EIGHTEEN

“In all my years working here, I’ve never seen anyone glare at it like that.”

Sadie pushed herself off the railing of the lobby terrace and turned to give Grace a weak smile. When she stayed silent, Grace continued.

“What, did it sweep away a favorite pair? I know you love your shoes, Sadie, but give it a break. It’s just minding its own business, doing its job.”

“What are you going on about?” Sadie cringed when she heard the bite in her voice.

Grace swept her hand in the direction of Sadie’s stare. “The big, blue ocean. You’re giving it the death glare. And given it’s one of our main selling points, I’m trying to figure out what it did to piss you off.”

Sadie dropped her chin to her chest with a brief laugh before returning her attention to the beach and the crystalline water beyond.

“No, nothing like that. Just thinking.”

“Not about anything good, by the looks of it.”

Sadie shrugged a shoulder, in no way ready to confess to Grace all that had transpired over the last night. “Just complicated.”

“Ahhhh,” Grace let her voice trail off as she looked out across the same hypnotic expanse.

Sadie felt her friend cast her the occasional glance, but when she remained silent Grace let the subject drop. But it became more and more obvious that while Sadie wasn’t in the mood for talking, Grace was. After Grace released the fifth tell-tale sigh in a row, Sadie turned and gave the woman her full attention.

“Ok, what’s up?”

Grace cocked an eyebrow at her. “How do you know something’s up?”

Sadie laughed. “Grace, I’m very aware of what your job entails. You are a busy, busy woman. With every day scheduled to the max. And I know for a fact that on no part of your calendar does it read ‘hang out idly with Sadie staring at ocean for indeterminate length of time.’ So something’s up, or you wouldn’t be propped against this railing with me.”

“You, Sadie Carter, are sometimes annoyingly perceptive.”

“Sometimes?”

“Fine,” Grace let out a bark of laughter. “Usually. Always. Even on days when you’re giving the evil eye – for no good reason, I might point out – to one of the most beautiful views known to man.”

“You exaggerate.”

“About the view?”

“About me.” Sadie still felt unsettled after her conversation with Jack. If she was so perceptive, how could she have misinterpreted things with him so thoroughly? She’d thought of it as an island fling. As succumbing to something powerful, yes. But also temporary. But Jack had a very different idea and Sadie had been completely clueless until this morning. 

Grace’s teasing smile fell. “Seriously, you sure you don’t want to talk about it? I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but we’ve spent hours and hours and hours on this program, Sadie. And even when shit was hitting the fan, you were never this…,” Grace paused while she searched for the right word. “This off.”

“Off?” Sadie stayed still, refusing to squirm under her friend’s scrutiny.

“Yes, off. Distracted. Unfocused. Unsettled. Weird.”

Sadie slapped Grace lightly on the shoulder at the last one. “Stop,” she couldn’t help but laugh. “Just a lot going on. Besides, we were about to talk about you. So get on with it. Unlike some of us, I don’t have all day.” Sadie grinned at Grace, hoping her friend would start talking and take her mind off Jack, even if just for a few minutes.

“Ah, yes. Me. Well…,” Grace glanced around them quickly to make sure no one was within ear shot.

“Well…?”

“You know how Jasper was on the catamaran last night?”

Christ, was that only last night? If felt like years ago. But Sadie nodded, letting Grace continue.

“I didn’t expect to see him, after. Knew he was busy. And we haven’t spoken much since the other night.”

The night Grace thought Jasper was with her. “Um-hmm.”

“Well,” Grace’s lips curled into a soft smile, “he found me once they got back. He apologized for missing our date, swore he got tangled up with a last minute job for Marcus. And that he was desperate to make it up to me. His words, not mine.”

“And did he? Make it up to you?” Sadie couldn’t miss the hope in her friend’s voice. But she also couldn’t forget the unwelcome pressure of Jasper’s lips against her own.

Grace flushed, her giddiness a departure from the sure, confident woman Sadie was used to. “Yes, definitely. Yes, yes, yes. Which, it turns out,” Grace shot her a wicked grin, “is my new favorite word. Especially when he’s….”

“Aggh, no, stop!” Sadie covered her ears with her hands. Grace laughed as she tried to peel Sadie’s hands away, words like down and lick and tongue slipping in between their giggles.

“Please,” Sadie begged between deep breaths, “no more. I don’t want to know. Seriously. Keep all of the salacious details to yourself.”

“But…,” Grace bottom lip protruded in a pout when Sadie playfully glared at her.

Sadie wiggled her fingers where they still cupped her ears. “Earmuffs. I swear. Until you promise to stop.”

“God. I had no idea you were such a killjoy.”

“Grace, I have to work with the man. I won’t be able to look at him if I know the play-by-play of what you got up to. It’s bad enough knowing about the staff room.”

“And my office.”

“Ugg, yes! And your office.” And the fact, Sadie thought, that no more than a few hours before Jasper was making up – and out – with Grace, he’d been kissing her. “Anywhere else I should steer clear of?”

