Chapter 23
Barry raced back to the hotel and changed into a button-up off-white short-sleeved shirt and khaki shorts. He had to wear flip flops since he hadn’t packed dress shoes. He hadn’t planned on going out to any dinners when he’d packed. It would just have to do.
Barry had barely settled into his seat when his quarry walked in. “Annabelle.” He smiled as if he were happy to see her when nothing could be further from the truth.
“Sean,” she purred as her eyes raked over him like he was a piece of horseflesh to a potential buyer.
“You look incredible.” Far from the business attire from the other day, she wore a red summer dress that rose way too high on her thighs and hugged all of her curves, leaving little to the imagination.
The neckline plunged low between her breasts, revealing their soft swell.
She wore towering high heels that still put her a few inches shorter than him.
Her hair was down and flowing around her shoulders.
The woman was definitely dressed to the nines compared to his attire.
He’d wanted to look somewhat nice but keep up the appearance of a repairman’s paycheck.
“Thank you.” Annabelle looked away bashfully, her cheeks turning slightly pink in embarrassment as her hand swiped across her chest. “I have to say, you clean up well.”
“I keep a nice set of clothes in my closet for such an occasion.” Barry moved around the table and held her chair out for her.
“Thank you.” Annabelle slid into her seat and set her small clutch bag on the side of the table.
Barry scooted her in and reclaimed his seat, pulling his phone out his pocket and setting it on the table in front of her bag. He assumed her phone was in there. There was nowhere else she could be stashing it. “How was your day?”
“Long, busy.”
“Well, I’m glad you could find time in your schedule to have dinner with me.”
“Of course, I would make time.”
“I’m sad we couldn’t do it last night. You made me wait a whole day.”
“Good things come to those who are patient. I’m glad you called me though and were willing to wait.” She batted her eyelashes and planted her elbows on the table, folding her hands and resting her chin on them.
“About that, I’m curious how you snuck your card into my pocket,” he commented, leaning closer to appear more genuinely interested in her, but he was curious how she’d done it.
Annabelle rolled her eyes. “It’s not all that interesting. Sleight of hand is all. Nothing to brag about.”
“Is that a skill you’ve always possessed?”
“No, as a secretary I pass things along to Miles all the time. I guess I just got good at doing it while no one was paying attention.”
“I think you’re far more than a secretary,” he said, trying to flatter her.
“And what do you think I am?” Her head tilted to the side, looking curious.
Barry was saved from making a quick reply when the waiter showed up. They both ordered wine and then dinner.
“Well,” Annabelle prompted when they were alone again.
“You are obviously a woman of many talents and severely underappreciated. You should be running his company or some other fortune five hundred company.”
Annabelle smiled and chuckled softly. “And what do you know of fortune five hundred companies?”
“Nothing,” he admitted. Barry was a soldier, not a company man. “But you seem better suited for running a place than working under the person who does. Especially when said person has a hotel sinking into the ground as we speak. How did you end up working for someone like Miles Banks?”
Annabelle’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout.
“I don’t want to talk about Miles tonight.
I’d rather learn more about you,” she purred, reaching across the table and stroking her hand across the top of his.
Barry looked down at her red-painted manicured nails and wanted to pull his hand back, but it might offend her, and then she’d leave.
He had no idea if the download was completed yet.
It should have, but he couldn’t look now without raising her suspicion.
“I’m not a very fascinating subject. I’m just a repairman on the island,” he explained, keeping his hand perfectly still and allowing her to touch him when in fact her touch repulsed him. He didn’t want anyone but Mac touching him.
Speaking of Mac, he wondered where she was. It was dark now, so she wasn’t on her boat anymore. Was she waiting at home for a report? Or at his hotel?
“One that I’ve never seen before. Or since the other day. I haven’t seen you on the job site.”
Shit, that was one of the drawbacks to talking to people while investigating. People remembered him. “I’ve been pulled on several different jobs around the island.”
“Hmm.” Annabelle didn’t look convinced. “Well, hopefully you’ll be back on our site soon.”
“I believe it’s on my schedule to be there soon,” he lied. “Let me check my schedule.” Barry opened his phone and pretended to look at his calendar.
“You keep your schedule in your phone?” Annabelle asked, sounding surprised.
“Yes, don’t you?”
“I do, I have just never seen someone else do it do besides business people.”
“That’s very old school. Paper can be lost or destroyed.
I’m on the road a lot for work. It makes it easier to have my schedule at my fingertips.
” Barry saw the download complete checkmark.
“Looks like I should be there at end of the week,” he said, stuffing his phone into his back pocket. “You’ll be there then, won’t you?”
“I’m always there. There is hardly a time I’m not.”
“Do you live at the hotel?”
“No, you’ve seen that place. It’s a death trap.”
“Nor is it ready for people for stay in it.”
“And there’s all the noise from construction,” she added as if she needed more reason not to live in a construction zone.
“I’m surprised Miles is living there then.”
“How did you know?”
Shit, he shouldn’t have known that, should he? “I’m just assuming he does. I haven’t seen any mansions being built, nor a hotel to accommodate his needs.”
“Yes, Miles does expect a certain standard.” Her eyes widened sarcastically.
“So where do you stay?”
“I’m renting a little house down the road from the hotel, so it’s not much of a commute.”
“Well, that’s nice.”
“How about you, where do you live on the island?”
“The west side.”
“That’s pretty far away.”
“It’s not bad. Kind of hard to be central to an island with jungles throughout.”
“It is a pretty remote island.”
“It is. Why pick this island for your hotel?”
“Miles has always liked small areas to build up. In large towns, he has competitors; here, there is no one.”
“Pretty smart, or was that your idea?” he inquired, giving her the credit.
Annabelle shrugged, not saying her answer but making it obvious that she had something to do with it.
Barry caught movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see Mac walking in just behind Annabelle.
He shifted his focus back on Annabelle while tracking Mac out of his peripheral vision.
She looked around and spotted them. Mac stood frozen for a moment before taking a seat at a table out of Annabelle’s sight, but he could see her.
Well, tonight just got a little more awkward.