here. Shaking my head, I answered, “No, I’m good, Vili.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet.
Vili held up a hand. “You should include all gratuities in your final bill at checkout, sir.”
I nodded as I opened my wallet and pulled out a mix of euros, Brazilian reais, and Canadian dollars.
“But see, this isn’t a gratuity.” I folded the clutch of bills, grabbed Vili’s hand, and pushed them into his hand.
Stepping into his space, I dropped my tone into a menacing hiss as I stared directly into his eyes.
“This is a promise that no one is to fuck with Saylor. Spread it around. Let everyone know she’s off limits. ”
Vili visibly flinched then sprang back and batted at the bills spilling from his hands. “Lo, I…um, yes, sir. Enjoy your stay.”
I didn’t watch him flee.
I turned back to the view beyond the railing and soaked in all the peace I’d been missing for so long. It was everything.
After my luggage arrived, I changed into some board shorts and a tee and laid out on the lounger on my front deck. I could’ve reached for the book I’d been reading on the plane or my phone to check in to see what the guys were up to, but none of it sounded interesting.
I stared through the slats of the railing at the ocean beyond and thought about what had sent me running to Fiji in the first place.
That restlessness I’d felt in all the guys toward the end of our tour.
I mean, we all got sick of each other after a while, but something about this time felt different.
Heavier.
Gio had been hanging all over his new girl. Leif had been secretive and not around much. Ryker had been on the phone constantly with his mom and her doctors. Beau’s new wife had been all over the greenrooms commanding everyone around her—including Beau.
And don’t even get me started on the party scene. It’d been so intense the last few weeks, I had to retreat in defense of my sobriety. Even Beau’s wife had snorted something in the greenroom right in front of me.
They were all either deep in their own business or crazy partying in a way I just couldn’t anymore.
None of them had been interested in talking to me, let alone coming to Fiji to relax.
It just felt like everything was splintering.
Like maybe this was the beginning of the end of the Long Licks.
It was the kind of thing that in the past would make me reach for a drink or a hit of something to make it all go away and bring back the calm, but I was eight years sober, so that was out.
I’d talked it over with my sponsor, actor Caden Dawson, and he thought a solo trip was what I needed.
Some time alone to decompress and just commune with nature.
He was into all that chakra/crystal bullshit and more spiritual than me, but maybe he’d been onto something because this right here was pretty damn awesome.
We’d come here a year ago for Beau’s wedding, and it’d been so awesome we’d stayed almost a month.
Of course, for that trip we’d rented out the entire island, so being here with other guests was strange.
There were appointed dinner times and no room service, which meant I was forced to head back to the main bungalow for dinner.
Most of the people here seemed to be couples on their honeymoon.
Which was…awkward.
Maybe I should’ve put more thought into my destination than I had.
Being the lone guy on an island of honeymooners was getting me more attention than I’d planned.
Until I saw Saylor sitting all alone on the edge of the dining room and the pitying looks she was getting from all the couples around her.
Talk about awkward. She was so uncomfortable, I could visibly see her tension as she tapped at her phone’s screen.
Fuck that.
I jerked my chin at Jone at the entrance then crossed the room to Saylor’s table, pulled out the empty chair opposite her, and sat. “Sorry I’m late.”
She jerked in surprise and looked up from her phone. “What…?”
I tipped my head at the couple nearest us then asked, “Did you order already, baby girl?”
“Um, yeah.” Her eyes flicked between the table and me before settling on me with more warmth than I’d seen before. “But I didn’t know how long you’d be, so I didn’t order anything for you.”
“Sorry, baby. I’ll do better.” Lifting a hand at a nearby waitress in a floral top and skirt, I gestured to my empty end of the table.
She smiled at me then hustled back into the kitchen. A few seconds later, she returned with a place setting and wine glass. “Bula, Mr. Holt. Would you like wine like Ms. Tate or something else to drink?”
“No alcohol. Sparkling water, please.”
“Yes, of course. I’m so sorry, I forgot. And for dinner tonight, you have a choice between a chicken tagine or a spicy tuna rice bowl. I believe Samu and some guests caught the tuna today.”
“The tuna.”
“Vinaka.” She bowed her head and left the table.
“So…” Saylor stared at me then shook her head like she couldn’t believe I was sitting there. “This is awkward.”
I tipped my head. “Awkward was what I walked in on here. Can’t believe they don’t have room service.”
“Not true. You can get dessert delivered to your room.” Saylor laughed.
I laughed with her, watching the way her eyes sparkled with life. Blue eyes had always been my weakness.
“Yeah, but considering I’ve only had airplane food for the last eighteen hours, I couldn’t survive on chocolate alone. Although it has gotten me through the last few days.”
I tipped my head. But before I could comment our waitress came back with my water. “Thanks.”
She smiled and set my glass down. “Your meals will be out in just a few moments.”
“Thanks.”
Once she left, I turned back to Saylor. “So where are you from?”
She rolled her eyes. “Las Vegas. And I’m guessing from the way everyone welcomed you here, you’re someone famous.”
“You didn’t look me up?”
She hitched a shoulder. That she had more important things on her mind was implied.
I mimicked her shrug. “I have a few fans.”
She nodded but didn’t press for more information. “Thank you for earlier. I didn’t really think about traveling as a single woman. I haven’t been single for…forever. High school really.”
“You don’t look like you’re long in the tooth exactly.” I smiled. “Be honest—how long ago was high school?”
“I’ll have you know I just finished my bachelor’s in education.”
I muffled a groan. “So you’re—what? Twenty-two?”
She nodded and raised her eyebrows as merriment danced in her eyes.
“Fuck me,” I mumbled through my fingers as I rubbed my hands over my face. “I didn’t think you were that young. I’m old enough to be your daddy.”
She snickered. “I mean, I’ve never had a daddy kink, but if ever there was a guy made for it…”
I dropped my hands from my face and stared at her with wide eyes.
Her light blue eyes sparkled back at me and she tipped her head. “Oh, come on. You’ve never wanted to hear a girl call you daddy while you held her hair from behind while you…you know?”
I struggled for a second time to muffle my groan. I was uncomfortably hard in the middle of the dining room with her innocent eyes twinkling at me.
Maybe not that innocent…