COMPLEX

KORTNEY KEISEL
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Complex Copyright © 2022 by Kortney Keisel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book
review.
First edition May 2022
Cover design by Red Leaf Book Design
www.kortneykeisel.com
 To my sister Stacy
I’ve looked up to you since I was a little girl. You are fun,
witty, a good mom, and you share the same passion for
romance books and movies that I do.
Thank you for all of your support with my writing. I couldn’t
do it without your help.
 TRIGGER WARNING

Complex deals with themes of infertility. There are discussions

throughout about not being able to become pregnant and bear
children.
 CONTENTS

Trigger Warning
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Kortney Keisel
CHAPTER 1
 TESSA

B lack Widow has an excellent superhero outfit.

For one, the jumpsuit is slimming—I’d like to take
a moment to thank all black clothing—and it’s form-
fitting, handling curves like a Ferrari on a racetrack. There’s
also a sexy V neckline and a cute belt. What more could a
woman want?
Yes, I can totally picture myself rocking that spandex suit.
“Tessa?” Colleen Samson stares at me with raised brows,
knocking me back into the present.
Daydreaming while your boss is talking isn’t professional.
In fact, it’s something Colleen has told me never to do, but I
couldn’t help myself. She asked me to save her job. Logically,
my next thought was about what people wear when they save
things.
And just so we’re clear, I’d never wear a cape.
“Did you hear what I said?” she asks. Her dark-brown hair
is slicked back into a tight ponytail. The tightness pulls on her
face better than a face-lift would, though I’m pretty sure she’s
had one of those too.
I lean forward in my chair. “Yes, I’m listening. You said
you need my help to save your job, but I don’t understand
what you mean. Why would your job be in jeopardy?”
Colleen paces the edge of her office. Giant windows
overlook the city and the Tampa Riverwalk. Hotel artwork
hangs on the walls with live potted plants in the corners,
making the room feel softer.
She stops in front of me, pinning me with her serious gaze.
“You’re the only person I trust.”
Call in all the Marvel sidekicks, because this sounds
intense.
“Trust me with what?” I ask.
She takes the seat next to mine, gripping my forearm. “I’m
in trouble, Tessa.”
I glance down at her hand on my arm. It’s as if the lights
have dimmed, and we’re now being spotlighted on the Dr. Phil
Show. The audience is on the edge of their seats, waiting for
our tender moment to bring them to tears.
I’m on the edge of my seat too. Colleen Samson and I have
never had a heart-to-heart, despite having common issues to
cry about together.
I put my hand on top of hers. “What’s wrong?”
Her brown eyes drop. “The Turks and Caicos resort is over
budget.”
Oh.
This isn’t the tear-inducing situation I had built up in my
head.
“How over budget are we talking?” I ask.
She glances up at me, pulling her hand into her lap.
“Around six hundred thousand dollars.”
My eyes widen. We’ve never been over budget by that
much.
“I got a little carried away with the décor and the design of
this hotel.” She grimaces. “I just wanted it to rival our
competitors. And I’m sure when it opens, its revenue will earn
back what we spent. But Stuart White is shortsighted. If he
finds out I went over budget, he’ll fire me. I won’t be able to
get another job in this industry.”
 One of our primary assignments is to make sure we build
and open these hotels within the budget. Stuart White, the
owner of WhiteSands Resorts, is meticulous about how funds
are allocated. It’s one of the reasons he’s been so successful.
“Surely Mr. White already knows that the job is over
budget,” I say. “How could he not?”
“I’ve been working with accounting, sorting through
everything. Everyone’s agreed not to bring it to Mr. White’s
attention until I can fix my mistakes.”
“Doesn’t it look worse if you keep him in the dark about
this? Maybe you should talk with Mr. White and explain what
happened. He’ll understand.”
Colleen puffs out a laugh. “That’s not how things work in
the corporate world. You can’t explain away a half-a-million-
dollar mistake and still expect to keep your job.” She shrugs.
“Who knows? He might also fire you, since you’re my
assistant, and you worked closely with me on the project.”
My chest tightens. My career goals are my only goals. If I
get fired, I have nothing else. Succeeding in my job is my life.
It has to be, since I found out I lost in the motherhood lottery.
It’s something they casually drop in maturation programs.
If you haven’t started your period by the time you’re
seventeen, go see your doctor. But no one explains to you what
that might mean. No one says, Hey, you’re the lucky one in
five thousand women born without a uterus. Congratulations
on having a missing body part!
Like, why couldn’t I have been born without an appendix?
I don’t think my mom expected me to be missing my
uterus either, judging by her sobbing when the doctor
diagnosed me with MRKH syndrome.
But it’s fine. My condition isn’t as severe as most women
with the same diagnosis. I had a minor surgery when I was a
teenager, and now my life goes on as normal. I’m just missing
a uterus and can’t have kids.
No big deal.
 And I’m fine as long as I avoid the baby clothing section
in Target—those tiny mannequins in their footie pajamas kill
me.
So I’m fine. I’m a career woman now…unless, of course, I
get fired.
Colleen grips my arm again. “The best thing for us to do is
to fix this problem on our own before Stuart ever finds out
about it.”
“Can we?”
If there’s a way for neither of us to be fired, that’s the route
I want to take.
Sign me up!
Colleen offers a slight smile. “I have a plan to find the
funds. I just need you to delay the construction of the hotel by
a week or two to buy me some time.”
“Me?” I ask. “What could I do?”
“I need you to go to Turks and Caicos and oversee the
project.”
I blink back at her. “But I thought you were going. You
always go.”
“I have some cysts that need to be surgically removed,”
Colleen says, turning into the same nonfeeling robot she
always does when talking about her infertility issues. “I would
push the surgery back, but the doctor is insistent that it needs
to happen now.”
My expression softens. “I’m so sorry.”
She lifts her chin. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
I don’t press the issue. Colleen doesn’t like talking about
her endometriosis, which is ironic since the entire reason I
work for her is because my parents thought that she’d be a
good role model for me—someone I could talk to, someone
who wanted a career more than children, which is what I told
my parents I wanted after my diagnosis.
 Colleen was my parents’ friend long before she was my
boss. She used to work for my dad when she was in college.
He always said she was a sharp woman who would be
successful someday, and he was right. She’s everything I
aspire to be—smart, ambitious, strong-minded. She’s willing
to take risks in her career. Her style is impeccable. She’s a
champion for women—look how much support she’s given me
—and she’s a respected businesswoman.
It’s always good to have a role model.
When I was young, my mom was my role model. I wanted
to grow up and be just like her. I wanted to stay home, bake
cookies, do the laundry, volunteer in the classroom, and raise
the most incredible kids.
I had it all figured out.
Until I didn’t.
Until I was forced to change my course.
Now my course is corporate America, and Colleen Samson
is my tour guide. One day, I want her job—Vice President of
Hotel Openings.
Tessa Johnson, VP.
Oh, that sounds nice.
It’s the type of thing you could casually drop into
conversations. How’s your day going? And by the way, did you
know I am Vice President of Hotel Openings?
Very doable.
And when I get the VP job, I’ll finally be able to give my
dad something he can brag about to the random cashier at the
grocery store. Something that will convince everyone in my
family I have more to offer than relationship advice and style
tips. Right now I’m pretty sure they think that’s all I bring to
the table. I swear, half the time, they don’t believe me when I
tell them I’m going places in my career—and not just literal
places like Turks and Caicos. I’m talking about the corner
office with a view. And for some reason, I really want my
family to be proud of me, to recognize all that I can contribute.
 Not just my family, but everyone.
I already have to work harder than most of the employees
in my company. When I walk into a meeting, people
automatically assume I’m the intern there to take drink orders.
Nobody takes me seriously. It’s as if they think my value is
looking pretty. For once, it would be nice to be recognized for
my work ethic, not for my appearance.
That’s been the story my whole life. My looks are the only
thing anyone has ever complimented me on. Sometimes I
wonder what people would say if I weren’t attractive. Like if
my face was totally disfigured and I had massive, puss-oozing
warts growing all over my body, would I still have value?
It doesn’t feel like it.
I shake my head. I can’t believe my thoughts went to puss-
oozing warts.
That’s just gross.
“Because of my surgery,” Colleen continues, “I’m sending
you to Turks and Caicos in my stead. Is that okay?”
I smile. It’s more than okay. Opening the Turks and Caicos
hotel would be a huge stepping-stone in my career.
“Yes!” I say, doing one of those smile laughs. “Thank
you!” I can’t wait to tell my family and see the looks on their
faces.
“Don’t I always take care of you?” Colleen says.
“Yes, and I’m grateful for every opportunity you’ve given
me.”
“Good.” She nods. “So when you’re there, you’ll help me
fix this budget mess?”
Oh. I was so wrapped up in the fact that I get to open a
hotel on my own that I forgot about the project being over
budget.
“What do you need me to do again?” I ask.
“I need you to buy me some time so that I can get all the
accounting figured out. It’s going to take a little longer since
I’ll be down for my surgery. Maybe you could slow down the
construction process, so we don’t pass the final inspection on
the first try—anything that will give me more time to get it all
organized. Just a week or two, that’s all I need. Nothing big.
Do you think you can do that?”
How is she going to get the accounting figured out? Is she
going to raise more capital and bring in investors? Or maybe
she’ll move money from other hotel projects to this one. All of
that seems like the type of decisions that more people than
Colleen would have to be included in. But what do I know?
I’ve never seen this part of the process. I’ve never been so on-
the-ground involved in the opening of a new hotel. And
besides, who am I to question Colleen?
“But if I delay the construction process, it will delay the
grand opening. Won’t Mr. White be upset about that?” I ask. I
don’t want to ruin my one shot to prove myself to the owner of
the company.
Colleen shakes her head. “Not half as upset as he would be
if we were over budget. And, if the delays happen organically,
if it looks like it was no one’s fault, then how could he be
upset? Construction sites get behind all the time, for many
different reasons. We need to tap into that.”
“Um…” My head drops as I think about what she’s asking.
“Tessa, if you do this, you’ll single-handedly save my
career, everything I’ve worked for. I’d hate to be fired for one
little mistake. I’d hate to see you fired for that as well. You
have so much potential.” Her brown eyes plead with me. “I’d
do it myself if I weren’t getting surgery, but I can’t put it off.
You’re our only hope.”
Is Colleen intentionally quoting Star Wars? Because it
makes everything feel a little melodramatic. But then again,
I’ve never seen her so vulnerable. She really is in trouble.
And it would be stupid for both of us to lose our jobs,
especially if there were a way to find the extra money we need
to cover the costs. Delaying the project by a week or two
won’t hurt anything, but it would save a lot. And Colleen has
already done so much for me and my career. It’s time I return
the favor.
“Okay,” I say, nodding. “I can delay the construction
process a little bit.”
Her smile widens. “I knew I could count on you, Tessa.
Your family has always been so good to me. And, who knows?
There may be a promotion within the company when you
return.”
I shake my head. “I’m not expecting anything.”
“I know, but maybe you should. It’s the least I can do for
you after we get this Turks and Caicos situation figured out.”
A promotion? That would be incredible. I was already
willing to help Colleen before she promised that. Now the
stakes just got higher.
In the span of one meeting, I got assigned to open the next
hotel for my company, and I agreed to save my boss’s job.
It’s been a very productive twenty minutes.
CHAPTER 2
 TESSA

“I wish we could add something special to the Turks and

Caicos Resort to make it stand out,” Colleen says to
Mr. White.
The three of us are meeting in his office to make sure I’m
up to speed on the hotel before flying out tomorrow morning.
Colleen tilts her head as if she’s deep in thought. “We need
something new that our competitor doesn’t have.”
Competitor.
We’re never allowed to call Escape Hotels by their name
when speaking to Mr. White—it’s The Company Who Must
Not Be Named.
“Are you suggesting we add a new activity to the hotel
entertainment?” Mr. White asks. His neon-white veneers
match his last name but completely contradict his jet-black
hair and black unibrow.
I’ve often wondered if Stuart White knows he has a
unibrow. Surely he does. He’s the owner of a multimillion-
dollar hotel chain. At some point during his fifty-year career,
someone must have mentioned it. Like a secretary—Mr. White,
here’s the contract you asked for, and by the way, your two
eyebrows merge together above the bridge of your nose to
create one massive brow.
No, a secretary wouldn’t say anything unless she wanted to
get fired.
So he probably doesn’t know.
 Personally, I’d love to teach him how to use a pair of
tweezers or introduce him to some hot wax. Better yet, my
friend and personal brow lady, Jade. She’s the best in all of
Tampa at sculpting and waxing. He’d need to schedule back-
to-back appointments with her. One twenty-minute session
would not be enough to get his brows—er, his brow—under
control.
“Tessa?” Colleen looks at me, jarring me out of my
thoughts. She’s probably so disappointed right now. That’s two
days in a row that I’ve been caught in a daydream.
My unibrow fantasy made me completely miss my cue.
“Do you have anything to add?” She gives me a pointed
stare.
We rehearsed all of this before we came into Mr. White’s
office. I’m supposed to propose a new idea that Mr. White will
hopefully love and implement. An idea that will add more time
to the construction process. The only problem is that my idea
will also add to the cost, but Colleen assures me it will be fine.
I raise my hand—only halfway—because apparently, I
have the confidence of a fourth-grader when I’m in front of
Mr. White.
Why are you raising your hand?
Immediately I jerk my arm down. “Yes, I have a few
ideas.” I roll my shoulders back.
It’s showtime.
“I think we need to offer more food selections for kids
down by the pool. The projections show that families that
travel with young children like having the autonomy to get
their kids normal food during the day. If we added these
outdoor food places, one could serve chicken nuggets. One
could serve cheeseburgers and fries, and the other could serve
ice cream. They also need to be open all day, 11:00 a.m. to
10:00 p.m.”
“I’m not sure your idea is cost-effective,” Mr. White says.
“We’d lose more money than what we’d gain.”
 “I disagree,” I say with a flirtatious smile pointed back to
him. I’m not really flirting with him. Gross. He’s like a hairy
grandpa, but that charismatic smile of mine serves a purpose.
This is my Tessa Charm kicking in—at least that’s what my
siblings call it. “Right now, the Turks and Caicos resort
doesn’t have anywhere for parents to grab their children a
quick bite to eat poolside.”
His lips lift, a slight hint that my smile is working.
“Can you imagine a family gathered around their computer
screen, looking at pictures of the WhiteSands Turks and
Caicos Resort? The father turns over his shoulder with a big
smile and says to his three children, ‘They have free ice cream
and chicken nuggets poolside all day long.’ The children
would cheer, and the dad would book a week in paradise at
your resort.”
My story got a little dramatic, but if I know anything about
Stuart White, I know that he’s a sucker for the theatrics.
He rests his elbows on the desk in front of him. “Does our
competitor have something like this?”
“Not poolside,” I say.
Mr. White frowns. “Don’t you think the hotel is too far
along for major changes like this?”
“If your name is on the hotel, then I think you can make
changes whenever you want.” Colleen’s ego-stroking smile
accompanies her words.
Is that what my smile looks like? I hope not. It’s one step
shy of maniacal.
“I suppose I can still make changes,” Mr. White says. He
looks at me. “Why don’t you get the architect to draw up the
food areas on the blueprints?”
I smile back at him. “Yes, sir. Consider it done.”
Our plan has worked, and Mr. White took my idea. I’m
dying inside—the good dying where your heart explodes with
happiness, sunshine, and rainbows. There might even be some
unicorns floating around, sneezing glitter.
 “And be sure to let our contractor in Turks and Caicos
know of the changes.”
“I will.”
Mr. White opens a cream folder on his desk. “We also have
a new program that Human Resources is rolling out due to the
lawsuit.”
He’s referring to the disgruntled construction worker who
was fired from the Turks and Caicos job site two months ago.
He’s suing WhiteSands Resorts for mental and physical
harassment by the head contractor, claiming it was a hostile
work environment.
I’d love to grab a bag of popcorn and get the details of that
situation It would be like having a front-row seat to Judge
Judy—a trainwreck you can’t look away from. But Human
Resources is being super tight-lipped about the whole thing
while investigating the allegations, so I’ll have to settle for the
few bits and pieces I know.
“The program is called Corporate Cares,” Mr. White
continues.
Corporate Cares? Yeah, that sounds super sincere, not like
a fake name at all.
What it actually sounds like is one of those commercials
where they show you starving dogs and completely break your
heart, so you’ll send them money. Is WhiteSands Resort
starting an underground dog-saving project?
“The Corporate Cares program is designed to boost
employee morale by offering team-building activities,” Mr.
White says—so I guess it’s not an underground dog-saving
project. “And since we’ve already had some trouble in Turks
and Caicos with the local subcontractors, I want to implement
this program immediately. It’s imperative moving forward that
our company keeps a good relationship with the islanders.” He
hands me the folder. “You don’t have to do anything big, just a
few little things here and there so I can tell Human Resources
we’ve covered our bases.”
 “That’s where Tessa’s strengths come in,” Colleen says.
“She’s good with people.”
“Let’s not waste too much time on this, though. Just
enough to smooth things over with the locals and
subcontractors.”
Colleen gives me a knowing smile. She heard the words
waste time, and her ears perked up like a dog.
This Human Resources program might be the perfect
organic delay Colleen was hoping for, and not only that, it was
sanctioned by Mr. White.
Maybe delaying the hotel opening will be easier than I
thought.
CHAPTER 3
 LUKE

S weat trails down my back as I press an I-beam level

against the wall. I make a few marks, then use my mouth
to hold the pencil as I shift the level over a few inches.
My eyes squint to examine the bubble in the middle,
making sure everything is straight. As I reach for my pencil,
my phone rings, startling me enough that the level slides down
the wall.
I grab my phone. “Yeah?”
“Mr. McKenna, it’s Tessa Johnson.”
Stupid telemarketers.
“No, thanks,” I say over the pencil in my mouth. “I don’t
care about my child’s education, and my car’s warranty has
already expired.”
I click off the call and put my phone away in my pocket.
My hands go back to the level, lining it up perfectly. I’m all set
to mark my spot when my phone rings again, and everything
shifts.
I groan, reaching for my device. It’s the same person. Once
these companies get your number, they never stop.
I answer with a little too much anger. “Put me on your do
not call list.”
“Mr. McKenna, maybe you didn’t hear me the first time.
It’s Tessa Johnson calling.”
My nose scrunches together. “Who?”
 “Tessa Johnson from WhiteSands corporate office. I’m
Colleen Samson’s assistant.”
All these corporate people think I know them by heart.
“Although”—her voice takes on a customer service tone
—“I am calling to inform you that you’ve won an all-
expenses-paid vacation to Bora Bora.”
I don’t bite. I need to get back to work.
“Okay.” My voice cuts off her awkward laugh. I drop the
level to my side and spit out the pencil, letting it fall to the
ground. “What do you want?”
I don’t like hearing from Colleen Samson’s office. For the
last few weeks, every phone call from her has been bad news
for me.
Add this here.
Change that there.
Make this bigger.
Knock this wall out.
I swear these people don’t know what they want. Make a
plan and stick to it. It’s not that hard.
“We have some changes,” Tessa says, seamlessly flipping
into business mode.
I’m sure you do.
I bite my tongue, because I want to keep my job. Traveling
from island to island to be the general contractor of new hotels
and remodels is exactly the lifestyle I want. I make good
money, get to build stuff, stay busy, see the world, and I don’t
have to put down roots in one place.
It’s the perfect scenario.
No attachments. No complications.
“What changes?” I ask coolly.
“Mr. White would like to add three different food stations
scattered around the pool area. Each station would serve
something different. We’re having ice cream at one,
cheeseburgers at—”
“I don’t need to know the details,” I say. “I’m pretty busy,
so just get to the point.”
“I was getting to the point.” She sucks in a breath before
continuing. “I’m sending you new blueprints with three
outdoor prepping and warming stations.”
I spit out a humorless laugh. “Kitchens?”
“No, not quite that elaborate. If you would’ve let me
explain their purpose, you’d know what I was talking about.
I’ll email you the specs from the architect. But just so you
have an idea, we need enough space for warmers, a grill, a
refrigerator—”
“No,” I say.
“No, what?”
“No, I will not add three kitchens to the outdoor patio
area.”
“But they’re not kitchens.”
“It doesn’t matter what they are. The hotel is supposed to
open in two months. It’s too late to add something like that,
even if they’re small.”
“I don’t believe it’s your call to make. Stuart White
himself approved these changes.”
“Unless you want to come down here and swing a hammer
yourself, it is my call to make.”
“Actually”—her voice rattles with excitement—“that’s the
other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Colleen Samson was
supposed to fly out tomorrow to oversee the hotel’s opening,
but she can no longer come. I’ll be taking her place.”
My brows lift. “You?”
“That’s right,” she says. “Prepare your hammer.”
I scratch the side of my head. This might be the best news
I’ve heard all day. Colleen Samson and I have worked together
on the last three hotels, and I can’t stand her. She’s a stuck-up
pain in the neck. And it’s not because she’s a woman—I love
powerful women. A single mom raised me, and I have two
strong-willed sisters who I’m sure will end up ruling the world
someday.
But Colleen Samson is on an entirely different level. She’s
bossy and selfish. I’m glad to be rid of her.
“My flight gets in tomorrow evening,” Tessa says. “I’ll
email you the information so you can pick me up from the
airport.”
“I don’t do airport pickups. You can take a taxi.”
“I could take a taxi, but I’m assigning you to pick me up so
that we can get on the same page as soon as I arrive.”
Assigning me?
“Also, I’ll be staying with you in the rental house. I’m told
there are two bedrooms.”
“Colleen usually stays in a fancy hotel when she comes to
check up on the project. Why are you staying with me?”
“Colleen asked if I would stay in the rental house to save
money on the project, and I agreed.”
“That’s not the deal I signed up for. No offense, but I don’t
want to share the rental house with you.”
“That makes two of us. But this arrangement isn’t up to
you. I need you to have the spare bedroom clean and ready for
my arrival tomorrow night.”
I let out a slow, dramatic breath as I wipe the sweat off my
forehead. The more this Tessa woman talks, the more she
sounds like a carbon copy of Colleen Samson.
“Mr. McKenna? Are you still there?”
“It’s Luke,” I huff. Mr. McKenna is my father, who also
happens to be the man I hate most in the world. Not a name I
like to go by.
“Luke. I’ll see you tomorrow at the airport?”
 I bend down, picking up my pencil from off the floor. “Do
I have a choice?”
Her voice is firm. “We’re going to be working together for
the next two months. I think it’s important that we get to know
each other and become friends. Don’t you agree?”
“No, I don’t need friends,” I mutter.
“You don’t need friends?”
“Nope. My focus is on getting the hotel open on time. That
should be your focus too.”
“I see.” She’s quiet for a moment, as if she doesn’t quite
know how to respond. “I’ll email you my flight itinerary and
the information about the new outdoor food areas.”
“I already told you, it’s too late for your kitchens. We’d
have to dig up concrete and run a gas line to get an oven out
there.”
“That does sound difficult and time-consuming, but you
don’t have a choice. As I said, Stuart White approved the
changes.”
“Does Stuart White want the resort to open on time?”
“Um…yes…of course.”
“Well, if he keeps changing the blueprints, it won’t.” In the
last month, Colleen Samson’s office has sent over thirty new
changes. That’s right, thirty. Corporate is driving me crazy. It’s
as if they want to put me behind schedule.
There’s a loud thud, and I turn my head to see Nano and
two other men carrying in a heavy granite countertop.
“Luke?” Tessa asks.
“Hold on,” I say into the phone. I watch the men turn
toward the lobby. “Hey, Nano, that countertop is for the front
desk. We can get some more men to help lift it up the stairs.”
“How about we get some more men now,” Nano grunts.
“I’m coming. I just have to deal with some lady from
corporate who wants to add three kitchens to the pool area and
move in with me. She thinks she’s my boss or something.”
“Uh, Luke,” she cuts in. “You’re not on mute.”
I shift the phone against my ear, watching as a few other
men stop what they’re doing and run over to help Nano carry
the solid countertop. “I didn’t think I was.”
She huffs. “Well, just so we’re clear, I am your boss.”
“No, Stuart White is my boss. Colleen Samson is my boss.
You’re just an assistant.”
“I’m an executive assistant.”
“Means nothing.”
“Are you always this rude?” she snaps.
I’m not rude—maybe a little abrasive. At least that’s what
my sisters say.
I press the phone against my shoulder and lift the level
back up to the wall. “I’ll add the three kitchens, but it will put
us behind schedule. When we don’t open on time, you can
take the credit.”
“And when those kitchens increase the resort’s sales, I’ll
also take the credit.”
“I bet you will. If that’s all you want, I’ve got to get back
to work.”
“That’s all I want,” she says. “I’ll see you in Turks
tomorrow. You’re picking me up from the airport.”
“Fine.”
The phone goes silent, but I’m marking a few
measurements with both hands, so I don’t immediately click
off.
“Well, somebody’s a little arrogant,” Tessa says.
I don’t think she realizes the call hasn’t ended yet.
She’s slamming something forcefully over and over—I’m
guessing a stapler.
I pause what I’m doing so I can hear what she’s saying.
 “It’s Luke,” she mimics my gruff voice. “I’m grumpy and
think I can treat people however I want. I like being rude.”
Her voice goes back to normal. “That disgruntled employee
probably does have rightful cause to sue.”
It sounds like Ms. Johnson has heard the rumors about
Markus Webb all the way in Florida. I thought corporate
investigations and lawsuits were supposed to be kept under
wraps.
Whatever. Let Ms. Johnson and everyone else think what
they want.
When it comes to Markus Webb, I know what really
happened.
More slamming sounds come from the phone, and then she
starts talking to herself again. “Well, Luke, challenge accepted.
By the end of all this, I’ll have you eating out of the palm of
my hand. You’ll be begging to be friends with me. Best
friends!”
“Uh, Ms. Johnson,” I say. “The call’s not over, and you’re
not on mute.”
There’s some fumbling, like I’ve startled her, and she’s
trying to get to the speakerphone.
I can’t wait to see how she tries to recover from this.
She clears her throat. “I didn’t think I was.”
“So you meant for me to hear everything you just said?”
“Of course I did. I’m already planning out colors for our
matching friendship bracelets.”
Now it’s my turn to be quiet. Is she being serious or funny?
I can’t tell.
Either way, I don’t know how to respond, so I hit the red
button on my phone, ending the call.
CHAPTER 4
 TESSA

“W e have this new product that’s supposed to make

your spray tan last two days longer than normal,”
the girl at Get Your Glow On says. She’s young,
with blonde hair and golden-bronze skin. And why wouldn’t
her skin be golden bronze? If I had access to a spray tan
machine, I’d look fabulous every day too.
“Two days longer?” I ask.
“Yeah.” She holds up the bottle. “It’s a deeper tan, and it
won’t fade as fast. Do you want to try it?”
If my spray tan lasts two days longer, that will give me
time to build up a natural suntan since I’m guessing there
aren’t many spray tan salons in Turks and Caicos.
I smile back at the girl. “That sounds perfect. I’ll try it.”
“I have you in room three.” She points down the hall. “I’ll
give you a few minutes to get ready, and then I’ll be in to
spray you.”
“Thanks,” I say as my phone buzzes. I reach for it inside
my purse as I walk to my room. “Hello?”
“You’re going to Turks and Caicos?” my sister Brooke
exclaims.
“When were you going to tell us?” my other sister Meg
asks.
They love to blindside me with conference calls. I
wouldn’t be surprised if my brother and dad were also patched
into the line.
 “Yep, I’m going to Turks and Caicos,” I say. “I found out
yesterday. I figured Dad would tell you both I’m leaving.”
The fact that they’re calling tells me he did.
“You’d better come say goodbye tonight before you
leave,” Brooke says.
“I can’t. I have so many things to do.”
“What could be more important than hanging out with
your sisters before leaving town for two months?” Meg asks.
“I’m about to get a spray tan, I have to get my nails done,
get waxed, and pack.”
“You can squeeze us in,” Brooke says.
“I really can’t. I also wanted to stop and buy a new
swimsuit.”
“Why do you need a swimsuit?” Brooke asks. “What’s the
temperature in Turkey?”
“I’m not going to Turkey. I’m going to the island of Turks
and Caicos.”
“Aren’t they the same thing?”
“No,” Meg and I say in unison.
“It’s in the Caribbean,” I say.
“Oh. That makes more sense.”
“I thought Colleen was going to Turks and Caicos,” Meg
says.
“She can’t go anymore. She’s getting a cyst removed.”
Brooke sighs. “Oh, that’s too bad.”
“You’ve never opened a hotel on your own,” Meg adds.
“Shouldn’t they be sending someone more experienced?”
It doesn’t matter how old I get. I’ll always be known as the
baby to my family. The one who’s not mature enough to
handle adulting. I guess that comes with being the youngest.
“I am experienced.”
 “I know you are,” Brooke says. “But whenever you talk
about work, you make it seem like everybody there
underestimates you.”
I set my purse down on the bench and kick off my shoes.
“They do underestimate me. Everyone except Colleen. She’s
the only one who sees my potential.”
“This is your chance to prove to everyone at work how
great you are,” Meg says.
Unless they think I’m incompetent for not getting the hotel
open on time.
I sigh, feeling torn. I want to do my best, but I also want to
help Colleen. Saving her job is the right thing to do, and
delaying the opening is part of that. She made a mistake with
the budget on this one project, but that shouldn’t erase all the
years of exceptional work she’s done for WhiteSands Resorts.
I can help her.
And if all goes well, when I come home, I’ll get a
promotion. And maybe Mr. White will be so happy that I
helped Colleen fix this budget problem that he’ll forget all
about the one-week delay.
I’d be stupid not to do this.
I unzip my pants. “Listen, I have to go. I’m about to get a
spray tan.”
“Why do you even need a spray tan?” Brooke asks.
I shrug. “I want to look my best for my new job.”
Brooke laughs. “Do you really think the construction
workers care if you have a tan?”
“They might.”
“I doubt it,” Meg chimes in.
My sisters don’t get it. Looking good all the time is as
much of a job to me as my actual career. If I don’t put in the
effort to look presentable, will anyone respect me? Value me?
 “You two can laugh all you want, but I’m the one who’s
going to be in Turks and Caicos.”
“That’s true,” Brooke says. “Be sure to text us when you
get there.”
“I will. Now, I’ve got to go before the teenage girl comes
in and catches me bending over to take off my underwear.”
There’s always that panicked feeling like when I’m at the
gynecologist or the dermatologist—the race to get my clothes
off and get ready before they come knocking. It’s no joke.
These people are usually about to see me naked anyway. I
don’t know why I feel embarrassed about them seeing me
change out of my clothes.
“Okay, love you,” my sisters say.
I can’t believe I’m going to go two months without seeing
my family, but it will all be worth it in the end.
CHAPTER 5
 LUKE

I look down at my watch.

“We’ve been waiting here for forty-five minutes,” I say
to Nano as we sit on a cement planter outside the airport.
He’s scrolling through his phone, completely fine to have
his workday end early. “You know how customs can be. She’s
probably still in line.”
I drop my head back, squinting at the fading sunlight.
“And I should still be at work.”
“Come on, man.” Nano laughs, showcasing ivory teeth
against his rich obsidian skin. “It’s a job. It doesn’t need to be
your life.”
“My job is my life.”
His smile tips. “That explains why you’re always in a bad
mood.”
“I’m in a bad mood because I’ve got a deadline on this
hotel with a to-do list that keeps growing. I don’t see why I
had to come to the airport too.”
“Because you have the car.”
“I would’ve let you borrow it.”
“My driver’s license is revoked. Remember? Too much
speeding.”
“I remember,” I grumble.
 “Besides, Ms. Johnson wants to get caught up on the
project, and you’re the general contractor. I doubt she’d be
satisfied talking to your foreman.”
If she’s like Colleen Samson, I doubt she’ll be satisfied
with anything.
“We can get dinner out of this, right? You’ll pay?” Nano
smiles at me.
“WhiteSands Resorts is paying.” I push his shoulder,
knocking him to the side. The cardboard sign in his lap falls to
the asphalt. I bend down and pick it up, reading it out loud.
“Tessa Johnson.” I turn my head to him. “Do we really need to
hold up a sign?”
“We don’t know what she looks like.”
“I bet you twenty bucks I could pick her out of the crowd
without a sign.”
“How?”
I shrug. “I know her type.”
“What are we looking for, then?”
“Late twenties, early thirties. Wears a lot of makeup. She
worries about appearances and what people think about her.
The type of woman who needs everyone to like her to fill up
her inflated ego.”
That’s how Colleen is.
Nano raises his brows. “Is she good-looking?”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m sure she thinks she
is.”
“That’s a pretty specific description.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve met women like her before.”
Not just Colleen. I’ve dealt with plenty of others just like
that.
They all have one thing in common: they care about
themselves, looking good, and their stuff more than they care
about someone else.
 But hey. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Tessa Johnson isn’t
anything like I pegged her to be.
We’ll see.
The sliding doors open, and groups of people begin filing
out. We both stand, and Nano reaches for the sign, but I hold it
away from him. It’s easy considering I’ve got five inches of
height on him. I flip the cardboard over and grab the marker
out of his back pocket, writing a new name on the backside.
“What are you writing?” Nano asks, leaning over to see.
“Stuck up corporate lady?” He swipes at the sign, pulling it
away from me. “Are you crazy? You’re going to get us fired.”
“I’m joking,” I say.
The doors open, and a woman dressed in a gray skirt,
sleeveless blouse, and heels walks out. Her long blonde hair is
slicked back into a high ponytail with two loose strands,
framing her face in front. She’s orange like every other fancy
woman when they first arrive on the island. Someone needs to
tell her the spray tan will come off when she sweats. An
airport associate pushes a cart full of suitcases behind her.
“That’s her,” I say.
“If that’s her, then you were wrong. She’s young and
totally hot,” Nano says, fumbling with the sign as he holds it
up.
“I was wrong about her age but right about everything else.
She’s exactly what I imagined.”
I knew she’d be pretty, because women like her always
are, but I didn’t imagine she’d be this attractive. She’s
beautiful, and she knows it. That’s the worst kind of woman to
deal with. The next two months are going to suck with her
around.
Her blue eyes scan the sidewalk until they land on us. Her
head tilts as she reads the sign. She walks toward us, stopping
in front of the cardboard. “Stuck up corporate lady?” she
reads. “I’m assuming that’s for me.” Her blue eyes flip to
mine. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but never that.”
 Nano shuffles with the sign, turning it around. “Tessa
Johnson?” He points to the correct side with an overdone
smile. “Tessa Johnson.”
She smiles back at him, stretching her hand out. “You must
be the foreman.”
“Nano Hillard,” he says, shaking her hand. He’s practically
drooling. I’m surprised he doesn’t bend down and place a kiss
on the top of her knuckles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,
ma’am.”
“Tessa,” she says. Then she looks at me. “That means
you’re Mr. McKenna.”
“Luke,” I correct for the hundredth time.
She reaches inside her purse and pulls out a beaded
bracelet with the letters BFF in the middle. “This is for you,”
she says with a face so serious I’m starting to wonder if she’s a
little crazy. “I made it on the plane.” She holds up her arm,
showing off a matching one already tied to her wrist.
Nano made me watch a YouTube video a couple of months
ago about a woman’s Hot/Crazy matrix. The idea is that the
hotter the woman, the crazier she becomes. Based on that
scale, Tessa Johnson’s hot-to-crazy ratio seems pretty high.
Like Danger Zone high.
I stand there looking at the dangling beads. “Look at that.
You got the letters in the right order,” I deadpan.
“They didn’t tell me you could read.” She grabs my hand
and flips it over, placing the bracelet in my palm. Then she
walks past me to the luggage cart.
Nano eyes me, silently asking what all that was about.
I mouth to him, “Hot-to-crazy ratio.”
“Oh!” He nods in understanding.
“Where’s the car?” she asks, turning over her shoulder.
Nano points across the parking lot while I shove the
beaded bracelet into my pocket.
 “Let me help you with your bags.” Nano leaps forward to
the cart, taking the two biggest.
What a suck-up.
“Thank you.” She lifts a small bag off the cart and looks at
me expectantly.
“This isn’t Beverly Hills. This is Turks. There’s no reason
to pack four suitcases of clothes,” I say.
“I like looking my best at work.”
“Trust me, nobody here cares.”
She glances up and down at my outfit. “For your sake, I
sincerely hope that’s true.” Then she flashes me a dazzling
smile and turns to follow Nano. Her high heels clap against the
pavement as she walks, and I swear she’s purposely swaying
her hips.
Does that crap work on men in Florida? Because it isn’t
going to work here.
I reach for the last piece of her luggage. “I’ll get it,” I say
dryly. I walk to my truck and throw her bag over the side of
the beat-up truck bed.
“Be careful!” she squeals. “I’ve got self-tanner in there,
and I don’t want it to spill all over my clothes.”
“You realize we have the sun here, right?”
“I can’t work on my tan while I’m inside the hotel.”
Yep, a carbon copy of Colleen Samson.
I press my lips into a thin slash, not saying anything back.
But you’d better believe I’m mentally congratulating myself
for being dead-on with my prediction.
What can I say? When I’m right, I’m right.
I walk to the driver’s side of the car, hopping in and
turning the key as Nano opens the passenger door.
Tessa stands there, staring at the torn-up seat with crumbs
all over it. She glances around, looking for a second row.
 “There’s nothing but tools back there.” I shrug at her
innocently. “You’re the one who wanted me to pick you up
from the airport, remember?”
“I didn’t know your car would rival the minivan of a
mother of four.” She picks up a crumb and holds it in front of
my face. “Is this a Goldfish cracker?”
I shoot her a fake smile. “Sometimes I get hungry.”
She brushes off the bench with the palm of her hand. “I’m
sure I can wash my skirt if it gets dirty.”
Once she deems the seat clean enough for her, she lifts her
leg to climb in, but her skirt is too tight, limiting her
movement. Her hand goes to the door for support, and she lifts
her leg, trying again.
For some reason, it gives me great pleasure watching her
struggle.
“I put a lift on this old truck,” I explain.
“I can see that.” She tries raising her leg again using a
different angle, but she still can’t get it high enough.
“Six inches,” I say.
“Is that all?” She grunts as she tries one more time. “Why
not go for ten?”
“Do you need some help?” Nano offers her his hand.
She straightens. “If you could hold my purse, I think I can
get it.” She hands Nano the small black bag.
Tessa clears her throat and then hikes her skirt way up past
her knees, revealing orange, toned thighs. Apparently that did
the trick for her mobility, because she lifts her leg high enough
to place her heel inside the truck and pulls herself up.
And I’ve got way too much of an angle. I flip my head
forward, averting my eyes as I grab onto the steering wheel
with both hands. I feel the bare skin of her arm brush against
mine as she presses her back against the seat, straightens her
legs out in front of her, and pulls her skirt back down. I’m still
grasping the steering wheel, acting like I didn’t see more than I
was supposed to, even though I did.
Nano climbs in next to her and shuts the door.
“All set?” I ask, entirely aloof.
“Yep,” Nano says.
My hand accidentally brushes against Tessa’s leg as I reach
for the shifter knob. Her eyes whip to mine, and she pulls her
knees away.
I wiggle the top. “Gear shift,” I say.
As if I’d really reach over and grab her thigh. She’s not so
pretty that I would toss aside all human decency.
Slowly her knees come back and rest against the shift as
Nano cranks the window down.
Tessa reaches her hand out to stop him. “Could we use the
air conditioning instead? I’m dying of heat.”
“This truck doesn’t have air conditioning,” I say, pulling
out of the parking stall.
Her eyebrows skip up. “No air conditioning?”
“Nope.”
She wipes at the sweat gathering on her forehead. “It’s
like living in Hell’s armpit.”
Nano coughs out a laugh.
“But I’m sure I’ll get used to it.” She looks over at him.
“Thank you for holding my purse. I can take it back now.”
His expression drops. “I set it on the”—he turns over his
shoulder while the back right tire goes over a bump—“side of
the truck bed.”
“You ran over my bag!” She jumps and twists in her seat,
somehow ending up with her butt in my lap as she strains to
look out the back window.
I slam on the brakes, sending her flying forward. My
protective instinct takes over without my permission, and my
left arm wraps around her shoulders to keep her from hitting
the steering wheel.
“Hey!” She pushes on me. “Do you mind?”
I yank my hand back as if I’ve touched a burning stove.
“You’re sitting in my lap.”
She turns her head, eyeing me and the intimate position.
Her blue eyes are glued to me as her butt slowly slides down
the side of my thigh until her rear end drops dramatically into
her seat.
“I’ve got it. No big deal.” Nano jumps out of the truck and
grabs the purse. He tries to brush off the tire marks before
handing it to her. “See? Good as new.”
Her mouth drops as she fiddles with the now-broken
buckle. “It was Italian.”
“It’s still Italian,” I say, covering my mouth with my hand
to hide my smile.
Her head jerks to me. “Is this funny to you?”
“Nope.” I keep my hand over my mouth, turning my head
away from her.
“I’m really sorry,” Nano says. “I set it down to help you
get in the truck. Is everything inside of it okay?”
She lifts the flap and reaches in the bag, pulling out a black
iPhone. Her hands smooth over the top of it, searching for any
damage, but everything appears okay.
Nano points to the phone. “That’s lucky.”
“Yeah, it is.” She peeks around inside for a few more
seconds. “Everything else seems fine.”
“Are we good to go now?” I ask, inching the truck
forward.
“Fine.” She lifts her chin. “Are we stopping at the
construction site? I’d love to see progress on the project.”
Nano points out the window. “We can’t go to the hotel
right now because the sun’s almost down. Pretty soon, it will
be too dark to see.”
“At six p.m.?” she asks.
“Yep.”
“Why does the sun set so early?”
Nano shrugs. “That’s how we do it on the island.”
“If we’re not going to the job site, where are we headed?”
Man, she asks a lot of questions.
“WhiteSands Resorts is paying for dinner,” Nano says. “A
work dinner. You know, where we catch you up on
everything.”
“Great.” Tessa nods. “I’m starving.”
“We could go to Chalkies,” Nano offers.
“Nah, too many tourists,” I say. “What about Bugaloo’s?”
Nano’s eyes go big. “Conch burger?”
I shrug in agreement.
Tessa turns to me. “What’s a conch burger?”
“Deep-fried conch…from the sea,” Nano explains. “Have
you ever tried it?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t do deep-fried. Do they have
any salads?”
“Yeah, they’ve got fried conch salad,” I mutter.
“Great. Sounds like I’ll be leaving this island five pounds
heavier.”
I let out a heavy breath. It’s going to be a long two months
with Miss I-don’t-do-deep-fried.
CHAPTER 6
 TESSA

T his is not how I pictured Turks and Caicos.