Grace had the decency to look a little embarrassed. “Uh, the cabanas?”

Sadie choked back a cough. “All of them?”

“Ha! No. He’s good. Like really, really good. But that would be too much. Even for him. It was just the one. At least for now.”

Sadie looked at Grace pointedly. And tried to not feel too hypocritical given all that she’d gotten up to in one of the cabanas.

“Fine. Last one on the left.”

Sadie tried to smother her little sigh. It wasn’t the one she and Jack had occupied, thank god. Mental note: steer clear of cabanas for the rest of the trip. They only incite trouble.

Done torturing her with the details, Grace was looking back at the ocean, a contented smile on her face. Sadie chewed her lower lip, unsure of how to continue without offending her friend.

“Grace, I’m glad that you and Jasper, um, connected.” The two women exchanged little grins. “And,” Sadie laid her hand on Grace’s arm, “I’m glad he apologized for blowing you off. That was a dick move, glad he owned up to it. But,” Sadie paused, “you mentioned last time, when we were in your office, that you guys aren’t exclusive. Right?”

Some of the happiness fell from Grace’s face as she nodded. “Yeah. Nothing serious. That’s what I said.”

“Okay. I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt if, you know, he bails again. Or gets distracted. By someone else.”

Grace scrunched up her nose and looked away.

“I’m not trying to be a killjoy. Promise. I just saw how pissed you were the other day. And not just with Jasper. But with yourself. Which is even worse, right?”

Grace conceded with a small nod.

“So just be careful, yeah? Sounds like he made an effort last night but we both know he can be….”

“Unreliable?” Grace interjected.

“I was going to say inconsistent.”

“He’s not a train schedule, Sadie,” Grace scoffed. “But,” she sobered, “I get it. And I appreciate you looking out for me. I’m being careful, I swear.”

“Yeah?” Seeing the happiness still flashing in Grace’s eyes, Sadie highly doubted her friend was being honest with her, let alone herself.

“You don’t need to worry about me.” Grace squeezed Sadie’s arm with a bright smile. “I know that’s how you’re built. And that’s what makes you so good at all this,” she gestured indiscriminately at the resort around them, “but I’m not a little girl. And I’ve spent a lot more time with Jasper than you have. He may be pretty, but he isn’t complicated. I know he likes his fun. And I’m more than happy to play along, no strings attached.”

“If you’re sure…,” Sadie eyed her warily, waiting to see a hint of hesitancy on Grace’s face. But her friend nodded firmly.

“I’m sure. I’m not in this for a ring. Or two-point-five kids. Or, hell, even a fancy dinner date. I’m just enjoying what Jasper has to offer. While he’s offering it to me.”

“So, just a bit of fun.”

“Gotta get it while the getting’s good.”

“Really?”

“What? You prefer ‘make hay while the sun shines’?”

“Grace….”

“Strike while the iron is hot?”

“Stop.”

“Fine,” Grace’s subdued her giggles behind a good-natured smile. “But you get my drift?”

“Yes! Yes,” Sadie puffed out a breath when Grace wiggled her eyebrows at her. “You are a grown woman. Enjoying the attentions of a grown man. For the sake of mutual pleasure. With no demands or requirements for a relationship. Or exclusivity. Does that sum it up?”

“In way more words than I would have used, but, yes. That’s it, exactly.”

“And you won’t get disappointed when Jasper takes his attentions elsewhere?”

“You mean when he goes looking for greener pastures?”

“Stop!” Sadie waved her hands in defeat as Grace tossed her head back with a laugh. “No more, no more. I get it. You are a grown woman….”

“And I can take care of myself,” Grace finished for her.

“Gotcha,” Sadie bobbed her head. “Consider my concerns addressed,” she released one last laugh before sobering. “I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass. I’m just looking out for my friend.”

“I know, Sadie. And I appreciate it. I was the one who brought him up, after all. And I can’t get upset when you’re only reminding me of what I said in the first place. So, just ‘cause I know you won’t let it go until you hear me say it,” Grace leveled her eyes with Sadie, “I won’t let myself get swept up in all things Jasper. I’ll let him work his sexy magic on my body. But not my mind.”

“Or your heart,” Sadie prodded.

“Or my heart. Copy that.” 

Sadie started to mumble something else but Grace cut her off with a quick hug. “I’m good. You’ve done your duty. Nothing to worry about here.”

“Okay.”

“Excellent. Because your phone is ringing,” Grace pointed to a nearby table where the angry vibrations of Sadie’s phone were threatening to send it off the edge, “and, like you said, I’m very busy. Can’t just spend all day chatting with you.”

“So true.”

“Or,” Grace hummed over her shoulder as she gave Sadie one final grin, “fantasizing about how Jasper and I can put the rest of cabanas to good use.”

If Sadie wasn’t about to answer a call from Lizzie, she would’ve considered throwing her phone at her. Payback for all those paperclips.