I can’t even see the ocean. Where’s the turquoise
water I saw on Google? It’s all flat ground and desert
sands with the occasional low palm tree—although the purple
sunset is a nice touch. I’m sandwiched between two sweaty
men. It’s hotter than Hades, as my dad would say. And the old
pickup truck we’re riding in has the distinct smell of a sewer
on a humid day.
It’s not paradise, I’ll tell you that much.
My eyes cast to the side at Luke McKenna. He’s one of
those manly men in work boots, khaki cargo shorts, and an old
t-shirt. Apparently, style isn’t his forte.
He’s young. I’d guess late twenties.
About 6’4”—I’m usually dead on with these things.
Straight, dark-brown hair, long enough to flip out past his
ears and neck.
Hazel eyes. Maybe green. I’ll have to circle back to that
later.
Broad shoulders.
Enough arm muscles to make The Rock jealous.
Scruff that implies he doesn’t have the time or inclination
to shave.
And a surprisingly handsome face.
 But none of that affects me. When you’ve dated one
handsome jerk, you’ve dated them all. I make it my mission in
life to only date the type of men who aren’t looking for a
serious relationship, who aren’t looking for a future—for kids.
It makes it easier for when I have to have the I-can’t-have-kids
conversation. There isn’t a good time to drop that on your
date. Hey, can you pass the salt? And by the way, I don’t have
a uterus.
I’m still working on the delivery.
So basically, I date all the selfish jerks out there. I don’t
need to add Luke McKenna to the list. Besides, I’m here to
work. Or to work against work.
It gets very confusing.
The truck turns into a gravel parking lot. There’s a big sign
that says Bugaloo’s, an open-air bar with colorful walls, white
tables and chairs scattered on the sand, and string lights tied
between palm trees.
Finally, something picturesque.
I straighten, peeking out the front of the truck window. The
last rays of the sunset spill onto the water in front of us.
“There’s the ocean!”
“This is an island,” Luke says, climbing out of the truck.
“You’re bound to run into the ocean at some point.”
He slams the car door, and I sit there for a second,
processing his coldness.
He doesn’t like me, and I’m not sure why.
In my experience, men see me coming and ramp up their
charm and flirting long enough to make me feel special. It’s
not genuine, but at least they try.
Luke’s not even trying.
But his indifference doesn’t bother me.
Okay…maybe it does.
Unfortunately, I care what people think about me. At the
end of the day, I need Luke to like me. I’d love for him to tell
Mr. White that I’m doing a great job down here.
Then I remember my assignment.
If the hotel doesn’t open on time, nobody will think I did a
good job. Nobody except Colleen. I guess it’s her opinion that
really matters.
Nano scoots out of the truck and extends his hand to help
me. I like his friendly demeanor and easy charm. He’s the
complete opposite of Luke McKenna. I’m not even sure Luke
knows how to smile. Maybe he’s hiding a missing tooth. Does
he even have teeth? If he does, I imagine they’re yellow and
disfigured.
I look over my shoulder at the open truck bed where my
four pieces of luggage are.
“What about my bags? Won’t someone steal them if we
leave them out like that?”
“This is Turks.” Nano smiles, walking backward toward
the restaurant. “Everyone here is happy. No one is going to
take your luggage.”
I follow after him, glancing back at my suitcases. “Are you
sure?” I’m thinking of the thousands of dollars of precious
cargo in there.
Nano swipes the air in front of him. “Nah, they’re good.”
I step onto the planks that make up the restaurant’s
flooring. The walls are painted sea-green and trimmed in
bright yellow. A reggae beat blasts from a speaker, and people
are gathered around the bar.
“Hey, Luke!” the bartender calls. “Long time, no see.”
Luke reaches out to the man, and they do the typical bro
handshake/hug. I only see the back of his head, but I imagine
Luke greets him with a smile. A part of me is dying to see
what that smile looks like.
Discoloration on his front two teeth—that’s my guess.
“Nano!” the men sitting at the bar cheer.
 One stands. His skin is copper with a warm glow to it.
“Sak pase?”
“N’ap boule.” Nano grabs his hand, doing some sort of
familiar handshake.
“I didn’t know I was being carted around by local
celebrities,” I say, nudging Nano.
The men all look at me, and their smiles widen.
“Hello!” I wave back at them.
“Luke? Is this your girl?” the guy that stood for Nano asks.
I raise my brows at Luke, but he doesn’t look my way.
Instead, he sits down on a barstool, resting his elbows against
the counter.
“I’m Luke’s best friend.” I hold up my wrist, showing off
the BFF bracelet. “He’s got a matching one.”
I’ve got to lean into that joke to save myself some
embarrassment. If I had known yesterday that the phone call
hadn’t ended, I would’ve never said that stuff. But I did say it,
and Luke heard it. So this is my attempt to smooth things over.
Although, he didn’t laugh when I gave him the bracelet.
Instead, he looked at me like I was crazy.
I’m not crazy.
I overcompensate in situations that make me look bad.
There’s a big difference.
“She’s from corporate,” Luke explains.
I stick out my hand to the man. “Tessa Johnson.”
“I’m Kingston,” he says with a big grin. Then he turns to
Nano and Luke and says something in Creole that I can’t
understand. The men laugh and whistle—all of them except
Luke. His eyes are fixed on his barstool.
“I don’t know what you’re saying.” I smile.
“That’s the point.” Kingston laughs.
“Well, I hope it’s something good,” I say.
 “Only the best,” Kingston responds.
Luke wobbles back and forth and then stands. He picks up
the stool, turning it over to see the legs. Then he takes out
some kind of tool thing from his pocket and starts fixing the
barstool leg.
I glance around. Nobody else seems to care that he’s fixing
something. It’s weird. People don’t do that in Tampa.
Nano gestures over to the tables. “Let’s get some food.”
“Tessa, don’t let them keep you all to themselves,”
Kingston says as we start to walk away. “We’d all like to get to
know you.”
“Maybe some other time. We have business to discuss
tonight.”
Nano pulls out a chair for me, and we sit down. I look
behind me at Luke. He’s still fixing the stool as he converses
with the other men. He seems relaxed and approachable, a
much different side than what I’ve dealt with.
“Isn’t Luke joining us?”
“He will. He’s just catching up with friends.”
I watch him for another second. He’s lived on the island
for one year as the hotel’s general contractor. From what I’ve
seen of him, it’s hard to believe he has any friends. Plus,
there’s the lawsuit claiming he’s a hostile boss, which I can
totally see.
A woman with short black braids steps up to our table.
“What can I get you?”
“I’ll have the grilled shrimp salad and water.”
Nano frowns. “You’re not going to try the conch?”
“Maybe another time.”
Or maybe never.
Nano hands her his menu. “I’ll have a conch burger.”
The waitress scribbles on her notepad and yells, “Hey, my
baby! You want the burger?” I look at Nano, confused. Is the
waitress yelling at him? Me? Is this some kind of Turks and
Caicos interrogation to get me to eat fried conch?
Then she lifts her head, eyes pointing straight at Luke.
“Baby? You want the burger?”
He nods back at her.
Baby?
What’s with the term of endearment? There’s no time to
ask—not that I would. She flips her notepad over and walks
away.
I skip my eyes around the rest of the restaurant.
This is more like paradise—the warm night air, the
twinkling lights between the palm trees, the crashing waves in
the distance. This was what I was hoping for from Turks.
My eyes stop on another table where three men stare back
at me with big smiles. One is a priest with a black cloak and
white band around his neck collar, but the other two are in
jeans and t-shirts.
Nano follows my gaze. “You attract a lot of stares from
men.”
“I’m—”
Luke sets his drink down on the table and pulls out the
chair beside me, dropping into it.
My eyes flick up to him briefly before returning to Nano.
“I’m used to the stares,” I say, not bothering to hide my
disdain.
“Calabaza!” the priest says, and the other men laugh.
“Is that Creole?” I ask.
“Spanish,” Nano says. “We speak a mixture of English,
Spanish, and Creole on the island.”
The priest sputters off a few more sentences in Spanish,
repeating calabaza over and over. Their laughter gets bigger,
and Nano shifts in his chair like he’s uncomfortable.
 “What are they saying?” I ask. Probably something sexual
and inappropriate. A priest talking dirty about me is new, but
other than that, this happens to me a lot. Maybe my flirtatious
nature brings it on. I don’t really know.
Nano eyes Luke like he doesn’t want to repeat whatever
they’re saying.
“Are they talking about my body?” I look at Nano, but he
keeps his head down. “What? My chest? My butt? My legs?
You can tell me. I’ve heard it all.”
Luke flips his head to me. “They’re calling you a
pumpkin.”
My brows skip up. “A pumpkin?”
He nods. “Calabaza. Pumpkin.”
I shake my head. “No, they’re not. I—“
Luke drops his chin, face blank. “They’re saying you’re so
orange you look like a pumpkin. They’re also betting on
whether or not you’re going to drink an orange soda with your
meal to match your skin. The other guy said he’s never seen a
pumpkin order food before.”
My mouth opens as I lift my forearm, studying it. “I am
not orange.”
Luke shrugs. “Calabaza.”
“I thought priests were supposed to be nice!” I scoff.
“Father Patrick is nice. He’s just being honest,” he says as
he takes a sip of his drink. “You do look like a pumpkin.”
I glare back at Luke. For some reason, I’m more upset with
him and his smugness than I am with the priest who’s
currently making fun of my spray tan.
Maybe I am a little orange from the new brand of tanning
lotion at Get Your Glow On, but I wanted to look my best on
the island. Now I’m worried someone will carve me and put
me on their front porch like a Halloween decoration.
I lift my chin, refusing to let the arrogant contractor see my
insecurity.
 “Let’s talk about the hotel opening,” I say. Luke won’t like
this conversation. I lift my broken purse, letting it land on the
table with a thud. “In addition to overseeing the hotel’s
opening, corporate has asked me to implement a new program
with the employees, including your subcontractors.” I pull out
the folder with the words Corporate Cares on the front.
“Is that a gold-embossed heart?” Nano asks, pointing to
the logo.
I smile at him. “It is.”
He runs his fingers over it. “Very nice.”
“I think so too. And I like the font they chose.”
“Forget about the stupid logo. We’re talking about a
construction site, not Hobby Lobby,” Luke snaps. “Corporate
programs have nothing to do with the project here or the
subcontractors on the island.”
Normally that’s true, but Colleen thinks this program is a
good way to waste time without it being too obvious. She says
it’s the perfect cover. Mr. White sanctioned it, and since Luke
is in a lawsuit over having a hostile work environment, he
won’t be able to push back much.
My lips press together. “Corporate programs haven’t been
a part of the job site in the past, but things have changed
thanks to you. Now that WhiteSands Resorts has a lawsuit
against them, we need to ensure that the island subcontractors
are happy or else word will get out, and nobody on the island
will want to work at our resort.”
His hands tighten into fists, but he doesn’t say anything. I
doubt he’s even allowed to talk about the lawsuit. I promised
myself I wasn’t going to mention it either, especially since I
want Luke to like me and recommend my work to Stuart
White, but his coldness—and the fact that he agreed that I look
like a pumpkin—has brought out my sassy side, and I can’t
help myself.
“What kind of things will you be implementing?” Nano
asks, and by the way, his eyes watch Luke. I can tell he’s
trying to change the subject away from the lawsuit.
 “Team-building activities that promote a positive work
environment.”
Luke sets his jaw. “You mean time-wasting activities?”
Exactly.
“Whether you like it or not, this is happening,” I say,
holding up the cream folder. “My instructions came straight
from Stuart White himself. So I suggest you get on board with
it.”
Luke leans back in his chair, shaking his head.
And for some reason, his defiance makes me want to level
up my plan.
He’s about to find out how good Tessa Johnson is at
wasting time.
CHAPTER 7
 LUKE

T hree hours and one massive headache later, I wave at

Nano as he walks up to his house. “See you tomorrow.
Five-forty a.m. sharp. You better be ready.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He brushes my warning away with a flip of
his hand.
Tessa slides across the truck into Nano’s spot.
I’m grateful for the added distance from her, even if it is
only an extra foot. Everything about her bothers me, from her
new team-building programs to her fancy shoes and painted
fingernails. She’s exactly like Colleen Samson, frilled up and
self-centered. I could easily see someone like Tessa being my
dad’s wife number six.
He loves marrying self-centered women like her.
“Five-forty a.m.?” she questions. “Do you always start
work that early?”
I drive away, resting my elbow on the side of the truck
door as I steer. “Do you want the hotel done on time?”
“Of course I do.” Something crosses through her eyes
before she turns her head to look out the window. “How far is
it to the rental house?”
“It’s in Chalk Sound,” I say, doubting the name of the area
means anything to her.
“And Chalk Sound is twenty-five minutes from Grace Bay,
where the WhiteSands Resort is located?”
 It looks like Miss Fancy Shoes studied an island map
before she came to Turks. Since she already seems to know
everything, I don’t bother answering.
“What do we do for food? Is there a maid or something?”
My mouth drops open. “A maid?”
“Someone who cooks and cleans. That’s a perfectly normal
question.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know how to do that yourself.”
Her eyes narrow. “I know how to do those things, but I
prefer having someone else do them for me. Especially when
I’ll be busy with work.”
She turns her head away again, giving me a perfect chance
to study her for a moment. I can’t picture Tessa scrubbing a
toilet or getting her hands dirty doing the dishes.
I pull up to the house and park the car in the gravel
driveway. “This is us.”
The lights are off and everything is dark, making it
impossible for her to get an idea of what the outside of the
house and yard look like. She’ll see in the morning that the
cement exterior is painted a light blue. Tropical bushes line the
small porch leading up to a pink front door. It doesn’t look like
much, but the back opens up to a private soft-sand beach with
access to a tranquil blue lagoon. The area is stunning—I’d bet
it’s stunning enough to impress even the likes of Tessa
Johnson.
I open up the back of the truck and start pulling out her
luggage as she slowly makes her way to me. She wobbles with
each step like Bambi, learning to walk for the first time, then
finally grabs onto the side of the truck for support.
My eyes drop to her heels. “Those shoes were a mistake.”
She holds the truck as she lifts her foot to brush off a
pebble stuck to the sole. “Jimmy Choo heels are never a
mistake.”
“My guess is Jimmy Choo has never been to Turks and
Caicos,” I say.
 Her head flips up, showcasing a smirk. “He probably owns
it.”
I pull the last suitcase out. “Heels aren’t practical for Turks
and Caicos. You’ll want to wear something tomorrow that’s
easier to walk in.”
Her leg drops, and she straightens. “Don’t worry about me;
I can walk in heels better than tennis shoes. Besides, heels go
better with all my outfits.”
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” I say as I carry
the two heaviest bags to the door. “Who cares how your shoes
look with your outfit?” I get the other two pieces of luggage
and drop them on the porch, all before she makes it to the front
door.
“Obviously not you.” Her face twists with disgust as she
glances down at my boots.
I open the door, flipping on the light.
The inside of the house is old and run down. Over the last
year I’ve fixed a few things that bothered me, but I haven’t
had a lot of time to do much else. I’m not sure what’s worse,
the mustard paint color or the brown, square tile covering the
floor.
“The pictures online made this place seem a lot more
charming than it is in real life,” Tessa says. Her hands go to
her hips as she looks around. A compact kitchen is on the
immediate left of the front door, with two barstools pushed up
to the counter. Beyond that, there’s a small living room with a
blue sofa and a table. A sliding glass door leads out to the deck
and lagoon, but it’s too dark to see the view. On each side of
the living room is a door to a bedroom.
She turns to me. “Where’s my room and bathroom?”
“That’s your room there.” I gesture to the empty bedroom.
“And there’s only one bathroom,” I say, pointing to a palm tree
curtain spread across the doorframe on the right.
Tessa blinks back at me before finally walking over to the
curtain and throwing the fabric aside.
 “There’s no door.”
I point to the curtain. “That is the door.”
She shakes the fabric. “This isn’t a door. It’s a thin sheet
with a thread count of ten.”
“So?”
She drops the curtain, folding her arms across her chest.
“So, I’m going to need more privacy than this.”
My stance widens as I fold my arms, matching her pose.
“I’m not the one who rented this place.”
Her face tightens in frustration. I’m guessing she’s the one
who rented it. “Well, it’s still not acceptable.”
“Do you think I’ll sneak in there while you’re showering
and take a peek?”
“Will you?” She raises a brow.
“I hate to disappoint you, but no.”
She looks back at the lime green toilet, tub, and sink. “I
can’t go to the bathroom here.”
“It’s a toilet. I don’t see what the problem is.”
“The problem, Luke” —she emphasizes my name with so
much irritation that I wish I hadn’t told her what it is— “is that
sounds can go through the curtain. Private sounds.”
Just for the fun of it, I wonder if I can make her spell it out.
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
She scoffs. “I’m not going to say it out loud. I’m a classy
woman.”
“Well, classy woman, you can use the toilet right here, or
you can take care of your business outside. It doesn’t matter to
me.”
I turn my back to her but hear the loud sigh she releases.
Her shoulder bumps my arm as she picks up her luggage and
walks past me to her room. I rummage through the freezer,
eating a couple spoonfuls of ice cream as she marches back
and forth, gathering her bags.
 She stops outside her bedroom door. “I don’t have a rental
car yet. What time are you leaving in the morning?”
“We leave at 5:30 a.m.,” I say, licking my spoon.
“Perfect. Five-thirty it is.”
Then she shuts her bedroom door, and I finally feel like I
can exhale.
TESSA
I DIG THROUGH ONE OF MY BAGS , looking for my flip-flops.
There’s no way I’m going to walk around barefoot on this
disgusting tile. I really should’ve done more research a year
ago when I rented this house. But at the time, I never would’ve
guessed that I’d be staying here too.
I carefully sit down on the edge of the bed, switching my
shoes. My eyes scan over the navy-blue bedspread I’m sitting
on.
Nasty.
I use the tips of my fingers and gently peel the layers back,
taking a peek at the bedsheets under. There’s a small, reddish-
brown stain in the middle of the fitted sheet. I drop the covers
and jump up, squirming around the room as if a million bugs
were crawling all over my skin.
It’s fine.
It’s just a bloodstain, or worse…fecal matter.
My hand shoots to my mouth as I dry heave.
“You can do this, Tessa,” I say to myself. “You’re a strong
woman.”
I suck in a breath, letting the words of my pep talk settle.
“Okay.”
I open my suitcase and gently pull out my hanging
dresses, turning over my shoulder to look for the closet.
“There’s no closet.” I whip my head around to the other
side of the room. “Why is there no closet?”
My eyes dart to the four-drawer dresser directly across
from the foot of the bed. I can’t bear to wrinkle my dresses by
shoving them in there. I glance at the curtain rod over the
window. That’s going to have to work.
 I go on my tiptoes and place each hanger one at a time on
the curtain rod, spreading the dresses out. I have three more
dresses left when the screws pull out of the sheetrock, and the
left side of the rod crashes down. The dresses and the curtain
rings slide and spill onto the floor as the rod bangs against the
tile with a loud ringing sound.
I say something my mother wouldn’t like and quickly
scoop my dresses off the floor. I carefully lay them across one
side of my queen mattress. I’ll have to deal with the rod and
the no-closet situation later.
I keep my black dress on top so I can wear it tomorrow.
It’s my new bad-A-boss-woman dress. I look amazing in it.
Even though the thick black fabric might be a little hot here,
it’s perfect for my first day on the job.
I grab a new stack of clothes out of my suitcase and open
the top drawer of the wicker dresser. As I’m about to set the
stack inside, I notice something yellow move.
I scream, throwing my clothes up in the air as I jump on
the mattress.
I’m still screaming when Luke knocks hard on my
bedroom door.
“What are you doing in there?”
I can’t answer. I’m screaming and jumping up and down,
brushing my skin as if the insect somehow flew from the
drawer and landed on my arms. I don’t even know if it has
wings, but judging by the fact that it could somehow crawl
inside a closed dresser drawer, I wouldn’t put anything past it.
Luke knocks again, and then the door flings open. He
stares at me, tiptoeing across the bed in a panic.
“There’s something in that drawer.” I point to the dresser.
He leans over to take a look. “It’s a Caribbean scorpion.”
“Scorpion! Aren’t those poisonous?” My hand goes to my
chest. “I almost touched it. It could’ve killed me!”
“It would be doing us all a favor,” he mutters as he walks
out of the room.
 My brows crumple together. Is Luke just going to leave it
there? I tilt my head, trying to get a view of what he’s doing.
He comes back with a paper plate and a spoon and scoops up
the scorpion onto the plate. He glances behind me at the
broken curtain rod, but he doesn’t say anything, not even when
his eyes drop to the tile where I threw all of my bras and
underwear when I scrambled to get on the mattress. We’re
talking lacy stuff, push-up bras, thongs—all the things you
don’t want your smug coworker to see.
He stares like he’s studying them to play the memory
game. Does he think I’m about to cover up my
unmentionables, hand him a piece of paper, and ask him to
write a detailed list from memory of everything on the floor?
Because that’s not happening.
“Haven’t you ever seen a lacy thong before?” I snap.
His eyes swing up to me—p.s., they’re hazel, a little bit
green, a little bit brown.
“First time I’ve seen one today,” he says with a blank
expression. He stares at me for a moment longer, then takes
the scorpion plate and walks out, shutting the door behind him.
His words and his gaze make me feel charged, as if he’s
attached cables to my body and jump-started it—
No.
It’s the scorpion incident that made me feel that way.
Not Luke McKenna.
I release my breath, panting for a few seconds until I
finally feel brave enough to step off the mattress.
Let’s sum everything up here: I’m dealing with stained
bedding, no closet, no air-conditioning, scorpions, and an
arrogant contractor.
Lovely.
Just lovely.
My phone lights up on the nightstand, and I grab it.
 Brooke: Tess, did you make it to Turks and Caicos? Is
it paradise?
I don’t have it in me right now to talk about what a
disappointment the trip has been so far.
Tessa: Yep.
I look around my disgusting room.
Tessa: Absolute paradise.
Then I open Google and type, Can you get chlamydia from
dirty sheets?
CHAPTER 8
 LUKE

I ’m sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping my protein shake,

when Tessa flings her bedroom door open. I don’t look at
her. Instead, I glance at my watch.
“You’re late.”
“What?” She leans over my shoulder, reading the time.
“It’s only 5:39.”
“Yeah, you’re nine minutes late.” I turn my head, putting
our faces close together. The scent of something fruity carries
to me—her shampoo? Maybe an orange or some kind of
flower. Either way, it smells nice.
But not nice enough to make up for the fact that she’s late.
“We’re supposed to pick up Nano in one minute.”
“Then why are you sitting there?” Her heels clack against
the tile as she walks to the front door. “Let’s go.”
She’s got some kind of computer bag purse slung over her
shoulder. I guess it replaces the one my truck ran over
yesterday. Her blonde hair is tied into a knot on top of her
head, and she’s wearing a tight sleeveless black dress with a
thin, silver-buckled belt.
Thick black fabric in the heat of Turks and Caicos?
Terrible choice.
It’s almost as bad as her stupid shoes.
“You’re going to make us late,” she says, holding the door
open for me.
 I roll my eyes and dump the rest of my shake into the sink,
then follow her out.
The first bits of sunlight illuminate the sky, casting a
purple glow on everything.
Tessa glances around the yard. “The place looks a lot
better in the morning light. And the view from the back is
incredible. It almost makes up for the scorpion last night,” she
says with a slight smile. “Almost.”
We drive in silence to Nano’s house. He’s sitting on his
porch waiting for us.
“You’re late,” he says, walking toward the car.
“Ms. Johnson couldn’t get the mattress off her back.”
She scoots over, making room for Nano, and there’s her
fruity smell again, taking up space around me.
“The mattress?” She laughs. “Trust me; I was counting
down the minutes all night long until I wouldn’t have to lie on
that filthy bed anymore.”
“It couldn’t have been that bad,” Nano offers with a smile.
“It was that bad,” Tessa says.
“What are you going to do at the hotel all day?” Nano asks
her.
“First, Luke can give me a tour of the grounds, then—”
“Nano can give you a tour,” I cut in.
“Thank you, but I’d prefer to see the site with the general
contractor.”
“I don’t have time to play tour guide. If you haven’t
noticed, I’m under a deadline.”
She sits up taller, her bare shoulder brushing against me.
“As am I. So you will make time for a tour.”
I grip the steering wheel tighter. This woman is driving me
crazy. First, she breaks the curtain rod, then she screams
bloody murder over an insect, and now she makes us late for
work—and that’s all in the last eight hours. I’m scared to see
what else she’s going to do today to disrupt my life.
Twenty minutes later, we pull onto the road that leads up to
the front of the hotel. Tessa shifts in her seat, stretching her
neck to look out the window at the resort.
“It looks amazing,” she says.
I imagine it would be fun to see something you’ve been
working on behind the scenes for over a year come together in
real life. We’ve just finished painting the outer stucco. Each
building is a different bright color with contrasting white
tiered roofs.
“It’s beautiful,” Tessa says as she slams the door shut.
“You’ve done a great job.”
I’m surprised she has it in her to compliment someone
else.
I reach inside the truck bed, grabbing my tool belt and
some tools. “We’re almost done. We’re down to painting and
finishes. A crew just started on the landscaping.”
She nods as her eyes scan the area. I lead the way to the
job trailer. She follows, but at a much slower pace.
Stupid high heels.
“Nano, why don’t you unlock everything and then get
started on the pool deck. They’re pouring concrete today
where we had to place the gas line,” I say over my shoulder.
“When the rest of the men arrive, give them their daily
assignments.”
“You got it, boss,” he says, heading for the main building.
I climb inside the trailer, clearing off the pile of papers that
have taken over the extra desk. “You can put your stuff here.”
She sets her bag down and looks around. My eyes follow
her. There’s another desk where I work, with stacks of papers
strewn about. Plans from the architect and a watercolor
painting of what the finished hotel is supposed to look like are
pinned up on the wall. There’s a small water cooler with those
paper cups that look like elves’ hats. They’re the worst, never
standing on their own.
She breathes in. “There’s air conditioning.”
“It’s the only place you’ll find it. So maybe you should
stay in the trailer the entire two months you’re here.”
“And miss the chance to hang out with you?” She smiles.
“I don’t think so.” She pulls out a pen and a small notebook
with the North Star embossed on it. I try to get a better look at
the front, but she flips the book open. Then she reaches inside
her bag and pulls out a measuring tape. “Should we start the
tour?”
Did she really pack a measuring tape with her on the
plane? What does she hope to do with that?
“Not yet,” I say, grabbing two hard hats. I hand one to her.
“Put this on.”
“I’m not wearing that.”
“You have to.”
Her hand goes to her bun. “It will ruin my hair.”
“This isn’t a beauty pageant. It’s a construction site, and
people wear hard hats.”
“I’m good at ducking, so I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She moves
like she means to start walking, but I stand my ground.
“No hard hat, no tour.” I dangle the hat off my finger. I’m
not about to get sued by Tessa Johnson or WhiteSands Resorts
for negligence. I can only handle one lawsuit at a time.
“Fine.” She snatches the hat from me, fitting it on her
head. It doesn’t sit right because of the bun, making it tilt and
wobble obnoxiously.
She’s going to love that.
“Ready?” I ask.
Her hat bobbles as she nods, causing her to use the tip of
her pen to push it up out of her eyes.
 We walk over to the main building. “This is the hotel
lobby. There’s the front desk.” I point in the opposite direction
to a few small rooms that don’t have doors yet. “Those offices
are for the concierge, the spa, and an office for booking
excursions.”
She takes a step inside each office, looking around the
space, jotting down a few notes. I’m not really sure what she’s
scribbling. I think she’s trying to look important.
“We need another outlet over here,” she says, pointing to
the middle of the sidewall.
Plugs? That’s what she’s worried about?
“Why?”
“We plan to hang a TV on the wall, showcasing the
excursions that guests can purchase.”
She’s right.
There’s always an outlet in the middle of the wall, but for
some reason, the electrician missed it, or the men doing
sheetrock covered it up. Even though I know she’s right, I
gesture to the bottom of the wall. “There’s an outlet right there
for the TV.”
“Are you suggesting that we have cords hanging down the
wall from the TV to the outlet?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s tacky.”
“Says who?”
“Me.” She walks out of the room, bumping me with her
shoulder as she passes. “Add the outlet.”
I rub my hand down my face. Her bossiness is already
shining through.
Lucky me.
“Luke?” Edwin calls, waving me over to him. He’s holding
the blueprints in his hand. “Got a minute?”
 I glance at Tessa, who nods back at me as if I need her
permission to talk to the crew.
I slap Edwin on the shoulder. “What’s up?”
He ignores me. His eyes scan up and down Tessa’s body.
“Who’s that?”
And it’s like someone has pushed pause on the entire room
of men. Their eyes rove over her as she bends to measure
something. I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t distracting,
because she is—a beautiful woman in a hard hat with
measuring tape stretched out.
It’s like some kind of HGTV fantasy.
Not for me, though.
No, a prissy woman like Tessa Johnson is the last thing I
want. I’ve personally seen the wake of destruction that follows
from getting involved with a woman who cares about how she
looks more than being a decent human being. My dad had no
problem destroying our family—and my mom—to be with
someone like that…or five different women like that.
I’m definitely not repeating his mistakes.
“Get back to work,” I growl at my men. The last thing I
need is construction to slow down because everyone is too
busy gawking at Tessa.
The men say a few things in Creole, but I understand
enough of the language to know what they’re saying isn’t
appropriate. I may not like Tessa, but I’m not letting sexual
innuendos slide. If I heard someone talk like that about one of
my little sisters, I’d probably end up in jail for assault.
“Watch your mouth,” I say to a few of them. “This is a
workplace, not a bar.”
My eyes catch Tessa’s across the lobby. She’s straightened,
already looking at me. I can’t read her eyes, and I’m glad for
it. We’re not on the same team. I glance down at the plans in
Edwin’s hands.
“What do you need?” I ask, hoping that everyone,
including me, can get back to work.
TESSA
T HIS TOUR HAS TAKEN TWICE the time that it needs to. I’m
asking a ton of questions, measuring everything. Some might
call my attention to detail thorough. Someone else—like Luke
—might call it an annoying waste of time. That’s the goal.
“Why is this pipe exposed?”
“Is that drain the standard size?”
“That threshold seems too high. Let me measure it.”
“There’s a nail popping through the sheetrock. Is this the
quality of work I should expect in every room?”
“Are these walls thick enough?”
“Is that light switch too far away from the door?”
“This wire is exposed. Are you trying to electrocute me?”
“There are lines in that paint job.”
With each of my questions and observations, Luke’s
frustration builds. He doesn’t say anything, just gives me short
answers or no answers at all. I know he wants to put me in my
place. He’s capable of it. He did it this morning with his
workers when they were talking about me. I don’t know what
they said, but it was enough that Luke stepped in.
I’ll admit I appreciated his gallantry. Sure, men have stuck
up for me in the past, but mostly it’s been all about them—an
act to show me how great they are. Luke wasn’t trying to
impress me. He did it because it was the right thing to do.
Maybe he isn’t so awful after all.
We step out of the first building of hotel rooms and into the
hot sun. It’s only 8:45 a.m. How can the sun be this hot
already? There’s a trickle of sweat rolling down the center of
my back, and I’m about to chuck this stupid hard hat into the
ocean.
 Luke turns to go back to the pool area.
“Where are you going?”
“To show you the patio deck. It’s the only thing we haven’t
seen.”
“There are four other buildings with rooms in them. We
haven’t seen any of those yet.”
“Yes, and the four other buildings look exactly like the one
we just walked through.”
“I was hoping to see them all,” I say.
If we go through each of the other buildings, that will take
up another two hours, keeping him from getting things done.
A few hours isn’t enough to stall the entire project, but I’m
hoping every little delay will add up.
“I’m headed to the pool.” He turns to go.
“Wait,” I call, causing him to stop. I pull my phone out,
handing it to him. “Can you take a picture of me in my hard
hat in front of the hotel? I want to post something on
Instagram.”
He blinks back at me with more annoyance running
through his eyes than I’ve ever seen from anyone before. I
have to fight to keep a straight face. Asking surly Luke to take
a photo of me will go down as the highlight of my day.
“You’re joking, right?” he says.
I am joking.
Luke McKenna is definitely not the type who takes selfies
for Instagram.
“Just one picture,” I whine. “You can be in it with me if
you want.”
“Absolutely not.” He hands the phone back to me. “Can
we get back to work? Or do you need more time acting like a
teenager?”
“Oh, I see.” My lips press into a fake frown. “You’re
worried you’re not photogenic enough.”
 His jaw hardens in annoyance, and he walks away.
I laugh to myself—he’s too easy to irritate.
I scramble after him. “Thank you for what you said to
those men earlier. I’m assuming they were talking about me.”
“It’s not a big deal.” His voice is gruff. “This is a place of
work.”
“I know, but I still wanted to thank you.”
“Like I said, it wasn’t a big deal.”
I guess he doesn’t accept thank yous.
“I’m interested in seeing the progress of the new outdoor
food areas,” I say. I’m interested because the food areas are
my ticket to slowing things down.
“The gas line went in yesterday. They’re pouring concrete
today.”
“So soon?” I just gave him those changes yesterday
morning. What is this speed that he works at? Colleen was
hoping the addition of food stations on the pool deck would
take a week all on its own.
“We need to get it done,” he says. “So I got it done. We’re
under deadline.”
Luke’s strides are long and wide, making it almost
impossible for me to keep up with him, and the result is me
double-timing my steps, so I’m power walking beside him like
a toy poodle next to a Great Dane.
He ducks under a tree branch. I try to do the same, but the
edge of my hard hat hits the branch, knocking me back,
sending the hat crashing to the ground. His steps pause, and he
turns over his shoulder to look at me.
“I thought you said you were good at ducking.” His
expression is smug.
“I was just testing the effectiveness of the hard hats,” I say
before bending down to pick it up. I use my knuckles to knock
on the top. “You’ll be glad to know they work.”
 He holds my stare for a moment, then turns.
I quicken my steps, running after him again, but the
ground below us turns into the beach. With each step, my
heels sink, filling the sides of my expensive stilettos with sand.
I stop, dumping my right shoe out. There’s enough sand in
it to build a three-story castle.
“What seems to be the problem?” Luke asks. I can hear the
gratification in his voice. It wasn’t even twelve hours ago that
he told me my heels weren’t practical for the construction site.
“Nothing.” I stand upright, hobbling toward him.
“Everything is perfect.”
His eyes drop to my shoes, watching the way they sink and
fill with sand each time I take a step. “Yeah, you don’t look
uncomfortable at all.” His words are knit with sarcasm.
“Pfft.” I lift my shoulder, pulling out one of my charming
smiles. “I never look uncomfortable.”
Luke’s eyes narrow, flashing green back to me.
He’s clearly not enamored with my smile. I can’t believe it
didn’t work on him. It has a 95 percent success rate, but
apparently, Luke McKenna is immune to my Tessa Charm.
How sad.
I roll my shoulders back, matching his irritation with
confidence. He continues toward the pool, joining the men
pouring concrete.
I walk around one of the new kitchen areas, taking
measurements for Colleen. She needs to know how many
tables and chairs will fit in the space. I step back, and suddenly
one heel slowly sinks. The insides of my shoe feel cold and
damp. I quickly glance down and see my very expensive
Jimmy Choo shoe in wet cement.
I squeal.
It’s not professional, but it’s my natural reaction. You’d do
the same if you’d just sunk one of your favorite pumps in
cement.
 Once I get over the initial shock, I stop yelping and lift my
leg into the air, but my shoe stays put. I step onto the ball of
my foot, and it’s like I’ve walked on hot coals. The ground is
on fire from the heat of the sun. I immediately pull back, but
now I’m balancing on one heel, trying to get low enough to
retrieve the shoe still stuck in the concrete.
I’d like to pause this moment to say that balancing on a
narrow heel is a major calf muscle workout. I might have to
add it to my exercise regimen.
“What are you doing?” Luke asks behind me.
His deep, menacing voice startles me, and I lose my
balance. I fall forward, using my hands to stop myself.
The good news: I don’t face-plant.
The bad news: I land in the concrete. WhiteSands can
remember the size of my hands for the rest of this resort’s
existence. I just need to sign my initials below with the tip of a
stick and draw a heart around the entire thing.
Luke pulls me up. “I leave you alone for one minute, and
you ruin something. You’re like a toddler.” His words come
out in angry little breaths, piercing the side of my neck.
“It’s not my fault,” I say, holding my cement-caked hands
in the air. “You startled me.”
“I startled you? I was twenty feet away.”
“The second time I fell in was your fault.”
I turn my head toward him, and I’m suddenly aware of
how close we are to each other. Luke’s behind me with his
large hands on my shoulders. His hazel eyes look down on me,
transmitting anger, but it’s surprisingly attractive. I could role-
play this moment again and again for the rest of my life—
preferably without the actual wet cement.
I lift my chin, matching his indignant stare with one of my
own. “Where’s the caution tape warning me of fresh concrete?
What kind of construction site are you running here?”
“This isn’t a murder scene,” he snaps. “We don’t use
caution tape.”
 His warm words tickle my neck, sending an alarming chill
down my spine that I typically don’t feel when I’m at work.
It’s probably a good idea to put some space between us.
I shimmy out of his grasp. “Well, you should use caution
tape.” We both look down at my stranded Jimmy Choo. “What
am I going to do about my shoe?”
Luke rolls his eyes and then bends over, ripping my shoe
from the cement. He tries to hand it to me, but I quickly yank
my dirty hands out of the way.
He huffs an exaggerated sigh and walks over to a spout in
the flower bed off the side of the pool deck.
That’s convenient.
I hobble over to the faucet, trying to walk as normally as a
woman with one shoe can while also getting third-degree
burns from the scorching concrete.
Luke reaches down and twists the faucet until water spurts
from the tap. He bends over, lowering my shoe into the flow.
I use my elbow to tap him on the back. “Try not to get the
inside wet.”
His narrowed eyes flip to me, but he doesn’t say anything.
“What?” I shrug. “It’s leather.”
He mutters something unintelligible and gently begins
washing the side of the shoe. I might find the gesture romantic
—a man gingerly cleaning my favorite shoe—if it weren’t for
the scowl that seems to be permanently plastered on his face.
“Thank you,” I say once my shoe is clean. I bend over and
run my hands through the water, washing them until all the
concrete is gone. I turn the water off and straighten, shaking
my hands so they can air dry. I wipe the last little bit of
moisture on my skirt.
“Oh, no!”
“What now?” he grumbles.
I look down at my new black dress. “There’s a snag.”
 “A snag?” He shoves my shoe into my hands. “You’re
worried about a snag on your dress when you’ve just ruined
the concrete.”
I hold my heel up, examining it. “I’m also worried about
my shoe. The heel seems a little wobbly now.”
“That’s an easy fix.” He snatches the shoe back from my
grasp and reaches into his pocket, pulling out some kind of
Leatherman tool. He sets the shoe on a boulder, and before I
know what’s happening, he hacks off the heel.
My mouth drops, and my hand goes to my chest.
“There.” He holds it up proudly like this is his Lion King
moment, and my shoe is baby Simba. “All fixed.”
I stand there, staring at my maimed Jimmy Choo. “Those
were several hundred dollars,” I finally say.
“Now they’re practical.”
I take back what I said earlier. Between running over my
purse and destroying my shoes, Luke is an awful man.
It will be an absolute pleasure slowing up his construction
site. The accidental fall into his fresh concrete is just the
beginning.
CHAPTER 9
 TESSA

T he constant hammering, the beeping of backhoes, and

the rumble of dump trucks unloading boulders is about
to make my head explode. And I’m not even outside.
I’m in the portable office trailer. How do people work in these
conditions? This construction site is turning me into an over-
the-counter drug addict. I’ve already exceeded my daily
allotment of ibuprofen. Now what? Am I really supposed to
wait the suggested twenty-four hours until I pop another one?
I take my laptop out of my bag and open it up. There’s a
lot to be done to get the resort ready for the grand opening,
and I don’t want any delays to come from my to-do list. No,
missing the deadline needs to be innocently done.
My phone buzzes, and I take a glance.
Colleen Samson: What’s the progress on the Turks
and Caicos hotel?
I had hoped that the hotel project would fall behind on its
own so I wouldn’t have to do much, but I can see that’s not
going to happen, especially not with Captain Workhorse in
charge. The job is on schedule for completion despite the
changes to the plans Colleen has made over the past few
weeks. If I weren’t directly working against Luke McKenna, I
would admire him for how on top of things he is. However, his
wonderful organizational skills create a challenge for me.
So I don’t admire him.
Not at all.
 Tessa: Right now, the hotel is on schedule. Even the
outdoor food areas we just added seem to be moving
along at a fast pace.

Colleen Samson: Tessa, I’m trusting you to take care

of everything. You’re a shark. Do what needs to be
done.
A shark?
That doesn’t feel like a compliment.
People hate sharks. There’s an entire horror movie series
based on the frightening fish—has Colleen never seen Jaws 1,
2, 3, or 4?
Delaying the opening of the hotel doesn’t make me a
shark. It’s all very harmless. It’s helping save Colleen’s job—
so I’m more like a lifeguard than a shark. And at the end of all
this, hopefully, everyone will see me as a respectable
employee, finally giving me value within the company.
Tessa: You don’t have to worry. You can trust me to
get the job done.
I push my phone away and open my daily planner, double-
checking the list of things I need to get done today. I reply to a
few emails. One in particular is from the restaurant supply
store confirming our delivery address. Apparently, there’s a
location on the other Turks and Caicos island with our exact
address. The only difference is the island name—Grand Turks
versus Providenciales—where we are. Luckily I caught the
mistake, or all of the utensils, plates, cups, napkins, and
cooking supplies would’ve been delivered to the wrong island.
It would’ve been a huge headache figuring out a boat to get
them delivered here. I’m basically a rock star for catching the
mistake.
Although, after I correct it, I realize it would’ve been the
perfect way to delay things.
The door to the trailer swings open, and a small woman
with wide brown eyes and black hair to her waist pops her
head in.
 “You must be Ms. Johnson,” she says, stepping inside. She
walks to me with an outstretched hand. “I’m Millie, the on-site
secretary.”
I stand, taking her hand. “Yes! We’ve talked on the phone
before. It’s so nice to meet you in person.”
“I’m here to assist you in any way.”
“Great,” I say, sitting back down. My eyes catch
something sparkly on her wrist. “Ooh, I love your bracelet.”
She fidgets with it nervously. “They’re fake diamonds.”
I smile. “Everything I own is fake too.”
Her face brightens. “Do you need me to do anything for
you today?”
“Actually, I would love a ride to pick up my rental car.”
“I don’t have a car. I take the bus here.”
“No worries. I’m sure I can find someone else. Do you live
far?”
“Just a few miles.”
“Oh, good. You can show me around town sometime.”
Her tiny shoulders lift. “I’d love to.”
“In fact,” I say, opening up my planner, “I need to buy new
bedding and a few things to fix up the rental house where I’m
staying. Where should I go?”
“Martin’s should have everything you need.”
I nod, writing down the name.
“Are you staying with Luke in the house?” she asks. “I
thought they had a hotel setup.”
“There was a hotel for Colleen Samson, but she asked me
to stay in the house to save some money on the project. So I’m
with Luke, but he’s not a very fun roommate.”
“Luke? He’s the sweetest. You’re going to love him.”
My brows furrow. “Are we talking about the same person?
Luke McKenna, the general contractor?”
 “Yes. He’s so kind. He’s done so much for my family.”
Huh.
I’m not sure what to make of Millie’s description.
Kindness isn’t an attribute I would use to describe Luke.
“Speaking of Luke’s kindness,” I say. “Do you happen to
have an extra pair of shoes here?” I look down at my bare feet.
“There was an unfortunate situation this morning between
Luke and my high heels.”
Millie looks confused, as she should. “I think I have some
of those foam flip-flops that you get after a pedicure in my bag
in the lobby.”
“That will work.”
Kind of.
“Okay, I’ll grab them for you.” Millie’s phone rings, and
she looks down. “First, let me take this call. It’s the
electrician.”
“Go ahead.”
I watch as Millie answers her phone, exiting the trailer.
She seems nice, and it will be good to have someone else help
me arrange all of the job interviews. And she’s temporarily
solved my shoe problem.
I look back down at my laptop, ready to dive in.
After a few hours of work, my stomach starts to grumble,
reminding me that I never ate breakfast. I walk to the lobby
and take a look around. Luke’s up high on the scaffolding,
installing decorative brackets on a wooden beam.
I glance up at him. “When do we go to lunch?”
His eyes flick down at me and then back up to what he’s
working on. “We don’t go to lunch. We pack lunches from
home.”
My hands go to my hips. “Nobody gave me that memo, so
I’m starving.”
 “I wasn’t aware that I would need to hold your hand when
it comes to meals,” he grunts as he twists a bracket around the
beam.
“I don’t need you to hold my hand on anything. I’m
perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” He doesn’t say
anything, so I keep going. “I just need a ride to the rental car
place by the airport.”
He changes positions, looking down at me as he moves.
“Didn’t you just say you’re capable of taking care of
yourself?”
“I am taking care of myself.” I throw him a satisfied smile.
“I’m arranging a ride so I can pick up my rental car.”
“I can’t. I’m busy.”
“I’m sure you can step away from work for twenty
minutes.” I flick my chin higher, hoping he sees the challenge
in my stare, but he keeps his focus on the beam.
“It’s forty minutes. Twenty minutes there and twenty
minutes back. Call a taxi. They can take you.”
“A taxi will take too long. Can’t you do it?”
“No.”
I shift my weight, pushing out my right hip. “I hope I don’t
lose my reservation. Then you’d have to be my chauffeur for
the next two months.”
“You can make a new reservation.”
“I could. Or I could stand here, begging for the rest of the
day, until you agree to give me a ride.”
His head lifts, and he looks up at the ceiling, no doubt
contemplating how awful it would be to listen to me beg for
the rest of the afternoon.
“Don’t think I won’t do it,” I say. “Because I would…just
to bug you.”
In one fluid motion, he begins climbing down the
scaffolding. “Let’s go. I don’t have all day.”
 “I’ll get my things.” A smile curls at the sides of my mouth
as I turn around. Any time I can pull Luke away from work is
a good thing, and it’s even better if I bug him while doing it.
CHAPTER 10
 TESSA

I stare out the window of Luke’s truck, wishing that he’d at

least turn on the radio.
The silence is killing me.
I can’t do twenty minutes of this.
I’m a talker—I fill silence with words.
It’s a compulsion.
I stress about whether people expect me to say something
and if they’re disappointed that I’m not saying anything. Or if
there’s silence, will people think I have nothing worthwhile to
say?
So I talk.
“It’s hot here,” I say.
Excellent start.
“Do you ever run into the ocean to cool off in the middle
of your workday?”
He doesn’t answer.
“I would.” I shrug. “Actually, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t want
to mess up my hair or ruin my outfit. And then I’d be salty all
day. That sounds itchy. So final answer, no, I wouldn’t hop in
the ocean.” I look over at him.
Nothing. He’s literally giving me nothing.
“My sister thought I was going to Turkey, the country. You
know, because it’s called Turks and Caicos? I guess she’s
never looked at a map before or taken geography, although I
think that class is required to graduate from high school.”
“Maybe she didn’t graduate from high school,” Luke says
under his breath, but I hear.
“She did graduate. She graduated early, in fact.” I glance
around. “Your truck smells bad. Do you know that?” I sniff. “I
can’t quite place the smell. I hate to ask, but it’s crossed my
mind, so I’d better get it off my chest. Have you ever had a
dead body in here?”
I look at him. Surely he’ll answer that question.
But he doesn’t even flinch.
Incredible.
I guess Luke’s innocent until proven guilty on the whole
dead body thing. I should probably adopt that mantra with his
lawsuit, but the more time I spend with him, the more hostile
he seems.
Though that could be because I’m purposely pushing his
buttons.
We pass by a small strip mall with a sign reading,
“Nancy’s Nails.”
“Ooh, a nail salon!” I point out the window. “I’ll need that
in four weeks when I’m due for a fill. Do you happen to know
Nancy? Does she do good work?”
I don’t expect an answer.
My eyes catch a church with a cross on it. “That’s like the
fourth Baptist church I’ve seen. Did you know Thou shall not
lie is one of the ten commandments?”
Since I’m living a lie, my conscience graciously reminded
me of that commandment at 2:00 a.m. last night. Why do all of
our wrongdoings come to the forefront of our minds in the
middle of the night? Why not two in the afternoon when we’re
about to fall asleep from chronic adult tiredness?
Luke flashes me an annoyed expression. “It’s Thou shalt
not bear false witness.” Then he looks back at the road.
 Interesting.
A reaction.
I point to the car in front of us. “You should really get
around this guy. He’s going slow.”
His head shakes, but he doesn’t look at me.
“What?” I shrug innocently. “You’re the one who said
you’re in a hurry.” My gaze goes back out the window.
“Bonefish Nude Beach,” I say, reading a road sign aloud. I
smile at Luke. “With a name like that, the naughty jokes write
themselves.” He doesn’t even flinch. “I bet you frequent that
place a lot.”
“It’s scenic,” he says, and I’m shocked into silence.
Did he just make a joke?
My phone rings, and I flip it over, looking at who’s calling.
It’s Brooke.
I put the phone up to my ear, still processing that there’s a
version of Luke who knows how to joke around. “Hello?”
“You hardly texted at all last night,” Brooke says. “How’s
it going there?”
I look over at Luke.
It could be better.
“Fine,” I say. Now isn’t the time to complain to Brooke,
because although Luke isn’t responding, I know he’s listening.
“It’s not like you to withhold details,” Brooke complains.
“Are you with someone?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Gotcha. So you’ll give me more details later?”
“I can tonight.” I fidget with my seatbelt, lowering my
voice a little. “How’s Dad? I haven’t talked to him yet.”
“I haven’t either. He’s not as needy now that he’s married
to Anna Mae.”
 I’m happy my dad is building a life with his new wife, but
part of me misses the months after my mom passed when I
talked to him every day—when he needed me. That was the
closest we’ve been in my entire life. Before that, he usually
just talked to my sister, Meg, on the phone.
“How’s my boyfriend?” I ask. “I miss him.”
“He’s not your boyfriend,” Brooke says. “You and Ben
would kill each other.”
Ben is Brooke’s best friend. He’s been hanging around our
family for so long that I’ve adopted him as my friend too. He’s
like a second big brother, which is great since Matt moved
away to college when I was in junior high and never came
back.
“Ben’s been gone all week for work, but I told him how
you left for Turks and Caicos. He was sad he didn’t get to say
goodbye.”
“Aww, Ben’s the cutest.”
Luke pulls into the rental car place and parks in the first
stall.
“I’ve got to go. Can I call you later?”
“Sure,” she says. “I want to hear everything you can’t say
in front of other people.”
“I only save the best information for you.”
Luke impatiently drums his fingers on the steering wheel,
hinting that he wants me out of his truck.
“Okay, I better go. Bye.” I drop my phone and look up at
him. “That was my sister.”
“The one that didn’t learn geography in school?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Her name is Brooke.”
His eyebrows rise, not in interest but disinterest.
I point over my shoulder. “I’m guessing this is the rental
car place.”
He nods.
 A man of very few words.
“Nice chat, Luke,” I say as I climb out of the car,
slamming the truck door. I lean through the open window,
hitching my lips up into a smile. “Don’t take a detour to
Bonefish Nude Beach on the way back. I know you’re
considering it.”
He shifts his truck into reverse.
It’s like he can’t get away from me fast enough.
CHAPTER 11
 LUKE

“H ey, Mom,” I say, stretching my legs out in front of

me on the patio lounge chair. “How was work
today?”
“It was hectic. Two people were sick, so I was doing three
jobs instead of one.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, it’s easy stuff like answering the phone and making
copies. Nothing physical like you do. How’s the hotel coming
along?”
I look behind me, making sure Tessa hasn’t magically
come home without me hearing. “Not the best. Corporate sent
someone here to oversee the grand opening for the next two
months.”
“Is it that bossy woman you hate? I remember you telling
me about her.”
“It’s a different woman. She’s the minion of the main lady,
but just as bossy. She’s driving me crazy, and it’s only been
one day.”
“Sounds like she’s gotten under your skin.”
“You should see her walking around a construction site in
stilettos like she’s God’s gift to the world.”
“I’m surprised that you even know what stilettos are.”
“I have two sisters, and I know enough to know she
shouldn’t be wearing them at my job site.”
 And she won’t be wearing them again. At least not that
pair. Me and my hacksaw made sure of that.
“She must be pretty.”
I frown. “I don’t even notice that. Why would you say
that?”
My mom laughs. “Because I know you, Luke, and you
usually don’t have this much animosity toward a woman
unless she reminds you of your dad’s many ex-wives.”
“For good reason,” I say.
“Don’t take your anger out on this poor woman. It’s not
her fault your father upgraded to a shinier model. Over and
over again.”
My heart breaks—the sharp pain that knocks you on your
back.
“It wasn’t an upgrade. The women he’s married are not
better than you.”
“I didn’t say better. I said shinier.”
“Either way, he’s worse off.”
“Ah, that’s my boy, always making me feel good,” my
mom says, drawing out my smile. “Well, my advice with the
corporate lady is to stay away from her. Just do your best to
ignore her.”
I doubt Tessa Johnson can be ignored. I think she’s made it
her life’s mission to be the center of attention by sucking all
the air out of the room the second she walks into it.
“That’s good advice,” I say. “I’ll try that.” I already know I
can’t rock the boat when it comes to corporate. I haven’t told
my mom about the lawsuit between WhiteSands and Markus
Webb. I don’t want to worry her. I don’t need to add to her
stress. She already has enough on her plate. “Did you make the
house payment?”
“Luke, I wish you’d stop sending us money. We’re doing
all right.”
They’re not doing all right.
 My dad stopped paying alimony four years ago, and things
have been tight. My mom’s an office secretary. She doesn’t
have the kind of income it takes to pay the bills and support
my sisters.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you,” she says. “You
should keep the money you’re making.”
“You’re not a burden. I’ve got plenty for myself.” How
much does one man really need?
“How did I get so lucky to have such a good son?”
Probably because you weren’t lucky enough to marry a
good man.
“When’s Lauren’s tuition due?” I ask.
“Next month.”
“Okay, I’m going to send another transfer to your
account.”
“Luke, you don’t have to.”
“I want to. It’s important for her to go to college so she can
get a good job and support herself someday.”
She can’t rely on a man to take care of her. That’s what my
mom did, and it all blew up in her face. I want my sisters to be
strong, self-sufficient women, and if I can help them get there,
I’m happy to do it.
“And what about Kate’s car payment? Does she have
enough money to cover it?”
“I think so.”
“Let me know if not.”
“I will,” she concedes. “Now, don’t get yourself in trouble
with that corporate woman.”
“I won’t.”
She yawns into the phone.
“We’d better hang up so you can go to bed,” I say.
“Sounds good. I’ll talk to you later.”
 I glance at the time on my phone. It’s 9:34 p.m. It’s been
hours since I dropped Tessa off at the rental car place. At the
time I assumed she was coming back to work, but she never
did. I look behind me at the front door. It’s dark outside and
getting late.
I wouldn’t say I’m worried about her—how can you be
concerned about somebody you don’t even like? But at the
same time, if she got lost, stranded, or kidnapped, I would feel
responsible.
I stand and pace around the small living room as five more
minutes pass. Maybe I should look for her. It’s kind of hard to
get lost on an island. You’d really just go in circles, so now
I’m thinking she’s not lost. Maybe she never actually made it
inside the rental place. I drove off. I should’ve stayed to make
sure she was okay. Or maybe she did make it inside, and now
she’s had car trouble or driven into a ditch somewhere.
I grab my keys, finally deciding to go out and search for
her. I open the front door and almost knock Tessa over. She’s
holding a huge pile of shopping bags in one hand as she
searches for her key.
“Oh!” Her ocean-blue eyes go wide as she looks up at me.
“Thank goodness! I couldn’t find my keys.” She studies me
for a moment. “Are you going out?”
I run a hand through my hair, surprised by how relieved I
am to see her safe. “No, I’m getting a tool out of my truck.”
“Perfect,” she says, sailing past me. “Could you carry in
the rest of the bags from the back of my car when you come?”
I’m instantly upset with myself for being relieved that
she’s safe.
I watch as she sets the first round of bags down. “Is that
where you’ve been all this time? You went shopping?”
“Were you worried?” Her smile tilts up at me.
I hate it when she does that. As if I can be bought with a
flirty smile.
Though hers is pretty tempting.
 “No, why would I be worried about you?”
Her grin widens. “Because we’re BFFs, remember?” She
looks down at my wrist. “Where’s your bracelet?”
“In the garbage.”
At least, I thought about putting it in the garbage, but
somehow it ended up on my dresser.
“Don’t worry. I can make you another one,” she says,
sifting through her bags. “I needed to buy so many things.
First of all, there’s no way I’m sleeping another night on those
dirty sheets.” Her eyes glance in the direction of her room.
“And who knows what’s been on that comforter. Plus, I
needed some groceries because apparently, we pack lunches in
Turks and Caicos. So if you don’t mind, could you grab the
rest of the bags?”
She smiles sweetly back at me, but for some reason, I find
the action upsetting. I turn and walk away to the front yard.
The back of her car is packed to the top with bags. You’d think
she was planning on living here for twenty years.
What a waste.
I spend the next half hour staring at the TV, acting like I’m
not paying attention to Tessa as she decorates the rental house.
She starts in the bathroom, laying out a fluffy bath rug,
hanging up new towels and a beaded curtain over the sheet
covering the doorway.
“What the heck is that for?” I told myself I wouldn’t
comment on her home shopping spree, but my curiosity won
out.
She runs her fingers over the beads, making them rattle
together. “To muffle sound.”
I shake my head. I really can’t figure Tessa out. I thought I
had her pegged as Colleen Samson’s clone, but sometimes she
surprises me by doing something that is the complete opposite
of what I imagine Colleen would do.
She places a plant on the coffee table and a lamp on the
side table next to the couch.
 “Do you really need all this stuff?”
“I like making things beautiful, and I want this place to
feel like home for the next two months.” She carefully pulls
out an 11 x 17 framed picture. “And for the best find of the
day,” she says, smiling at the picture for a moment before
turning it around to show me. “A painting of the North Star.”
My eyes cast over the black and blue watercolor. There’s a
small sailboat on the calm ocean. A galaxy of stars shines
down on the tranquil water, but one star shines brighter than
the rest. At the bottom of the picture, painted in black, is the
word Polaris.
I glance up at her, surprised…again.
For some reason, I thought it would be a painting of
something stupid like a dog with a purse. That seems more
like Tessa’s speed.
“Polaris—that’s another name for the North Star,” she
explains. Her eyes stay on me, waiting for a response. When I
don’t answer, she turns the frame around, so it faces her. “If
you don’t like it, I can hang it in my room.”
I stand, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. It’s time to get
some ice cream. “Do what you want with it,” I say as I walk
into the kitchen and open the freezer, grabbing a carton of mint
chocolate chip.
“The North Star is kind of my thing.” She smiles as her
eyes sweep across the picture. “It’s constant and steadfast, a
fixed point in the sky that all the other stars circle. It’s reliable
—no matter where you are, it can guide you.”
I close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose, so I don’t
focus on her pretty smile.
“Oh, sorry. Did I get too deep for you?” I can hear the
sarcasm in her voice. “I forgot who I was talking to.”
My head pops up. “No, I have a brain freeze.”
I hope she doesn’t realize that I haven’t even taken one
bite of the ice cream yet.
 She turns to place the frame on the TV stand, leaning it
against the wall. Then she heads toward the kitchen. Her body
brushes past me to get to the groceries on the counter.
“Excuse me,” she says, patting my forearm with her hand.
I dodge her touch, yanking my arm back.
Her lips hitch upward, and her brows rise as if she’s asking
a question.
“I don’t like to be touched,” I explain.
It’s a new thing—brought on by Tessa.
She laughs to herself like my admission is the funniest
thing ever. “Of course, you don’t.”
I scowl, not knowing what’s so funny, but she ignores me,
grabbing some vegetables out of a grocery bag on the counter.
She opens the refrigerator, staring at the inside.
“Wow. A man with variety. Bread, sandwich meat, cheese,
and mustard.” Her eyes dart to me as I walk to my bedroom.
“Wait!” she calls. She rummages through some bags, pulls out
a white plastic package, and throws it at me. “New sheets for
your bed.”
I catch it with my free arm.
“And”—she bends down, grabbing a larger package—“a
new comforter.”
She places it on top of everything else in my arms and
smiles at me.
I don’t know what to do with Tessa—or that smile—so I
escape into my room, shutting the door behind me. I drop the
packages onto the mattress and take a step back. I don’t like
having Tessa in my space, messing with everything. Touching
me. Things were perfect before she came along.
I look down at the carton in my hands. The ice cream will
melt all over, but there’s no way I’m going back out there. I set
the container on my nightstand and grab my running shoes.
For some reason, I need to work off a little energy.
 I open the sliding door in my room leading to the back
patio and take the path down to the beach. It’s dark, but there’s
enough moonlight, and I’ve gone running enough times at this
hour to know my way.
I get down to the lagoon’s edge and pick up my speed,
letting my feet sink into the sand. It isn’t long before my heart
hammers in my chest and sweat gathers, making my shirt cling
to my torso and back.
I look up at the sky, instantly spotting the North Star. I
shake my head and push myself harder, as if I can run away
from the stirring feeling inside my chest.
I don’t know how long I run for, but when I get back, all
the lights are turned off except for Tessa’s room. She’s
standing on a chair in front of her window, holding a
screwdriver, trying to hang her curtain rod back up. I pause on
the steps of the deck, watching her. She’s dressed in tiny white
shorts and a black tank top. Her muscles flex and move as she
twists the screwdriver into the wall. Her arms drop, and she
waits. After a few seconds, the curtain rod falls to the ground
again. She slams her hand against the wall and yells something
I can’t hear.
I open the sliding door to my room and step inside the
house.
“Stupid thing!” she says as I walk toward her shut door.
“Just stay in!”
She’ll probably put twenty holes in the wall unless I
intervene. I lift my knuckles, ready to knock, but I stop myself.
Nope. I shake my head. This isn’t a good idea.
I turn around and head for the shower.
CHAPTER 12
 TESSA

I arrive at the construction site at 8:00 a.m. It’s a much more

pleasant hour than 6:00 a.m., when Luke arrived. And
don’t even get me started on his antics this morning. He
was so loud in the kitchen. I think he was banging the
cupboards to try to wake me up. Each bang was an
announcement: It’s 5:30 in the morning. I’m awake and going
to work while your lazy butt is still in bed.
Never mind him.
I drag a pile of bags out of the back seat of my rental car.
One of the workers sees me struggling and walks over.
“Do you need help?”
“Yes, thank you.” The man is tall, bald, and has almond-
shaped espresso eyes. He’s wearing a navy-blue jumpsuit with
splatters of paint all over it.
“I’m Tessa.”
“I know who you are.”
“What’s your name?” I ask, watching him gather the bags
with ease.
“Orlando.”
“That’s a great name. I’m from Florida, so anything that
reminds me of home makes me happy.” I lead the way to the
trailer, opening the door for him since his hands are full.
“What’s your position here?”
“My company is painting the place. Orlando’s Painters.”
 “Oh, nice.” I point to the corner behind my desk. “You can
put all the bags over there.”
“What’s in them?”
“I picked up a few things from the store for all of the
workers. Some food for a brunch.”
“Brunch?”
I nod. “A little getting-to-know-you gesture. Something to
foster camaraderie between all the workers. I love any excuse
for a charcuterie board.”
“Char-what?”
I lift my hands, trying to act out what I’m saying with my
fingers. “It’s like a wooden board with meats and cheeses,
crackers and jams.”
His expression is blank, and I’m suddenly wondering why
I’m trying to explain what a charcuterie board is to this
middle-aged islander.
“Never mind,” I say, shaking my head.
“We’ve never had brunch at work before. I don’t think
Luke will like the workers taking a break to eat.”
“Well, Luke’s not in charge anymore. I am.”
His dark brows shoot up. “You’re in charge?”
“Of course.”
“If you say so.” Orlando smiles, turning to leave. “I’d
better get back to painting.”
“Don’t forget about brunch. Ten a.m. in the lobby.”
He gives me a strange expression but nods anyway before
he exits the trailer.
I sit down at my desk and flip open my planner, writing
down today’s brunch into my schedule. My most important
item of the day.
I figure it’s a good idea if I keep track of everything I’m
doing here. Not in a blatant way—everyone knows you don’t
leave a paper trail when you’re doing something wrong. Not
that I’m doing something wrong. When it comes to Colleen,
I’m actually doing the right thing. But if I keep a daily log, I
can confidently report back to her what I’m doing to actively
delay the project.
I walk inside the lobby, looking for a place to set up my
buffet. The workers stop and stare as I walk across the room.
No doubt they’re taking in my fashion faux pas—I’m wearing
white tennis shoes with my gray dress. I bought them last
night at Martin’s because Luke chopped off the heels on my
black stilettos. I’m afraid if I show up in another pair of heels,
he’ll chop those off too.
I can’t afford another loss like that—mentally or
financially.
My gaze locks with Luke’s. He’s across the lobby, leaning
over the plans, but even he pauses to watch me. His eyes
momentarily flicker to my shoes and then back up to my face.
His brown hair sweeps out the sides of his hard hat. He’s
clean-shaven, showing off a strong jawline—a jawline that I’d
like to trace with the tip of my finger.
Luke’s handsome in a very rugged way, but I don’t think
he knows it.
Then again, how could he not?
He’s got to know.
I walk to where the front desk is. It’s perfect for the buffet
table. I clear off a few random items and tools that someone
left there. I can feel Luke watching me, but he looks away
every time I glance in his direction. I take a paint rag and wipe
off the dust, letting my eyes skip to Luke. He’s bent over,
studying the blueprints.
His shorts are kind of baggy, but I can still tell he’s got a
nice butt.
Let’s be honest. He has a nice everything.
He’s tall.
Dark.
 Excellent calves, and I’d guess his abs are something to
write home about.
He’s manly—if I could only take one item with me on a
desert island, I would take Luke. I’m sure he could build a
shelter from the contents of his pockets and some banana
leaves.
He looks over at me, catching my blatant stare. Instead of
smiling, like a charming man would do, his eyelids lower until
he’s scowling at me in his brooding way.
I’m working with Ross Poldark.
Brooke would be so pleased. She’s the one who made me
watch that TV series with her, and up until this moment, I was
attracted to Ross Poldark, despite his moodiness.
No longer!
Brooding men are the worst.
I shake the rag off as I walk past him.
“You better be going to put your hard hat on,” he says.
“I was actually going to the restroom,” I say with a smile.
Why do I sound so excited to use a portable bathroom? I’m
definitely not. “I’ll be right back.”
Luke shakes his head, as if he doesn’t care to have a play-
by-play of my bathroom break agenda. But I’d give him a
play-by-play of my entire day if I knew it would bug him.
“Grab your hard hat on the way back,” he calls after me.
We’ll see.
I walk out front to the portable bathroom—there’s only one
for everyone to use. No wonder this place is deemed a hostile
work environment.
As I approach, a large man pushes the door open. He
smiles at me with his crooked teeth, letting the door slam shut
behind him.
I stop and stare at the disgusting outhouse. I’ve been to
enough concerts and outdoor events to know how to use a
porta-potty, but that doesn’t mean I like it.
I take a deep breath—it’s me versus the holding tank. I
open the door, quickly stepping inside.
Oh, it stinks.
I bring my hand up to my nose as I try to lay out pieces of
toilet paper over the seat without actually looking down inside
the bowl. I’d rather not throw up. I shimmy up my skirt as fast
as I can. The sooner I’m done, the sooner I can get the heck
out of here. I barely sit on the lid. It’s moments like this that
make me glad I do so many squats on leg day—I can handle
suspending myself in the air for as long as it takes. I glance
down at my feet. There are splashes everywhere from where
men have missed the urinal completely and peed on the floor.
How could they miss by so much? Don’t men love target
practice?
I look away, disgusted but grateful I don’t have on a pair of
my nice heels. They don’t deserve to walk in this kind of filth.
I hurry and finish, practically falling out when I open the
door. I suck in the fresh air and smooth my hand over my
dress, walking toward the trailer.
It’s time to set up the meet and greet.
LUKE
I’ VE BEEN IN BUILDING TWO for the last hour and a half,
hanging light fixtures. As I make my way across the patio to
the lobby, I notice the place is a ghost town. Where are the
concrete workers? Where’s the crew plastering the inside of
the pool? I spin around, surveying the area.
That’s when I hear a Taylor Swift song blaring from the
lobby.
I’ve worked at this construction site for one year, and
there’s never been anything even close to Taylor Swift playing
on the speakers. That’s the kind of music my sisters listen to. I
can literally sing every word by heart—I’m a closet Swiftie—
but I’m not letting anyone here know that.
My steps speed up, and the closer I get to the main
building, the more voices I hear. I take the stairs two at a time,
and then I come to a screeching halt.
Sixty grown men are gathered throughout the lobby,
holding pink plates of food like they’re at some kind of
construction mix-and-mingle.
And in the center of it all stands Tessa Johnson. She’s
surrounded by a group of men, talking and laughing.
I storm over to her, grabbing her by the elbow. “Can I
speak with you?”
She holds up her finger. “Just a minute. Pablo is telling a
riveting story about how he likes to decorate cakes.”
I glare at Pablo and then at Tessa. “You’ll have to miss the
end of it.” I drag her over to the corner, spinning her around to
face me. “What are you doing?”
She looks down at my fingers on her forearm. “I thought
you didn’t like touching.”
 I immediately drop my hand, repeating my last question.
“What are you doing?”
“Right now?” She folds her arms across her chest. “I’m
talking to you.”
I shake my head, frustrated by her blatant avoidance. “No.
I mean, what is all of this?” I gesture around the room,
noticing for the first time the pink and white balloon arch over
the front desk.
“It’s a meet-and-greet. What does it look like?”
“It looks like a freaking baby shower.” I should’ve known
earlier when she was wiping down the counter that she was up
to something.
“No.” She glances around. “If this were a baby shower, I’d
do a ton more decorations.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I snap. “It’s a waste of good man-
hours.”
“The men are having fun. How can that be a waste?”
“Having fun?” My hands go to my head. “This is a
workplace, not an amusement park. They’re not supposed to
have fun.”
“Now, that’s where we disagree. Work should be fun. I feel
bad for you if you aren’t enjoying your job.”
“I enjoy my job plenty.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.” Her lips fold into a frown.
“You’re so tense.”
My voice is firm. “Turn the music off and clean it up.”
She lifts her chin. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I haven’t met everybody yet.”
“You don’t need to meet everyone. You’re from corporate.
No one cares about you.”
“That’s not true. Everyone’s been very welcoming. But if
we’re going to get technical, then yes, I am from corporate,
and this is all part of the Corporate Cares program. So the
meet-and-greet continues until I say it’s over.”
My jaw hardens.
“Your workers are tired and overworked, and they just
want to feel a little appreciated,” she says.
“And you think some free food and balloons will take care
of that?”
“Yes. Camaraderie goes a long way. When I’m done with
these men, they’ll be more productive and work harder for
you. Trust me.” She pats me on the shoulder, and I cringe.
Then she walks away. “Oh, and Luke?” she calls, causing me
to turn around. “I suggest you try the salsa from the taco shack
down the street. It’s mango, and it’s delicious.” There’s a glint
in her gaze that tells me she’s fully aware that she’s driving me
nuts, as if this is some kind of game. Then she whisks herself
away to another circle of men.
I stand there in my frustration until my eyes connect with
Nano. He’s over by the makeshift buffet bar. I cross the lobby
to him, butting into the middle of his conversation. “How
could you allow this to happen?”
“Luke, sorry. I knew you wouldn’t approve, but what was I
supposed to do? Corporate Cares.”
I’ve never hated a saying more in my entire life.
I glance down. There’s a Hello, My Name Is…sticker on
his chest with the word Nano scrawled across the blank space.
I rip the sticker off and crumple it between my fingers. “I want
the men back to work now.”
“Can I at least finish my mango salsa first?”
“No.” I walk to the speaker, shut the music off, and turn to
the room. “Everyone needs to get back to work. You’re all on
the clock, and we don’t have time to waste.”
The men look at me and then back at Tessa.
“Don’t worry,” Tessa says. “We’ll be sure to do this
again.”
 Not on my watch.
“Thank you all for coming!” Her smile is theatrical, as if
the spotlight was made specifically for her. “I loved getting to
know you all. I look forward to working with you over the
next two months.”
“Thanks, Tessa.” The men wave at her as they dump their
pink plates into the garbage.
Our eyes meet across the room.
It’s her warm smile facing off against my fierce glare, and
for some reason, I feel like I don’t stand a chance.
CHAPTER 13
 TESSA

T he house is empty when I come home from the hotel.

I’m guessing Luke is working late—probably making up
for the lost time during the brunch this morning. The
look on his face was priceless when he walked into the lobby
today. Maybe I wouldn’t take so much joy in his anger if he
was a little nicer to me. But I guess I can’t really blame him. I
showed up on his turf and disrupted everything.
That’s my goal. Disrupt everything so much that nothing
gets done on time.
I’m sure at some point I’m going to have to do more than
waste time with Corporate Cares, but doing something bigger,
something that would cause real delays, feels shady. What am
I supposed to do? Break windows? Spray-paint the side of the
buildings? Take a sledgehammer to the tile floor? Even though
I want to save Colleen’s job, I’m not going to lower myself to
vandalism, and she wouldn’t want me to either.
I just have to stay the course. I have to waste time by
stopping work. And the good news is, what I’m doing is
actually helping the workers and improving relationships. I
think the men appreciated the break today, and I had fun
getting to know them. So it’s a win-win. Colleen gets to keep
her job, WhiteSands gets to improve its reputation, and I get to
showcase my strengths.
I sit on the side of my bed, staring at my phone. My sibling
group chat has been active all night.
Meg: Tessa, how’s Turks and Caicos going?
Matt: I don’t talk to you guys for one week, and
suddenly Tessa’s in Turks and Caicos. I feel like I
missed a lot.

Brooke: She’s there for work, opening a new hotel.

Meg: Has anyone talked to Tessa? Maybe her plane

never made it. Or she got kidnapped and sex-trafficked.
I think it’s time we start thinking about the worst-case
scenario.

Matt: What is with you and sex trafficking? Why is

that always where your mind lands?

Meg: It’s more prevalent than you think. I just

watched a documentary on it.

Brooke: Meg, you can dial back on your worst-case

scenarios. I talked to Tessa for a minute yesterday. She
promised more details.
Brooke: Tessa, you need to text us, or Meg will get the
Turks and Caicos police involved.
I smile as I type out my reply.
Tessa: I found this phone on the side of the road.
Who’s Tessa?

Meg: Guys, I think something’s seriously wrong.

Maybe she’s been kidnapped.
I laugh.
Tessa: I’m kidding. I’m fine. I’ve just been busy.
 Tessa: Here are all the details you need to know: it’s
really hot here, but pretty. I haven’t laid out once or
even put on my bikini—that seems like a waste of a
good spray tan. I’m hoping to rectify that this weekend.
The hotel is coming along. I’m staying in the most
disgusting rental house I’ve ever seen. It’s worse than
camping. And the contractor that I have to work with is
Ross Poldark.

Matt: Have you ever really been camping? What

you’ve done is known as glamping. And it doesn’t
count.

Brooke: Ooooh, I love brooding period drama men!

Can we hear more about the contractor?

Meg: You’re there for work. Why would you think

you’d put on a bikini?
I ignore Matt and Meg’s texts and focus on Brooke’s,
because Luke is what I really want to talk about.
Tessa: Luke is moody and brooding, and he hates me.
But he’s very good-looking and manly, so he has that
going for him.

Brooke: Oh my gosh! You’re going to fall in love with

him.

Tessa: No, I’m not going to fall in love with him. He

wears combat boots and shorts. A terrible sense of
style. Plus, he’s mean. He chopped off the heels of my
black Jimmy Choos.

Brooke: That sounds like the beginning of a perfect

romance.
 I shake my head at my phone, disgusted by Brooke’s
assessment of the situation.
Matt: I’m offended for this guy. I can’t believe you
won’t even give him a chance because you don’t like
how he dresses.

Meg: Tyler wears work boots, and I fell in love with

him.

Brooke: Tyler also wears regular clothes. Does this

contractor ever wear anything normal?
I roll my eyes. The Johnson sibling group chat can spiral
out of control faster than I can spend a paycheck at Saks.
Tessa: Everybody, calm down. Luke and I live together
and work together, and that’s it.

Meg: Wait. You live together?

Oops. That information isn’t going to help my case.
Tessa: Yes. He’s staying in the other room of the rental
house.

Meg: And you said he’s attractive?

Tessa: Yeah. So?

Meg: So now I agree with Brooke. You’re going to fall

in love with him.

Matt: Me, too. I’m rooting for G.I. Joe Poldark.

 Tessa: Trust me, the guy hates me. I turned his
construction site into a mix-’n-mingle today.

Brooke: You didn’t!

Tessa: I did.
Tessa: Corporate wants me to create a positive
working environment, so that’s what I’m doing.
At least that’s the story I’m telling everyone.
Brooke: If the contractor is handsome, it sounds like
it’s already a positive work environment.

Meg: True.

Tessa: I’m going to bed because you guys are

ridiculous.
I throw my phone on the pillow next to me.
I am definitely not falling for Luke. We couldn’t be more
different if we tried. Besides, he’ll hate me even more when he
sees all the activities I have planned for his workers.
Everything is a little over-the-top for a construction site, but
then again, so am I.
I open my bedroom door. The lights in the house are off. I
can’t believe he’s still not home. I walk to the bathroom,
planning to shower, but when I get there, I pause, trying to
remember if I have everything I need. I realize I don’t have my
razor or shaving cream.
I walk back to my bedroom to retrieve it, getting distracted
by the next round of texts my siblings send. This round isn’t
about me. The chat has moved on to my dad and Anna Mae.
Thankfully.
LUKE
T ESSA ’ S BEDROOM DOOR was shut when I got home, spilling
light into the dim living room. I didn’t bother turning any
more lights on. Instead, I quickly changed and went for a short
run. I needed something to take away the stress of the day.
The stress Tessa’s meet-’n-greet caused.
After my run, I pull open the sliding glass door to my room
and step inside. I keep my AirPods in as I make my way to the
bathroom. Tessa’s bedroom light is on, but now her door is
cracked open. I don’t say anything. Why would I? I don’t want
to draw attention to the fact that I’m home. The last thing I
need is for her to come out of her room expecting to hang out
with me.
I push the bathroom curtain aside and step through the
beads, reaching for the faucet. I press the lever to the side,
turning on the shower. As I stand there and wait for the water
to heat up, I pull off my shirt and drop my running shorts to
the ground.
TESSA
I WASTED TEN MINUTES hearing about how my dad and Anna
Mae danced in the parking lot of an ice cream shop at
midnight last weekend. Apparently, a lively bunch of
teenagers joined in on the Boot Scootin’ Boogie. One of them
filmed the interaction and texted the video to my dad, who
passed it along to Brooke.
I’m slightly freaked out by the whole thing. It’s cute, but
it’s weird seeing my dad act like a teenager again after years of
retirement with my mom.
I head toward the bathroom, but my feet slow when I hear
the water running.
Did I turn on the shower and then walk away?
I think I’m losing my mind. I don’t remember doing that,
but I must’ve.
I walk through the beads and collide with something hard.
It’s dark, but there’s enough light that I know I’ve collided
with a naked Luke.
I scream, jumping back, but the bathroom is so freaking
small that I trip over the edge of the tub. My hands
immediately grab the shower curtain to break my fall, but it
doesn’t work. The rod rips from the sheetrock, and down I go
into the spraying water.
I scream again but somehow still hear the strong words
that blast out of Luke’s mouth.
The bathroom light flickers on.
At first, I’m blinded by the brightness, but I immediately
shield my eyes with my hand.
“Why would you turn on the light?” I gesture wildly in
front of me with my free arm. “I can see everything!”
 “Would you relax?” he snaps. “I’m not naked. I still have
my underwear on.”
“Oh, that makes all the difference.”
“Would you prefer that I was naked?”
“I would prefer that you turn the lights off again so I can
stop covering my eyes.”
“You don’t need to cover your eyes,” he snaps. “You’re not
twelve.”
“I feel twelve!” I’m sure my face is as red as my nail
polish right now. I can feel Luke’s eye roll, but the bright light
does turn off.
I move my fingers away from my eyes, seeing the shadow
of Luke’s hand in front of me. I blink a few times, staring at
his outstretched arm.
“Do you want help out of the shower or not?”
“No, I quite like getting hit unexpectedly with water.
Especially from a cheap shower head that is shooting bullets at
me. The hard pelts are like a little massage.”
“Why are you still talking then?”
I grab his hand, and he pulls me out of the tub so I’m
standing in front of him. I can’t see much, only a shadowy
outline. I’m not sure if I’m grateful for that or not. The outline
is pretty amazing.
“Why did you come in here?” he growls in his grumpy
way. “Didn’t you hear the shower on?”
“Yes, but I thought I turned it on,” I say, dripping water all
over the tile. “I was about to shower. I had to go back to my
room to get my razor.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Well, that’s what happened, and since I’m soaking wet, I
don’t really feel like standing here in the dark and arguing
about it with you.”
 “Fine. You can have the shower first.” He bends down,
picks up his clothes, and then walks out of the bathroom,
rattling the beads.
I yank the extra curtain shut and flip on the lights, looking
into the mirror.
The white tank top that I’m wearing is soaked and
completely see-through. Me and my pink, lacy bra gave Luke
quite the view when the lights were on.
No wonder it took him so long to turn them off.
Rooming with a handsome man is harder than I thought it
would be.
CHAPTER 14
 LUKE

I t’s seven in the morning.

Every single one of my workers is standing out on the
pool deck in a circle.
“Thank you all for gathering together.” Tessa smiles at the
men. “I’d like to start each day with a morning huddle. A
place where we can share our wins and celebrate them with
each other.”
I openly roll my eyes, not even trying to hide my
irritation. We already have a weekly Health, Safety, and
Environment meeting, so it’s not like Tessa’s the one that
invented the morning huddle. A daily huddle seems a little
excessive. But thanks to the lawsuit I’m involved in, I have to
toe the corporate line and be on my best behavior.
“What do you mean by wins?” Samuel asks. His front
tooth is chipped, and his black hair is buzzed short to his scalp.
“Samuel, what is something good that you did at work
yesterday?” Tessa asks.
“I…” Samuel looks around. “I finished caulking all the
cracks in buildings two and three.”
Tessa’s expression lights up. “That’s great.” She holds up
her hands, glancing around the circle. “Let’s all give Samuel a
round of applause on his accomplishment.”
I rub my eyes, trying to find some patience, but there’s
none left.
“Who else?” Tessa asks the group.
 “Our crew put in all the railroad ties that line the drive up
to the main building,” one of the landscapers says.
“Marty!” Tessa claps. How does she know his name when
I don’t? “That is so good. Everyone give Marty and the
landscapers a round of applause.”
More clapping.
This is insane.
I look around the circle. Surely there’s another man or two
who thinks this is completely ridiculous. Rick? There’s no way
the tough and gruff HVAC guy would be into this. But when I
find Rick on the opposite side of the huddle, he’s nodding and
clapping.
I’m in a bizarro world—things are similar, just not quite
right.
These are my rough-around-the-edges construction
workers, but somehow Tessa has turned them into mushy
eight-year-olds waiting around for their Little League
participation trophies.
How did she do that?
How did she get these guys invested in what she’s doing?
“Who’s next?” she asks.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I say, holding up my hands as I step
forward. “I can see where this is going, and we’ll be here all
day if someone doesn’t stop this madness.”
“Luke,” Tessa smiles. “This is not madness. Celebrating
our wins is good for the team.”
“What’s good for the team is if they get back to work.”
“Why don’t you tell us something good that you did
yesterday?” Her blue eyes pierce mine. There’s a flash of
playfulness behind them mixed with a challenge. She’s daring
me to answer.
I fold my arms over my chest. I want to say that our little
shower accident was the good thing that I did yesterday, but it
wasn’t a good thing.
 I mean, it was kind of good.
I shake my head.
Nope. Not good.
That’s what I have to keep telling myself.
I look at Tessa. “I stopped the meet and greet before I got
so angry that I fired everybody.”
Her eyebrows lift, and she bites back a grin. “That’s
something.” She looks around the circle. “Let’s all clap for
Luke because he didn’t fire any of us.”
The men laugh as they clap, and I feel like punching the
wall, but then Tessa would win, and there’s no way I’m letting
that happen. And punching the wall would prove everything
right that Markus said about me in his lawsuit.
I glare back at her. “Can we start work now?”
“Almost.” She smiles. “Everyone, close your eyes, and
we’ll do some breathing and meditation exercises.”
“I’m out of here,” I say, turning on my heels and walking
away.
“Luke,” Tessa calls after me. “I’m assigning you the
inspirational quote for tomorrow’s huddle. Don’t forget!”
As if I would ever be caught dead giving the inspirational
quote.
CHAPTER 15
 TESSA

H ere’s an unpopular opinion: jogging on the sand in

tennis shoes is awful. Forget about sports bras
supporting the girls—I should’ve taped my ankles for
support to prevent a sprain.
I push myself forward, trying not to think about how my
sinking feet make running even harder. If I were in Florida, I’d
be running on the Tampa Riverwalk. But then I wouldn’t have
the beautiful turquoise-green Chalk Sound lagoon to look at.
The water in Tampa Bay is nothing like Turks and Caicos.
It’s Saturday morning at nine a.m., but the sun feels hot
against my skin, making me sweat more than usual.
I’ve completed my first week of work on the island. It was
actually a pretty productive week between brunch, morning
huddles, and the movie day yesterday. I used a generator to
play Miss Congeniality on the screen in the conference room
while Luke was gone. We didn’t get to watch the last five
minutes because he pulled into the parking lot, and I had to
switch the movie over to a fake Corporate Cares PowerPoint,
but I’d still call it a success.
“On your left,” someone huffs behind me.
I turn over my shoulder to see Luke gaining on me. I can’t
believe he’s home at the same time as me. Usually he’s
working. He’s running faster than I am—or than I was. I’m
competitive, so the second I see him, I pick up my speed, but
his 6’4” legs overtake me, and I’m left looking at his tank top
clinging to his back.
 Not a bad sight.
“You better have sunblock on,” he calls. “If not, you’ll be
fried.”
My brows drop.
As if I don’t know how to be in the sun. I’m from Florida.
The sun is practically my best friend.
I sprint forward, passing him on the right. Luke flinches
like he didn’t expect me.
“Don’t worry about me. I have tough Florida skin.” It
takes every bit of effort I have not to gasp as I speak. I don’t
want him to know how much this sprinter pace is killing me.
I’m ahead of him for only a few seconds before he passes
by again. “You don’t have to keep up with me.”
I push myself even harder, taking over the lead. “Are
you…kidding? I…always…run at this…speed.” My words are
choppier than I’d like, but I’m literally running faster than
Usain Bolt.
We’re on treadmill level ten.
Luke must be on level eleven, because he zooms by me
again. I see the house up ahead. Forty more feet. I can do this
for forty more feet. My heart might be about to explode, but I
run in line with him, digging deep for this final stretch. Our
arms pump together, and our feet pound the ground
simultaneously. I look ahead. Twenty more feet, and I can stop
this madness.
I mean, I could slow up and stop now, but I don’t want to
give Luke the satisfaction. Since the first time I spoke with
him on the phone, there’s been some kind of competitive war
raging between us.
We round the corner, and I give it everything I have,
pulling ahead of him. I throw my arms up as if I’ve just gone
through the winner’s tape. My steps slow, and my hands go to
my hips as I try to control my breathing. It’s so hot here. I feel
like I can’t catch my breath. And my side aches.
I haven’t worked out this hard…ever.
 I feel sick. My insides are swirling, competing with the
pain in my side until I can’t take it any longer.
I lean over and throw up everything that was in my
stomach.
Twice.
When it’s over, I straighten, still holding my side. Luke’s
staring at me with his usual unreadable expression.
Normally I’d be embarrassed about throwing up in front of
a man—or anyone, for that matter. I don’t put myself in
situations where I look vulnerable in front of people,
especially men. It’s all about putting my best foot forward, but
Luke isn’t someone I’m trying to impress. And it’s a good
thing, because I’m sure I look awful right now. My face is
probably as red as my favorite Ruby Woo lipstick. I have
trickles of sweat all over my body. I even have sweat marks on
my sports bra in between my chest. Swoobs aren’t how I
usually attract men.
And let’s not forget about the barfing.
“What?” I snap at him. “Haven’t you seen a woman throw
up before?”
“Not on my shoe.”
I look down, and yes, there are traces of last night’s meal
on the toe of his Nikes. I knew I shouldn’t have tried the conch
fritters. I won’t be sampling them again.
My head pops up. “Why didn’t you jump back?”
“I did after the initial hurl. Why didn’t you turn your head
in the other direction? Toward the bushes?”
“There wasn’t much time to think,” I say between my
heavy breaths. “Besides, it’s your fault I threw up.”
“I knew you’d say that.” He skids the tip of his shoe over
the tall weeds that line the path to the lagoon, cleaning off the
vomit.
“Well, it’s true. You’re the one who insisted on running at
such a stupid pace.”
 “You didn’t have to stay with me.”
“I wasn’t about to let you beat me.”
His sour face turns smug. “You said that you always run at
that speed, remember?”
“I do!” I lie.
“I’m not buying it, and the throw up on my shoe isn’t
helping your case.”
“I guess we’re even now.” I gesture to his foot. “Your shoe
for my heels. Now you only have to feel slightly guilty for
ruining my favorite pair.” I tilt my head, adding my flirty
smile.
Was that smile premeditated? Or am I actually flirting with
Luke McKenna?
Why would I flirt with him? He’s all dark and grumpy with
bad taste in clothing.
Not my type at all.
“Trust me, I don’t feel guilty,” he says over his shoulder as
he walks toward the deck.
Yeah, he’s the worst. I’m definitely not flirting with him
ever again.
I straighten, wiping away any hints of playfulness that
might’ve accidentally bled into my body language seconds
ago.
“I’m going to take a shower and then head to the hotel,” he
announces, probably so we don’t have a repeat of the other
night’s shower incident.
For some reason, I follow after him, as if I don’t want this
conversation to end. “You’re going to work on a Saturday?”
“Yeah.” He stops by the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle
from the fridge.
I lean my hands against the kitchen counter, staring back at
him. “Saturdays are supposed to be for relaxing and playing.”
 “Maybe for someone like you who consistently acts like a
thirteen-year-old,” he says, lifting the bottle to his lips. “But
the rest of us adults have to actually get things done.”
“I get things done.” I bristle.
“Not from what I’ve seen.”
He’s hitting on one of my biggest insecurities—people not
thinking I’m capable.
“Then you haven’t seen enough. Unlike you, I know how
to get things done while having fun.”
He sets the bottle down, leaning toward me. We’re in some
sort of face-off with nothing between us but the counter and
our two stares. His gaze is filled with flirty smugness that I
find wildly attractive.
“Let me guess.” There’s a roughness to his voice that isn’t
helping my beating heart. “You can show me all the ways to
have fun.”
I smirk. “I could show you a thing or two.”
He leans in even closer—we’re talking inches apart here—
and the hammering in my heart intensifies.
“I make it a rule not to take advice from women who look
like Malibu Barbie.”
I smile. “You think I look like Malibu Barbie?”
“That’s not a compliment.”
“It actually is. You’re saying I have perky boobs, a tiny
waist, and great hair.”
The smugness in his eyes melts into embarrassment. “No.”
He pushes off the counter, putting space between us. “That’s
not what I’m saying at all.”
“It’s okay.” My smile grows bigger. “Your secret’s safe
with me. I mean, it’s about me, but it’s still safe.”
Luke shakes his head, visibly flustered, as he walks to the
bathroom. He throws the beaded curtain open. “I’m taking a
shower. Try not to come in this time.”
 I bite back my smile, liking the energy that buzzes through
me when I spar with him.
The beads sway back and forth, making a musical rhythm
as they hit against each other. There’s the sound of the shower
turning on and then the faint but compelling whoosh of Luke’s
clothes dropping to the floor. I swallow back whatever I’m
feeling and head directly to my room.
CHAPTER 16
 LUKE

I walk into the hotel lobby at 7:39 a.m. Monday morning,

looking for all of my workers. Tessa’s stupid 7:00 a.m.
huddle was supposed to be done thirty minutes ago, but I
haven’t seen anyone yet.
What do I find?
Rows and rows of grown men stretching.
Even Nano’s participating. What a traitor. He’s supposed
to be my right-hand man.
I’ve been doing my best to stay away from Tessa. I’ve
worked late nights, spent all day Saturday at the job site, and
left the house early Sunday morning so that I wouldn’t have to
be home at the same time as her. The times we’ve been at the
rental house together were unbearable. I get clammy,
overheated, tense, and irritable.
But there’s nothing I can do to avoid her right now.
Tessa’s front and center, leading the workers in their
stretching. She’s wearing a black sports bra and biker shorts. I
already got a preview of the outfit the other day when she was
running. She looks good—no doubt the reason why all the
men are so eager to participate in her stretching routine.
I lean against a pillar, watching the spectacle for a second.
I could throw a fit, but it would only hurt my reputation with
the lawsuit. So I keep quiet.
“Spread your feet apart and bring your arms out to the
side,” she says. “Then slowly tilt your body like a teapot,
stretching your back and torso.”
The men lean over and hold the pose, not as gracefully as
she does, but the effort is there.
“Good,” she says. “Make sure you’re breathing through
each stretch. We want oxygen to flow to your muscles.”
I clench my fists. What once was a construction site is now
a yoga studio.
“Slowly come up, switching to the other side.”
The men follow her instructions, but instead of leaning
over to the other side, she walks through the rows correcting
their form.
“Great job, Felix. Looking good, Phillip.”
I shake my head. I literally can’t believe what is happening
right now. I will never get used to this sight.
Tessa ends up back in the front. “Take a deep breath in.”
Her arms swing over her head and come back down. “Slowly
exhale.”
That’s got to be the end.
I push off the pillar, clapping as I walk toward them.
“Okay! Let’s get to work.”
Tessa waves me over. “Luke, come join us.”
I shake my head. “I’m not even sure what you’re doing.”
She smiles. “We’re stretching.”
“But why? Why are we stretching?” My words are laced
with sourness. I might as well be a Warhead sour candy,
making peoples’ faces twist and grimace with my mere
presence.
“Luke, construction work is very demanding on the body.”
“So?”
“So we need to loosen up the muscles to prevent injury.”
She points to a guy in the second row. “Take poor Gregory, for
instance. His lower back has been killing him for weeks.”
 The man nods. “It’s true, boss.”
How does she even know Gregory’s back has been
hurting?
Three other men raise their hands. “Mine too,” they all say.
I look at Tessa. “So now you have a degree in sports
medicine?”
“There’s a lot about me that might surprise you.” Her
serious expression cracks, almost as if she too recognizes the
ridiculousness in the situation and is about to burst into
laughter.
I don’t find it funny.
“It’s time to start work,” I snap. “I want everyone working
in five minutes. Productivity better be at an all-time high since
Instructor Tessa got you all loosened up.”
CHAPTER 17
 TESSA

“A re you seeing results?” Colleen asks over the phone

Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s hard to know,” I say. “When I look around
the resort, it looks like there’s a lot of stuff that still needs to
be done, but I don’t know how to gauge how long each of
those projects takes.”
Colleen huffs. “Are you wasting time? Disturbing the flow
of work?”
I think back to this morning’s pie-eating contest. “Yes, I’m
trying.”
“About how much time per day would you say you’re
keeping the workers from getting things done?”
“Um…” I look over my planner on my desk. “Maybe
forty-five minutes to an hour each day. A couple of times, it’s
been close to two hours.” Really it was only two hours on
movie day last week, and that was because Luke was gone. He
usually stops the activities around the thirty-minute marker
when he’s there.
“I’m afraid what you’re doing isn’t enough,” Colleen says.
“You need to do something more drastic.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Spill paint all over the carpets.”
“But won’t that cost more money?”
“Don’t worry about the money,” she spits out.
 Isn’t the money the entire reason I’m doing this?
“Maybe you could break something or cut electrical
wires,” she brainstorms. “Insurance will pay for something
like that if it looks like we had trespassers.”
“That’s vandalism. I could get in trouble for something
like that.”
“Tessa, you’ll only get in trouble if you get caught. At
some point, you’ll need to get your hands dirty. My entire
career is riding on this. Not to mention your career too.”
Colleen’s voice is more stern than usual.
I’ve never seen this side of her, and I don’t like how this
conversation is going or how it makes me feel.
Because right now, I feel dirty.
“I know what’s riding on this, and I’m trying to help.”
She sighs. “Have I overestimated you?”
I shake my head, even though she can’t see the movement.
“No. I can do this. I’ll figure out another way to slow things
down.”
“I hope so,” she says. “Because if you don’t, we’ll both be
looking for new jobs.”
“Don’t worry,” I say as Luke steps into the trailer. “You
can count on me to take care of everything here.”
“My surgery is tomorrow, so I’ll check back in next
Monday. I hope you’ll have better results to share with me.”
“I will. I promise. Good luck with everything tomorrow.” I
watch as Luke sets his phone down on top of his desk and
examines the water cooler. He pushes on the tab, shooting
water into a cup, but his eyes stay focused on where the jug
leaks. He takes the entire container off and puts it back on
straight, testing it again to make sure it doesn’t drip water out
the edges.
“That was Colleen,” I say. “She wanted an update on how
the project is coming along.”
 “Right on schedule,” he says, testing the water one more
time.
That is not what I want to hear.
“Yep, that’s what I told her.”
He glances at me. “Have you seen Denny? I’ve been
looking for him all day.”
“Uh.” I pull my shoulders back. “I gave him the day off.”
His eyes narrow. “You gave Denny, my trim guy, the day
off?”
“Yes.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Well, his dog died last night, and he’s having a tough time
dealing with the grief.”
“His dog died?”
“That’s correct.”
“That’s not a good reason to skip work. He’s behind on all
the baseboards in two of the buildings.”
I am aware of that, and it’s precisely why I suggested he
take the entire day off. But I lean back into my chair, folding
my arms over my chest. “Luke, are you a pet owner?”
“No.”
“Then you don’t know what it’s like to lose a beloved
animal. A dog is a man’s best friend. When they die, it’s like
losing a family member.”
I don’t know if that’s true. I’ve never had a pet in my
entire life, but it sounds good.
Luke runs his fingers through his hair, resting his head in
the palms of his hands. “I don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
He lifts his head, looking directly at me. “I don’t get how
Colleen Samson’s protégé gets away with this kind of crap. It’s
like you don’t even take your job seriously.”
 “You don’t know anything about me,” I say, glaring back
at him. “I take my job more seriously than anyone here.”
“By having snack breaks and movie days?”
Shoot. How did he find out about movie day? I need to
steer this conversation away from that.
“For your information,” I say, flipping my hair back from
my face. “It wasn’t a snack break. It was a brunch.”
“There’s no difference.”
“Yes, there is. Brunch is for sophisticated adults, and snack
breaks are for children.”
He blinks at me for a moment until a frown cracks
through. “I can’t believe I’m arguing over what to call your
stupid activities.”
“I wouldn’t have to do stupid activities if you treated your
workers better. This entire Corporate Cares program is because
of you and your lawsuit.”
Granted, I’ve taken the program much further than Stuart
White wanted it to go, but Luke doesn’t need to know that.
“I don’t care what you think about me or the lawsuit,” he
says. “I know the truth.”
Nano pops his head inside the trailer. “Luke, we need you
out here for a second.” He glances between us, sensing the
tension. “If it’s not a good time, we can do it later.”
“Now is great.” Luke follows Nano outside while I’m left
thinking about his words.
I finally get my shot to prove myself at work, and what do
I do with it? I plan meet-and-greets, movie parties, and pie-
eating contests. And on top of all of that, Colleen thinks she
overestimated me. But the truth is, she’s right about the
project. If I want to slow things down, I’m going to have to get
my hands dirty.
I don’t even like dirty hands…literally or figuratively.
Luke’s phone rings from where he left it on his desk. I
contemplate taking it out to him but decide to answer it and
take a message instead.
“Hello?”
“Hi. This is Stephanie from Next Level Doors. I’m looking
for Luke McKenna.”
“He stepped away from his desk right now. Can I leave
him a message?” I grab a sticky note and a pen.
“Maybe you can help me,” she says. “We’re ready to ship
out all the doorknobs and room card readers, but I wanted to
clarify your address. I have you at Fork Rd, The Settlement,
Providenciales, TKCA 1ZZ. Is that correct?”
I mentally go through the address as she says it. It is
correct, but what if I change it to the Grand Turks island?
What if all the door readers get delivered to the wrong part of
Turks and Caicos? That would be enough to cause a major
delay.
“Miss? Are you still there?”
“Uh, yes. Sorry. I was just double-checking the address.
There’s actually one thing wrong with what you have. Instead
of Providenciales, it needs to say Grand Turks.”
“Oh, wow. I’m glad I called,” the lady says. “I’m not sure
how we got that so wrong.”
“It’s an easy mistake. Both addresses are the same except
for what island they’re on.”
“Okay, I made that correction. These will ship out from
Louisiana first thing in the morning and should be to you by
the beginning of next week.”
“Great. Thanks.”
I end the call and back away from Luke’s phone.
My stomach’s tight, and my heart’s beating faster than
normal. I feel like calling the woman back and telling her I
was wrong, but I can’t.
I have to do this for Colleen.
 And if I want to be taken seriously, I need to be willing to
make big moves.
But it’s not even like this address switch is a big move. It’s
an honest mistake, something I caught last week with the
restaurant supply company. If I hadn’t fixed it then, those
items would’ve been delayed. So I just switched the delay to
the card readers instead.
It’s not that big of a deal.
It doesn’t mean I’m a terrible person.
I love animals…from a distance. I don’t harm them or
anything like that.
I help old people. There was that time an old woman in the
grocery store could barely walk, so I got a motorized cart and
helped her get the items she needed.
I don’t litter, and I recycle whenever possible.
See…I’m not a bad person.
CHAPTER 18
 LUKE

T he sun hangs low in the sky as I clean up my tools and

secure the construction site for the night. The last of the
crew drives away in their cars, leaving me alone in the
parking lot. I glance around, looking for Nano. It’s not like
him to work past closing time. Especially on a Friday night.
I pull out my phone.
Luke: Where are you? I’m waiting on you to go home.

Nano: I forgot to tell you. Tessa gave me a ride.

Tessa gave him a ride? Are they best friends now? She
seems to be best friends with everyone, and she’s only been
here for two weeks.
I’m not sure why that puts me in a bad mood, but it does.
Everything regarding Tessa puts me in a bad mood.
I fling open my truck door and climb inside. I don’t feel
like going home.
Mostly because I don’t want to be alone with my
roommate. It’s uncomfortable. I already have to suffer through
working with her every day and her stupid shenanigans. The
last thing I want to do is go home and hang out with her.
Who wears a fancy hot pink dress and then sumo wrestles
in it?
Tessa does.
 And beyond that, who rents sumo wrestling suits for a
construction site?
Tessa, again.
I could never like someone like her.
Am I attracted to her?
Yes. You got me. I’m attracted to her.
But the attraction I’ve felt since she got here is based
purely on carnal desires. Carnal desires that have surfaced
because I haven’t dated a woman in months.
Who am I kidding? It’s been years since I’ve dated—or
even noticed—a woman. I purposely live my life so that I
don’t have to. So that I won’t end up like my dad, married and
divorced five times, chasing one beautiful woman after
another.
It’s this dating drought—as some might call it—that’s
causing me to notice Tessa. That, and my rigorous work
schedule.
Nothing else.
I’m just stressed.
Easy fix. I need to relax. Something more than my usual
running. I need to go fishing—hear the way the line unravels,
feel the lull of the boat, smell the bait as I open the can.
Fishing and a little physical activity should work off whatever
tension I feel.
Tessa Johnson will be out of my mind before I even know
it.
I drive to Bugaloo’s, looking for a distraction. The parking
lot is full, and a group of people is gathered around the bar. I
park my car and walk up, but my steps pause when I see Tessa
in her pink dress, sitting at a table with Nano and Kingston.
This isn’t what I signed up for.
I turn in the opposite direction, heading back to my car, but
it’s too late.
 “Luke?” Nano calls. “Where are you going?”
I run a hand down my face and spin around, walking
toward them, purposely choosing the seat farthest away from
Tessa, but I don’t think it through very well. I’m directly
facing her—terrible placement for trying not to look at her and
be reminded of my raging attraction.
“I didn’t think you guys would be here,” I say, looking at
Nano.
“I told Tessa I’d show her what everyone does on the
weekends. We drink and eat conch fritters.” Nano raises his
bottle in the air, hitting it against Kingston’s.
“What about the women?” Tessa asks. “Don’t you guys
have girlfriends?”
“I have a wife,” Kingston says.
Tessa spins in her chair toward him. “And where is she?”
“I’m avoiding going home because we’re in a fight,” he
says.
“No, Kingston!” Tessa groans. “Your wife doesn’t want to
be in a fight with you. She’s secretly wishing that you’ll come
home, apologize for everything, and that you two can spend
the rest of the night making up.”
Kingston’s eyes lift. “Do you really think that?”
“I know that. Go home to your wife.”
Now Tessa gives relationship advice? What is even
happening?
Kingston looks at Nano and me like he’s caught in a Jedi
mind trick. He suddenly stands. “Tessa’s right. I’m going
home to my wife to apologize.” He slaps us on the shoulders
as he leaves.
“What about you, Nano?” she asks, smiling at him.
“There’s got to be a girl on this island you’re interested in.”
Nano looks down, embarrassed. “There’s one, Kimberley,
but she’s not interested in me. She barely sees me.”
 “Oh, come on!” she says. “You’re a handsome man. I’m
sure she’s interested.”
“I don’t think she even notices me.”
Tessa sits up straighter. “I’ll get her to notice you.”
“How?”
“I’ll pretend to like you.”
“Will that work?”
“Of course. It’s foolproof.”
I huff, causing Tessa to switch her gaze to me.
One eyebrow lifts. “What? You don’t think my plan will
work?”
“I think it’s presumptuous of you to act like a little bit of
your attention could change so much.”
“Like it or not, an attractive woman showing interest in
Nano will give him street cred. It makes him desirable.”
“An attractive woman?” I challenge her assessment of
herself, even though I know she’s dead-on.
“Some might call me that.” She shrugs in an adorable way,
then inclines her head. “But clearly, you’re not attracted to
me.”
I lift my drink to my lips. “Not really.”
I’m just stressed.
Everyone’s defenses weaken when they’re stressed.
Nano laughs. “What are you attracted to, Luke? I’ve
known you for a year, and I still can’t figure out your type.”
I shake my head, not answering. What would I even say?
The women I’ve dated in the past haven’t made marriage seem
worthwhile, which is fine. I don’t have plans to fall in love and
get married.
“I know his type,” Tessa says.
Nano’s face glows with amusement. “You do?”
 I’m sure Tessa thinks she knows my type, since she thinks
she knows the answer to everything.
“Yeah.” She nods. “I bet a guy like Luke likes the pick me
girl.”
“The pick me girl?” Nano questions.
“She’s the girl who thinks she’s not like the other girls. She
goes to great lengths to prove that she’s so unique. The type
who wears Converse tennis shoes with her prom dress—”
Nano points down. “You’re wearing tennis shoes with your
dress.”
“That’s different.” Tessa shakes her head. “I don’t want to
wear tennis shoes with my dress. I want to wear my heels, but
since a certain person took it upon himself to saw them apart, I
figured it was safer for the rest of my heels if I wore tennis
shoes.”
“I see.” Nano nods.
Tessa’s focus returns to me. Her eyes rove up and down,
assessing me, and I don’t like it.
“Yes, Luke likes the girl who only hangs out with boys
because she’s above girl drama. She’s so chill, proving how
much she’s not like other women.”
I think back to all the women I’ve dated or been interested
in over the last twelve years of my life. I hate it, but Tessa’s
right. I’ve literally been dating the exact opposite of the
women my dad marries—the exact opposite of Tessa—and it’s
gotten me nowhere.
“Are you a pick me girl?” Nano asks.
“No, I’m the antithesis of the pick me girl. I’m the
stereotypical woman, a girl’s girl. I like nail salons on
Saturdays, Sunday brunch with cute place settings, the sound
of hangers on a clothing rack, making things beautiful, and
eating chocolate while a shirtless Ryan Gosling plays on my
TV.”
There’s something endearing about the honest way Tessa
describes herself. I can easily picture her loving everything she
said, but the weird part is that it makes her more likable to me,
not less. It doesn’t make any sense. Nail salons and Sunday
brunch have no place in my life.
Tessa frowns at me. “But Luke’s got a big problem.”
Nano leans forward, more interested than he should be.
“What’s Luke’s problem?”
“Women don’t like irritable men like him,” she says
matter-of-factly.
Who made Tessa Johnson the aficionado on what women
like? I’d love nothing more than to prove her wrong. There’s a
giant chip on my shoulder now—I might as well get some dip
to go with it.
I turn so my body is facing hers. “Some women do.”
“What?” She leans toward me, acting like she didn’t hear.
“Some women do like men like me.”
“Maybe at first, when they look at you and see the whole
handsome thing you’ve got going on.” She gestures up and
down my body, and my stomach tightens. Did Tessa just
inadvertently tell me she thinks I’m handsome? Is she as
attracted to me as I am to her?
Nope.
I’m forgetting that piece of information. It doesn’t help my
carnal man problems.
In one ear and out the other.
“But then, you glare and frown and don’t speak.” She
crosses her knee over her leg, slowly stirring her drink. “You
lose every woman at that point.”
“Maybe I only glare, frown, and don’t speak to you.”
“Really? When’s the last time you kissed a woman?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It shows the last time a woman liked you enough to trust
you with a little bit of affection.”
I shake my head. “I’m not answering that.”
 “Because you know I’m right.” She tips her glass in my
direction like she’s won the argument, then takes a sip.
I internally groan.
Tessa is right. It’s definitely been a while since I’ve kissed
a woman. So long, in fact, that I’ve lost track.
I’d like nothing more than to lie just to put her in her place,
but I don’t lie.
Ever.
And I’m not about to start lying because of her.
I’m not my father.
Nano hits me on the chest. “Maybe Tessa should pretend
like she’s interested in you so that you can get a woman too.”
No. Absolutely not.
She leans in, placing her soft fingers on top of mine. “I can
help Luke if he’ll let me. I help all my siblings and friends find
love.”
I jerk my arm away, trying to stop the slow spread of heat
her touch created. “I don’t need your help.”
Her expression turns playful. “It kind of sounds like you
do.”
“There are a lot of women here. Maybe we should have
Tessa help you right now.” Nano stands. “I’m going to go sit at
the bar, so it looks like you guys are on a date. Tessa can try
out her moves on you.”
I shake my head, starting to stand also, but Nano puts his
hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down into my chair.
“Let’s just see what happens if Tessa pretends to like you,” he
says. “Consider it a test run before we try it with Kimberley.”
He slaps my shoulder and walks away.
I grit my teeth, watching him go. I already know what will
happen if Tessa pretends to like me—I’ll get sweaty, my heart
will race, and my stomach will bottom out.
I’m just stressed.
 That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Tessa leans her chin against her hand, dazzling me with her
smile, but I can’t be dazzled.
“This is a date,” she says.
“It’s not a date,” I mutter.
“Did you ask me out, or did I ask you?”
I look away. “It’s not a date.”
A waitress walks up to our table, setting down two sets of
silverware. “What can I get you guys?”
“We’re not ordering food,” I say firmly. Ordering food
makes this a date, and it’s not a date.
Tessa grins up at the woman. “Hi, Tina. How did your
track meet go?”
My brows furrow. How does Tessa know the waitress’s
first name or that she was in a track meet?
“The race went pretty well.” Tina smiles. “My time
qualified for the semifinals.”
“Let me know when it is,” Tessa says. “We’d love to come
watch you.” She points back and forth between us.
We?
Tessa and I are not a we.
Tina nods. “Okay. That would be fun.” She flips her
notepad open. “So no food for you guys?”
I shake my head just as Tessa says, “I’ll take the grilled
chicken, and Luke will have the steak.”
“Sounds good.” Tina jots down the order and then walks
away.
I glare back at Tessa.
“What? Did you want the grilled chicken too?” she asks.
“If so, I’ll trade you straight across.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’ll eat the steak.”
 She stares at me for a long moment with her sparkling blue
eyes. I don’t like it or the way it makes my stomach twist.
“What?” I snap.
“I’m guessing you’re from Delaware,” she says out of
nowhere.
“Delaware?”
“Yep. You’re from Delaware and proud of it. I don’t know
anything about Delaware, but I’m sure it’s a lovely place if
you like boring things.”
“You just offended an entire state,” I say.
“You’re only offended because you’re from there.”
“I’m not from Delaware.”
“Washington?”
I shake my head.
“Oregon? California?” Her brows lift. “Idaho? Nevada?
Utah? Arizona?”
“Are you going to list all fifty states?”
“No, I’m going to sing them. Ala-bama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, CONNECTICUT!” She’s
wearing a playful grin, like she could do this all day.
My expression is unchanging. “Are you singing the Fifty
Nifty United States song?”
She ignores me and keeps on singing with obnoxious
fervor. “Delaware, Florida—”
“Florida,” I say, stopping her with my hand. “I’m from
Jacksonville.”
Her singing pauses, and her lips lift even more. “You’re
from Florida too?”
“Born and raised.”
“Huh.” She sits there for a minute, processing something.
“I bet you were the captain of the football team.”
 “Not even close. I didn’t have time for sports. I needed to
make money. I was a department manager at the local Home
Depot.”
“Ah! A playground for someone like you.”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Did you always want to go into construction?”
“When I was little, I wanted to go into business like my
dad.”
“What happened to that dream?”
“I grew up.”
And realized my dad was a lying, double-faced cheater.
She nods in understanding. “I wanted to be a mom. Do the
whole thing where you volunteer at the elementary school and
drive kids to soccer practice.”
Her revelation surprises me. It doesn’t add up—at least not
with the idea of her I have in my mind.
“What happened to that dream?” I ask.
The playful glimmer that was in her eyes moments ago
fades as she shrugs. “I grew up.”
We sit there for a moment, staring at each other, until she
finally looks away. Her head turns to the trio of men across the
restaurant playing a romantic song for a couple sitting at a
table.
“Do you want to know what I really hate?” she asks,
leaning back into her chair.
“I’m sure you’ll tell me even if I don’t want to know.”
Her eyes flick to me. “I hate serenades.”
“Serenades?”
“Yes, they’re the worst.”
“I would’ve thought a woman like you would love having
a man serenade you with a song.”
 “I’ve never actually had it done to me, but I can imagine
how awkward it would be. I mean, look at this couple.” She
gestures across the restaurant. “Where are they supposed to
look?”
I tilt my head, examining them. “Into the each other’s
eyes?”
“And have a staring contest?” She shakes her head. “No,
thank you. And then there’s so much pressure to act like you
love the song when inside you’re panicking.”
“They don’t look like they’re panicking.” The couple
smiles up at the trio of musicians.
“That’s just an act.”
“Why are they panicking?”
“Because they don’t know if they should nod, blink, smile,
or pretend to cry. And now everyone in the restaurant is
staring at them, analyzing their reaction. Judging them. We
are.”
“I can see you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
“I have.” Her chin lifts. “It’s literally my worst nightmare.”
The song ends, and the crowd claps.
Tessa turns her focus to me. “Have you ever…you know…
serenaded a woman before?”
“Do I seem like the type of guy who serenades women?”
“No, not really.” A slow smile spreads across her lips. “I
wish I knew what type of guy you are.”
“I thought you had me pegged as the moody, workaholic
contractor who doesn’t know how to have fun.”
She shrugs. “When are first impressions ever right?
People’s first impressions of me are never accurate. At least, I
hope they aren’t.”
I thought my first impression of Tessa was right. I thought
she was a superficial woman who only cared about herself, but
the more time I spend with her, the more I’m starting to
wonder if that’s true.
Tina walks up to the table, placing two plates of food in
front of us.
“This looks fabulous.” Tessa leans forward, smelling the
grilled chicken. “I’m starving.”
“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asks.
“Yes, can you bring Luke some steak sauce?” Tessa
grimaces. “This is our first date, and he’s too shy to ask for
anything.” She looks over at me, and the amused expression is
back on her face. “I’m sure by date two, he won’t be so
afraid.”
“Sure.” Tina eyes me as she walks away.
I shoot my glare back to Tessa. “Date two?”
“Well, yeah. If I’m paying for tonight, I expect you to take
me out sometime.”
“This isn’t a date. Therefore, there won’t be a date two.”
“If you say so,” she says, taking a bite of her food.
But the longer we sit here, the more it does feel like a date,
and the more I realize I’m actually enjoying it.
CHAPTER 19
 LUKE

I come out of the shower Saturday morning, and what do I

see? Tessa in a bikini, sunbathing on my back porch. It
sounds like a dream come true for most men, but it’s not.
Not when I’m doing everything in my power to stay away
from her. Last night’s not-a-date dinner didn’t help things, nor
does this scene.
I push the heels of my hands into my eyes and rub, hoping
I can unsee what I just saw.
But I can’t.
That vision is imprinted on my mind forever, like the tune
to the State Farm Insurance commercials. Like a good
neighbor, State Farm is there.
I check my phone. There are two missed calls from the
landscaper. His crew is working today at the hotel. I turn away
from Tessa and dial his number, thankful to have something
else to think about.
The phone rings three times, and then Randy picks up.
“Luke, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you,” Randy says.
He’s got a thick island accent, but I’ve worked with him long
enough to be able to understand him well.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“One of my men broke some of the white roof tiles on
building two.”
“What do you mean?”
 “He was running the excavator, and he wasn’t paying
attention. When the arm swung around, it hit the top corner of
building two and broke six feet of roof tiles.”
I swipe a hand over my face.
“That’s a huge problem. I don’t understand how something
like that could’ve happened.”
Behind me, Tessa steps into the house. I shoot a glance in
her direction. She’s standing in her bikini, listening to my
conversation. I advert my eyes, trying to keep my focus on the
phone call.
“I know it’s a huge problem,” Randy says. “That’s why
I’m calling you.”
I sigh. “Okay. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Sure. See you in a bit.”
I switch off the call.
“Is there a problem at the hotel?” Tessa is annoyingly
eager to be kept in the loop.
“No,” I say with a hard voice. I walk to my room to grab
my shoes, but she follows me.
“There must be a problem, or you wouldn’t be so upset.”
I turn over my shoulder and frown at her. “I’m upset
because you’re in my room.”
In your bikini.
This should be the one place I can go to get away from
Tessa. It’s my safe house.
She looks around. There’s a pile of dirty laundry on the
floor in the corner, garbage overflowing out of the can, and
none of the drawers to my dresser are closed. But the new
comforter she gave me is spread across my bed. It’s
surprisingly soft. I’ve been sleeping better the last two weeks.
That’s one good thing that’s come from Tessa being here.
“Oh, look.” She points to the friendship bracelet she made
me that’s still on top of my dresser next to a stack of books. “I
knew you didn’t have it in you to throw it away.”
Great.
I should’ve put that in the garbage when I had the chance.
“I meant to throw it away.”
She smiles. “But you didn’t.”
I shake my head, irritated. “This is my personal space. You
don’t belong in here.”
“You’re fine.” She dismisses my words with the toss of her
hand. “Are you going to the hotel right now to check out the
problem?”
“I was going there anyway.”
“I’m coming too!” She whips around and hurries out of the
room.
My head slowly drops. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am!” she calls from her bedroom. “This is my
project too.”
Tessa’s like a leech stuck to me, slowly sucking the blood
out of my body.
A second later, she pops her head into my room. She’s
wearing a white tank top, denim shorts, and flip-flops. “I’m
ready! Should we take my car?”
I grab my keys, heading for the front door.
“I think we should take my car,” she says again, following
me outside. “Your truck smells. I’m still convinced you
transported a dead body in it.”
I pull open the door. “I haven’t yet, but the more time I
spend with you, the more likely that becomes probable.”
“Luke! I didn’t know you could be funny,” she says,
walking around to the passenger side.
“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”
“Maybe you should,” she says, climbing into the truck.
 I’m not sure how I got here—headed to work with Tessa in
my truck. She hasn’t showered yet from sunbathing, but she
doesn’t smell bad. She smells like Tropicana tanning lotion.
Her blonde hair is tucked into a high ponytail with pieces
falling out the front, and she’s in full makeup. Who wears
makeup when they’re laying out? Her bikini straps peek out
from under her tank top, and her denim shorts are…well,
short. But it’s better than having her walk around in her bikini,
trust me.
She leans forward and fiddles with the stereo. “Does this
thing work?”
“No.”
“Are you serious?” She keeps turning the dial, hitting
every static station. “So you never listen to music?”
“No.”
“You drive in silence everywhere?”
“I like silence.”
She leans back as if she’s contemplating the idea of
silence. Seconds pass. There’s an unusually uncomfortable
period of noiselessness between us.
She shakes her head. “I tried silence, and I’m not a fan.”
Yeah, I figured.
She reaches for the dial again, determined to find a radio
station that works.
I hit her hand away. “Would you leave that alone?”
She sits back in her seat. “So, what’s the problem at the
construction site?”
“It’s not a problem.”
“That’s not what it sounded like when you were on the
phone.” She rolls down the window, tilting the side mirror in
her direction so she can check herself out.
“Don’t worry about me,” I say dryly. “I don’t need mirrors
while I drive. Blindspots are overrated.”
 She throws me a subtle smile, then goes back to fluffing
her hair. “From the phone call, it sounded pretty serious.”
“A few roof tiles are broken.”
She flips her ponytail. “That’s going to set you back a
couple of days, isn’t it? Or more? Maybe it will set you back a
week or two.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“You don’t have to say right now. We can look at the
damage first.” She lifts her feet, resting her flip-flops against
the dash.
“Do you have to touch everything in the car?”
She ignores me, diving right into a getting-to-know-you
speech. “So Luke, tell me about yourself. We already know
you’re from Jacksonville and that you worked at Home Depot.
What else?”
I remain silent.
“Oh, come on. If we don’t have a radio, we might as well
get to know each other a little bit. I mean, we’re living
together. That’s usually one of the last steps in a relationship.”
We are not in a relationship.
“I don’t share my life story with people,” I say.
“Why? Is it tragic?” she jokes.
My back tenses, and somehow, she picks up on it.
“I shouldn’t have said that.” I feel her gaze on me, but I
don’t meet it. “In my experience, life is tragic, and it’s
nobody’s fault.” Her voice is soft, like when she was talking
about the North Star or wanting to grow up and be a mom. Her
softness seeps into me, and suddenly, I wish I trusted her
enough to tell her my story.
That’s not good.
Tessa’s not supposed to have that kind of effect on me.
“I’ll tell you about me.” She taps on her chin with her
finger, flipping back into her playful side. “You already know
what I do for work. That’s like half of my life. The other half
is taken up by—”
“Shopping?” I say, trying to fight off the feelings inside me
with a bit of rudeness. It’s the defense mechanism I adopted
after my dad left.
“No.” She shakes her head, unfazed by my rude comment.
“I was going to say family. I have such a great family. I’m the
youngest. The caboose, as my dad says.”
I heard her talk on the phone with her sister when she first
arrived, so I know she has a family. But this feels different.
The glow in her eyes and the smile on her face make it seem
like these people really mean the world to her—more than a
shirtless Ryan Gosling.
“I would do anything for anyone in my family. One of
those If you mess with them, then you mess with me things.”
I can definitely picture Tessa taking on the world for
someone she loves.
“Now, this might surprise you, but I’m not the favorite
child. Heck, it surprises me, but all three of my siblings are
overachievers.”
Isn’t Tessa an overachiever, too, getting promoted within
WhiteSands Resorts at such a young age?
“My brother, Matt, works for NASA. Yeah,” she scoffs,
“try living up to that kind of intelligence. He’s not like a
normal big brother who beats you up for his own
entertainment. He’s nice.”
My shoulders relax, and my grip on the steering wheel
loosens as I listen to her talk. I hope my little sisters say the
same thing about me.
“Then there’s my sister, Meg. She’s sweet and perfect in
every way—the kind of perfection that makes you want to
grow up and be just like her, but also hate her at the same time
because you know that no matter what you do, you’ll never be
as good as her or have what she’ll have.”
 I glance over at Tessa. She’s looking out the window,
floating her hand in the wind. There’s a sadness in her voice, a
vulnerability I haven’t seen yet, making me wonder what she’s
thinking about.
“After Meg is my sister Brooke. We’re the closest. Brooke
is sweet like Meg, but she accepts me for who I am and sees
the best in me. That’s how my mom was too.”
“Was?” I wasn’t planning on saying anything, but the more
time I spend with her, the more my defenses soften.
Her head slowly turns to me. “My mom died eleven
months ago.”
I look over at her and see the way her eyes fill up with
tears. They don’t fall; just hold steady until she can blink them
away.
“Lupus,” she says. “Like who even knows what lupus is or
that it could kill someone you love? Stupid autoimmune
disease.”
“I’m sorry.” My voice is low and tender, surprising me.
Her lips turn upward into a brave smile. “Eh.” She shrugs.
“Everybody’s got their problems.”
They sure do.
In a way, it’s refreshing to see how openly Tessa talks
about her family and her struggles. I keep everything that
happened with my dad bottled up inside. It festers and makes
me angry until I want to punch something…or him.
“Then there’s my dad, Paul,” she says, single-handedly
continuing the conversation. “He’s a family man through and
through and always knows what to do when we’re struggling.
He got remarried a few months ago to a woman that looks
exactly like my mom.”
“Was that weird?”
“It was at first, but now that I know her better, she doesn’t
remind me of my mom. She’s a nice lady, and I’m happy that
my dad’s not alone. Lately, he’s been so focused on his new
life that I don’t talk to him as much.”
 There’s another tinge of sadness to her voice, but she
shrugs it away. “So now you know all about my family, the
most important people in my life.”
We sit in silence for a minute. I don’t like the growing
feeling in my chest or how these little insights into Tessa have
attached themselves to me.
Because this conversation has made her human. She’s no
longer just a replica of Colleen Samson.
But I can’t let myself see Tessa’s human side. She’s not
what I want. I need a flashing neon light in the corner of my
brain that keeps that information at the forefront of my mind.
“Hamburgers or hotdogs?” Tessa asks out of nowhere.
I eye her. “Are you hungry or something?”
“I’m asking you if you prefer hamburgers or hotdogs.”
My nose wrinkles. “Why? Are you cooking something
later?”
“Hamburgers or hotdogs?” she presses again.
I shrug. “Hamburgers.”
“Staying in or going out?”
I turn my head to her, confused. “To eat a hamburger?”
“No!” she groans. “I’m asking you questions, trying to get
to know you better. It seems like you don’t like talking about
yourself, so I thought the hamburger or hotdog game would be
an easy way to learn something about you.”
I don’t like talking about myself, but something about her
little game reminds me of my sisters. They play the alphabet
game on long road trips to pass the time. Is Tessa trying to
pass the time, or does she really want to get to know me?
She repeats the question. “Do you like to stay in or go
out?”
I stare back at the road before finally deciding to answer.
“Stay in.”
“Calling or texting?”
 “Texting.”
“Thanksgiving or Christmas?”
I shoot my gaze to her. She’s still staring out the window
with her hand surfing the wind. “Christmas.”
“Brownies or chocolate chip cookies?”
“Brownies.”
“Really?” Her lips turn down into a cute frown. “You
blew that one.”
“I didn’t realize there was a right answer,” I say dryly.
“Everyone knows chocolate chip cookies are always the
right answer. Dirty socks or dirty underwear?”
“Neither.”
“Good answer.” She nods back at me. “Television or
movies?”
“Movies.”
“Family or friends?”
“Family.”
Her brows rise like she’s surprised by that one.
“Family game night or family hike?”
“Game night,” I say.
“Good answer.”
“Mom or dad?”
My hands grip the steering wheel tighter. “Mom.”
“Not both?” I can feel her looking at me, but I don’t meet
her gaze.
“Mom,” I say again resolutely.
“Are your issues with your dad past or present?”
“What makes you think I have issues with my dad?”
She points to my hands. “The way you’re white-knuckling
the steering wheel was my first clue.”
 I spread my fingers apart, trying to relax.
Her eyes are still on me. “Are the issues past or present?”
“Past.” I shake my head, changing my answer. “Both.”
“Forgiveness or blame?”
“Definitely blame,” I mutter.
“Justice or mercy?”
“Justice.”
“Was your dad a good dad or a bad dad?”
I pause, thinking about this one. He was a good dad until
he lied to our family and broke my mom’s heart. That’s part of
the problem. I looked up to the man, wanted to be like him.
Now I want to be his polar opposite.
“Bad dad,” I finally answer.
Her head inclines. “So you never want to move on? Get
over it?”
I level her with my gaze. “That question isn’t part of the
game.”
“Fine.” She shrugs. “Moving on or staying in a deep, dark
pit of anger and despair?”
“Neither.”
“No,” she says firmly. “You have to choose one.”
“I didn’t have to choose one with the dirty socks or dirty
underwear.”
“That’s because those are gross.”
“Well, I don’t like either of your options,” I say, pulling
into the resort’s parking lot. “Moving on is out of the question,
but so is a deep, dark pit of anger and despair. Change it to
moving on or living your best life without your dad in it.”
“Nope.” She lifts her chin. “That’s not the question.”
My chest burns with irritation. I’m mad at myself for even
having this conversation with Tessa. I don’t talk about my life,
and I can’t believe I opened up to her.
 “Well, this game is stupid. How about that?” I say.
“You’re being stupid because you won’t answer honestly.”
I’m really being immature, but nothing makes sense with
Tessa. All I know is she aggravates me, and arguing with her is
better than falling for her. We sit there for a minute in a stare
down until I finally grab my things and get out of the truck,
slamming the door behind me.
CHAPTER 20
 TESSA

I follow Luke to where the landscapers are working on the

side of the property. Randy walks out to meet us, pointing
up to building two.
“Right there,” he says. “See the cracked and broken roof
tiles?”
“How could I miss them?” Luke says.
He straightens, putting his hands on his hips. He’s wearing
his usual work attire: shorts, work boots, and a t-shirt. I
wonder what he’d look like in a tailored suit and dress shoes. I
bet he’d look amazing. Those broad shoulders in a tight-fitting
jacket—yes, please! I wouldn’t do anything different with his
hair. He’s already got the perfect flow going with that.
But Luke actually putting a suit on? It will never happen.
He’ll probably be buried in those work boots.
I lift my hand, shielding my eyes from the sun to get a
better look at the roof. The broken area is at least six feet wide.
It’s like a dream come true. An answer to prayers.
“Who did this?” Luke asks.
Marty steps up from behind. “It was me. I lost focus for
one minute.”
Luke’s voice is harsh. “This is a huge problem. I don’t
know if I’ll be able to get the roofers back in time to fix this
before the opening.”
 That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day—a delay that
wasn’t caused by me and won’t make me feel guilty.
“Sometimes things like this happen on construction sites,”
Marty defends.
Luke throws his arms up to the roof. “Mistakes like this
cannot happen. Forget about the cost and delay. Someone
could’ve been seriously injured or killed by the falling roof
tiles.”
Marty’s expression drops, and I hate it.
“I think we’re looking at this the wrong way,” I cut in.
Luke’s sharp gaze immediately finds me, but I ignore it.
I’m trying out my leadership skills.
“This isn’t a problem,” I say. “This is an opportunity.”
“An opportunity?” Luke scoffs.
Opportunity is what everyone back at corporate says.
Normally I find the phrase cheesy, but I’m trying to channel
my inner VP of Openings, and this is exactly the kind of thing
Colleen would say.
I meet his glower with a smile. “Yes. We should be
thanking Marty for this opportunity to work together and get
the roof fixed.”
His jaw hardens. “Great. I’m passing this opportunity over
to you. You can schedule with the roofers to come and get this
fixed before the opening.” He turns and walks away, saying as
he leaves, “It’s not my problem anymore.”
I nod at Randy and Marty, then chase after Luke. I seem to
be doing that a lot, which is odd.
“Where are you going?” I call.
“The main lobby.”
“What are you doing in the main lobby?” I ask, catching
up to him.
“Working.”
 “Working.” I copy his deep, brusqueness. “Are you ever in
a good mood?”
“I’ll be in a good mood when the hotel is done on time.”
If I have anything to say about it, the hotel won’t be done
on time. Does that mean Luke will never be in a good mood?
That’s a shame. I was hoping to see his smile at least one time
before I go back to Florida.
“How long are you going to be at the hotel today?”
“A couple of hours.”
“Hours! It’s a Saturday!”
“Well, you should’ve driven your own car, because I’m
going to be here for a while.” He takes the steps up to the main
building two at a time.
Oh, that’s just great. I love hanging out with a brunette
Oscar the Grouch, on my day off.
“What am I supposed to do? I don’t even have my laptop
with me,” I complain.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” He sets his stuff down on
the front desk and starts lifting the newly painted doors one by
one to their locations.
I watch him for a minute, thinking through my options. “I
need the phone number for the roofers if I’m going to fix that
opportunity,” I say.
“It’s on my laptop in the trailer.” He walks past me with
another door. “Island Tile Roofs. The contact is in my address
book.”
“Does the laptop have a password?”
Probably Ihatepeople.
His hazel eyes stop on me. “Uh…” He clears his throat.
“The password is Polaris.”
My mouth drops. “Polaris?”
“With a capital P.” His eyes shift back to his work as if
he’s sooooo busy.
 What kind of weird coincidence is this? That’s my
password for everything. I can’t even ask him about it because
he disappears around the corner.
My guess: he changed the password the other day when I
brought home the painting of the North Star. He probably
thought, What can I do to make fun of Tessa? Oh, I know! I
can take the one thing she loves in life and make it my
computer password, just to bug her.
Hateful man!
I walk to the trailer, sit at his desk, and open the laptop.
My fingers punch Polaris into the keyboard.
Sure enough, it works.
I open up his email provider and look around until I find
an email from the roofers. I debate whether or not I should
actually email them. The broken roof might be the nail in the
coffin on this project.
I don’t email them. Instead, I write their information down
on a sticky note. I can call them in a few days.
Besides, it’s Saturday.
Nobody but Luke works on a Saturday.
CHAPTER 21
 LUKE

“Y ou’re awfully quiet,” I say, looking over at Tessa in

the front seat of my truck. The afternoon glow lights
up her blonde hair as we drive home from the hotel.
She doesn’t look at me, just keeps studying the lowering
sun. “I thought you liked silence.”
“I do.”
She squirms in her seat like she’s uncomfortable.
I glance her way again. She’s completely sunburned. Her
skin is bright red, and I can see a white line around her neck
where her bikini strap was tied all day but has now shifted.
Earlier, I saw her down at the beach, laying out. I’d bet my
truck she never put any sunblock on, only tanning lotion.
You’d think someone who’s worried about how they look
all the time would see the value of taking care of their skin.
Whatever. What do I care if she’s burned?
I don’t. I don’t care at all, because I don’t care about Tessa.
Except I’m already thinking about whether or not I have
aloe vera and Tylenol back at the rental house.
So much for not caring.
The rest of the drive home is quiet. When we get back to
the house, Tessa heads to the bathroom. After a few minutes,
the beads start rattling. I look over and see something pressed
against the fabric. She’s using the toilet brush to shake the
beaded curtain.
 “You know, shaking the beads just draws more attention to
your bathroom visits,” I say.
The movement comes to an abrupt stop, and a few seconds
later, the shower turns on.
I bang around the kitchen for a little bit, boiling some
noodles. I throw in a little extra for Tessa. She probably
doesn’t even eat noodles—too many carbs. I stand by the
stove, watching the water boil, until I finally give up and grab
the aloe vera in the top drawer of my nightstand and drop it on
her bed.
There.
I’m not a complete jerk.
I gave her something for her sunburn because, contrary to
popular belief, I’m a decent human being.
I open the sliding glass door and take a seat on one of the
lounge chairs on the back patio, waiting for my noodles to be
done. The sky is full of color as the sun sets in the distance,
creating a warm glow across the lagoon.
The bathroom beads rattle, and I hear Tessa walk across
the tile floor. I turn over my shoulder, catching the last second
before she escapes into her bedroom. She’s got a towel
wrapped around her hair and another wrapped around her
body.
That’s the only thing wrapped around her body. I jerk my
head back to the lagoon, forcing my mind not to go places it
shouldn’t.
Being roommates with a woman is the absolute worst…or
best, depending on how you look at it.
In my case, it’s the worst.
After a few minutes, the door to her bedroom opens. I keep
my head straightforward. I am dialed in on this sunset. It is
just me and the color orange.
“I got sunburned today,” Tessa says behind me. “But I
guess you already knew that since you left the aloe vera on my
bed. Thanks for that.”
 The timer dings, and I stand up to turn the stove off,
bumping into her. She stands there, holding the towel against
her chest. By the look of her bare shoulders, I’m guessing she
doesn’t have anything on still. Wet hair hangs loosely around
her shoulders, dripping onto the towel. For the first time since
she arrived, she’s not wearing makeup, and dang, she looks
good even with the red sunburn.
“Can you put the aloe vera on my back? That’s the only
place I can’t reach.”
I step away from her, shaking my head. “No.”
I’m already having a hard time fighting my stupid
attraction to her. I don’t need to add touching and massaging
into the mix.
“Please?” she begs with her big blue eyes. “I need help.”
The timer dings again, and I point to the kitchen. “I need to
turn off the stove.” I step past her and head for the kitchen. My
heart’s beating fast, and suddenly there’s sweat gathering on
my lower back. How does that happen so quickly?
I can hear her following behind me.
“Luke!” she whines, and it’s oddly cute. “My back is on
fire.”
“It’s not my fault.” I turn the stove off and drain the pot of
water, slamming it back onto the stovetop a little too hard.
“Come on! Help your roommate out.”
I flip around, facing her with an irritated expression.
“We’re not roommates, Tessa. We’re coworkers. Coworkers
don’t rub aloe vera on each other’s backs. Unless, of course,
we work at a massage parlor, which we don’t.”
Her brows bunch together. “Would one masseuse really
massage another masseuse?”
I roll my eyes. “You know what I meant. It’s not
appropriate for coworkers.”
“I’m not making a pass at you,” she says. “I just want
some relief for my freaking third-degree burn.”
 I fold my arms, leaning back into the counter. “No.”
I’m proving to myself that I’m not like my dad. I’m in
control of my feelings. I can go off sugar for a month and still
stand in the middle of an ice cream shop and not be tempted.
Is Tessa the sugar or the ice cream?
I’m not sure.
Either way, I’m not partaking.
“Fine.” She turns around, heading for her bedroom. “If my
skin peels off entirely, it’s your fault.”
The door slams, causing everything to shake.
An army of hormonally charged devils inside my head tells
me I made the wrong choice. But it would be weird if I
changed my mind now and knocked on her door.
That’s what I’m going to keep telling myself.
TESSA
MY SKIN IS LITERALLY ON FIRE .

But thanks to Luke’s aloe vera, I’m getting a little relief.

Except for my back, since I can’t reach it and Luke refuses
to help me.
Okay, I probably shouldn’t have asked for his help in the
first place. It wasn’t professional, but I’m desperate. And what
about this situation is professional to begin with? I’ve never
shared a rental house with any of the other men at WhiteSands
Resorts.
I come out of my bedroom and look around. The smell of
tomato sauce fills the small room, and there’s a bowl of
spaghetti left on the counter.
I smile.
Luke may not want to help with my sunburn, but he did
make me dinner. I pick up the bowl and the fork and walk out
to the patio. The sun is almost completely down, casting a blue
light in the sky.
Luke’s standing to the side of the porch in the sand,
bending over a small metal boat. He must’ve dragged it out
just now because it wasn’t there earlier.
“Thank you for the spaghetti,” I say, lifting the bowl
toward him as I sit on the lounge chair.
He doesn’t bother looking up. “It’s not a big deal. I had
extra.”
“Is any kindness you do for me a big deal?”
“No.” His eyes shoot to me, and there’s a hint of a smile.
Just a hint.
I twirl the noodles around my fork. “Is that your boat?”
 “Yeah.” He stands and walks to the back, securing a net
with a line of rope. “I haven’t used it in a while, though.”
“Are you using it now?” I peek up at the darkening sky.
“No. I’m going fishing in the morning and want to make
sure everything is ready.”
I look around the back deck and notice for the first time
the tackle box, fishing poles, and nets that are neatly stacked in
the corner.
He fishes.
It’s a little piece to the Luke jigsaw.
His phone rings, vibrating the table next to me. I read the
screen. “It’s your dad,” I say.
He straightens, reaching his hand out to stop me from
picking it up. A deathly frown crosses over his lips, matching
the one on his lips earlier today when he spoke about his dad.
“Don’t answer.”
“Okay.”
We’re silent, listening to the vibrating table until the phone
stops ringing. Then he relaxes, bending over the boat again.
My eyes drift to the blue water in front of us. “Do you fish
in the lagoon?” I ask, trying to ease the tension from the phone
call.
“It’s illegal to go there. I’m taking it out on the ocean to
Bird Rock Point.”
I tuck my legs under me. “Can I come?”
He stops what he’s doing and looks up. Another frown
crosses his face, making me feel self-conscious.
Why would I ask that?
The guy can’t stand me.
How pathetic am I?
“Never mind.” I shake my head. “I’m sure the last thing
you want is to go fishing with me.” My insecurities flare to
life, and I start talking fast. “I don’t even know how to fish,
and I’m sure I’d be bored. I mean, I’ll probably be bored
sitting at this house all day alone, but I have a car. I can go
sightseeing. Or to the beach. Actually, the beach would
probably aggravate my sunburn, so that won’t work.” I push a
smile onto my lips. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll figure
something out tomorrow. You don’t need to entertain me. If all
else fails, there’s always work. I can do something with Nano.
He—”
“Tessa.” Luke holds up the palm of his hand, stopping me.
I swallow back the rest of my awkwardness. “You can come
with me.”
“Oh.” My eyes widen. “Great.” I tuck a strand of my damp
hair behind my ear. “You’ll have to teach me. I’ve never
been.”
His phone rings again, and I glance down expecting his
dad, but it’s Lauren. A picture of a brown-haired beauty lights
up the screen. My immediate response is jealousy—a deep,
dark, twisty feeling that clutches my stomach.
“It’s Lauren,” I say.
He probably won’t answer her call either, but his
expression changes—brightens a little.
“I better take it.”
“Yeah, of course.” I pick up the device and quickly run it
down to him.
“Hey!” he says, answering the call. “Where have you been
all my life?” His voice is kind, and his lips lift into a small
smile.
It’s like a punch to the gut.
How come I can’t provoke that kind of reaction from
Luke? Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe I am the only
one he glares at, frowns at, and doesn’t speak to.
“No, I called you last time,” he says, then his gaze darts to
me. No doubt he’s wondering why I’m still standing here
listening to his conversation. I’m wondering the same thing. I
swing my arms back and forth and go back to the porch and
my bowl of spaghetti.
As if he knows I’m eavesdropping on his conversation, he
walks down to the water, far enough away that I can’t hear
anything. But I discreetly watch him as I finish my noodles.
Or maybe it’s not so discreet.
Wow, he sure has a lot to say to Lauren. Their conversation
has been going on for at least fifteen minutes. Apparently he’s
not a man of few words after all.
I lied when I said women don’t like grumpy men like
Luke. Mr. Darcy, the most brooding man of them all, is
beloved by women around the world. It shouldn’t be hard for a
man who looks like Luke McKenna to find women who are
interested in him, as we are clearly seeing now.
I finish my food and walk inside, rinsing the bowl out in
the sink. I look outside to the beach. Luke’s still on the phone.
I’m stalling—waiting for him to come back inside from his
romp with Lauren.
Tessa, stop being ridiculous. You don’t wait around for a
man.
That’s right.
When it comes to men, I’m in control.
I shake my head and walk to my room, shutting the door
behind me.
I pull out my phone and dial my dad’s phone number. It
rings and rings, but he doesn’t pick up. It’s Saturday night.
He’s probably out to dinner or at the movies with Anna Mae.
My dad has a more exciting nightlife than I do.
I gently lower myself to my bed, doing my best not to
disturb my sunburn. I scroll through Instagram for a while, but
that only magnifies my loneliness. Suddenly, I hate my life,
clothes, job, and smile.
Thank you, Instagram, for making me feel like a million
bucks.
 My head presses against the pillow, and I close my eyes,
daydreaming about a different life that doesn’t exist—a man
who loves me for me, not just loves how good I make him
look. He doesn’t care if I look perfect all of the time. Or care
that I can’t have children. He loves me for who I am.
In this dream world, my heart feels safe.
I sigh.
I wish that dream man existed.
But for fun, I close my eyes and pretend that Luke
McKenna was that man.
CHAPTER 22
 LUKE

I t’s dark, nothing but the full moon spilling through the
windows, filling up the space. I quietly creep to Tessa’s
room. I’m not sure why I’m being so quiet. Isn’t the goal
to wake her up so we can go fishing?
And why the heck did I even say she could go fishing with
me? Fishing was supposed to be my sanctuary, the thing that
took my mind off of her.
It was a momentary lapse in judgment.
She looked so disappointed when I didn’t immediately
agree to let her come. And then she started talking a lot. I think
she does that when she feels insecure, which I can’t wrap my
mind around. What would Tessa Johnson feel insecure about?
Either way, I hated being the one who disappointed her and
made her feel self-conscious. So I said she could come.
That’s how we got here, me standing in front of her closed
door in the dark.
I knock softly.
Nothing.
I knock harder, adding her name. “Tessa? It’s time to go
fishing.”
Everything is silent.
I roll my eyes. I’m going to have to physically go in there
to wake her up.
Please don’t sleep naked.
 PLEASE don’t sleep naked.
I turn the handle and slowly push the door open. “Tessa,” I
whisper. I’m trying not to scare her, but she doesn’t even stir.
I walk to her bedside. A crack of moonlight shines across
her pretty face.
“Tessa?” I whisper again, but there’s no movement.
“Tessa?” I say a little louder. She’s lying on her side with one
arm curled under her pillow. I place my hand on her shoulder,
feeling her tank top strap. I’m relieved that she doesn’t sleep
naked, even if the army of hormonally charged devils is
slightly bummed. I gently shake her body. Her skin is hot from
her sunburn, searing the tips of my fingers. “Tessa.”
Her eyes pull open into tiny slits as she tries to understand
what’s happening.
“Do you still want to go fishing?”
She rolls to her back. “What time is it?”
“Three in the morning.”
Her head shakes. “Three in the morning? Why so early?
Are we fishing for bats?”
“This is when the best fishing is. You don’t have to come.”
A part of me is secretly hoping she rolls over and falls back
asleep. But then another big part of me hopes she doesn’t,
probably the part that houses the devils.
“No, I’m coming.” She rubs her eyes. “I just need fifteen
minutes to freshen up.”
My brows drop. “For who? The fish?”
“No.” She sits up.
“For me?” I ask. “Because I can tell you right now, I don’t
care how you look.”
She pushes the covers back and stands. “I already know
you don’t care how I look.”
It’s dark, but I can tell by her voice that I hurt her feelings.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant that…” I can’t bring myself
to say the words. What would I even say—I think you’re the
most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen? I doubt that would go
over well.
We stand in the darkness, staring at each other’s outlines,
but even that is too much for me.
“I’ll be outside, loading the boat,” I say. Then I walk out of
her room as fast as I can.

We drive thirty minutes to Bird Rock Point and drag the boat
into the ocean. The tide is low and the water tranquil, making
it so we only have to go out twenty yards from the beach.
Warm air swirls around us as I begin setting up the fishing
poles.
“The full moon is gorgeous,” Tessa says. She’s sitting on
the back seat of the boat, with her feet out in front of her,
leaning back against her palms.
“Fishing is better when it’s a full moon. Something about
the tides.”
She tilts her head way back, pointing up to the sky. I look
over my shoulder to where she’s pointing.
The North Star.
“What got you into the North Star?” I shouldn’t ask. I
shouldn’t want to know or want to see the way Tessa’s
expression softens when she talks about it. It’s like watching a
match burn to the very end. It’s hypnotic, but you’re bound to
get burned.
“My mom did,” she says, sitting up. “When I was
seventeen, I got some really bad news.” She rubs her hands
down her thighs as if she’s nervous. “Um…” She hesitates,
looking back at me, searching my eyes. She’s debating
whether she wants to tell me something. Whether she can trust
me with her story. Her eyes drop, and so do her shoulders. “I
found out that I can’t have children.” A light laugh puffs out of
her mouth like she’s trying to downplay the hurt inside. “I was
pretty devastated. We all were.” She fidgets with her fingers as
she talks. “I had to get surgery to correct some malformities,
and afterward, my mom brought home a huge painting of the
night sky. Right in the middle, shining so bright, was the North
Star.”
Her eyes shift up to the sky. The soft glow of the
moonlight illuminates her face, making her look more angelic
than the stuck-up woman I’ve made her out to be. “She hung
the painting in my room and said that even if we get lost or
have to change our course in life, the North Star will always
guide us to where we need to be.” She shrugs her shoulders,
finally looking at me. “Ever since then, I’ve been obsessed
with it. Especially now that my mom is gone.” Her blue eyes
gloss over with moisture. “I feel like I can look up at the North
Star and that it’s somehow my mother guiding my life.”
My heart beats louder with each word she says. I try
swallowing back whatever I’m feeling, but it doesn’t seem to
work. My chest is tighter now than it’s ever been. I have the
urge to scoop her in my arms and hug her. I know it wouldn’t
take away her pain, but it would make me feel better, like I
was somehow easing her heartache.
Her eyes lower. “I made this outing super awkward, huh?
It’s too big of a revelation for a fishing trip.”
“No. Not at all.”
Her gaze pops up, holding mine for a second. “I usually
don’t tell people, especially men. I have no clue why I told
you. But you asked what got me into the North Star, and that’s
the answer, so I told you.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her
eyes.
“Can I ask why you can’t have children?” I don’t want to
be insensitive by prying, but I also don’t want to sweep her
hurt away as if it doesn’t exist.
She shrugs. “I have MRKH syndrome, which is an
acronym for a really long name that’s hard to pronounce. It
sounds dramatic, but I’m fine. I was just born without a
uterus.”
 “I didn’t even know that was possible.”
“Me either, but it’s fine. I’m fine.” Her voice is full of fake
sentiment. “I’m a career woman, so it’s not the end of the
world for someone like me.”
I watch how she nervously moves, like she’s hoping her
words convince me. They don’t. I’m not even sure they
convince her, no matter how hard she’s trying to believe them.
“It’s okay if it’s not fine. It’s okay if it’s hard for you,” I
say.
She pauses, staring back at me as if she wants to see the
truth in my words. But I can tell it’s a struggle for her.
“It’s only hard every once in a while.” She shrugs. “You
know, if I’m in the store and a pregnant woman walks by. Or if
I get a baby shower invitation. Or if there’s a scene in a movie
when they’re like, ‘The baby’s kicking, come feel my
stomach.’ Or if it’s Mother’s Day, especially now that my
mom is gone. Or if I walk by the baby clothes in Target.” She
bites her lip, looking back at me. “Just those times.”
My gaze is sincere. “Just those times?”
She forces a soft laugh. “Yep. No big deal.”
Dang. I hate the way my heart aches for her. I wish there
was something I could do or say.
“So.” She claps. “Now that you know I am missing a
major part of my reproductive system, it’s time to learn how to
fish.”
“Is that your way of changing the subject?”
“Did it work?”
“If you want it to.”
“I do.” She raises her shoulders.
“Okay, then.” I hand her a fishing pole. “Do you know
how to cast?”
“No.”
 “It’s easy. Face the water.” I turn my body, moving my
pole, so the line is behind my shoulder. “Push down with your
thumb on the button, but don’t let go of it until you throw the
line forward. The button disengages the spool, allowing the
line to go flying when you start the casting motion.”
“Got it,” she says with a dramatic nod.
I give her a demonstration as I talk. “Raise your arm until
your hand is in front of your face, then snap the rod forward
quickly and release your thumb from the reel button as the
pole comes forward. The line will continue to unspool until the
bait hits the water.” We watch as my line sails across the sky
and splashes thirty yards away, creating tiny ripples.
“Oh, nice,” she says.
“Now it’s your turn.”
She pulls the pole behind her, whipping her elbow
forward, sending her line arcing in the air until it plops in the
water twenty yards away.
“Look at me,” she says with a giant smile.
“Not bad.”
“Now what?”
“We presented the bait—we put the line where the fish will
notice it.” I sit down in the front seat of the boat. “Now we
wait.”
“For how long?”
“As long as it takes.”
Her lips quirk upward. “So basically, fishing is like
attracting men.”
“A little.”
Although once Tessa presents the bait, I doubt she has to
wait long for a man to notice her.
She lets out a slow sigh and looks around, tapping her
fingers against the pole. I can already tell the silence is killing
her.
 “I’d get comfortable if I were you.” I lean against the edge
of the boat. I rest my fishing rod between my arm and body,
clasping my fingers together on my stomach.
“What do you mean, get comfortable?”
I lean my head back and close my eyes. “Tessa, relax.”
“Relax?” she whispers. There are sounds of her shifting
her weight, and the boat rocks back and forth as she moves
around, apparently trying to get comfortable. Then, finally,
everything is still.
My breathing gets heavy, and I drift off to sleep thinking
about her.
TESSA
I TRIED RELAXING . I really did, but I feel like I’m being eaten
alive by mosquitoes or sand fleas. I’m not really sure which
one. But either way, my sunburned skin feels like it’s on fire
every time one of those bugs lands on me.
Luke’s asleep.
The biting insects don’t want anything to do with him. No,
it’s me they’re after. They must be attracted to aloe vera. Or
blondes.
I blow a hard breath at a mosquito trying to land on my
hand and skip my eyes to Luke. His head is back, his knees are
spread apart, and his breaths are slow. Flip-flops have replaced
his work boots, and instead of cargo shorts, he’s wearing
athletic shorts. I like this casual attire on him. He looks soft,
approachable—like I could lay my head on his chest and curl
up next to him without getting one of his annoyed glares.
I can’t believe I told him I don’t have a uterus.
It’s such an ugly word, and in my experience, men don’t
like to hear about female anatomy. I once shared with a new
boyfriend that I didn’t have a uterus, and he reacted as if I’d
said I had gonorrhea.
But when I’m with Luke, I’m not worried about making
sure he sees how perfect I am. I can let my guard down. I
already know he doesn’t like me, so there’s no pressure to
impress him. And we’re so different—I know we’d never be
compatible. I will say he handled my not-able-to-carry-
children revelation like a champ, better than any man ever has.
There was a softness in his eyes that was oddly comforting,
and he didn’t try to fix the problem by telling me there’s
always adoption.
I hate it when people do that.
 I know I can adopt children. Maybe—it’s not like it’s an
easy process. It can take years, and even then, it’s not always a
guarantee.
Or people tell me I can implant my eggs in another woman
—a gestational surrogate—another process that comes with
complications.
But that’s not what this is about.
This is about me feeling like I’m incapable of doing
something my body was created to do.
It’s about feeling broken, like I’m a failure, and longing for
the opportunity to have a child grow inside my body, but
knowing it will never happen.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I know I have so much more to
offer the world than just being a vessel to carry babies. My
body is incredible and can do so much. The women who
choose not to have children aren’t failures because they want
to use their bodies differently than I want to. It’s a personal
preference. It’s just that being a mom and having a child grow
inside of me has been my desire for as long as I can remember.
So Luke gets a gold star for handling it well and being
understanding.
Shocking, I know. Maybe for that, he should get two gold
stars.
I brush my arm where a mosquito lands. At the same time,
another one bites my thigh. I kick my leg, trying to get the bug
away, but instead my foot hits my fishing rod. I watch in
horror as it falls forward, landing right in the middle of Luke’s
crotch.
He flies up to a sitting position, eyes wide with startled
delirium. He went from peaceful dreams to startled crotch.
Is that a thing?
I just made it a thing.
I scramble forward until there’s only a foot between us. I
press my lips together, trying not to smile.
 “There’re a lot of innuendos I could say right now, but I’ll
spare you,” I say.
I slowly reach my hand out. His eyes fix on me, and just as
I’m about to retrieve my fishing pole, he grabs my wrist. His
touch sends a current straight through my body—I’m eight
years old again, with my hair sticking up from static
electricity, but instead of coming from a trampoline, it’s
coming from Luke McKenna.
“You sure know how to wake a man up.” His voice is
coarse and rough.
“Sorry about that.” I roll my lips together tighter, trying
not to laugh. “I’ll grab my fishing pole and go back to my side
of the boat.”
His lips twitch. Twitch. And I feel another warm current
spread through me.
“Maybe I should be the one to grab it,” he says.
“That’s probably for the best.”
He releases my hand and tilts the fishing rod toward me. I
grab it, creeping backward to my spot.
“I guess we haven’t caught anything yet,” he says, looking
around.
“Not unless you count your family jewels. Maybe both of
us can’t have children now.”
And there it is.
The thing that I’ve been hoping to see since I arrived.
Luke’s smile.
It’s big, showing off his teeth. They look great, by the way.
No discoloration or deformity like I had originally thought. A
shocked laugh accompanies his smile, and amusement lights
his eyes. His laugh is deep and oh, so sexy, and I’m sold—
Luke McKenna’s happy face is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
The wow factor of his looks just escalated, and now my mind
is racing. How can I get him to smile and laugh like that again
and again?
 “I like this side of you,” I say, adding my big smile.
“What side?”
“The side where you don’t look like you hate me.”
His hazel eyes cut into me, not with anger, but with some
other emotion I can’t identify. “I don’t hate you.”
“I don’t hate you either.”
The air around us is charged. My heart beats harder than it
should. I glance away, breaking the connection. I’m supposed
to be working against Luke. I can’t develop feelings for him.
My pole moves, and both of us look to the water, all
attention on the taut line.
“You got something,” he says.
“What do I do?” I squeal, jumping up. “I don’t know what
to do!”
“For starters,” Luke says, climbing to my side, “grab the
pole, so the fish doesn’t drag it into the water. Then set the
hook.”
My fingers clutch the handle. “Set the hook? I don’t know
what that means.”
“Yank the pole up so that the hook gets stuck in the fish’s
mouth.”
I tug the pole up, feeling the tension from the fighting fish.
Luke’s by my side. “Now reel it in slowly.”
I spin the dial, trying to bring the fish to the boat. “I don’t
think it’s working.” With every rotation of my hand, the fish
pulls back. “What is with this fish’s enormous strength?”
“Here,” Luke says, moving behind me. His arms wrap
around me, and his fingers go on top of mine. Now we’re
holding the fishing pole together. All thoughts of the fish have
left my mind. Instead, I’m acutely aware of every muscle in
Luke’s arms and chest. It’s easy to be laser-focused on them.
They’re massive and solid and pressed against my arms and
back.
 “Reel it in nice and easy,” he says.
This is nice.
And being in his arms is so easy.
I might’ve just leaned back into him more.
Which is slightly creepy of me, and wrong since I just
established that I can’t fall for him.
“There. Can you see it?” he asks, pointing to a spot in the
water three feet in front of the boat.
I shake myself out of my Luke-induced trance and look
down. The visibility in the water is so clear, allowing me to
see the medium-sized copper fish attached to the line. “I see
it!”
His head tilts toward me, putting his lips close to my neck
and cheek. “It looks like a red snapper.”
I slowly swivel my head to face him. “Is that good?”
Hazel eyes skim across my face, and then his muscles
around me tense. There’s a hard swallow, causing his throat to
move up and down. “Yeah, it’s a good catch.”
I let my gaze drift to his lips.
He’s got great lips.
Very kissable.
If I go up on my toes, I’ll be close enough for him to lean
down and kiss me. Despite knowing that I can’t fall for him, I
want to be kissed by Luke McKenna.
There’s a loud squawk, and from the corner of my eye, I
see brown flapping wings. I jerk back in surprise, knocking
into Luke as the boat wobbles. We shift back and forth, both
trying to find our balance.
I might be screaming.
It’s hard to know.
Everything is happening so fast.
 There’s a scuffle in the water between the bird and the fish
hooked to my line.
I coil into some kind of fetal position on the back seat of
the boat.
Luke’s digging for something at the back of the boat while
still trying to hold onto the fishing rod.
Splashes of water dot my legs as the bird wrestles the fish.
There’s squawking…or maybe that’s me screaming.
From out of nowhere, Luke pulls out a net and leans over
the side of the boat, tilting everything. He scoops up the bird,
and we’re not talking about little Tweety bird. It’s some kind
of long-legged shorebird, blue and brown, with a huge
wingspan and a snaky neck.
Luke lifts the net into the boat. The bird’s wings are
flapping out of control, spraying water everywhere, and its feet
fight against the netting.
“Don’t bring it in here!” I scrunch together into a tighter
ball.
“I have to. The hook’s caught in its leg.”
My eyes go wide. “What happened to the fish? Did it eat
it?”
“No, I think the hook pulled out of its mouth when the bird
came. It swam away.”
The boat rocks back and forth as Luke tries to get control
of the heron. “We need to cover its eyes so it will calm down
enough to let me get the hook out.”
I look around for something to use, but there’s no towel or
anything, and I’m not about to use the palm of my hand.
“Here!” He holds the net’s handle out to me, wanting me
to take it, but I shake my head. “Take it! I need to get
something to cover its eyes.”
I flinch as I grab the handle, trying to duck away from the
bird’s chaotic wings.
 Luke pulls his shirt up over his head and quickly flings the
fabric over the bird’s eyes. Immediately, the bird calms, and
Luke works quickly to remove the line and the hook from its
leg. Then he untangles the talons from the net and gently lifts
the bird out, placing it on the middle seat of the boat.
“What are you doing?” I keep both of my eyes on the fowl,
not trusting it one bit.
“You’re supposed to let it fly away on its own.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” I’m already flinching.
Luke tugs his shirt from the bird’s head.
The animal squawks and flaps its wings.
Then it starts flying.
Not away.
No, that would’ve been too easy.
It hovers above our heads, floating back and forth between
us like it’s examining its prey.
The bird dips down toward me, and I scream, crawling all
over the boat to get away. The brush of feathers lands on top
of my head, and I panic even more.
“I’m hit!” I yell. “Man down!”
Luke is somewhere near me, holding onto my waist with
one hand and shooing the bird away with the other. The animal
circles us one more time and swoops down. I duck and try to
push past Luke to get farther away. He loses his balance, and
we both go crashing down into the bottom of the boat, my face
landing flush with his bare chest.
“Ouch,” he groans.
I see the bird finally fly away from the corner of my eye.
Then my gaze swivels to the very solid torso in front of me.
We’ve got to stop meeting like this.
My face is so close to Luke’s stomach that I could skim
my lips over his skin if I wanted to.
But that would be ridiculous.
 That would be like kissing his abs.
Why would I want to kiss his abs?
I mean, I know why I would.
But I don’t want to.
I would—if someone held a gun to my head and said,
“Kiss his six-pack,” I would.
And even if someone didn’t hold a gun to my head, I
probably still would.
Oh my gosh, Tessa. Move on!
I slowly lift my chin, skating my eyes over every
gloriously defined ripple on his torso until my gaze stops on
his chest.
His left pectoral, to be exact.
Is that what I think it is?
I tilt my head, studying the small tattoo of the North Star
that stretches across his taut skin. I didn’t notice it the night of
the shower incident, but then again, my hand was covering my
eyes.
What are the odds that Luke would have a tattoo on his
chest of the one thing I’m obsessed with? I’m not big into
tattoos, but this North Star tattoo is the sexiest thing I’ve ever
seen.
“It’s like a joke,” I mutter under my breath.
He clears his throat, and I’m suddenly aware of how my
left hand is clinging to his right pec—it’s very protruded and
easy to hold on to, in case you’re wondering—and how my
other hand is splayed across one of the many ridges of his abs,
and how my lips are a millimeter away from the top of his six-
pack—an excellent distance if you’re planning on kissing his
abs, which I’ve already thought about in great detail.
And let’s not forget about his hands.
My tank top shifted in the fall, creating a gap between my
shirt and shorts, a gap big enough to fit Luke’s warm hands
against the bare skin of my lower back.
My eyes rise to meet his. There’s some kind of smirky
smile on his face that makes my stomach topple over. My gaze
skips to the trail of blood running down the side of his temple.
“You’re bleeding,” I say.
“Yeah, the bird dug its talon into my scalp. Are you okay?
You said it hit you.”
I take a second to monitor my pain level. Everything seems
fine. “I think it was feathers that got me.”
The smirky smile grows. “Feathers? Your screams made it
seem a lot more serious than that. I think you even said, ‘Man
down.’”
“I’m a little dramatic. Always have been.”
I feel the rumble of his soft laugh against my body.
“I don’t think fishing is your sport,” he says.
“Or birdwatching.”
His grin widens as his hazel eyes study my face, and his
Adam’s apple shifts as he swallows.
We’re teetering on the edge of a cliff. I want nothing more
than to throw my weight over the side and experience what
happens next.
The free fall.
The weightlessness.
The tumble.
The feeling like you can’t breathe.
I want it all.
My body craves Luke’s kiss.
I watch his unreadable eyes as I slowly move closer and
closer, skimming my nose across the tip of his. His grin slips
away, and his eyelids close as his breathing stutters. I’m
waiting for him to make the first move, to brush his lips
against mine, but I’m prepared to make it happen if he doesn’t.
 His eyes are still closed, and his body is rigid. His
breathing is measured, and his fingers dig into my side.
Those are all cues.
Cues that I miss.
Instead, what do I do?
I lick my lips and close the gap between us.
My mouth presses against Luke’s. I’m ready for the
explosion that I’m positive will follow.
I wait for it.
Still waiting.
I move my mouth over his, trying to shift this kiss into
gear.
Luke’s lips could be more pliable, but maybe he hasn’t
kissed anyone in a while. He’s rusty. I can work with that. My
lips try again, encouraging him, but he turns his head to the
side. He’s moving now, pushing against my shoulders with his
hands.
I’ve never had a man so eager to get me off of his body in
my entire life. I shrink with embarrassment as he starts
gathering things.
“We should go. This isn’t the kind of fishing excursion I
had in mind.” He bends down and picks up his shirt, wiping
the blood off his forehead before throwing it over his head,
covering up his brilliant tattoo of the North Star.
“Okay,” I say, crawling back to my seat.
I think he’s upset that I kissed him.
Can you even call it a kiss? It was more like a desperate
woman trying to resuscitate a lifeless statue.
Then it hits me.
He’s not attracted to me.
How many times does he have to say it for you to believe
him?
 I watch him pack up to leave. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have
done that.”
My embarrassment is through the roof.
“It’s not a big deal,” he says, avoiding eye contact.
There’s a stiffness about his movements and a thickness in
the air that feels tangible. We’re back to our guarded
relationship, and it’s all my fault.
But the most surprising thing is how disappointed I am.
CHAPTER 23
 LUKE

I ’m a jerk.
There’s no other explanation than that.
When Tessa’s lips pressed against mine yesterday, I froze.
I remembered who I was dealing with: the woman from
corporate who’s made my life miserable from the second she
arrived. It was a grounding force that kept me in reality instead
of letting me get lost in her kiss, even though getting lost is
exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to get so lost that they’d
need to send a freaking search and rescue party out to find
me.
I don’t know where we go from here.
Moments were shared.
I smiled—a few times—and even laughed.
Lines were crossed.
Lips touched.
Bodies were smashed together.
My chest was groped…accidentally, I think.
And I liked it—not the chest part specifically, although I
enjoyed that too—but I liked the entire morning with Tessa.
I liked it a lot.
Now something resembling butterflies have been
awakened inside my body. And those butterflies are eager to
spread their wings. Yep, they’re full of so much vitality and
spirit I’m afraid I’ll never get them to go dormant again.
Certainly not when Tessa’s around.
Butterflies aren’t manly.
I can’t believe I’m even saying the word butterflies, let
alone admitting to feeling them. Only little girls with ringlets
in their hair wearing dresses admit to getting butterflies in
their stomachs. That’s what my sister Lauren would say.
So after our completely silent car ride home from fishing, I
left—bolted out of the rental house as fast as possible. I’ve
never been more grateful in my entire life for my Sunday plans
than I was yesterday.
Now I just have to stay away from Tessa at work. It should
be easy. There are eight different buildings throughout the
resort. I don’t know where she is right now. I wouldn’t be
surprised if she hosted relay races on the beach for all of my
workers. Who cares? Just as long as she’s not near me.
TESSA
L IKE C OLLEEN PROMISED , she checked in first thing this
morning to see how things are going.
Nothing kills a Monday morning better than a call from
Colleen Samson.
I don’t understand it.
Before Turks and Caicos, I used to love meeting with
Colleen. She gave me a sense of purpose and pride. Now,
every time I talk to her, I feel like a failure, like I’m trying to
prove a version of myself that doesn’t even exist.
I told Colleen I switched the delivery address on the card
readers. She seemed to like that. I also told her about the
broken roof tiles that happened over the weekend and how I
haven’t contacted the roofers yet to schedule a repair. She
liked that too—even going so far as to tell me she doesn’t
want me to contact them for a few days.
But even those two things weren’t enough for her.
She wants more—insurance, as she calls it.
That’s why I’m currently in a dark mechanical room in
building four, wedged between two water heaters. At least, I
think they’re water heaters. I don’t really know. All I know is
Colleen wants me to cut some wires. She’s obsessed with the
idea, as if cutting wires is the end-all, be-all that will save her
career.
So here I am.
I’m holding my cell phone in one hand, trying to use the
light so I can see. I have a pair of scissors in my other hand.
Can scissors cut wire? I’m not sure. But it’s the best I’ve got.
I bend down, looking for something that I can snip so I can
get the heck out of here, when something skims across my
arm.
 I quickly brush whatever it is away.
It’s probably nothing.
Who am I kidding? It’s probably a spider.
I hate my job.
But a spider is the least of my problems. For the past two
nights, I haven’t been able to sleep. All of my fears, worries,
and crimes have been circling through my head.
What if I can’t delay the opening and Colleen loses her
job? Will my dad be upset with me?
What if I lose my job? I’ll have to start over at another
company.
What if I delay the opening, and Mr. White fires me
anyway because he thinks I’m incompetent?
What if I’m in over my head?
What if people find out all the bad things I’ve done, and
they hate me forever?
What if Luke finds out what I’ve done?
But the thing that’s been replaying in my mind the most,
keeping me up at night, is the cringe kiss. That’s what I’m
calling it.
There’s a bit of awkwardness between Luke and me after
the whole fondling of his pecs incident yesterday (there’s a
sentence I never thought I would say), and then I added the
kiss to make things worse.
Am I embarrassed about the cringe kiss?
No.
Why should I be the one embarrassed?
Yes, I was the one who tried to kiss him, but our lips
barely brushed together. The entire thing was so innocent.
But judging by how Luke didn’t talk to me the entire ride
home and how he practically ran out of the house yesterday,
I’m guessing he has some feelings he needs to work through.
 But it’s fine.
If anyone can get around an awkward moment, it’s
me. I’ve spent my entire life covering up my insecurities with
an over-the-top extroverted personality. I’m sure I can handle
this less-than-ideal situation.
Besides, it’s good that Luke shut down the brewing
attraction I felt toward him. We’re on opposite teams. I have to
look at him as my enemy.
I remind myself why I’m doing this.
To save Colleen’s job.
To save my job.
To get promoted.
It’s a great list.
I suck in a deep breath, shining the light on the tubes and
cords coming from the heaters and vents. These aren’t normal
wires.
They’re like thick copper.
Indestructible.
My office scissors aren’t cutting through that.
A part of me is relieved that this stupid idea of Colleen’s
won’t work, but I know she’s going to ask about it. I could lie
and say that I cut something, but she’s going to ask what the
aftermath is, and what am I going to tell her then? Another lie?
At what point does it stop?
Maybe I could just unplug the water heater.
It’s nothing big, but it will cause a problem for an hour or
two while the plumber or whoever tries to figure out why
there’s no hot water in building four.
That’s a much better idea, something that’s not going to
keep me up at night with guilt.
I reach for the plug, but my body is pinned by the heater,
making it impossible for me to get an angle.
I roll my eyes.
 I’m going to have to get lower if I want to be able to reach
the outlet or the cord that comes out the bottom of the heater. I
shine the light on the ground to give me an idea of what I’m
dealing with here. It looks like I’ll be lying in a mixture of
sawdust, dirt, cobwebs, and rat droppings.
Great.
Just great.
All my favorite things.
I love hantavirus from rat droppings.
Calm down. This building is brand new. There aren’t rat
droppings.
I lower to my knees and then flatten to my stomach,
reaching my arm under the heater.
“I bet Colleen would never do something like this to save
her career,” I grunt as I strain for the cord. “No, she’d rather
get fired than roll around in rat poop.” My fingers connect
with the cord, and I yank. “You’ve got to get your hands dirty,
Tessa,” I mimic Colleen. I yank again harder. “Is this dirty
enough for you?” The plug comes loose, and my arm jolts
back. Then I reach for the other cord plugged into the same
outlet and yank again until it’s loose.
I let out a deep breath.
“Finally.”
As soon as I get home tonight, I’m burning this hantavirus
dress.
CHAPTER 24
 LUKE

“W hat’s with you this week?” Nano asks, carrying

another box of finishes into the hallway.
“Nothing’s with me,” I defend.
“You’ve been hiding in building six for the last two days.”
“I’m not hiding out,” I say.
I’m most definitely hiding out, trying to get rid of thoughts
of Tessa.
Call it pride.
Call it prejudice.
Call it stubbornness.
Call it whatever you want, but I’m not going to fall for her.
This has been a hard line for me since I was sixteen years old
and found out my dad was cheating on my mom with a
stunning young blonde from his office. I can still remember
the first time I met her. Vivian was her name. She looked like a
model with her low-cut top, wavy hair, high heels, fancy
accessories, and red-painted fingernails.
I instantly hated her.
She was nothing like my mom, the woman I loved most in
the world.
From that moment on, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t be
like my dad. If I ever fell in love, it would be with someone
like my mom. Someone who doesn’t care about how she looks
or what she wears—a simple beauty. Someone willing to
sacrifice everything for the people she loves.
I slice open the top of the box, pulling out a package of
drawer handles, and hold one up. “Someone has to screw in all
these handles, and since everyone else is busy doing whatever
stupid activity Tessa has going on, it’s up to me to make sure
stuff gets done.”
“It’s a poker tournament,” Nano says.
“What?” My eyebrows bunch together.
“Tessa’s activity for the day. It’s a poker tournament.”
“Of course it is.”
“I think Tessa’s presence here is a good thing,” Nano says.
“The men are happier and working harder than I’ve ever
seen.”
I’ve noticed that too.
“Well, you can thank Mr. White for his Corporate Cares
program.”
“Nah,” Nano says, slapping me on the shoulder. “That’s
just some bull crap on paper. Tessa’s the one who actually
cares.”
Nano’s glowing endorsement of her is not helping.
“I need to get back to work.” I grab the box of handles and
walk into the next hotel room.
Nano follows after me. “I came here to tell you I need you
to come to Bugaloo’s with me tonight.”
“Why?” I drop to my knees in front of the vanity, pulling
out my drill.
“Kimberley and her friends will be there, and tonight’s the
night Tessa’s going to act like she likes me to make Kimberley
jealous. It sounds complicated, but Tessa assures me it’s not.”
“I’ve got too much work to do.”
“At eight o’clock at night?”
“Yeah, I’m going to finish all the drawers in this building.”
 “No,” Nano says. “I don’t accept that. You’re too good of a
friend to leave me hanging.”
“What do you even need me for? It sounds like Tessa is all
you need.”
“I don’t want it to look like I’m on a date with Tessa,”
Nano explains. “You know, in case Kimberley shows interest.
I want to make sure we can leave together if she wants to.”
I hold up a handle to the cabinet and screw it in tight.
“Can’t you find someone else?”
“Are you my friend or not?”
Out of everyone on the island, I’m the closest to Nano.
“Yes, I’m your friend.”
His lips kick up into one of his big smiles. “Then I’ll see
you there at 8:00 p.m.”
Great.
I’ve got the next six hours to look forward to and dread
hanging out with Tessa.

The entire drive to Bugaloo’s, I’m second-guessing myself.

Should I go home and change? Put on something besides
my work clothes?
No, this isn’t a date. It doesn’t matter what I look like.
I sniff my armpit.
Will Tessa think I smell?
I don’t care if she thinks I smell. Maybe I want her to think
that.
I sniff again.
But…she might actually think I smell.
I lean over, stretching to open my glove compartment box.
I grab the body spray inside and dust a few mists over my
body.
Now I don’t stink.
Just in case.
I pull into the parking lot and flip off my truck lights. The
place is crowded for a Tuesday night. I walk up the steps and
see Tessa sitting with Nano at one of the tables in the sand.
She’s wearing something casual, denim cut-offs, an oversized
t-shirt, and flip-flops. Her hair falls in a wavy pattern that
frames her face perfectly, and her sunburn from last weekend
has turned into a tan.
I button up my resolve and walk toward their table.
“Luke!” Nano says as I drop into my seat. “You made it.”
“I didn’t have a choice,” I mutter, taking a quick moment
to glance at Tessa. She’s already staring at me. I see the
coldness in her eyes right before she looks away. I don’t blame
her for her reaction. The last time we saw each other, I pushed
her away while she was trying to kiss me. Not a cool move.
“You haven’t missed much,” Nano says, taking a drink.
“Kimberley and her friends just arrived, and Tessa’s getting
warmed up.”
“Warmed up?” I question, setting my phone down on the
table.
She smiles back at Nano, and I instantly wish she’d look at
me that way. “That’s right. We’re laying the groundwork.” She
scoots her chair toward him, hitting him playfully on the arm.
“A little touch here.” Then she bumps him with her shoulder.
“A little touch there.”
“Oh, please. Do you really think that’s going to work?”
She looks at me with a blue-eyed glare. “Believe it or not,
Luke, I actually know a thing or two about men and flirting.”
Oh, I believe it.
Flirting is like a sixth sense to Tessa.
“Just because you’re not attracted to me doesn’t mean
other men aren’t.”
 Not being attracted to her isn’t the problem. I turn my head
away, calling over Monique, the waitress.
“Hey, my baby,” Monique says, leaning her hip into my
side, and maybe it’s all in my head, but it feels like Tessa
tenses. If that’s even remotely true, I need to capitalize on the
situation.
“Hey, Monique,” I smile up at her. “I thought you don’t
normally work on Tuesday nights.”
“Deedee’s sick, so someone had to cover.”
I nod.
“You want the regular?” she asks.
“No,” I shake my head. “I’m in the mood for something
different.” I lean forward. “What do you suggest?” I steal a
glance at Tessa. She’s watching the exchange closely.
“How about the BBQ pineapple chicken?” Monique offers.
“A little sweet, a little spicy, just like you.”
“Sounds perfect.” I smile again.
Is this flirting? I don’t even know, because I don’t flirt.
Ever.
“Coming right up,” Monique says, walking away.
My head flips to Tessa, but her attention goes back to
Nano faster than a jackhammer at full speed. She picks up a
French fry and dips it in some ketchup, feeding it to Nano.
Force-feeding? That’s not flirting. That’s not sexy. I would
hate that.
Then she licks a spot of ketchup off her finger, and I take it
all back.
It’s sexy.
“Nano, have you seen the shipment of door card readers?”
I spit out, hoping to distract myself from watching Tessa.
“They were supposed to arrive already, but I didn’t see any
boxes.”
“I haven’t seen them.”
 “If we don’t get those door card readers soon, we’re not
going to have time to install them before the final inspection.”
I glance at Tessa. She’s looking down, biting her lip—the
exact lip I didn’t kiss. I’m so stupid.
“Enough about work,” Nano says. “Can we get back to
why we’re here tonight? Kimberley is looking this way.”
“Of course.” Tessa pops her head up, and like a light that’s
been switched on, she warms, leaning into Nano. “It’s time to
take things to the next level.”
Nano swallows. “The next level?”
“Yep.” Tessa casually rests her arm around the back of
Nano’s chair, tickling his neck. She leans into him, smiling in
her charming way—the way that drives me completely insane
with attraction. Her eyelashes bat, and her other hand starts
playing with his fingertips.
I watch each slow and intentional touch, picturing how it
would feel if she did those things to me.
My mouth goes dry, and I shudder.
I need my imagination to stand down.
I bang the table in front of me.
They both jump, looking in my direction.
“What?” I shrug. “My hand slipped.”
Tessa eyes me like she doesn’t believe my sudden lack of
control over my appendages, but she doesn’t comment.
Instead, her attention goes back to Nano.
“Okay, now listen carefully,” she says. “I want you to walk
past Kimberley on your way to the bar, as if you’re going to
buy me a drink. When you pass by, barely acknowledge her.
Ignore her if you have to.”
“But what if—”
Tessa holds her finger up. “Within a minute, she’ll come to
you at the bar.”
“And then what?”
 “And then take it from there.” She squeezes his arm.
“Nano, you’re an attractive guy with a great personality. All
Kimberley needs is a little push. You can do the rest yourself.”
Nano smiles. It took exactly fifteen seconds for him to gain
all the confidence he needed. Tessa gave that to him. It’s like a
little gift she imparts to people.
I keep relationships in my life at arm’s length. If I don’t let
people in, they can’t hurt me or disappoint me like my dad did.
My heart is more guarded than the Vatican. But sitting here, I
wish I could do what Tessa does.
I’ve seen how the men at work gravitate to her, not just
because she’s beautiful, but because she listens to them, gets to
know them, and gives them advice, confidence, and
friendship. She’s all-in on every relationship she has, and I
admire that about her.
It reminds me of…my mom.
The realization stabs at my heart.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been focusing on all the things
that make Tessa not what I want, but what would happen if I
started focusing on her good qualities?
I might lose my heart forever.
Nano stands, nodding back at us once before turning and
heading for the bar. He does exactly what Tessa said, barely
acknowledges Kimberley. We wait in silence, watching to see
if Kimberley takes the bait. Within thirty seconds, she excuses
herself from her friends and makes her way to Nano’s side.
“And that’s how it’s done,” Tessa says with a satisfied
smile. “Too bad it doesn’t work that easily in my own life.”
I instantly feel guilty.
“I didn’t kiss you back the other morning because we work
together,” I blurt out. “I think it’s important to keep boundaries
between coworkers.”
Her eyes narrow, but she doesn’t say anything.
“I just wanted you to know, so you don’t feel bad.”
 “I don’t feel bad.” She feigns disinterest. “In fact, I
completely forgot about the entire thing. That’s how it goes
when you’re going back and forth between so many men.”
Something flickers in her eyes, letting me know she’s
bluffing.
I lean back into my chair. “Same. I barely remember it too.
There are so many women trying to kiss me every week; it all
runs together.”
Now I’m the one bluffing.
“Really?” Her brows rise. “I find that hard to believe.
Since I’ve been here, I haven’t seen any women hanging
around, trying to kiss you.”
“Besides you, of course,” I say, keeping my face blank.
“For the record, I wasn’t trying to kiss you.”
“You weren’t?”
“No, I got hit in the head by the bird and completely acted
out of character. I can’t recall what happened between us.
Maybe you tried to kiss me.”
“That’s not what happened,” I say.
“How can you be sure? You said yourself that you barely
remember it.”
“I know I didn’t kiss you because if I had, we’d both
remember it.”
I rest my elbows on the table, leaning in closer. Her blue
eyes watch me, and slowly the energy between us flips. The
air’s charged like it was when we were on the fishing boat, and
I’m the one leading us there.
I acknowledge one good quality about Tessa, and suddenly
my will to stay away crumbles.
“I’m not sure I believe you,” she says. “From my
experience, you kiss like a dead fish.”
I smirk. “That’s not accurate information. I’d show you,
but I don’t want to give away all my secrets. Let’s just say I’ve
seen enough romantic comedies to know how to deliver a
memorable kiss.”
“Movies?” The corner of her mouth lifts in amusement.
“You get your kissing moves from movies?”
“That’s right.”
I watch her lips, the way they tug and pull like she’s trying
to control how much of her smile she gives me.
“You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who watches chick
flicks.”
“Oh, I’m a big fan.”
A soft laugh spills out of her. “What do you do? Take notes
while Matthew McConaughey is on screen?”
“Maybe.” My lips lift too.
“Or maybe you’re all talk.” Her blue eyes challenge me,
sending a swirl through my stomach.
I am all talk. One hundred percent.
But I’m not about to admit that. I think back to every
Matthew McConaughey movie I’ve seen with my sisters.
What would Matthew do?
I slowly lift my hand to the side of Tessa’s face, where a
loose strand of her hair covers her cheek. Her body goes
statue-still, and her breath hitches as I tuck the hair behind her
ear.
“What are you doing?” she asks as I trail my fingers down
her neck.
“Nothing much,” I say. “Entry-level stuff I’ve learned.
Stuff that comes before the kiss.”
Her gaze is more intense than usual, but it still holds that
playful undercurrent. “Entry-level isn’t memorable. I need
something next-level to convince me you can kiss better than
the fish I caught that morning.”
I lean in even closer.
 She doesn’t move, just watches me as I slowly,
intentionally close the gap between us. I don’t even know what
I’m doing or why I’m getting so close to Tessa. It’s not like I
can bury my nose into the crook of her neck and smell her
hair. That would be creepy and cheesy. Not to mention, we’re
in the middle of a crowded restaurant with people everywhere
—but for some reason, I keep moving toward her with no plan.
My phone rings.
The noise is loud, and the vibration shakes the table.
We both jump back, putting much-needed distance
between us. I don’t know what I was thinking. I entered the
danger zone, the place with the highest risk of harm to my
heart. I’m so stupid.
Our eyes glance down at the phone.
It’s my younger sister, Kate.
“Wow.” Tessa’s voice is threaded with bitterness. “How do
you keep them all straight? Between Kate, Lauren, and the
waitress Monique, I can’t keep up.”
My face hardens. “I told you there’s a different woman
each week lining up to kiss me.” I grab my phone and stand.
“What can I say? I’m good at my craft. Even you fell for it.”
Her eyes narrow, and I hate myself for being such a jerk
again.
I want to tell her that the girls calling are my younger
sisters, but why would I do that? Just because I saw glimpses
of a deeper person than I originally thought doesn’t mean
Tessa and I would ever work together. There are too many
differences between us. We’re not compatible and never will
be.
My dad would be better matched with her than me.
“I’ll get my dinner to go,” I say. Then I turn over my
shoulder and walk away without a glance back.
CHAPTER 25
 TESSA

W hat is wrong with me?

Did I really have to become interested in the
surliest man I’ve ever met? Luke McKenna is
permanently a jerk in a bad mood.
That’s not charming.
That’s not romantic.
It’s disturbing.
Especially since it’s obvious how he feels about me and
obvious that he has a line of women waiting on him. He’s
probably been taking turns spending his evenings with Lauren
or Kate when I thought he was at work.
I need to take back control of this situation. It’s time to
play the oldest game in the book, which happens to be the
number one game in my wheelhouse.
Show ‘em you don’t need ‘em.
I tell my phone to call Brooke as I drive home from
Bugaloo’s.
“Tess, hey!” Brooke answers. “Ben and I were just talking
about you.”
“Ben’s there?”
“Yeah, I’ll put you on speakerphone.”
“Hey, Tess,” Ben says. “How’s Turks and Caicos?”
“Besides my grumpy, arrogant roommate, I’m doing fine.”
 “Brooke told me you were rooming with the contractor.”
“Are you in love with him yet?” she asks.
“Ha! As if I’d fall for a smug man like him!”
Brooke gasps. “Yep, it’s beginning. She’s already starting
to fall for him.”
“But she’s in denial,” Ben says.
“Do you remember the last time Tess fell for a guy?”
“Bobby Devine,” they both say in unison.
“He was a jerk,” Ben says.
Brooke sighs. “They always are.”
“Hey!” I snap at my phone. “No side conversations. I hate
it when you two do that. I’m right here. And no one is falling
for anyone. This brings me to why I called. I need a decoy.
Like a fake boyfriend or something. That’s where Ben comes
in.”
“Okay,” he says.
I sense the hesitancy in his voice, but I press on. “I need
you to do a Zoom call with me and pretend like you’re
interested.”
“Tess, what are you up to?” Brooke asks.
“Nothing. I just need to show Luke that I’m a catch, that I
have men who want to be with me. Just because he doesn’t
want to be with me doesn’t mean nobody else does.”
“It sounds like you’re trying to make him jealous,” Ben
says.
I shrug innocently. “Maybe I am.”
“Tess, you’re going to ruin everything with this guy if
you’re not honest with him.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “You sound like Meg. Just trust me on
this, okay? Making Luke jealous is a good thing. We need to
really drive the point home. Will you help me or not?”
“Sure,” Ben says. “I’ll do it.”
 “I knew I could count on you.”
I turn down the road to our house and see Luke’s truck in
the driveway.
Perfect.
He’s home.
“In about ten minutes, call me over Zoom, okay?”
“What do you want me to say?” he asks.
“Just act like you’re interested in me. Lay it on thick.”
“I can do that.”
“Great. That’s all I need.”
Between Kate and Lauren, it’s my turn to bring my own
love life into the mix.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Brooke says.
“Why does everyone keep saying that? I’m a successful,
grown woman.”
“I know. I just hate to see you get hurt.”
I pull into the driveway and park my car. “This phone call
will ensure that I don’t get hurt.”
“If you say so,” she sighs. “We’ll call you in ten minutes.”

Luke is sitting on the couch watching TV. He’s got an empty

styrofoam box from Bugaloo’s in front of him.
I don’t say anything as I grab my laptop and set it up
outside on the porch, leaving the sliding glass doors open so
he can hear while also making sure the screen is in his line of
sight. I pretend to go through emails while I wait for Ben’s
call. Within three minutes, the Zoom chat comes through. I
click the button, and Ben’s handsome face suddenly pops up
on the screen.
 Now don’t get me wrong. I have zero interest in Ben. He’s
like a brother to me. But he’s a sharp, attractive man. There’s
no doubt about that. His dirty blonde hair is cut short, and he’s
got a decent amount of stubble on his face with a dazzling
smile that can make most women go weak at the knees.
He’s Luke’s complete opposite—a fancy dresser,
expensive watch, an even more expensive apartment, and he’s
nice. He’s exactly what I need right now.
“Hey, sugar bum,” Ben says.
Sugar bum? What does that even mean?
I’m immediately annoyed because Ben knows there’s
nothing I hate more than cheesy terms of endearment, and
sugar bum has to be the worst one I’ve ever heard.
“Hey, Ben.” I flash my glare at the screen as a warning.
“Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he says.
I lift my shoulders. “Am I? I probably look tired from such
a long day at work.”
“Tess, baby, you know you never look tired.”
I’m going to kill Ben for acting like a frat boy in front of
Luke. I should’ve never said for him to lay it on thick.
Everything he does is in extremes. Brooke always says Go Ben
or go home instead of Go big or go home. I’ve got to do what I
can to salvage this disastrous phone call before things get out
of hand.
“What are you up to?” I ask, trying to steer the
conversation in a better direction.
“I’m sitting here watching a spring baseball game and
missing you.”
“You miss me?” I infuse as much enthusiasm into my
voice as I can.
“All I can think about is cuddling you on the couch,” he
says. “I know how much you love watching sports.”
Nope.
 That’s another thing I hate.
I can see what Ben’s trying to do. He’s trying to get me
upset, so I’ll yell at him. I know it, but I’m not falling for it.
I give a light little laugh. “Yeah, nothing sounds better than
a night watching boring baseball.”
“How’s the hotel going?” he asks.
Finally, a conversation topic I can work with.
“Great! The staff is a lot of fun, and everyone is so nice.
You’d love the foreman, Nano. He’s so friendly and happy,
and everything great about a decent human being.”
Okay, now I’m the one laying it on too thick.
“Well, I’m counting down the days until I can see you
again,” he says. “I’ve even made one of those paper chains and
sprayed it with your perfume. I hung it up in my room, and
every day I take a piece of paper off, smell it, press it to my
chest, and kiss it.”
It’s at that moment that Brooke’s hand enters the screen,
punching him in the shoulder.
“Wow,” I say dryly. “Thank you for that image.” My tone
is annoyed. I can’t muster up any acting skills for the
disturbing visual Ben painted in my mind.
If a man really talked to me like this, I would probably
knee him in the groin.
“Well, I’m going to hang up now,” I say. I’m too scared to
see what Ben would say next if we stayed on the line.
“I’m only a phone call away,” he says, and then he does
the unthinkable. He leans forward, lips puckered, and begins
making out with the computer screen. I think I might see his
tongue as it swipes across the recorder. My lips turn downward
in disgust. I hurry and shut my laptop before any of us have to
witness more of that.
Ben is no longer my favorite person.
He can’t be trusted ever again.
 I hear a rustling sound from inside and footsteps on the
tile.
I cringe with embarrassment.
Luke steps onto the deck and walks toward the railing,
scanning the navy night sky.
“Was that your boyfriend?” he asks.
Of course, he wants to engage in conversation now.
“No, just some guy who likes me. I told you there are a lot
of them.”
I hold my breath waiting for him to say something about
sugar bum or any of the other embarrassing things Ben said
and did, but thankfully Luke’s silent. I should keep my mouth
shut, too, let the conversation die down, but talking is a
compulsion, especially when fed by my jealousy.
“How’s Kate?” I ask as I stand and walk over to him.
“It’s always good to talk to Kate.”
I’m sure.
“Does Lauren know you talk to Kate? Or vice versa? Or do
you keep that kind of stuff private?” I lower my voice. “Don’t
want a catfight to break out. Am I right?”
Oh, Tessa. You’re as bad as Ben.
“I hope they know I talk to both of them, since they’re my
sisters.”
My mouth drops. I do my best to close it back up before
one of those pesky sand fleas hops inside. “Sisters? I didn’t
know you had sisters.”
If I did, I wouldn’t have made such a fool out of myself
with Ben.
“You never asked,” Luke says.
“Would you have told me if I did?”
“If you had asked Brothers or sisters? in that stupid game
you played to get to know me, I would’ve, but you went with
the whole deep, dark despair comment.” His lips lift slightly,
and man, I wish he’d show me his full smile again. “Besides,
who do you think I watched all those rom-com movies with?”
I was secretly hoping he watched them by himself, but
sisters are even better. By himself makes him lonely and
pathetic.
We stare at each other. The looks between us are getting
longer and longer the more time we spend together.
I flip around so my back is leaning against the railing, and
I’m facing Luke. “Ben’s not really some guy who likes me.
He’s my sister’s best friend.” I bob my head back and forth in
embarrassment. “I asked him to call and pretend like he’s
interested in me.”
Luke’s lips release into a full smile, and it’s so charming
that it’s blinding. I need one of those paper eclipse glasses to
reduce the cuteness to a safe level so I can sit and stare at his
smile.
“Why would you do something like that?” he asks.
“Um…” I bite my lip. “Probably because I wanted to
prove to you that other men find me attractive. If we were in
Florida, I could prove it to you more organically, but I’m on an
island. My resources are limited. That’s why I called Ben.”
Why am I telling him all of this? I think we’ve established
that I can lie to people easily. Why be a pillar of honesty now?
“I mean, I know you’re not attracted to me, but I just
wanted you to know other men are.” Now, I sound redundant
and conceited. I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.
“Not all men find me attractive. Just some men.”
His face bunches together into one of his trademark
scowls, and I wish I could take a bulldozer and shovel
everything I said in the last thirty seconds back into my mouth.
Where’s the heavy machinery when I need it?
LUKE
M Y LIPS PRESS INTO A FROWN as I process what Tessa is
implying. “You know, that’s the second time tonight you said I
wasn’t attracted to you.”
“It’s okay, Luke. I’m not attracted to you either.” She lets
out a puff of laughter. “Thank goodness, right? Since we have
to live together and work together. That would get awkward
real fast.”
I may not have that much experience with women, but I
know enough to know that Tessa is full of crap right now, and
I’m going to prove it.
I step in front of her, pinning her back against the railing.
Her hands fidget at her side until they finally wrap behind her,
gripping the top of the railing.
“You’re not attracted to me?” I ask.
She rolls her lips together, shaking her head. “Uh-uh.”
“So if I run my hands down your arms”—my fingers start
at her shoulders, slowly skimming down her skin—“it doesn’t
even faze you?”
“Nope.” She shakes her head again.
“What if I get really close and whisper in your ear?” I lean
in, smelling her intoxicating fragrance. Her breath goes ragged
as my lips graze the side of her ear. “Does that have any effect
on you?”
“None whatsoever.” Her words are breathy.
I pull back slightly. The light from inside casts a glow over
her pretty face and blue eyes. “What if I kiss you? Would that
do anything?”
“I doubt it.” She swallows. “I’m pretty much repulsed by
you.”
 My lips lift. “I see.”
I place my hand on the railing behind her, pressing my
body into hers. My heart races, each quick beat pulling me
toward her even more. Her breathing stalls as my mouth skims
over the top of hers.
My kiss is slow. Deliberate. Sensuous.
I’m doing all the work.
Her lips don’t move, but they don’t fight my soft grazes.
Her upper body melds into mine like an invitation, begging
me to take this kiss to the next level.
Heck, I want to take it to the next level.
But why would I?
Tessa and I are like oil and water. We don’t mix.
This game that we’re playing is just for fun—a way to pass
the time.
We’re not playing for keeps.
I pull away, disconnecting our bodies.
She looks up at me with hazy eyes. “I didn’t feel
anything,” she says.
I smile. “Yeah, me neither.”
Her eyes playfully dance. “I’m still completely repulsed by
you.”
“Good. I’m glad we solved that. You know, because we’re
coworkers.” I step back, turning to go. “I’ll see you tomorrow
at work.”
Then I walk away.
In my mind, this exit seems super romantic, like something
you’d see in a rom-com.
I’m Matthew McConaughey.
All right, all right, all right.
TESSA
Tessa: Luke just kissed me.

Brooke: What? You just got off the Zoom call with
Ben twenty minutes ago.

Tessa: Apparently, he works quickly.

Brooke: I thought you said you didn’t like him

because he’s arrogant.

Tessa: He is arrogant. And I don’t like him.

Brooke: Then why are you kissing him?

I stare at my phone. Why am I kissing him?
Tessa: We kissed to prove that we’re not attracted to
one another.

Brooke: Did you proofread that text before you sent it?
Or did Siri mess something up? Because how the text
is right now makes no logical sense whatsoever.
Brooke’s right. Nothing about the situation between Luke
and me is logical. We are complete opposites. Half the time,
we don’t even like each other. The other half, I’m working
against him to help Colleen save her job. Luke is literally the
last person in the world I should be kissing.
It won’t happen again.
Tonight was about evening the score.
 I kissed Luke.
He kissed me.
And it’s not like I even kissed him back.
Both times our mouths have touched have been so chaste a
G-rated movie kiss would put us to shame.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.
My heart’s like a freaking CareBear, jumping from one
cloud to the next in the city of Care-a-Lot.
With all that cloud jumping, it will be hard to fall asleep
tonight.
CHAPTER 26
 LUKE

I can’t find any workers, and usually when that happens, it

means Tessa is up to something. She’s always up to
something. Last night I came home from work, and my
living room was full of women—a girls’ night, as she called it.
Some of the women I knew, but a few others I’d never seen
before.
I don’t get it. Tessa’s lived here for three weeks. How has
she made so many deep connections in such a short amount of
time? I can’t think of two people who would come if I threw a
party, and I’ve lived here for a year. Tessa has a roomful three
weeks in. Something about that makes me like her even more,
and that’s a scary thing.
The girl’s night was a good thing, though. It kept me from
being alone in the house with Tessa.
Two days ago, when we were alone in the house, I kissed
her. Since then, I’ve been keeping my distance. A kiss like that
can’t be repeated. This is a working relationship.
I search the lobby and all the offices looking for my men,
but the place is empty. I walk next door to building number
two, where a few restaurants and the spa are located. There’s
laughter coming from the spa area. I round the corner and stop.
Even in my wildest dreams, I didn’t expect this.
I’m stunned.
I have no words.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever have words again.
 Eight of my subcontractors are strewn across the floor with
green masks plastered over their faces and cucumbers
covering their eyes. Another group is sitting on folding chairs,
getting pedicures from women I don’t recognize. Four men lie
face down on massage tables and are getting massages from
masseuses dressed in white scrubs. There’s soft music playing,
and the smell of lavender is overwhelming.
“Luke,” Tessa says, coming around the corner with a water
basin. “Welcome to spa day.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Spa day?”
She shrugs. “Yeah.”
“Tessa, has anyone ever told you that you’re crazy?
Because the more I get to know you, the more I’m convinced
you’ve lost your mind.”
That, or she’s the unicorn on the Hot/Crazy scale. She’s
smart, funny, charming, open, warm, strong-willed, and
beautiful. According to the YouTube video and the matrix, she
shouldn’t exist.
“I know it looks bad,” she says as she carries the water
over to one of the women giving the pedicures. “But I needed
to interview technicians for the hotel spa, and I thought, what
better way to interview them than have them demonstrate their
skills on some of our workers? It’s a win-win.” She walks
back to my side, grabbing a clipboard from the counter. “Are
you here to sign up for a spa service?”
“No, I’m here to see what time-wasting activity you’re up
to today.”
“I think you mispronounced team-building.”
“Nope. I meant to say time-wasting.” I look around again
before turning to go.
“Luke, wait.” She grabs my arm, shooting a warm
sensation up my skin. I should shake out of her grasp, but I
don’t. “At least let me do one treatment on you.”
“I don’t have time.”
 “Sure, you do.” She sets her clipboard down and pulls me
over to a chair, spinning me around so that I’m facing her.
Then she pushes hard on my chest until I fall into the seat—
and now I have all sorts of thoughts about being manhandled
by Tessa. Her blue eyes peek down at me with signature traces
of flirtation and playfulness.
“First, we’ve got to get rid of this hard hat.” One hand
goes to my shoulder as the other removes the hat and tosses it
to the floor. The clatter doesn’t even faze me. I’m in a trance
from her nearness, locked in on each movement. Her fingers
brush back through my hair.
Slowly.
Purposefully.
My eyes close, and my breath stills.
The moment feels surreal.
Each touch breaks my determination to keep my distance
from her. I relax into the chair, giving myself this moment.
“I’m going to do a mud mask on you.” She steps closer,
her legs brushing up against my thigh. She twists her body,
reaching to the counter next to us, grabbing a bowl. “Hold
this,” she says, placing it in my hands.
Our fingers tangle together during the transfer, and another
circuit of heat passes through me. Her chest is eye-level with
my gaze. I swallow hard, moving my eyes past her to anything
else I can find.
Her hand moves to my chin, holding my head steady. Her
other hand scoops up the green mud from the bowl. She bends
down, putting her face inches from mine. I can see all the
different patterns of blue in her eyes, the arch of her brows, the
perfect curve of her lips, and the subtle way her features come
together, giving her beauty and uniqueness. Then her fingers
graze over my cheek—softly—as she slowly spreads the mud
across my face. I’m trying every tactic that I know to stay
calm.
I steady my breathing.
 I count backward from one thousand.
I think about all the items on my to-do list, but nothing
seems to work.
My mind wants to focus on the feel of Tessa’s hands
caressing my face. Her touch triggers soul-deep feelings that
I’ve never experienced before.
She smirks, and her eyes meet mine for a brief moment.
“You’re so tense.”
“Am I?” My voice is raspy, so I clear my throat.
“Yes.” She laughs.
Then she tilts my head in the other direction, repeating
everything on the other side.
“I…uh…” I clear my throat again. Now she probably
thinks I have a cough or some other mucus-type thing that
requires throat-clearing every five seconds. “I just—”
“I know. You don’t like to be touched.” She smirks. “But I
would’ve thought that me touching you wouldn’t be a big deal,
since we’ve already established that we’re not attracted to each
other.”
“Right.” I swallow. “It’s not a big deal. Because we’re—”
“Coworkers?” She finishes the sentence for me, adding a
touch of a smile.
“Exactly.”
Not to mention the fact that women like Tessa don’t
usually impress me.
Usually.
She steps back, looking me over. “There. You’re all done.”
“I look like an idiot, don’t I?”
“No, you look like a man who wants to have soft skin.”
“You’re telling me when I wash this off, my face will be
softer?”
 “Soft enough to be cheek-to-cheek with someone else.”
Her eyes go flirty. “You know, if you were going to kiss them
or something like that.”
I nod, adding my own flirty smile. “Just as long as we
don’t work together.”
“Correct.” She lifts one shoulder. “And you’d have to find
someone mildly attracted to you.”
“True,” I say.
“That might be hard for you.”
I stand, looking down at her. “I don’t think I’d have to look
very far.”
Her blue eyes glimmer as they hold mine, and her lips
twitch into one of her small smiles.
“I’ll see you around,” I say, brushing past her as I walk
away.
“You’re leaving?” she calls after me.
“Yep.”
“Don’t you at least want to wash your face off first?”
I turn around, throwing her a smile—it’s hard to do
because the mud has started drying onto my face. “I want to
leave it on a little longer so my face gets extra soft. You never
know when you might end up cheek-to-cheek with someone.”
She laughs, and it’s like I’ve won the lottery.
I’m not used to making women laugh.
But when it comes to Tessa, I’d like to do it again and
again.
I turn around, calling over my shoulder, “Make sure these
men are back to work within five minutes.”
Then I exit the room.
CHAPTER 27
 TESSA

I walk into the trailer Friday, hearing the last of Luke’s

words to Millie. “I don’t understand how this happened.
Stephanie at Next Level Doors says she verified the
delivery address with my secretary.”
I pause, letting the door hit me in the back.
I’ve been dreading this moment for more than a week—the
moment when my actions finally catch up to me.
Millie shakes her head. “I don’t remember ever talking to
Stephanie at Next Level Doors.”
Luke leans his elbow against his desk, resting his forehead
in his hands. “Well, somehow she got the address wrong, and
the door card readers ended up on Grand Turks.”
“I’m really sorry, Luke,” Millie says.
I can’t let Millie take the blame for something I’ve done.
I step forward. “Did the delivery address get switched?”
Luke glances up at me. “Yeah, I’ve got ten huge boxes of
door card readers on the wrong island.”
“This almost happened to me, but I caught it in time,” I
say. “The restaurant supply company had the wrong address.
Everything was the same except for the islands. They were
going to ship the stuff to Grand Turks. I guess there’s the same
or similar address over there.”
“Well, you’re lucky you caught it in time, because we
didn’t.”
 I can’t stand the way Millie’s shoulders drop. I wish there
were a way I could fix this.
Luke’s phone rings, and he picks it up. “Hey, French.”
Millie and I silently stare at him, listening to his end of the
conversation. “You did? Oh, man, you’re a lifesaver. I owe
you one.” He looks down at his watch. “Yeah, I can be on the
1:00 p.m. ferry. Okay, see you soon.”
He stands, shoving his phone into his back pocket. “My
friend French was able to get the boxes on a flight from Grand
Turks to North Caicos, but I have to go pick them up from
there.”
I smile, feeling a little bit of relief. “That’s great. How far
is North Caicos?”
“It’s not great. I still have to waste a day taking a ferry
boat to that island and then bring all the boxes back. We’re
already behind. We were supposed to start installing the card
readers last Tuesday.”
“But you can get them here today, right?”
He grabs his truck keys. “Yeah, I’m leaving right now to
get on the ferry.”
“I’m coming with you,” I say, opening the trailer door.
Luke stops in front of me, his hazel eyes looking right into
mine. “Why?”
“Because I want to help.”
Because it’s all my fault you’re in this mess.
“Don’t you have some team-building activity you need to
do?”
I shake my head. “This is more important.”
“Okay, fine,” he says as he steps outside.
I smile back at Millie, reassuring her before following after
Luke.
“It’s so pretty here,” I say as I lean over the railing of the ferry
boat, watching the water below us. The hot wind blows my
hair away from my face, and the sound of the boat engine
hums in the background.
“I can’t believe I only have a couple of weeks left,” Luke
says. He’s looking at a spotlight attached to the side of the
boat. The light hums and flickers on and off even though it’s
the middle of the afternoon. Luke reaches for the bulb and
twists it tighter, making the light stay on permanently. Then he
searches around for a switch until he finds one and shuts it off.
I smile as I watch him. “Where do you go after this?”
“Uh”—his eyes shoot to me—“I’m going home to
Jacksonville for a few weeks.”
“House or apartment?” I ask.
“I own a house.” He looks at me as if he’s measuring how
much he wants to say. “But my mom lives in it, so I’ll stay
there with her.”
I want to ask more about why he owns the house his
mother lives in, if it has something to do with the strained
relationship with his dad, but if I come too strong, I’ll lose
him.
“Do your sisters live there too?”
He joins me by the railing, resting his elbows on the top
bar. “Lauren goes to Florida State and lives on campus. Kate is
in beauty school and lives at home with my mom.”
“Are you close with your sisters? I know you talk to them
on the phone, but do you have a good relationship?”
He shrugs. “I hope so, but I think they look at me more
like a father figure than a big brother.”
“What happened with your dad?”
His jaw sets into a scowl. “It doesn’t matter.”
 “Why not?” I turn around so I’m facing Luke, with my
back to the ocean.
“Because I’m never going to forgive him, and I don’t want
anything to do with him.”
“Can I ask what he did?”
“You can ask”—his gaze shifts to me, and I’m surprised by
the slight smile on his lips—“but I won’t tell you.”
“Fair enough.” I’ll take whatever bits and pieces of
information he’ll give me. I don’t need the entire story right
now. “Do you have a good relationship with your mom?”
“My mom’s amazing.”
“Is she the kind of amazing who makes quilts for
neighbors when they have babies, or the kind of amazing who
put on class parties when you were in elementary school?”
Luke smiles in the most adorable way. “Both. She’s also
the best cook in our neighborhood.”
“What’s her specialty?”
“She makes the most delicious brownies you’ll ever taste.”
“Ah.” I laugh. “That explains why you prefer brownies
over chocolate chip cookies.”
He laughs too. “I guess.”
“So she’s a world-class baker and homemaker?”
“Don’t get me wrong. There are always stacks of clutter
throughout our house and piles of crafts she’s started but never
finished, but it’s warm and welcoming there, you know?”
“Yeah, I do know.” My own mother’s face crosses my
mind. She was warm, too, making everyone feel like they were
special to her. “That’s how my mom was. Except her specialty
was chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Fields may have come up
with the recipe, but my mom perfected it. Your mom sounds
—”
“Different from me?” he asks.
 “No. I was going to say she sounds like someone I would
like to get to know.” My head turns to him. “Is she different
from you?”
“I hope not.” There’s a softness in his voice, exposing
something, but I don’t know what.
“Where do you go after Jacksonville?” I ask.
“I start on the renovation of WhiteSands Cabo San Lucas.”
“I’m assigned to that resort!” I say with a bit too much
enthusiasm.
Tessa, let’s take it down a decibel or two.
“Actually,” I say, normalizing my voice, “Colleen’s the
one who will reopen the hotel. I’m just assigned to help her.”
“Why do you work for that woman?” His disdain for
Colleen is written all over his face.
“When Colleen was younger, she used to work for my dad.
He loved her work ethic. When I got to college, my parents
called her up and asked if she would be willing to mentor me.”
“So, you work for her because your parents want you to?”
“No.” I straighten. “I work for her because I want to.
Colleen is an excellent boss. She’s advanced my career faster
than I could’ve dreamed. I hope one day to be as successful as
she is.”
“Is that what you really want?”
“Yeah, of course.” I shrug, putting on a brave face.
I feel like I’m seventeen years old again, sitting with my
mom. She’s crushed because I can’t have children, and all I
want to do is say something that will make her feel better,
make her stop crying. So I lie—apparently I’m good at it. I tell
her that I wasn’t sure I wanted kids anyway, that I dream of
becoming a successful businesswoman, married to my career.
If you say it enough times, eventually you start to believe
it.
 “Why would you want to be like her?” Luke asks. “She’s
the most manipulative, selfish, out-for-herself person I’ve ever
met.”
I bristle a little. “Colleen is a role model to me.”
“I guess that explains a lot,” he mutters.
I glare back at him. “Just when I think you might actually
be a decent human being, I’m reminded what a jerk you are.”
I turn to walk away, but Luke grabs me, pulling my body
to him. His hand is cautiously on mine, holding me to my spot.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have said that. I only
meant—”
“That I’m manipulative, selfish, and out-for-myself.” I
yank my arm out of his grasp.
As I say the words, a playback of everything I’ve done
since I got here rolls through my mind. The way I’ve
manipulated the workers to waste time so that I could gain
Colleen’s respect and save her job. How I changed the delivery
address and unplugged the water heaters.
I’m turning into quite the villain.
How did that happen?
Luke shakes his head. “No, what I meant to say is that I
don’t get you.”
My brows drop.
That doesn’t sound much better.
“Ugh.” He brings his hand to his head, forcefully shaking
the tips of his hair with his fingers. “I’m saying everything all
wrong.”
It’s kind of cute seeing him flustered like this.
“What don’t you get?” I ask.
He gestures to my gray pencil skirt and fitted cream top.
“Like, why do you dress up so much? Or wear heels to a
construction site?”
“To look nice?”
 His brows rise. “Is that a question?”
“No.” I shrug, folding my arms over my chest. Now it’s
my turn to be flustered. “Maybe.”
“What about all the activities you plan? Why do you go so
over the top with everything?”
“Is it bad to go over the top?”
“No, I’m just trying to understand you.”
“I like making beautiful spaces in my life. Whether it’s my
clothes, a charcuterie board, the team-building activities, or a
conversation. I just like to make things beautiful instead of
ordinary. And”—I drop my gaze, biting my lip—“deep down,
I don’t believe people will find value in me if I don’t bring that
kind of effort to everything I do. If I don’t dress nice, or if I
don’t go all out, then what am I offering?”
I don’t dare peek up at Luke. I’m afraid of what I’m going
to see on his face. I’ve never been this vulnerable with anyone
before, and I’m not sure why I chose to spill my guts to the
one guy who thinks I’m ridiculous.
Can I hole myself up in that dark mechanical room with
the rat droppings? That would be better than facing Luke right
now.
Let it be noted: I’m choosing hantavirus over this
conversation.
“Tessa.” Luke’s voice is soft. “Tessa?” he pleads again.
I finally look up. All traces of his trademark glare and
frown are gone, replaced by some kind of tenderness that
makes me feel more accepted than I ever have in my entire
life. Is that even possible? Can an expression and gentle eyes
do that much? Or is it just because I’m not used to seeing that
kind of softness on his face?
“I know my opinion doesn’t mean much to you, but how
you look or how well you perform isn’t what gives you value.”
He lifts his hand, and I almost think he’s going to touch me,
but then he shoves it in his pocket. “I think your value comes
from your openness and how you genuinely connect with
people. You put effort into creating real relationships. What
could be more valuable than that? And that’s coming from
someone who doesn’t put forth any effort.”
There’s a swell of emotion churning inside me, but I’m
fighting it…hard. I’ve already poured my heart out to Luke.
The last thing I need right now is to cry in front of him.
“Um…” I blink back my tears. “That’s a really nice thing
to say.”
It’s more than a nice thing. It’s the nicest thing anyone has
ever said to me, or even about me.
I clasp my hands, twisting my fingers together. Should I
compliment him now, since he said something nice about me?
Hug him? I don’t know what to do here. I’m all awkward and
nervous inside.
Typical human interaction rules don’t apply to Luke
McKenna.
But since we’re having a moment, maybe Luke will open
up to me.
“What happened with the lawsuit?” I ask. “What did you
do?”
“I’m not supposed to talk about it.”
“I know.” I shrug. “I was just hoping that since I’m not
some random stranger on the street and that I’m also an
employee of WhiteSands, you might be willing to tell me your
side of the story.”
His eyes sweep across my face. I’m not sure if he’ll open
up to me or not. Then, like floodgates to a dam, information
begins pouring out.
“One of the framers, Markus Webb, used to show up to
work drunk all the time. He would talk about inappropriate
things, yell at people, and cause trouble. I gave him warning
after warning, but he kept doing it. One day when he came
drunk, he was all over Millie. She kept pushing him away, but
he wouldn’t listen. So I grabbed him, just to get him off her.”
His eyes drop. “Markus stumbled and fell, slicing his arm
open on a piece of wood.”
“Aren’t there witnesses confirming your story? Can’t
Millie tell them what happened?”
“Yeah, she did. Corporate had a lawyer get a bunch of
people’s statements on the phone.”
“Then everything should be fine, right?”
“I think so. But Markus has told a bunch of lies about me.
About how I treat the workers. I think he’s even gotten a few
other subcontractors to turn against me. So I don’t really know
how everything will shake down. It’s his word against mine.”
“I know I wasn’t there, but I’d be happy to tell the lawyers
what I’ve seen from you.”
“What have you seen?” he asks.
Immediately alarms go off in my head. That question is
full of trouble, because if I say anything even remotely good
about him, things between us might get more complicated than
they already are.
“Well, you’re a little moody,” I say. “But I think that’s just
because you’re a stickler about work. You want the job done
and done right. But you’re also really generous with your time
and your talents. I’ve heard about the things you’ve done since
you’ve been here. How you go around the island on your days
off fixing things or building garages for the locals. Someone
who’s willing to do all of that isn’t a bad guy.”
“Phew!” he says, pushing out an exaggerated breath.
“Oh, come on. Did you really think I was going to say
something terrible?”
“You never know.”
The boat honks, and we turn, looking at the dock ahead.
“We’re here,” he says. “We better find French and get the
boxes loaded before the next ferry leaves.”
“Sounds good.”
 I glance over at Luke as he watches the boat come into the
dock.
Yes, I’m attracted to him, even though I constantly deny it,
but there’s more to my feelings than a physical connection.
The honest conversation between us, the slow way he’s
opening up to me, has me hoping.
I’m just not exactly sure what I’m hoping for.
CHAPTER 28
 LUKE

W e spend the next hour loading boxes onto the boat,

barely finishing before the ferry is scheduled to
leave again.
Working is easy. I’m moving and carrying things. There’s
no time for conversation. There’s no time to look at the
beautiful woman who’s taking over my thoughts and feelings.
But now we’re back to a thirty-minute ferry ride.
Just me and Tessa.
I’m not sure how many more honest conversations I can
handle.
Don’t get me wrong. I love learning about Tessa and the
reasons behind why she acts the way she does. She’s more
complex than I ever thought. She’s full of insecurities, self-
doubt, and brave intentions. And for some reason, I’d love
nothing more than to take those insecurities away from her—
help her see that she’s enough. That’s how it was with my
sisters. After my dad took off, they needed someone to show
them they were worth staying around for—someone to love
them unconditionally.
Now, I’m imagining what it would be like if I were that
someone for Tessa. We’re still complete opposites, but the
more I see the real her, the more our differences don’t seem to
matter.
But they should matter.
I can’t be invested in her.
 We live two completely different lives.
In a few weeks, Tessa will move back to Tampa and work
at the corporate office, and I’ll go to the next job site.
Even geography is telling me we aren’t compatible.
Tessa sits down in the chair next to me at the front of the
boat. She hands me some water. “I thought you might be
thirsty from lifting those heavy boxes.”
“Thanks.” I bring the bottle to my lips, taking a sip.
There’s a playful sparkle in her eyes as she stares back at
me. “What does North Star tattoo on your chest mean?”
I smile.
“What?” she demands as she looks over my grin.
“Nothing.” My smile widens.
She points at my mouth. “What’s that stupid smile about?”
“It’s just…I can’t believe it’s taken you one week to ask
me about the tattoo. I saw the way you drooled over it on the
fishing boat.”
Her mouth drops into an adorable protest. “I did not drool
over it!”
“Then it must’ve been my abs you were drooling over.”
“Yeah, right.” She pushes my shoulder. “I wasn’t drooling
over anything.”
“I know what I saw,” I say with a cocky grin.
The look on her face was priceless when she first noticed
the tattoo. Up until that time, she had no clue that the North
Star meant something special to me too. It was my little secret
—insider information that only I held.
“Well?” she presses. “Are you going to tell me or not?”
I shrug. “It was my mom who got me into it. I went
through something hard. I felt lost, like the life and the future
that I had pictured in my head had vanished. One night my
mom and I were sitting on the back porch. She pointed up to
the North Star and said it could guide me in a meaningful
direction.”
“Nice try,” she scoffs. “That’s my story. That’s my reason
for getting into the North Star. You can’t have it too.”
“I hate to break it to you, but you don’t have the corner on
the market on moms and the North Star.”
“Um, actually, I do.” She twists in her seat so she’s facing
me. “I was a seventeen-year-old girl—”
“I was a sixteen-year-old boy.”
She gives a drawn-out eye roll. “Of course you were.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Only that you’re stealing yet another detail from my
story.”
My palms go up. “I didn’t steal anything.”
“So you say, but that’s beside the point.” Her blue eyes fill
with amusement. “I was a seventeen-year-old girl. Troubled.
Lost at sea. A vessel in the vast darkness of life, searching for
guidance. That’s what the North Star means to me.”
My lips twitch as I listen to her. “Don’t you think that
you’re being a little dramatic?”
“Dramatic! I had just found out that I didn’t have a uterus
and needed surgery to fix my lady parts. What could be more
dramatic than that?”
“And I was an angry teenager on the verge of committing
crimes because of my rage,” I say. “I could’ve been thrown in
juvie if it weren’t for the North Star.”
Her eyes go wide, and she leans in. “Were you really on
the verge of going to jail?”
I shake my head, keeping my expression straight. “No.”
“Oh, look who’s being dramatic now!” she says, pushing
my shoulder.
“Two can play this game.” I smirk.
 “My mother—may she rest in peace—would not stand for
you piggy-backing on my lifelong symbol.” She points her
index finger out and pushes it into my chest, right where my
tattoo is.
My fingers wrap around her hand, holding it against me.
“And my mother would give up her famous brownie recipe to
defend the North Star and what it means to me.”
She smiles. “So what are you saying?”
Is she leaning in closer, or am I the one shortening the
space between us?
“I’m saying that we might have to share the North Star.”
My eyes skip over her beautiful face.
“Two vessels lost at sea instead of one?” she asks.
“Something like that.”
We’re millimeters apart, close enough to kiss.
And, sheesh—I really want to kiss her.
We stare at each other, both silently questioning the other.
Are we going to do this again, even though we know we
shouldn’t?
The horn on the ferry boat blares, and the moment is lost.
And I can’t hide my disappointment.
CHAPTER 29
 TESSA

I didn’t see Luke at all yesterday. He was at the hotel the

entire day trying to install the door card readers. So I came
to Bight Beach first thing Sunday morning.
Not to lay out.
Not to play in the ocean.
I came to the beach today because this is where Luke is.
He’s here with Nano building covered picnic tables for the
islanders.
I’m not building anything. I’m more like the helper who
socializes with the locals and grabs the tools while Luke and
Nano do all the heavy lifting. So basically, I have no purpose
here besides casually bumping into Luke.
I don’t even know why I want to see him. He’s about as
pleasant as a bikini wax—not the most cordial guy. One
minute he looks like he’s annoyed with everything I do, and
then the next minute, I swear he feels the same pull toward me
that I feel toward him, an attraction stronger than magnets.
I’m dying to spend more time with him, dying to see more
of the real him. The man who watches rom-coms with his
sisters, gives service on his only days off, and tattoos his body
with the North Star. The guy who makes me feel more
comfortable in my own skin than anyone ever has, which
doesn’t make sense because he’s told me multiple times he’s
not attracted to me.
 But then again, I said the same thing to him…and I was
completely lying.
“Do you guys need a drink or anything?” I ask as I walk up
to Luke and Nano. So far today, I’ve mostly hung back. I don’t
even think Luke knew I was here.
He stops talking to Nano and looks at me. His stare travels
up and down my body. I scratch my neck, feeling every inch
of my skin burn from his intense gaze.
What the heck is he looking at?
I have no makeup on, my hair’s a mess, and I’m wearing
an old t-shirt that I use for pajamas along with shorts with pink
paint splattered all over them. It’s literally the worst I’ve
looked since I arrived. Normally I wouldn’t go out in public
like this, but Luke’s made me feel comfortable. He’s starting
to help me see that the real me might be enough.
I could rationalize Luke’s stare, say that he’s probably
shocked I would go out looking like Lindsay Lohan’s
mugshot, but I know the look he’s giving me right now. It’s the
look that every woman hopes to get from a man. The look that
makes you feel special.
What am I even saying?
That is not the look he’s giving me. I must have heat
stroke.
I raise my brows. “Can I get you a drink?”
He shakes his head, looking down at the piece of wood in
his hands. “No, I’m good.”
Nano glances between us. There’s a hint of humor in his
eyes, but I don’t know why. “I don’t need anything either,” he
says.
“Okay, I’ll be over at the playground with the kids if you
guys need anything.”
I tug on my shirt self-consciously as I walk away.
Tessa, this is a sign. Maybe you should’ve gotten ready
today after all.
LUKE
M Y GAZE LINGERS ON T ESSA as she walks away. She’s never
looked better. Not that I don’t appreciate the done-up version
of her, because I do—very, very much—but this natural look is
my favorite. It matches her genuine heart the most.
“I can’t believe I didn’t notice it sooner,” Nano says with a
smile so big I’m worried he’s going to strain his face muscles.
I eye him. “Notice what?”
“You like Tessa.”
“No, I don’t.”
His eyes widen as he studies me.
I’m shrugging now.
Fidgeting with my hands.
Shaking my head.
Pretty much any body language a person uses to convince
people that they don’t care, I’ve incorporated into the last five
seconds.
“Oh, it’s bad,” Nano says. “Worse than I originally
thought.”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” I scratch
the back of my head, because that doesn’t look incriminating
either.
He pushes me on the chest. “Ou renmen li!”
“I do not love her,” I say, pushing him too. “She’s moving
back to Tampa in a few weeks.”
“That’s the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s not an excuse,” I defend.
“It’s an excuse,” he says. Then he puts his hand on my
shoulder. “What are you doing with your life? You’re alone
and miserable. You go from island to island building hotels,
never even giving yourself a chance to be happy. You’re trying
so hard not to end up like your dad that you’ve forfeited
living.”
Six months ago, in an extreme moment of weakness, I told
Nano about my dad, and now I’m stunned by his words.
Have I forfeited living?
“None of that has anything to do with Tessa,” I say.
Nano’s face twists, indicating he doesn’t like my answer.
“Dude, what are you doing here with me?”
“I’m building a covered picnic table.”
“I can finish this.” He nods in Tessa’s direction. “Go after
her.”
I look over to where she’s sitting on a bench by the
playground. She’s talking to a pregnant woman next to her,
and I think back to her words on the fishing boat.
“It’s only hard every once in a while…if I’m in the store
and a pregnant woman walks by.”
Suddenly all I want to do is rescue Tessa from a moment
that might be hard for her. I know I can’t shield her from the
pain of not being able to have children, and I know I can’t
remove every pregnant woman from her life.
That’s not what I’m trying to do here.
I just…I don’t know.
I want to make her happy.
“Okay.” I glance at Nano. “You can finish this?”
“Man, why are you even still here?”
I throw him my truck keys. “Do you think you can get
home without speeding?”
He smiles as he catches the keys. “You better believe it.”
I walk over to Tessa. She sits up straighter as I approach,
gazing up at me with her blue eyes.
 I reach my hand out to her. “Do you want to get out of
here?”
A slow smile spreads across her lips as she places her
fingers in mine. “Is Luke McKenna asking me to ditch a
construction project? I never thought I’d see the day.”
Me neither.
CHAPTER 30
 TESSA

I walk toward Luke’s truck.

“We have to take your car,” he says. “I’m leaving my
truck here for Nano.”
“Where are we headed?” I ask.
He leans his body over the side of my car, tapping the top
of it with his fingers. “I actually don’t have a plan.”
“I’ve been wanting to check out some other hotels around
the island, see what they’re doing that works and what doesn’t
work.”
“Like research?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I smile. “Do you want to do that…with me?”
“I’ve never seen any of the other hotels, and since my time
here is almost over, I should probably look around.”
“Good.” I smile wider.
We both climb inside the car and drive to the rental house
to change into swimsuits and flip-flops. After that, I drive us to
WhiteSands, pulling over before we get to the lane that leads
to the resort.
“What are we doing here?” Luke asks, looking at the
Coming Soon sign. “I thought we were going to the other
hotels.”
I twist in my seat, so I’m facing him. “We are, but since we
don’t have rooms at the other hotels, we can only get access to
them by walking on the beach.”
 He frowns. “So we’re sneaking in?”
I shake my head. “Don’t look at it that way. I’m sure
Escape Hotel would invite me in if I asked. I just didn’t ask.”
“Okay, so why have we stopped?”
I reach behind me to the back seat, grabbing a bandana.
“Because I know you, and I know if you walk through the
hotel, you’ll see something that needs to be done, and you’ll
start working and won’t come with me on my research tour.”
“That’s probably true.”
I wave the bandana in front of his face. “So I’m going to
blindfold you.”
“No.” He shakes his head adamantly.
“Luke.” I point at him. “Don’t be such a killjoy.”
“This is ridiculous,” he mutters.
“You should know by now that everything I do is
ridiculous.”
“I’m learning that the hard way,” he says, but I don’t miss
the slight curve of his smile.
I slowly lean forward, my face close to his. His hazel eyes
look more caramel today than green. He watches me, waiting.
Anticipating my touch. I lift the bandana, covering his face. I
feel the warm heaviness of his breaths on my wrists.
“Do you always carry blindfolds with you?” he asks.
“I never know when I need to kidnap someone.” I smile
even though he can’t see it. “No, I grabbed it when we were at
the house.”
I brush the back of his hair down with my fingers, so it
doesn’t get caught when I tie the ends of the fabric together.
“All done.” I reluctantly shift over to my side of the car. It
would’ve been nice to take advantage of blind Luke. Sniff his
neck. Run my hands over his stubble. Grab his shoulders to get
a feel of their breadth. Although just because he’s blindfolded
doesn’t mean he can’t feel things. So all of that touching
would have backfired.
I turn down the lane and park the car in front of the hotel,
helping Luke out. Blindfolding is a new dating tactic. I’m
going to urge everyone to use it. You can basically hold hands
with the person without the awkward I’m-holding-your-hand
moment. My fingers link through his as I lead him up the
steps, through the lobby, and out to the beach.
His touch creates weightlessness inside my chest. I’m in
Care-a-Lot again. Maybe it’s not so bad here.
“You made it to the beach,” I say, going up on my tippy
toes to remove the bandana. I could’ve told him to take it off
himself, but that would mean I wouldn’t have this fabulous
opportunity to press my body innocently against his as I untie
the blindfold.
You’ve got to make the most out of every situation.
I certainly am.
“Now what?” he asks.
“We walk along the beach until we get to the Escape
Hotel.”
We kick off our flip-flops, holding them in our hands as we
stroll through the rolling waves.
“I can’t believe I’m casually walking on the beach,” he
says.
My nose scrunches. “Really?”
“Yeah, I usually work every day or do something
productive.”
“Relaxing is productive.”
“Not to me.”
“Why do you work so much?”
“It keeps my mind from thinking.”
“What’s so bad about thinking?” He gives me a look that
says I don’t want to talk about it. But I take a chance anyway.
“Why was your dad a bad dad?”
“He hurt my mother.”
My heart constricts. “Like physical abuse?”
“No, nothing like that. He just hurt her heart. He’s a selfish
jerk.”
I keep walking, piecing the information together in my
mind. “It sounds like he was a bad husband, not a bad dad.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“Not really. A person can be an exceptional parent while
also being a terrible spouse.”
“That’s a complete contradiction.”
“Not always. Did your dad spend time with you? Tuck you
in? Read you books? Jump with you on the trampoline? Push
you on the swing? Listen to you when you had a story to tell?
Support you at school?”
“Yes, but it was all a lie. Everything that happened
between him and my mom negates my entire childhood.”
“I don’t know what your dad did, and I know it’s none of
my business, but have you ever thought that maybe he did
more good in your life than bad?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “He’s done more bad.”
“Like I said, I don’t know the story, but I hate to see you
hold onto your anger. I’m worried you’re never going to be
able to get over whatever happened.”
He kicks his foot into a wave, sending a spray of water out
in front of us. “That’s what my mom and sisters say, but
forgiveness is tough for me. Especially when the person might
not deserve it.”
“Have your mom and your sisters forgiven your dad?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t have to forgive him or have a relationship with
him, but you should try to let go of your anger.”
 His handsome face turns to me. “Is this the relationship
guru’s advice?”
I point to myself. “Am I the relationship guru?”
“I’m starting to think that you might be.”
I smile, bubbling inside with all sorts of feelings.
He gestures to the side of us. “This is Escape Hotel.”
“The competitor,” I say, mimicking Stuart White. I turn
around, walking backward up the beach. “Come on. Let’s go
see if we can crash their lunch buffet.”
CHAPTER 31
 LUKE

“Y ou know we’re supposed to have wristbands to eat

the food here, right?” I say, following Tessa through
the buffet line.
“This isn’t my first time at a resort, Luke. I literally do this
for a living.”
“Then why are you eating the food?”
She flips a smirk at me. “You need to live a little.”
My sisters tell me that all the time. And now I’ve got Nano
saying it too.
“Besides, what’s the worst they’re going to do if they catch
us eating their food?”
“Throw us out,” I say.
“Oh, my!” Her hand goes to her mouth as if she’s appalled.
“You’re making fun of me.” I watch her pick up two
chicken wings and put them on her plate.
“Yep.”
We make our way to a nearby table and sit down. There’s
tropical music playing and children running around the water
play area, screaming. I look around, scanning the property. My
eyes land on a flower bed next to us and the green lid that’s
supposed to cover the sprinkler box. It’s tilted, causing a few
wires to be exposed.
I scoot out of my chair, bending over the sprinkler box.
 “What are you doing?” Tessa asks from her spot at the
table.
“The lid to the sprinkler box isn’t on correctly. I don’t want
a kid to touch the wires and get hurt.”
“You know you always do this?” There’s amusement in
her voice.
“Do what?” I turn over my shoulder, looking at her.
“You fix things wherever you go.”
My brows furrow. “No, I don’t.”
“I’ve seen you do it at Bugaloo’s, at our rental house, on
the ferry boat, here. You can’t help yourself. You have to make
everything better than how you found it.”
My stomach rolls. It feels like a huge compliment,
especially coming from her.
I tuck the wires back in, fit the box over the sprinkler
system, and then take a seat.
“Tessa Johnson, have you been watching me everywhere I
go?”
“Maybe.”
Her flirty smile rocks my world.
Everything is out of sorts now.
She leans forward. “I say we go take a dip in the hot tub.”
“It’s like ninety degrees outside.”
“So? We’ve got to check it out, don’t we…for research.”
“I think you meant to say for relaxation.”
“That too.” She stands, grabbing my hand.
She keeps doing that—grabbing my hand.
But it’s fine. This is a friendly handhold, a follow-the-
leader kind of thing.
No need to panic.
But…maybe I want it to be more than a friendly handhold.
 She weaves me through the maze of pools until we get to
the adults-only hot tub. It’s pretty small, and there are already
a few couples sitting inside, but there’s room enough for us to
sit down.
I look over just as Tessa removes her tank top and shorts,
revealing a very flattering striped bikini. This isn’t the first
time I’ve seen her in a swimsuit, but the view will never get
old.
And now everything between us is magnified. I feel a
strong emotional connection driving the physical attraction
forward at a speed so intense my body can barely handle it.
A man can only take so much.
I slowly take off my shirt and remove my sandals, easing
into the hot tub. The heat soothes my sore muscles, thawing
the tightness I’ve been holding onto for years. I float over to
where Tessa is, taking the seat beside her.
She smiles at the people across from us. “Are you all
enjoying your stay at Escape?”
Everyone nods.
“It’s been a blast,” a man with a beer belly and a full beard
says. “The kids love it.”
“What’s the best part?” she asks.
“I like the pools,” he says.
His wife joins in on the conversation. “Although I wish
they had more kid-friendly food at the pool. It’s hard to walk
up to the restaurants all day long when the kids get hungry.”
“So you’re saying you wish they had food options like
pizza or ice cream here on the patio?” Tessa asks.
“Yes! That would be so convenient,” the woman says.
I feel Tessa’s satisfied smile beaming at me, but I don’t
look over at her. I’m still upset about the outdoor kitchens,
even if they are a good idea.
Another woman with a straw hat joins in the conversation.
“When did you arrive?”
 “My husband and I just came from the airport.” Tessa links
her arm through mine.
Husband?
“We’re not really married,” I say, keenly aware of her arm
wrapped around mine.
“No judgment here,” a new guy holding a daiquiri says.
And now I’m realizing how bad that sounded.
“Where are you from?” the bearded guy asks.
“Delaware,” Tessa answers before I have a chance to say
anything. “My husband”—she winks at everyone in the hot
tub— “is a pilot.”
I shake my head. “I’m not a pilot.”
She turns her head to me. There’s a silly grin slathered on
her lips. “Honey, don’t be so modest. You’re the best pilot in
Delaware. Everyone knows that. What about all of you?”
Tessa asks the group.
They each tell us their life story, and honestly, I couldn’t
care less about where all of these people are from or what they
do for a living. I’m only thinking about how the side of Tessa’s
body is pressed against mine.
Another group of couples approaches the hot tub. “Got
room for six more?” the woman in front asks.
The lady with the straw hat waves them in. “Sure! We can
sit on each other’s laps.”
Laps?
There are like fifty hot tubs at the resort. Can’t they find
one that has space?
Everyone in the water shifts, sitting on their partners’ laps,
making room for the newcomers. I freeze as Tessa wraps one
arm around my shoulder and floats to my lap.
She’s so close I can see the tiny bumps of chills covering
her shoulders and arms. Those chills aren’t because she’s cold.
Her eyes rove down my face, shoulders, and chest in a greedy
way. I know it’s greedy because that’s exactly how I imagine
my gaze looks too.
I’m tense—an ice sculpture amidst the heat.
Where do I put my hands?
Her thigh?
Her calf?
Her lower back?
Her butt?
No.
There’s nowhere respectable to put them, but I try anyway.
One hand rests on her kneecap, and the other wraps around
her, holding the side of her hip.
Her eyes lock on mine as the conversation carries around
us. She looks natural and more beautiful than she ever has
before. I want to close the space between our lips and kiss her,
not because I’m attracted to her, but because it’s her. Because
she’s like a bright light to my darkness.
Her blue eyes drop to my chest. One hand grips my
shoulder tighter while her finger slowly traces over my North
Star tattoo. Chills collapse down my spine, and my breath
slows with every touch.
She glances up at me, talking low enough so only I can
hear. “Do you want to get out of here?”
“Okay.”
Tessa stands, walking to the stairs. She turns back to the
people, waving at them. “Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
“Same to you!” everyone calls after us.
I grab two towels from the stand and wrap one around
Tessa’s shoulders.
“Do you want to go check out the grounds?” she asks,
smiling at me.
“Okay.”
 Okay—that’s the only word I’ve been able to spit out in the
last few minutes. My heart is so tied up in Tessa that it’s scary.
She takes my hands, pulling me down one of the paths that
leads to the buildings.
She’s leading me into the fire.
I’m helpless.
Out of my element.
I might’ve acted like I have game, but I don’t.
Then there’s Tessa—the way she touches me, flirts with
me, smiles at me—it all comes so easily to her, as if she’s done
this a million times with a million other men.
Is this thing between us something she wants or just
something that she does?
I don’t know the answer to that question, but right now, I
don’t care.
I let a few people pass us on the sidewalk, then I tug Tessa
onto the grass, pulling her behind a tall bush with large leaves.
I press her back up against the side of a building.
We’re hidden from the world, finally alone.
Her mischievous blue eyes peek up at me. “This is
intimate.”
I press my hand against the building, leaning into her.
“That might’ve been the goal.”
“Did you learn this from a rom-com movie?”
“Nah,” I say, shaking my head. “This is all me.”
“Are you sure you want this?” Her mouth slowly spreads
into a smile. “After all, we are coworkers, and you’ve said
multiple times you’re not attracted to me.”
I dip my head down, skimming my nose over the tip of
hers. “Tessa, I am attracted to you. Trust me.”
She smirks in her flirtatious way. “You don’t have to say
that.”
 My hands slide down her arms. “I’m not just saying it. I’m
so attracted to you that I can’t concentrate on anything else.
I’ve tried to ignore you, hide from you, be rude to you, not talk
to you, but despite my best efforts, all I do is think about you.
It never stops—just grows stronger and stronger each day—
driving me crazy.”
Her hands rest on my hips, pulling my body closer to hers.
Her voice goes low and raspy. “I’m not really repulsed by
you.”
“I didn’t think you were.” I cup her cheek. “We’re
complete opposites, completely wrong for each other.”
“I know.” She shakes her head slightly, keeping her blue
eyes on mine. “But I don’t care.”
I’m learning that I don’t care either.
My heart is tired of fighting the connection between us.
I’m not going to do it anymore.
I wrap Tessa in my arms, crushing my body against hers.
Then I kiss her.
And it’s nothing like the previous kisses.
I don’t hold back.
There are no boundaries.
No restraints.
No self-control.
It’s exciting and passionate. Tender and hungry. Heated
and sultry.
Our damp towels drop to the grass as we fully embrace
each other. My hands roam over her skin, feeling every
smooth curve of her body. A rush of adrenaline surges through
me as she kisses back, pressing into me. Having Tessa in my
arms, against my lips, is painful—I know I’ll never be able to
fully satisfy this desire.
The kiss sends a circuit of electricity speeding through me,
tripping up my heart, almost stopping it completely. But I’m
telling you, if my heart stops because of this kiss, it will all be
worth it.
The seconds roll on. I’m in no rush. I’m taking my time
showing her how much I want her, how much she means to
me, leaving no doubt about how I feel.
A bunch of kids walk past. Even though I think we’re
hidden behind a bush, I pull away, resting my forehead against
Tessa’s. This is a family resort, after all.
“I’m pretty sure you could teach a thing or two to Matthew
McConaughey,” she says through her breathlessness.
“Call me Luke McConaughey.”
“Maybe I will.”
My fingers comb through her hair. “That’s how we
should’ve been kissing this entire time. That’s how I intend to
kiss you from here on out.”
She smiles. “So you intend to kiss me again?”
“Any chance I get,” I say, pressing a small peck to her lips
before pulling back completely, disconnecting our bodies.
“Come on.” I bend down to pick up our towels and then reach
for her hand. “Let’s keep the tour going.”
She places her fingers in mine, and we walk back out to
the path, finishing our research hand in hand.
CHAPTER 32
 TESSA

I had the best kiss of my life yesterday, a life-altering

moment that still has me reeling.
Luke McKenna’s lips could teach lessons.
I’ll sit on the front row of his class—criss-cross applesauce
—gladly volunteering to be his helper in any capacity he
needs.
The door to the trailer opens. I straighten in my desk chair,
hoping it’s Luke.
“Hey, Millie,” I say with a disappointed smile as my
shoulders sink back down.
“What a crazy week,” she says. “Everyone is running
around trying to get things done before the final inspection on
Friday.”
My heart drums louder. I can feel the heaviness all the way
up my chest to my ears.
This is the week when I find out if everything I’ve done
here was enough to save Colleen’s job. She said she just
needed me to delay the opening a week or two. To buy her
some time to get everything worked out with the financing to
cover the excess costs. If we don’t pass the inspection this
Friday, we won’t get our certificate of occupancy, and the
project will be delayed until we pass.
That delay should be enough for Colleen to get everything
in order. Then we can call the city back, pass the inspection,
get our certificate of occupancy from Providenciales, and
move everything into the hotel. Who knows? We might still be
able to open on time, even with the one-week holdup.
At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Nothing will be hurt in the process.
Especially Luke.
Millie opens the middle drawer of Luke’s desk and flips
through some files until she selects the one she wants. “I’ve
got to find the contract for the cement workers and pay them.”
“Have you seen Luke yet today?” I ask.
“Yeah, he was in building seven for a little bit, fixing
something with the elevator.” Her head pops up. “Oh, yeah.
He wanted me to double-check with you to see if you’ve heard
anything from the roofers. Are they coming this week before
the inspection to repair the broken tiles?”
Everything inside me drops into the pit of my stomach—
my heart, my guilty conscience, my insecurities—they tangle
together, creating one unsolvable, indestructible knot.
“Uh…yes!” I nod, overselling my lie. “I’m not sure what
day. I’ll call and confirm with them. But they are coming.”
“Great,” Millie says, tucking the folder back inside the
drawer. “I’ll let Luke know.” Then she gathers her things and
steps out of the trailer.
The truth is, I haven’t called the roofers yet. I was going to
last week, then Colleen told me to wait a few days to drag it
out, and then I forgot about it completely.
My head falls into my hands.
How can I dream of becoming the Vice President of Hotel
Openings when I can’t even remember to do something as
important as scheduling to repair the broken roof tiles? I know
from Colleen’s perspective this is a good thing, but from
Luke’s, I will have failed massively.
I flip open my planner to find the sticky note with their
information and dial their number.
“Island Tile Roofs,” a woman says, answering the phone.
 “Hi. This is Tessa Johnson from WhiteSands Resorts. We
had—”
“Tessa?” the woman asks excitedly.
“Yes.”
“It’s Lydia!”
“Lydia? What are you doing at Island Tile Roofs? I
thought you worked at Martin’s.”
“I do work at Martin’s, but my dad owns this company, so
I work here too. I have to say, I had so much fun at the girls’
night last week at your house. Thank you so much for inviting
me. I’ve never been to anything like that before or had many
friends.”
I met Lydia my second day on the island. She was at
Martin’s when I went shopping for items for the rental house.
We got talking, and I loved her energy and sweet disposition.
“Of course! I loved having you at girls’ night. We need to
do it again before I leave the island.”
“I’d love that,” she says. “Now, back to the reason you’re
calling.”
A small flicker of hope lights inside my heart. “Lydia, I
need your help. A landscaper broke some of the roof tiles on
one of the buildings, and we have our final inspection this
Friday. Is there any way someone could come and replace
them this week before the inspection?”
“Tessa, we’re all booked for the next two months. Maybe I
could’ve fit you in last week, but this week is impossible.”
The knot in my stomach expands, making me feel sick.
Last week? If only I hadn’t listened to Colleen and
contacted the roofers last Monday.
“Lydia, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve got to get
these tiles fixed. I’m desperate. Is there anyone else on the
island who does this kind of work?”
She sighs. “Hold on. Let me see what I can do.”
 I drum my fingers over my desk as I wait for her to come
back on the line. The last thing I want to do is go tell Luke that
I completely blew this assignment.
Hey, thanks for giving me the best kiss of my life. And by
the way, I suck at my job and never scheduled the roofers. Do
you want to kiss me again?
I don’t think that would go over well.
“Tessa?” Lydia comes back on the phone.
“Yeah?”
“I talked to my dad and begged him to make room in his
schedule this week for you, my new friend. He says he can
come at five o’clock every night this week and hopefully get
them fixed before Friday.”
My hand covers my heart. “Are you serious? I can’t
believe he’s willing to do that.”
“Well, I’ve only been talking about how nice you are for
the last month, so it was easy to convince him to help you
out.”
If Lydia knew all the things I’ve done here, she wouldn’t
think I’m nice.
“I appreciate it so much,” I say.
“No problem. Plan on my dad showing up tonight at five,
and make sure you introduce yourself. He really wants to meet
you.”
“I will. I’d love to meet him too. Thanks, Lydia.”
I hang up, feeling relieved but at the same time feeling like
such a fraud. No one should be doing favors for me.
My phone lights up.
Colleen Samson: Final Inspection is this Friday.
Where’s my update?
I turn it over so I can’t see the screen. I don’t feel like
updating Colleen right now.
 The main line to the trailer rings, and since Millie isn’t
here, I reach over and pick it up.
“WhiteSands Resort,” I say.
“Hi, I’m looking for Luke McKenna,” the woman on the
other end says. “This is his sister Lauren.”
My lips lift. “You’re Luke’s sister?”
“Yeah. I tried calling his cell phone, but he hasn’t
answered.”
“My name is Tessa. I’m from corporate, helping Luke get
the hotel ready to be opened.”
Technically, that’s not entirely accurate, but I’m choosing
to ignore that right now.
“Tessa Johnson, the meet-‘n-greet lady?” Lauren says.
“Is that what Luke calls me?”
“No, that’s my nickname. Luke calls you fancy pants.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“Good to know.” I smile. “Luke isn’t here right now. Can I
take a message?”
“No, that’s okay. I’m actually really happy to talk to you.”
“You are?”
“Yes, I’ve been dying to learn more about the woman that
has my brother’s head spinning.”
“Luke’s head is spinning…over me?”
“Definitely. He’s completely smitten by you. Normally I
wouldn’t break sibling code and tell you that, but Luke’s never
smitten by anyone. So I’m telling you so that you can help him
out. Maybe make the first move or cinch the deal somehow.
You like him back, don’t you?”
I laugh. Luke’s pushy little sister reminds me of me—how I
act with my siblings.
“I do like him back,” I admit.
 “Perfect! How can we make this happen?”
“I think it’s already happening.”
“Really?”
“I mean, it’s been happening for a while now, but
yesterday he kissed me.”
Everything goes silent.
“Lauren?” I ask, suddenly self-conscious that I shared too
much with her.
“Sorry. I’m still here. I’m just in shock that Luke kissed
you. I was starting to think he’s asexual.”
I burst out laughing. “I can confidently confirm that’s not
true.”
“I’m only joking!” Lauren laughs. “When are you going to
see him again?”
“I don’t know. This is a really busy week at the hotel. I’m
sure he’ll be here night and day getting ready for the
inspection. He probably has a cot set up somewhere that I
don’t know about.”
“Sounds like you should join him. A little slumber party at
the hotel.”
I laugh again. “I don’t think our relationship includes
slumber parties.”
“I know! I’m joking again.”
I can’t believe how different Luke’s sister is from him.
Joking. Laughing. Butting into other people’s business. She’s
practically me. But the truth is, I like Luke the way he is, in all
his moody glory. I don’t need someone just like me. I need
someone who challenges me to be different from what I am.
Who knew that would finally be the thing to turn my head?
“Well, I’d give you advice about my brother, but it seems
like you don’t need it. Whatever you’re doing is already
working.”
 “Right now, it’s working, but maybe I should get your
number in case I need to change tactics.”
“Gladly,” Lauren says, reciting it to me. “Will you tell
Luke I called?”
“I’ll give him the message if I see him.”
“Thanks,” she says. “It was so nice to chat with you.”
“You too.”
“And Tessa?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you do me one favor?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Can you not break my big brother’s heart? I know Luke
seems strong, but he’s really not.”
Her words paralyze me, but I still manage to answer.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t dream of hurting him.”
“Okay, good. Talk to you later.” Then she hangs up.
I sit there, feeling like the biggest jerk in the entire world. I
wouldn’t dream of hurting Luke…but that doesn’t mean he
won’t get hurt.
CHAPTER 33
 TESSA

Luke McKenna: Building five. Room 508.

L uke has never texted me before, and although it’s just a

text, it feels super romantic. More than it should. I’m
going to need a sedative to slow down my beating heart.
Do you know what else is super romantic?
Secret trysts in a hotel.
I glance at Luke’s text again as I walk down the hall of
building five. “Room 508,” I repeat to myself, stopping in
front of the correct door.
I smooth my hair, and then I knock.
I didn’t see Luke at all yesterday. Just like I predicted, he
stayed at the hotel all night long. I was starting to think that I
wouldn’t see him today either; then I got his text, and my
stomach cartwheeled and has been spinning ever since.
Luke opens the door, leaning his body against it. There’s
nothing different about him. He’s wearing the same plain t-
shirt, shorts, and boots, but he looks more handsome than he’s
ever looked before.
Would it be too much to throw my body at his, tackling
him to the ground and continuing where we left off Sunday
night?
Yes, that might be a little forward. I guess I’ll wait for him
to make the first move.
He smiles as his eyes roam over me.
 I went to extra effort today to look nice. Not in the way I
usually do. My hair is down in loose beach waves. I’m
wearing less makeup—more nude colors—and I replaced my
dramatic lipstick with clear lip gloss. I have on tennis shoes
with a pencil skirt, but I took one of my oversized t-shirts and
tied it into a knot to go with my skirt. It’s a more casual look, a
look I haven’t dared do for fear that I won’t be accepted or
thought pretty enough.
But I’m taking a chance with Luke, and by the way he’s
appraising me with his eyes, I think my gamble is paying off.
“Hi,” he says.
“Hi.” I give a little wave, and I immediately hate myself
for it.
“You look”—he shakes his head, scanning my appearance
one more time—“incredible. Like really, really good.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
How did I ever think he wasn’t attracted to me when he so
obviously is? I was just being stupid and insecure.
“You look really good too,” I say.
His head gestures inside the hotel room, and I step through
the door, my body skimming his as I pass by. The room is
completely empty, but there’s a beautiful view from the
balcony of the white sand beach below.
The door shuts behind me, and I turn around.
Luke immediately pulls me to him. His hands go to my
cheeks, and his mouth comes down on mine. His spontaneous,
I’m-not-messing-around kiss is the sexiest thing I’ve ever
experienced.
I wrap my arms around his waist, pulling his body to me.
We stumble backward until I’m pressed against the wall. That
seems to be our go-to position, and I have no complaints about
it. His fingers thread through my hair, exploding a trail of
chills over my skin. Everything is heated. For a guy who is
never smitten, he’s making up for a lot of lost time, and I’m
more than happy to oblige him.
 We kiss for a long time until my phone buzzes inside my
pocket.
He groans as I pull my lips apart from his. I reach for my
phone but pause as Luke kisses a trail from my cheek to my
neck. I’m dying from the sweet sensation of his mouth on my
skin. His touch is triggering, causing my body to react with
tiny goosebumps everywhere.
My phone buzzes again, and I laugh.
“I’d better see who this is.” I reach my hand into my
pocket.
“Don’t mind me,” he whispers into my ear, nibbling on it
before placing another kiss on my neck.
Holy smokes! I can’t concentrate.
I suck in a steadying breath and look at my phone.
Colleen Samson: I didn’t hear from you yesterday. I’m
getting concerned that you don’t have things under
control. I’m depending on you. Don’t let me down. I
expect to hear from you soon.
Annnd there goes my steamy make-out moment.
I press against Luke’s chest, pushing myself off the wall.
He straightens, moving his hands to my waist.
“I’ve missed you,” he says.
My heart wants to break out into a cheer complete with
pom-poms, but I can’t. There’s so much hanging over my
head, ruining the feeling for me.
“I missed you too,” I say, wrapping my arms around his
neck.
“I’m sorry I didn’t see you or talk to you yesterday. I
planned to, but then the day got away from me. I’m going to
have to stay here every night this week.”
“That’s what I told your sister Lauren when I talked to her
on the phone.”
 “Yes, she texted me.” He scowls, but it’s more playful than
anything else. “I heard you told her all of my secrets.”
“She’s very persuasive.”
“I have the feeling that you two together are a lethal
combination.”
“I don’t see that.”
I can totally see that.
Luke sighs. “There are a million things I’ve got to get done
at the hotel before Friday. It’s literally the worst week to be
busy, because all I can think about is you and when I’ll see
you next.”
“I’m having a hard time concentrating on work too.”
He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “I don’t know what
we’re doing here, but I know I like it, and I don’t want it to
stop.”
I bite back my smile. “Me, too.”
“So, can you be patient with me this week?”
“Yes.”
“I promise that after we pass the inspection, things will
calm down, and we can…I don’t know. Go on a real date or
something.”
My chest feels heavy. He’s going to be so disappointed if
we don’t pass. And does that mean I won’t get to go on a date
with him?
Tessa, that’s the least of your problems.
I push the thought away.
“We’ve actually gone on a real date,” I say. “Don’t you
remember? I ordered you steak.”
“I meant a date when I’m nice to you.”
“I don’t remember you being mean. I remember you being
cute.”
 “Are you sure you’re talking about me? Or is there another
guy on this island that you’ve been spending time with at
Bugaloo’s?”
“I mean, I have shared a few moments with the priest, but
only him.”
Luke’s lips loosen into a smile. “The priest who called you
a pumpkin?”
“We’ve set aside our sunless tanner differences.”
He laughs, pulling me into a hug. “I really like you, Tessa
Johnson.”
“I like you too, Luke McKenna.” I hug him back for a
second, then let go. “But I’d better let you get back to work, or
you won’t end up liking me very much.” I walk to the door,
still holding his hand.
“Maybe we should do this again sometime,” he says with a
sultry smirk.
“You have my number.” I take another step to the door,
breaking apart our hands. “Good luck getting everything
done.”
I step out into the hall, shutting the door behind me.
There’s a tug of war between my head and my heart.
My heart wants Luke to pass the inspection, but my mind
says a one-week delay isn’t a big deal.
I wonder which side will win.
CHAPTER 34
 LUKE

I t’s been the week from Hell. Tessa is the only thing that’s
gotten me through.
Do you know how many places there are in a vacant
hotel where you can make out?
A lot.
I can personally vouch for these locations: the sauna, the
walk-in refrigerator in the Italian restaurant, the roof of
building four, the elevator in building two, the exercise room,
and the maintenance closet in building one.
I never knew I was the type of guy who liked secret
rendezvous with a woman, but meeting Tessa every day this
week—sometimes multiple times a day—is probably the most
exciting thing I’ve ever done.
The only problem is that it’s Friday morning, and for the
first time in my entire life, I’m not sure if I’ll pass the final
inspection. I keep thinking that maybe I should’ve spent less
time with my lips locked to Tessa’s and more time working.
Would all those minutes have made the difference? I don’t
know.
“Do you think we’ll pass?” Nano asks as he joins me on
the front steps of the main building.
“It’s going to be close.”
I feel Nano eyeing me from the side. “You look like crap,
by the way.”
“I feel like crap.”
 I’ve barely gotten any sleep this week, working late every
night.
The Providenciales city car pulls up, stopping in the first
stall of the parking lot. The inspector, Howard Wing, steps out.
He’s tall and slender if you look at him from the back. If he
turns to the side, you can see a small gut sticking out. He grabs
a white hard hat and a notebook and makes his way toward us.
My stomach is an anxious mess.
A lot is riding on the next several hours.
“Let’s hope for the best,” I say to Nano.
Then I make my way down to greet the city inspector.
CHAPTER 35
 TESSA

I walk toward the trailer Friday afternoon, hoping to find

Luke, when my phone buzzes.
Colleen Samson: I heard we didn’t pass. Call me.
How does Colleen Samson in Tampa already know about
the failed inspection? It literally happened thirty minutes ago.
I should probably be happy about my victory, but I’m not.
It no longer feels like a victory. It feels like a loss. And now
there’s a hardened lump in my stomach, and it doesn’t just stay
there. Nope, it likes to travel up my throat, threatening to
choke me along with all of my crimes.
I sit on the hotel’s front steps, looking around to make sure
I’m alone. Once I’m certain the coast is clear, I pick up my
phone and call Colleen. Maybe she can help me feel better
about this situation. The line rings two times, and then she
answers.
“There’s my star employee,” Colleen says with a chipper
voice. “Are you out celebrating?”
I scratch the side of my head. “No, I’m actually at work.
There’s a lot I need to sort out since we didn’t pass.” Things
that I hadn’t thought about.
I need to arrange for storage containers to hold all the
furniture until we get an occupancy permit. I need to
reschedule the flights for the tech department corporate is
sending to set up the computer system. I also have to contact
every new hire and let them know that their job won’t start as
soon as they’d thought.
 My focus was on doing what Colleen wanted. In my mind,
it was cut and dried. Delay the opening and save the day. No
one would be affected by my actions, but that was a naive way
to think. Everything we do in life affects somebody else,
whether we like it or not.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll handle it,” she says.
“Are you close to getting everything figured out with the
accounting?”
“What accounting?” I hear the confusion in her voice.
“I thought that’s why I needed to delay everything. So that
you could get the financing worked out to cover being over
budget.”
“Oh.” She laughs. “Yes, of course. You don’t need to
worry about the details. Everything is under control. I should
have the funds taken care of by next week.”
“That’s good, because I was thinking maybe I could get the
inspector to come back next week so we could get the
certificate of occupancy and still open the hotel on time. Then
Mr. White won’t be upset. Everybody wins.”
“No,” Colleen snaps. “Absolutely not.”
I’m surprised by the irritation in her voice.
“But you just said that everything with the funds will be
taken care of next week. If that’s the case, we don’t need to
delay anymore.”
“I was being optimistic about the financing. Your
assignment has always been to delay the hotel opening. The
final inspection is one part of that. I expect you to follow
through with this until the very end. Do you understand me?”
My jaw hardens. No, I don’t understand, but I lie anyway.
“Yes.”
“Good, because I would hate to fire you for
incompetency.” Her voice is killer-sweet.
She’s a snake in the grass. Except the grass is cut short so I
can see her coming, but for some reason, I don’t run away—I
just let her get close enough to bite me. At least, that’s what
I’ve done.
“I would hate that too,” I say.
“I’m glad we understand each other. I’ll call next week to
make sure we’re still on track. Talk to you later.” Then the
phone goes silent.
I sit on the steps for five more minutes, trying to
understand my conversation with Colleen, but nothing makes
sense anymore.
I stand, walking to the job trailer. In a lot of ways, I dread
seeing Luke. I’m not sure I can look into his disappointed
eyes, knowing I’m to blame for the failed inspection.
I’ve really messed things up. How can I have a future with
him when there’s this huge lie between us? But I can’t tell him
the truth. He’ll rat out Colleen, we’ll both lose our jobs, and
everything will be for nothing. It’s an impossible situation
with no solution.
This is my fate.
This is what I get for all those years of not forwarding
chain mail to ten new people. I’ve cursed my happiness with
the only guy who has ever liked me for who I am.
My steps pause when I hear his deep voice coming from
the open trailer window.
“The inspector gave us a list of 146 items that we need to
get done,” Luke says.
“One hundred forty-six!” Stuart White’s voice booms
through the speakerphone. “How could there be so many
items?”
“I don’t know. The biggest problem was no hot water in
half of building four. On Monday the plumber is coming back
to look at it and fix it.”
The air inside my chest freezes.
What have I done?
 “Most of the other items on the list are small things that
can be fixed easily,” Luke says. “Nothing big.”
“Nothing big! It doesn’t matter if you had to tear down an
entire wall. We didn’t pass inspection.”
“I realize that.” Luke’s voice lacks the strength it usually
carries.
“How could this have happened?” Mr. White barks.
I hold my breath, waiting for Luke to launch into blaming
me and all the stupid time-wasting things I’ve done that have
slowly put him behind schedule. But he doesn’t.
Instead, he takes the blame.
“It’s on me,” he says. “I should’ve had the hotel ready. I
should’ve double-checked everything and made sure we were
prepared.”
“You’re right. It is on you.” Mr. White sighs, calming a
little. “You’ve worked for me for six years, Luke, but this is
unacceptable.”
“I know.”
I’m not used to hearing Luke be so apologetic, and I hate
it, especially when it’s all my fault.
“There have to be consequences,” Mr. White says.
My hands tighten into fists. What if Luke gets fired
because of me?
“I’m not saying I’m firing you,” Mr. White continues, and
I breathe a little easier. “But between this and the lawsuit, I’m
not sure what to do with you.”
I hate that Mr. White brought up the lawsuit right now,
especially since Luke did nothing wrong in that situation.
“I understand,” he says.
“When did the inspector say he could come back?” Mr.
White asks.
“His earliest available appointment is in three weeks,”
Luke says.
 Three weeks?
My eyes close. This is worse than I thought.
“Three weeks won’t work.” Mr. White’s voice is rising
again. “I’m supposed to have a soft launch in three weeks with
the grand opening a week later.”
“I know,” Luke says. “Is there any way we can postpone
that?”
“Do you know how bad that would look to our customers?
We are booked at seventy percent capacity on the grand
opening week. Not to mention the bonuses. We haven’t even
talked about those yet.”
Bonuses? I’ve never heard of any bonuses.
I lean in closer out of extreme interest.
“Yeah, I know,” Luke says. “I’ve thought about that too.”
“You know what’s in the contract. I only give the
subcontractors and construction workers bonuses if the project
is completed on time. It’s my way of rewarding people for
working hard. And since it’s also listed in the contract that
they can’t know about the bonuses, I’m able to gauge if
they’re doing their job for the right reasons, not just the
incentive. But it’s looking like none of your men have worked
hard enough to earn the extra money.”
I swallow, willing the lump in my throat to go back down
to the pit of my stomach. Or better yet, to go away completely.
“They have worked hard, and they deserve the bonuses.
It’s my fault that we’re behind schedule,” Luke says. “Take the
money from my salary and give it to them. They need it more
than I do.”
My shoulders sink. I can’t believe he would give up so
much for everyone else.
“Luke, you don’t make enough to cover the amount. It’s
around six hundred thousand dollars.”
Six hundred thousand dollars?
That’s the amount Colleen needs to come in on budget.
 Suddenly, Luke’s words about Colleen repeat through my
mind.
She’s the most manipulative, selfish, out-for-herself person
I’ve ever met.
Would Colleen use the money from the workers’ bonuses
to cover the amount she overspent?
I shake my head. She wouldn’t stoop that low…would
she?
Mr. White heaves a rough breath into the phone, like this
conversation is dangerously raising his blood pressure. “So,
what’s the next step?” he asks.
“We’ll work on the items the inspector noted. I’ll keep
calling the Providenciales city offices every morning to see if
there’s an opening to reschedule the inspection earlier than
three weeks,” Luke says.
“I have to decide by the end of next week if I’m going to
push back the grand opening or not.”
“Hopefully, we’ll know more by then,” he says.
“Fine. We’ll be in touch.”
Everything goes silent.
I stand by the window for a minute, scared to move. I
should move. I certainly don’t want to be caught
eavesdropping on Luke’s conversation, but it’s like my feet
have grown roots, holding me to the spot.
I hear the exact moment Luke kicks what I think is a
garbage can across the trailer.
It’s then that I rip my feet from their roots and scurry to my
car. I’m drowning in guilt. I won’t be able to look Luke in the
eye. I know it’s a cowardly thing to do, but I decide to work
from home the rest of the day.
CHAPTER 36
 TESSA

W hat do you do when you royally screw up your life

and everyone else’s?
You lie in bed and cry.
I’ve been doing that all afternoon and I still don’t feel
better, so I think the saying Sometimes you just need a good
cry is bogus. Complete crap.
And the worst part is that Luke texted me—me—to see if I
was doing okay and to let me know he was going to stay at the
hotel all night again.
I’m pretty much the most despicable person there ever
was.
My phone rings, and I instantly tear up.
It’s my dad.
I love how he does that, how he’s there for me when I need
him most. It’s like a sixth sense.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Tess. I was thinking about you today.”
“Dad?” I barely get the word out before I completely fall
apart. “I need help.”
“What’s wrong?” His voice is doing that worried trembling
thing that he does when he’s nervous on my behalf. It’s really
endearing. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
 “I’m not hurt.” I sniffle into the phone. “But I’m not okay,
either.”
“What happened?”
“The hotel didn’t pass inspection this morning, and it’s all
my fault.”
“I’m sure it’s not your fault.”
I grimace, hugging my pillow tighter. “It actually is. I
sabotaged everything so that we wouldn’t pass to delay the
opening of the hotel.”
“You did what?”
It sounds bad. I know. Saying it out loud to someone
makes it seem a thousand times worse.
“I worked against the project, wasting time so that we
wouldn’t pass the inspection and open on time. And I guess
I’m really good at my job, because thanks to me, we failed.”
Another dramatic sob escapes my lips.
“Why would you do that?” he asks.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. Colleen told me that
she was over budget and needed my help. She said if we failed
the inspection, it would give her more time to get the funds she
needed to cover the excess. She promised me a promotion if I
did it. I didn’t think anyone would get hurt. I just wanted to
help. And I wanted a better job to prove to you and everyone
in the family that I’m capable and successful. I wanted
everyone to be proud of me.”
There’s a pause, as if my dad is taking in everything I just
admitted. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for his
response.
What’s he going to say? Is he going to tell me he’s so
disappointed in me? It’s literally the worst thing a parent can
say.
“Tess, I’m not proud of you because of your job. I’m proud
of you because of the woman you’ve become.”
 Tears spill down my face, and the tension in my chest
releases.
“Your fierce loyalty, the way you throw yourself behind
anyone who needs help, the way you know your mind and
aren’t afraid to speak it. I don’t have to worry about you. I
know you’re strong enough to take care of yourself. Even
when things don’t go your way, you pick yourself up and
move forward. Those are the things I’m proud of. Your job
title and your position don’t mean anything to me.”
There’s so much tenderness behind my dad’s words that I
can’t help but believe him.
“I don’t know why I agreed to this stupid plan. I thought I
was doing the right thing by helping Colleen.”
“I wish you would’ve asked for my advice. I would’ve told
you it wasn’t a good idea.”
“I’m asking for your advice now,” I say, trying to keep my
voice steady. “How can I fix this?”
“I don’t know that much about hotel budgets, but I can’t
understand how delaying the project would help when you’re
already over budget.”
“I don’t understand either, but I didn’t ask any questions. I
just trusted Colleen.”
“Tessa, it sounds like what you’re doing over there is
wrong. How could you not have asked more questions?”
“I don’t know. I assumed that since you trusted Colleen
completely that I should too. I figured she wouldn’t do
anything to hurt me.” I think back to the bonuses. “But I’m
starting to wonder if she lied to me.”
“What did she lie about?”
“I just found out that if the project finishes on time, all the
construction workers and subcontractors get a bonus. The
bonus total is the same amount we’re short on the project.
What if she knew about the bonuses and asked me to delay so
that she could use that money to cover up her mistake?”
My dad whistles. “That’s really awful.”
 “I know,” I groan.
“I wouldn’t think that Colleen was capable of something
like that, but maybe we don’t know her as well as we think we
do.”
“I guess not. And the worst part is that I helped her delay
everything. I’m a terrible person.”
“You’re not a terrible person. You thought you were doing
the right thing.”
“Yeah, but I missed the obvious cues that she was
manipulating me. How could I have done that?” I think back
through all the hoops my mind jumped through to rationalize
this situation. It’s ridiculous.
“You relied on my trust and faith in Colleen,” my dad says.
“Why would you doubt that?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You’re a victim of your circumstance. She manipulated
you. She manipulated all of us. The best thing you can do now
is reverse the damage you’ve done. Can you do that?”
I shrug even though he can’t see it.
“Can you fix everything so that the hotel does open on
time so that the workers get their bonuses?” he asks.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re a smart woman, Tess. If there’s a way to repair
what you’ve done, I know you’ll find it.”
“And if I can’t?”
“Then it’s up to you to tell the truth.”
I was afraid he was going to say that.
I feel like I’ve gotten myself so tangled in a web of lies
that I’ll never be able to undo the knots. And coming clean
means looking bad in front of everyone. I purposely live my
life so that I don’t look bad in front of people. No one gets to
see the vulnerable, less-than-perfect side of Tessa Johnson. If
there’s a way that I don’t have to show anyone how much I’ve
screwed up, then I prefer to take that route.
“You could always bake chocolate chip cookies,” my dad
jokes. “That’s what your mother used to do when she was
stressed or sad.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve done something like that.
“Seriously, though,” my dad says. “Start with the things
you can fix. The rest will work itself out.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
My voice wobbles. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Yes, you did. You accepted me no matter what and didn’t
judge me for everything I’ve done wrong.”
“You’re my little girl. I love you in every form.”
That’s really all I’ve ever wanted.
CHAPTER 37
 TESSA

I ’m walking into the lobby of the WhiteSands Resort

Saturday morning with a plate of brownies, chocolate chip
cookies, and a plan.
I’m a woman on a mission. I need dramatic music playing
and a team of men marching behind me, preferably in a V
formation, wearing sunglasses, suits, and carrying briefcases,
but since I don’t have any of that, I’m settling for a raised chin
with an added air of confidence.
The crew is already in the lobby. I called them all here on a
Saturday.
“Hey, everyone,” I say. “Thank you all for coming in on
your day off.”
A loose circle forms around me.
“I know we had a setback yesterday when we didn’t pass
inspection.” From the corner of my eye, I catch Luke across
the lobby, leaning against a pillar, listening.
I haven’t seen him since we failed, and I’m glad about it. I
couldn’t face him until I had a plan to fix this mess.
I look back at the men. “I believe we can turn this problem
around and—”
“There’s no such thing as a problem,” Marty says. “Only
opportunities.” He smiles big. “You taught me that, Miss
Tessa.”
“That’s right, Marty.” I smile. “The failed inspection is an
opportunity to work together. If we do, I know we can have
this hotel ready in time for the grand opening.”
“How?” Nano asks. “The next inspection date is three
weeks away. That’s when the soft launch is supposed to
happen.”
“Let me worry about the inspection date,” I say. “I need
you guys to worry about fixing all the items on the inspector’s
list.”
“By when?” Samuel asks.
“I’m going to try and get another inspection set up for this
coming Friday. If we pass, that will give us two weeks to get
ready for the soft launch.”
“That’s fast,” Jarvis says.
“It is, but I think we can pull it off.” I look around the
circle of men. They’ve become my friends. Their stories have
become part of me. I don’t want to take advantage of them, but
I also can’t do this without their help. “It will require long
hours, and I’m sure you’re wondering why you should commit
to something like that.” Especially since they don’t know
about the bonuses. “Most of you don’t care when the hotel
opens, but I do. A lot is riding on it.”
The men are listening but not sold on helping yet. I roll out
a large butcher paper that I picked up last night at the local
store after making chocolate chip cookies and brownies. I
hadn’t baked in years, but it felt really good to go back to my
roots. Then I spent four hours color-coding a schedule on the
off chance I could get these men on board with my plan.
“I’m proposing we become Disney World,” I say.
Deep lines crease into Nano’s forehead. “Disney World?”
“That’s right. What happens at Disney World when the
gates close at night and the guests go home?” I ask.
Fifty blank faces stare back at me, and I suddenly realize
we’re on an island. The majority of these men probably have
never been to Disney World.
“I will tell you what happens,” I say, pointing at them. I’m
trying to rescue my speech and my Disney analogy. “After
Disney World closes each night, that’s when all the workers
pull together. They clean the park, touch up paint, practice
their routines, and space out the parades. All of this is done in
the middle of the night so that when the next morning rolls
around and the park opens, it looks effortless to the people
who visit.” Their faces are still blank, but I forge ahead.
Hopefully, I’ll get better at speeches the further I get in my
career—if I still have a career after this. “I want us to work
together and open this hotel on time. When the guests arrive,
they won’t know the blood, sweat, and tears it took, but we
will, and we can be proud of what we accomplished.”
“So, what do you want us to do?” Nano asks. He still has
the creases on his forehead.
“Right.” I clear my throat. “Starting today, I want us to
work around the clock to get the hotel open.”
Nano laughs. “I’m a loyal employee, but not round-the-
clock loyal. When would I see Kimberley?”
I knew things were going well between them, but not so
well that he couldn’t spare a minute.
“I know that this is a lot to ask, but I can assure you it will
be worth your while.” They won’t know how worth their while
until the project is done. I wish I could tell them about the
bonuses, but I can’t. I turn to my butcher paper. “I wrote out a
schedule, alternating when crews are here.” I look at Rick. “I
didn’t put you on nights because I know your wife is a nurse,
and you need to take care of the kids while she’s at work.” I
point to Gregory. “You said you’re a night owl and hate
getting up in the morning, so I put you working late.” I scan
the crowd until I find Pablo. “You have a newborn, so I texted
your wife Jenny to see what schedule she’d prefer from you. I
had her number because she’s one of the new hires on the
housekeeping staff.” I glance over the entire group. “I had all
of your personal lives in mind when I made this schedule.
There’ll be breaks when you can go home, see your family,
and relax. If we all work together, I think we can make this
happen.”
 I bite my lip, feeling more nervous than I ever have in my
entire life.
“So what do you guys say? Are you with me?” I wanted to
yell something dramatic like Who’s with me? But since I
already got a tad dramatic on my Disney World rally speech,
and since I’m not Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, I decided
to ask it more tastefully.
Slowly I see a few nods like dominos rippling through the
crowd.
Nano turns over his shoulder, looking at Luke. “What do
you say, boss? Do you think we can get all the items fixed in
time and get everything set up for the hotel to open on
schedule?”
He pushes off the pillar, straightening. “If Tessa thinks we
can, then I have no doubt she’ll make it happen.”
I’m thrilled that he thinks I’m capable, but the guilt I’ve
been feeling for days—weeks, really—rears its ugly head,
adding to my desperation to fix this.
“Besides,” Luke continues, “you guys are hard workers. If
any crew can pull it off, I think it’s this one.”
Nano shifts his gaze back to me. “Okay. Count me in.”
A few more men nod in agreement until it seems like
everyone is on board.
“Thank you.” I let out a deep breath. “I promise you won’t
regret it.” I glance across the room at Luke. “You’ll need to get
your assignments from Luke and Nano for what action items
you’re responsible for. And”—I point to the tray of treats on
the front counter—“I made brownies and cookies as a thank
you.”
The men file forward one by one, taking a treat. They seem
excited about the baked goods, so that’s a start.
“Let’s do this,” I say, adding a clap. I can’t help myself.
It’s the high school cheerleader inside of me. Sometimes she
slips out.
 I spend the next few minutes answering questions from a
few men about the schedule. When there’s a break, Luke
walks up to me, holding a brownie. He’s in his usual work
outfit, but he’s a sight for sore eyes—although I never thought
I would have ailing eyes from not seeing a man’s striking face,
but apparently I do.
“This tastes a lot like my mom’s famous recipe,” he says,
holding up the brownie.
“It is your mom’s famous recipe.” I smile. “I called Lauren
to get it. I just wanted to do something a little extra for you.”
“That’s really nice,” he says. “Great speech, by the way.”
I smooth my hair back from my face. “I might’ve gotten a
little carried away with the whole Disney thing. If I could do it
over, I would take that part out.”
“I like it when you get carried away with something.”
A smile breaks loose on my lips. “I thought that’s what
annoyed you about me.”
“What are you talking about?” He smirks. “I’ve never been
annoyed with you.”
I push his chest. “Yeah, right.”
His eyes glance down at the schedule I made. “Why are
you doing all of this?”
“Because I’m to blame for failing the inspection.” I’m not
quite ready to tell him the entire truth, just bits and pieces. “If I
hadn’t done all my team-building activities, we probably
wouldn’t be in this mess. You were right to call it time-
wasting.” I turn and look at the schedule. “So all of this is to
fix my mistakes.”
His hands clasp over mine, intertwining our fingers. “Are
you including all of our secret meetings last week as part of
the time-wasting activities? Because I regret nothing.”
I regret a lot of things, but my relationship with Luke isn’t
one of them.
 “No,” I say, tugging him closer. “I consider those team-
building meetings.”
“Good, because I’d like to continue them this week as
well.” There’s a playful glimmer in his eyes that I’m still
trying to get used to. Who knew the surly contractor had a
sexy, flirty side?
“We’ll have to see if we have time for that. Passing
inspection is the top priority,” I say.
He shakes his head. “We’re never going to be able to get a
closer inspection date with the city. You know that, right?”
“I’m a tad insulted that you don’t think I can win over the
city inspector.” I smirk. “After all, I won you over.”
He nods, letting his eyes sweep across my face. “Yes, you
did. I put nothing past you. If you say we can do it, then I’m
all in.”
And I’m all in with him.
First I just have to clear my name.
CHAPTER 38
 LUKE

I t’s Sunday evening. I’ve been at the hotel all day long
working. Tessa’s car is out front of the rental house when I
get home. There are a few lights on in the house, but she’s
nowhere to be found. I walk out to the deck and see her sitting
in the sand by the water, looking up at the sky.
“Can I join you?” I ask, walking up behind her.
She looks up, and the moonlight highlights the tears
streaming down her face.
Then I remember.
Today is Mother’s Day.
I called my mom earlier this morning, but I was so busy I
didn’t think about how hard this day would be for Tessa.
I grimace as I drop down beside her. “I’m a jerk,” I say. “I
forgot that it’s Mother’s Day.”
She shakes her head. “It’s okay. I don’t expect you to think
of me on this holiday.”
“You are the one person I should be thinking about on this
holiday.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder. “Are you crying
because your mom is dead or because you aren’t a mom?”
“Both.” She wipes at a tear. “This was already a triggering
holiday for someone like me. But now that my mom’s gone,
it’s even worse.” She looks up at the stars. “You know, she’s
almost been gone an entire year. I’ve made it through every
other holiday but this one. It’s the last of the first-year things.”
 I look up at the stars too, not feeling like she needs me to
say anything. I just want to be here for her.
“Ever since I learned I couldn’t have kids, my mom made
this holiday super special. We never celebrated mothers, we
celebrated women. We’d go to a movie that featured a strong
female, or one year we went to the library and researched
incredible, influential women in history.” She laughs. “It
sounds boring, but somehow my mom and my sisters made it
really fun. We even got kicked out of the library because we
were laughing too hard and being too loud.”
“I could easily see that happening.” I squeeze her tighter.
“What can I do?”
She turns her head to me. “Just hold me.”
“I’d love to.”
I lay back in the sand, pulling her down with me. Her head
rests on my chest, and I wrap my arms around her. She silently
weeps against my chest. I feel the wetness of her tears, and it’s
all I can do to keep the emotion watering my own eyes from
falling. After a while her tears stop, and I wonder if she’s
fallen asleep, but then her head moves so she can look up at
me.
“Lauren says you call me fancy pants.”
“It’s better than sugar bum, don’t you think?”
“Yes.” I’m relieved when her body shakes with laughter.
“That’s definitely true. Lauren also told me how you really got
into the North Star.”
My brows furrow. “The story I told you was legit.”
“Kind of, but Lauren said it all started when you read the
book Endurance in school about a journey to cross the
Antarctic. That’s the book that’s on your dresser in your room,
isn’t it?”
I smile. “Have you been snooping around my room?”
Her smile matches mine. “Only a few times.”
“Yes, it’s the one in my room. It’s my favorite book.”
 “I’ve never heard of it. What’s it about?”
For some reason, Tessa asking about my favorite book just
adds to everything else I feel for her.
“It’s about a journey to the Antarctic. The boat they set sail
on was originally named Polaris, but Shackleton, the captain,
changed the name when he brought it over from Norway. In
the middle of their expedition, the boat got trapped in ice. The
crew went through unbelievable hardships.” I look up at the
sky. “But a few of the men, including the captain, navigated
their way to civilization using the stars.” I squint, making all
the lights in the sky blur together. “Eventually all twenty-
seven men in the crew were rescued.”
“That’s amazing,” Tessa says.
“Yeah, their story really impressed me. I remember telling
my mom about it, and that’s when she said I could endure
anything like them, that the North Star could guide me too. So,
as you can see, I told you the truth about it coming from my
mom.”
“Okay, fine,” she says. “We can share the North Star.”
“I thought we already were.”
She turns her head, resting it against my chest again. “Two
vessels lost at sea, just trying to find our homes.”
I hug her closer.
I think I may have already found mine.
CHAPTER 39
 LUKE

T hursday night I drive to Bugaloo’s to grab some dinner.

The restaurant is crowded with tourists. Live music is
playing in the background, and the smell of fried food
fills the air. I breathe it in, grateful for the break from work.
I’ve been pushing myself harder than I ever have.
Everyone has. I’ve never seen these men work so hard. I didn’t
even know half of them were capable of it. I wish I could take
the credit, but I can’t.
It all goes to Tessa.
The way she inspires, motivates, and lifts everyone to be
better is incredible. All these years I thought if I demanded
more from my workers then they would give me more, but I
was wrong. Tessa showed me that. She showed me that
genuine personal relationships go further than commands.
I walk to the bar, resting my elbows on top. “Hey, Pete.
Can I get a conch burger to go?”
“Sure thing, Luke.”
I look across the restaurant and see Tessa sitting by herself
at a table with her laptop open. She doesn’t see me, giving me
the perfect chance to watch her. Her hair is in a ponytail, and
she’s wearing a t-shirt and shorts. She’s got an empty plate
pushed to the side and a half-full glass of ice water.
We’ve worked side by side all week, trying to get
everything in the hotel done. It’s not how I pictured our
relationship going. There’s nothing romantic about final
inspections, but somehow, it’s exactly the kind of relationship
I want. We have the deep emotional connection like the night
we spent in the sand on Mother’s Day, but also the heart-
pounding physical attraction.
This week has had the added bonus of taking breaks during
the day to secretly meet Tessa in a closet somewhere. My job
sites in the past have never seen this much action.
And I’m not complaining.
The restaurant claps as the trio of men in the corner finish
playing their song, and an idea pops into my head. I connect
eyes with the man on the guitar and wave him over to me.
“Señor,” I say. “See that woman sitting over there?” I point
to Tessa.
“Sí. Ella es muy bonita.”
“Yes, she is.” I reach inside my pocket and pull out a
twenty-dollar bill. “Will you serenade her with a song?”
“Sí. Serenade.”
He starts to walk away, but I call after him. “Don’t stop.
Even if she waves you away, keep playing.”
“Okay.” He smiles.
The man heads back to the other two in his trio and points
to Tessa. They start playing a romantic tune as they make their
way to her table. She sees them coming and immediately starts
shaking her head in protest, but they surround her. She waves
her arms in front of them, signaling that she’s not interested,
but that’s right when one of the men starts singing. Her eyes
go wide, and she swivels her head, no doubt checking to see
how many people are watching her right now. There are quite
a few.
I can’t hide my laughter as I watch her shrink into her
chair. She was right—she doesn’t know where to look. At first
she tries to focus on the man singing. It’s amazing. I don’t
even think she’s blinked once.
Never mind, now she’s blinking in rapid succession, like
she’s trying to blink to the beat of the music. She drops her
head, fidgeting with everything on the table in front of her.
 Her computer.
Her plate.
Her fork.
Her napkin.
She’s a mess, and it’s pretty dang cute.
The guy with the harmonica goes into a big solo, and her
head whips up to him. She musters a smile and a head nod, but
inside I know she’s counting down the seconds until it ends.
There’s a big swell and a finale with the guitar, and then
it’s over.
She claps and says something to the men, and that’s when
the guy I gave the twenty-dollar bill to rats me out. He points
across the restaurant to where I’m standing. Tessa’s eyes
follow, and when they lock on me, everything lights up.
I lift my glass, and she laughs. I push off the bar and walk
to her.
“If I had known you were going to turn my aversion to
serenades against me, I never would’ve confided in you.”
“I’m glad you did. It was the best serenade I’ve ever seen.”
“Not for me,” she mutters.
I take a seat at her table. “I wish I would’ve known you
were here. I would’ve come earlier so we could’ve eaten
dinner together. We still haven’t had our second official date.”
“That’s okay.” She holds her hand up in front of me. “I just
came from the nail salon. I had a chipped nail that needed to
be fixed.”
My lips twitch with amusement. Only Tessa would make
time during this crazy week to fix a chipped nail.
“I finally tried out Nancy’s Nails. It’s that cute little place
on the way to the rental car place. Nancy is super sweet, by the
way. We were chatting, the typical girl talk, and I was telling
her about the construction site and how I couldn’t get the city
inspector to call me back. It turns out that Nancy’s last name is
Wing.”
I stare blankly back at her, trying to follow her story.
“You know, Wing?” she says. “As in Howard Wing, the
city inspector?”
My eyes widen. “You’re joking, right?”
“Not at all. Nancy got her husband, Howard, on the phone.
We had a lovely talk and surprisingly had so much in
common.”
That is surprising. Does Howard like to get manicures?
“He’s agreed to come back for another inspection
tomorrow morning,” she says.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.” She smiles triumphantly.
“But every time I call the city offices, they keep telling me
he’s fully booked.”
“He is fully booked, but he said he’d make time for me.”
She shrugs. “Are we ready?”
“We will be.”
“Good, because it’s all set.”
“You’re amazing,” I say.
“I really didn’t do anything. I happened to be in the right
place at the right time.”
“No, it’s more than that.” I shake my head in disbelief. “I
don’t know how you manage to get everyone to fall in love
with you, but you do.”
Everyone including me. Tessa has completely shaken my
world. She’s nothing that I thought I wanted, but she’s
everything that I need.
And I’ve fallen hard.
CHAPTER 40
 TESSA

I t’s Friday night. I’m sitting on my bed with my laptop in

front of me, trying to wrap my head around everything that
needs to get done next week. Passing the inspection was
just one hurdle we needed to get over. Now we have to
furnish, decorate, and get everything moved into the resort.
I’m like Anna in Frozen—I had no clue hotels needed eight
thousand salad plates, but they do, and they need to be
unwrapped and put away.
My phone lights up, and I smile.
Luke: Do you want to celebrate our passed inspection
with me?
Tessa: Where are you?
His response comes immediately, as if he’s been staring at
his phone, waiting for me to reply.
Luke: Outside on our back patio.
Tessa: Is this a business meeting or a social call?
Luke: Definitely a social call.
My smile doubles in size. I would love to spend the
evening with him as a couple. Are we a couple? I don’t even
know. Either way, I’m buzzing with nervous excitement.
Tessa: In that case, I’ll be there.
I jump to my feet, shaking my fingers out in front of me. I
feel jittery all of a sudden, and I don’t know why.
I glance down at my appearance and sigh. It’s rough.
 I’ve already washed off my makeup. My hair is in one of
those lopsided buns that you throw up quickly, thinking it’s
just temporary. And I’m wearing my pajamas—a baggy t-shirt
and gray sweat shorts.
I could change my clothes and run to the bathroom to
reapply makeup, but what for?
This is me.
The real me.
Luke needs to take it or leave it—but something tells me
he’ll take it, gladly.
I walk out of my bedroom to the back porch. The night sky
and glittering stars are the perfect backdrop. Luke’s already
lying on one of the lounge chairs.
“I can’t believe you’re home,” I say, coming to his side.
“We got everything done today.” He turns his head,
looking up at me with a smile. “You’re killing me with your
ready-for-bed look,” he says as he trails his eyes down the
length of my body.
I run my fingers through his brown hair, pushing it off his
forehead. “It’s my homeless look.”
“Not to me.” He shakes his head. “To me, it’s your I’m-
not-trying-to-be-sexy-but-I-really-am-sexy look.” He wraps
his arm around my waist, pulling me down so I’m sitting in his
lap. “We did it,” he says, softly kissing me on the lips.
“It’s not over yet.”
“But we’re close.” He rests his head against the back of the
chair, closing his eyes as he says the words.
“I bet you’re tired.”
He nods, keeping his eyes shut. “Maybe I shouldn’t have
called this a celebration in my text.”
“It’s okay. I just like being with you.” I shift, turning my
body forward so I’m sitting between his legs, leaning against
his back. He wraps his arms around my stomach and buries his
head into my hair.
 I look up at the sky, finding the North Star. My mom
always said it would guide me, and in a way, I feel like it led
me straight to Luke. He’s everything I need, balancing me out
perfectly, making me feel safe and comfortable in my own
skin.
I want a future with him after all of this, after Turks and
Caicos.
The realization makes my heart pound.
You need to tell him what you’ve done.
My eyes fill with tears, but I try to blink them back.
You can’t have a future with him if you don’t tell him what
you’ve done.
“Tess?” His voice rumbles below me.
I turn my head, trying to see him from the corner of my
eye. “Yeah?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
I shift my head forward so he can’t see the fresh wave of
tears filling my eyes. “I think I’m falling in love with you
too.”
His grip around my stomach tightens, holding me closer.
“I didn’t think I would ever fall in love,” he says. “My dad
ruined all of that for me. He made me not want to trust
anybody with my heart, because I never wanted to get hurt the
way he hurt my mom. He lied to her for years. Had women on
the side, and she had no idea. He completely blindsided our
family, all because of his own selfishness.”
Tears slowly fall down my cheeks as I listen to him talk. I
want to stop him right there and tell him everything, beg for
forgiveness, but I don’t.
I’m paralyzed with fear.
“I hate my dad for all the lies he told. I don’t think I’ll ever
be able to forgive him, but I want to let go of some of the
anger. You helped me think that it might be possible. So thank
you for that.”
 I shake my head. “You shouldn’t be thanking me.”
If he knew who I really was. If he knew what I’ve done,
what lies I’ve told, he’d never forgive me either.
Luke fades to sleep as I silently cry, wishing things
between us could be different.
Wishing I were different.
CHAPTER 41
 TESSA

C olleen Samson called me thirteen times over the

weekend, but I never picked up. I stare at her name on
my screen first thing Monday morning, feeling the
phone vibrate in my hand.
Not answering your boss’s call is the quickest way to get
fired. That, and not actually doing the job they assigned you to
do…which I didn’t.
So basically, I’m fired.
I take a deep breath and answer. “Hi, Colleen,” I say,
sounding way happier than I feel.
“I didn’t think you were going to answer,” she says.
I didn’t want to.
I pace back and forth in the lobby. “I’ve been really busy.”
“Apparently.” There’s a bite of sarcasm in her voice. “I
just spoke with Stuart. He said you passed the inspection and
that the soft launch is still planned for two weeks from today.”
“That’s correct.”
“That means the hotel will open on schedule.”
I lift my chin. “Yes, I know.”
“I thought we had an arrangement.”
“We did, until I found out about the worker’s bonuses if
they complete the job on time. You were going to use that
money to make it look like we came in on budget, weren’t
you?”
I can’t believe the bold way I’m talking to Colleen right
now. This is not normal.
Colleen laughs. “Good for you. You figured something out
on your own.”
“There’s nothing good about this situation.”
“Let me guess,” she says. “You have a moral dilemma with
that plan.”
“I’m not sure how you don’t.”
“Sometimes in business, you have to rob Peter to pay Paul.
That’s how it works. You’ll learn that with more experience.”
“I don’t want to learn that.”
I’m finally seeing that I don’t want to be like Colleen. I
don’t want to lie, take advantage, and manipulate people just
to get to the top in my career. It’s not worth it. I’d rather be
completely average than be successful if success means
turning out like her.
I shake my head. “What you’re doing isn’t right. The
people here have worked hard. They’ve earned their bonuses,
and they need the money more than WhiteSands.”
“So you’re willing to put both our jobs on the line so a few
low-life construction workers can get a bonus?”
“They’re not lowlives. They’re some of the kindest, most
hard-working, genuine people I’ve ever met. And, yes, I am
willing to put my job on the line for them.”
“I can’t believe this,” she scoffs. “I took you in with no
experience as a favor to your parents. And then, after
everything I’ve taught you, every opportunity I’ve given you,
every promise and handout, this is how you repay me?”
My eyes fill with tears.
This is career suicide.
The familiar insecurities play in the back of my mind.
 You need this career. You don’t have anything else. This
has to be your future.
I shove my fears down. There has to be more to my life
than being Colleen’s minion.
“My parents never would’ve asked for that favor if they’d
known your true colors.”
“My true colors? Do you think you’re so much better than
me?
“I’m not doing this to hurt you,” I say. “I’m doing this
because it’s the right thing.”
“What about me?” she snaps. “What about my career?”
“You’re going to have to find the money somewhere else.”
Her voice lowers. “You ungrateful little brat.”
“Why don’t you talk to Mr. White and explain what
happened? He might not fire you.”
“Oh, I will talk to Mr. White. When this is all over, don’t
expect to keep your job.”
“I don’t, but I do expect to keep my dignity. Unlike you.”
The phone goes silent. She’s hung up on me.
My hands tremble as I lower the phone. For the first time
ever, I finally stood up to Colleen Samson, and it feels scary
but good.
CHAPTER 42
 LUKE

“L uke, Stuart White. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure,” I say, shifting the phone off my shoulder
into my hand. “I was just putting an awning up at the
excursion counter down on the beach.”
“It sounds like everything is coming together for the soft
launch on Monday,” Stuart says.
I look over the resort property, not really believing it
myself. The last two weeks since we passed the final
inspection have been a blur trying to get everything ready. In
two days, this place will welcome its first few guests.
“Yeah, we should be good to go for Monday. Tessa said
you’re coming too, right?”
“I was supposed to arrive on Sunday, but something urgent
has come up. Colleen is still recovering from surgery so I’m
sending my VP over operations down so that I can stay here
and handle the emergency.”
I lean against the white shack that holds all the beach
activities. “What’s the emergency?”
“That’s actually what I need to talk to you about. I spoke
with Colleen Samson this morning and learned some
disturbing news.”
I’m sure—anything that has to do with Colleen is
disturbing.
“It turns out Tessa has been trying to sabotage the opening
of the hotel.”
 My brows drop. “What?”
“She’s been doing things to slow down the project so that
it wouldn’t open on time.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would she do that?”
“She’s over budget on the project by roughly six hundred
thousand dollars. She was planning on taking the money from
the employee bonuses and using it to cover up her mistake.”
I shake my head, trying to understand everything Stuart is
saying. “I thought Tessa was just an assistant. How could she
be over on the budget by that much without you or Colleen
knowing?”
“Colleen handles the budget on every job and reports back
to me. But this time, in an effort to train Tessa, she let her take
over the project—a huge mistake on Colleen’s part.”
I rub my forehead. “Are you sure?”
“Luke, she’s been intentionally wasting time on the job
site, pulling the employees away from work.”
“I thought that was all part of the Corporate Cares
program.”
“No, I specifically told Tessa that her main focus was on
opening the hotel, not Corporate Cares.”
Maybe there was a miscommunication or something that
she didn’t understand. “That’s not why we didn’t pass the
inspection,” I say. “We had other setbacks.”
“She also changed the delivery address on the shipment of
door card readers, and she tampered with the hot water heaters
in building four.”
She changed the delivery address? Tampered with the hot
water heaters?
The plumber spent an entire day trying to figure out what
was wrong with the hot water in building four. He finally
figured out that the water heaters were unplugged. He had no
clue how that happened.
 “Who knows what else Tessa’s done?” Stuart says. “She is
the reason we didn’t pass the first inspection.”
“It doesn’t make sense. Tessa’s the reason we finally
passed, the reason we’re opening on time. If she wanted to use
the bonus money to cover up her mistakes, then why has she
been working so hard to get us open on time?”
“Colleen discovered her error two weeks ago and
confronted her about it. My guess is that Tessa figured her
punishment wouldn’t be as bad if she opened on schedule.
She’s probably just trying to save her job.”
“I can’t believe it,” I say. I don’t want to believe it.
“I’m sure this comes as a shock. She fooled everyone,
even me.”
I’m such a blind fool. Maybe I was right about her in the
beginning. She’s only out for herself.
“What do we do now?” I ask. “What happens next?”
“Tessa won’t answer any of Colleen’s calls. I’m sure she
wouldn’t answer mine either, so I haven’t bothered. Since
you’re there and in charge of the job site, we’d like you to take
care of the situation.”
“How am I supposed to take care of the situation?”
“She’s to leave the hotel and the island. I can’t risk her
sabotaging anything else. We have her scheduled on the next
flight out of Turks and Caicos tomorrow morning. When she
arrives in Tampa, I’ll deal with everything she’s done.”
My chest falls. “You want me to kick her out?”
“Luke, what’s the problem? I figured you’d be happy to
get rid of her after everything she’s done against you.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “You’re right. I’ll be happy to get rid of her.
There’s no problem at all.”
CHAPTER 43
 TESSA

F or two weeks, I’ve been trying to find a way to tell Luke

the truth, but I haven’t found the right moment yet.
In my defense, we’ve been busy.
The entire hotel is full of new employees cleaning, being
trained, decorating, and unpackaging supplies. Computer
systems are being set up. Kitchen staff are organizing the
restaurants, loading food into refrigerators, and finalizing
menus. Housekeeping is dividing out towels, soaps, and
shampoos—making sure every room is ready for guests. The
entertainment staff is practicing routines, setting up beach
volleyball courts, and unwrapping kayaks and life jackets.
Everyone is working overtime to make up for the week
that we lost—you know, the one we lost because of me, but
I’m choosing not to dwell on that. Nobody likes thinking about
their crimes. I’m much happier living in denial.
I haven’t talked to Colleen since I told her to save her own
job two weeks ago. Sometimes I doubt that conversation even
happened. Like maybe I made it all up in my head, and I’ll go
back to Tampa when this is over and still have a job.
No.
That’s delusional thinking.
It really happened.
But forget about Colleen and my job.
Tonight is the night.
 Usually when a woman says that, she’s talking about
spending the entire night with a man—behind closed doors.
Not me.
No, when I use a phrase like that, I’m talking about
coming clean from all of my lies. Not as romantic or as fun.
But I can’t keep stalling. The soft launch is in two days,
and that’s when everyone from corporate will show up—
hopefully not Colleen. I’m praying she’s still recovering from
her surgery.
“Tessa, I need to talk to you in private,” Luke says,
walking past me.
I pop my head up, following him with my eyes as he
disappears around the corner into the manager’s office.
“Okay.” I frown.
Why is he being so weird?
I walk to the manager’s office, closing the door behind me.
Luke’s pacing back and forth in front of the newly added desk.
“Are you okay?” I ask, watching him.
His eyes shift to mine, but the warmth that I’ve grown
accustomed to is gone.
“Did you purposely try to sabotage the hotel opening?” he
asks.
My face pales.
I’ve been coasting down the freeway at seventy-five miles
per hour, but suddenly a semitruck full of my lies is headed
straight toward me. I’m going to crash—a deadly head-on
collision. There’s nowhere to turn. Nowhere to hide. All I can
do is hope I survive the damage.
“Yes.”
“You changed the delivery address on the card readers and
messed with the hot water heaters?”
Colleen got to him. She’s the only one who knows
everything I’ve done.
 My eyes fill up with tears. “Yes.”
“And all the stupid team-building activities, you were
purposely trying to waste time?” His voice is so cold that I
could really use a winter jacket and earmuffs right about now.
“Yes, but I can explain.”
He pushes the heel of his hands into his eyes, shaking his
head.
“Colleen tricked me. She said that she was over budget on
the hotel and needed my help to stall the opening so that she
could figure everything out with accounting. I thought she was
bringing in investors or something. I thought I was helping
her, saving her job.”
“That’s not what Stuart White said. He said that you were
the one who went over on the budget and that you did all of
this to cover up your mistake.”
“That’s not true. It was all Colleen. I was just doing what
she said. But as soon as I figured out that she was taking the
bonuses away from the workers, I stopped. I’ve done nothing
since then but try to fix the damage I’ve done. You have to
believe me.”
Luke levels me with a stony glare. “I won’t ever believe
another word you say.”
My heart drops, hitting the floor with a painful thud.
“You lied to me for two months.” His hazel eyes gloss over
with moisture. “Honesty is everything to me.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” A warm tear trickles down the
side of my cheek. “I wanted to tell you, but I was trying to
help Colleen.”
“What about the last few weeks? You could’ve said
something any time, but you didn’t. You probably weren’t ever
going to tell me, just hope that you didn’t get caught.”
“That’s not true. I was waiting for the hotel to be done. I
was going to tell you tonight.”
“That’s a really convenient story,” he scoffs.
 I step toward him, reaching for his arm, but he pulls back.
“Luke, I didn’t mean for this to get so big. Everything spiraled
out of control. You were right about Colleen. She’s only out
for herself.”
“No, I was right about you.” His jaw hardens. “You’re just
like her. Selfish, conniving, vindictive, manipulative. You only
care about yourself, and I’m the stupid fool who fell for your
act. We all are—but I, out of everyone, should’ve known
better.”
I swallow back the emotion that’s bubbling up my throat.
“I can’t believe you’d say all those things about me. You know
me.”
He shakes his head. “I know your type. I know you’d lie to
and hurt anyone who gets in the way of what you want.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on me? The
hotel is opening on time. The workers are getting their
bonuses. I know I lied, but you don’t have to be so cruel.”
“Cruel?” He puffs out a humorless laugh. “You’re calling
me cruel? You let me trust you. You let me fall for you when
you knew that everything was a lie.”
“Not everything was a lie. I meant what I said. I’m falling
in love with you.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore, but I know I don’t
believe that.” He places his hands on his hips, heaving a sigh
as he looks down. The sight breaks my heart. “Was everything
between us just a distraction for you? A way to pass time
while in Turks and Caicos? Were you just kissing me all over
the hotel in hopes of stalling the project even more?”
I take a step forward. “No. Luke, I meant everything we
shared together. I haven’t held anything back.”
“Except the truth.”
His words cut me. I can’t think of a response. He’s right.
I’ve lied to him, knowing I was sabotaging his work. Looking
back, I knew what I was doing was wrong. But it seemed so
innocent, so inconsequential.
 Until now.
He shakes his head, gazing over me. “This is exactly why I
never wanted to fall in love. People hurt others for their own
selfish reasons.”
The air is sucked out of my lungs as if there’s a vacuum
inside my chest. I glance down. I can’t handle the look he’s
giving me.
“I’m sorry,” I say. Another tear drops, slowly rolling down
my face, landing in the hollow of my neck.
Luke leans against the desk, eyes cast down to the ground.
“Stuart White wants you off the property. You’re supposed to
go home on the morning flight tomorrow. He’ll deal with you
in Tampa.”
“So this is it? Everything between us is over?”
I’m stupid for even asking, but my heart has to be sure
before I walk away.
He lifts his head, his beautiful hazel eyes staring back at
me. “It was over the moment you lied.”
I take a few steps backward toward the door. “Will you tell
Nano and everyone that I’m so sorry? That I didn’t mean to
hurt anyone?”
Luke looks down again, not answering.
I stand there for a moment, scrambling for the right words.
I don’t want this to be goodbye. There’s still so much to say
between us. But I settle with, “I know my opinion probably
doesn’t mean anything to you anymore, but you’re a good
man, Luke. You won’t be like your father.”
He doesn’t look up.
My feet don’t move. I’m blinking away the tears until I
finally get the strength to open the door and leave.

My bags are packed and waiting by the door.

 It’s 2:00 a.m.
I’m sitting on the couch watching the front door, waiting
for Luke to come home.
Who am I kidding?
He’s not coming.
For a minute, things didn’t seem so hopeless. I thought I
could come up with proof—emails, texts from Colleen—to
prove that I wasn’t in the wrong, but there’s nothing. I reread
everything between us, and nothing exonerates me. Colleen
was very careful with her wording, never incriminating
herself.
Of course, she’d be smart enough to do that.
I texted Nano and a few of the other men, apologizing. I
haven’t heard back from anyone. I’m sure Luke told them all
what I’ve done and they hate me for it.
The only person who texted me back was Lydia. She’s
going to meet me at the rental car place in the morning and
shuttle me to the airport.
After all the time I’ve spent on the island, all the
relationships I’ve made, I’m leaving with nothing, and I’m
completely devastated about it.
CHAPTER 44
 TESSA

“S o you’re pretty much fired, right?” Brooke hands me

a chocolate chip cookie as she plops down next to
me on the couch.
It’s strange being in my apartment after two months away.
I’m home, but nothing feels the same anymore. There’s an
emptiness inside of me so palpable I’m afraid it won’t ever get
filled.
“Mr. White listened to my side of the story. I was
completely honest with him. I told him that he could fire me,
that I probably deserved to be fired, but I also said that he
needs to take a good look at Colleen too.” I sigh. “He said he’d
look into my allegations against her, but it’s her word against
mine, and she’s been with the company for fifteen years. Who
do you think he’ll believe more?” I take a bite of the
homemade cookie Meg brought over—I guess we all learned
from our mother to self-soothe with chocolate chip cookies.
“Then you’ll find a new job,” Meg says, hugging a pillow
across her chest. “I mean, I’ve been fired for lying.”
“Yeah, but you got back the guy you loved—and your job.
That’s not going to happen to me.”
“Let’s look at the bright side,” Brooke says. “You don’t
want a guy like Luke. You said yourself that he’s a terrible
dresser.”
“And he’s grumpy,” Meg adds.
I nod at my sisters. “Yeah, we were a bad idea from the
beginning. It never would’ve worked between us.”
 Brooke looks at Meg. “She’s actually a terrible liar. I can’t
believe she got away with so much of it.”
I throw my pillow at Brooke. “That’s rude.”
“I’m joking.” She swats it away before it hits her face.
“I’m just saying it’s clear you love Luke, and you don’t have
to pretend like you don’t. At least not in front of us.”
“Have you tried texting him?” Meg asks.
I shake my head. “If I did, he wouldn’t answer. I did the
one thing he can’t get over. Lying is his unpardonable sin.”
“You never know,” Brooke says, taking a bite of her
cookie. “Maybe after a few weeks, he’ll realize he loves you
more than he hates lying.”
“I doubt it.” I throw my head back against the cushion.
“Do you know how much I hate watching movies where
someone lies? It’s so obvious the entire time that they’re going
to get caught, that the lie is going to blow up in their face. And
yet they never come clean with the truth. That was me. How
did I not see that Colleen was going to turn on me?”
“You were busy trying to fix everything,” Meg says. “You
weren’t thinking about what Colleen was doing.”
“Besides, she was a family friend,” Brooke adds. “You had
no reason to believe she’d do that to you.”
I run my fingers through my hair, pushing it away from my
face. “Well, all I can say is it’s a good thing Mom isn’t alive to
see this. She’d be so disappointed.”
“Tess, how can you say that?” Brooke hits my shoulder.
“Mom would be so proud of you. Yeah, you made some
mistakes, but at the end of the day, you realized it and worked
to fix things. Isn’t that what life’s about? Learning and
growing from our mistakes, trying to become a better person
each day?”
If that’s what life’s about, then I am nailing it. I’ve made
more mistakes than I can count.
“Mom is proud of you no matter what. We all are. You
don’t have to be anything more or anything amazing,” Meg
says. “We love you just the way you are.”
I bite my lip, feeling myself get emotional over my sisters’
words. We don’t normally have Rah! Rah! moments like this,
but I appreciate them being here to pick me up after my epic
failure.
“Does anyone else feel like this moment could land us on
Full House with the Tanner Family?” I ask.
“Nah, we’d need a group hug for something like that,”
Brooke says.
“And tender music,” Meg adds.
I smile back at my sisters.
I don’t know what the future holds for me. I don’t have a
job or a career. I may never become a mom.
I don’t have a boyfriend or anything close to resembling
my own family. The man I was starting to fall in love with
basically threw me out. I’ll never be able to see what we
could’ve been. I’ll never be held by him again, or have him
give me confidence that the real me is enough. I won’t be able
to laugh with him or gaze up at the North Star with him.
I blew it.
And I’m so sad about it.
But for the first time in my life, I’m not worried about
what everyone thinks of me. I’m not perfect, but it’s okay.
I’m realizing that I can still have value even with my
imperfections.
CHAPTER 45
 LUKE

T he North Star is ruined for me.

That really sucks, since I have it permanently
tattooed on my chest.
Do you know what else is ruined for me?
Fishing.
Serenades.
Hot tubs.
Taylor Swift.
Ferry boats.
Pumpkins.
Hotel rooms and closets.
Tropicana tanning lotion.
The ocean.
Anything that reminds me of Tessa—which is pretty much
everything.
You’d think after the hotel opening, after leaving Turks
and Caicos and flying back to Florida, after three weeks of not
seeing her or talking to her, that I’d be over whatever this is,
but I’m not.
Tessa Johnson has a way of sticking with you.
Of sticking with me.
 I’m at WhiteSands corporate offices, following Stuart
White’s secretary through the maze of cubicles to his office.
Am I secretly hoping I’ll run into Tessa, sitting in one of these
cubicles? Maybe. But I don’t know why. There’s no future for
us. I’ll never be able to trust her again.
His secretary knocks on the twelve-foot wooden door, then
pushes it open. “Luke McKenna to see you.”
“Send him in.”
I walk in, looking at the wall of windows that overlooks
Tampa Bay. Mr. White walks around his desk, reaching his
hand out to me.
“Luke, it’s good to see you again.”
I nod, shaking his hand.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the hotel opening, but I
heard everything went smoothly in spite of all the challenges.”
He gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. “Please, take a
seat.”
I sink down, feeling the leather squish under me.
“I bet you’re wondering why I asked you to come to the
corporate office.”
“A little bit,” I say, brushing my hands down my shorts.
“I heard back from the company lawyers about the lawsuit
against you.”
My chest hardens. The last thing I need right now is to find
out that everyone believes Markus Webb over me.
“They didn’t find anything in their investigation to support
the disgruntled employee’s claims.”
“So they believe me? Not him?” I ask, needing the
clarification to put me at ease.
“Yes. It turns out that his statement of the events that
transpired between you two was hugely exaggerated. He
accused you falsely.”
“I was hoping everyone else would realize that.”
 “We have. The lawsuit has been dropped.”
“Great.”
He picks up an envelope on his desk, handing it to me.
“Here’s your bonus from Turks and Caicos for finishing on
time. You definitely earned this one with the way you pulled
everything off in the end. WhiteSands is lucky to have you on
our team.”
“Thanks.”
“Your next assignment is the Cabo San Lucas hotel. It’s a
renovation. Here’s all the information you need to get going on
the project.” He hands me a binder with plans sticking out.
“We have you flying there next week.”
I flip open the binder, glancing quickly at the plans.
“Sounds good.”
“You know, the past three weeks we’ve done some
investigating on the Turks project as well. I thought you might
be interested in knowing Ms. Johnson wasn’t the one who
overspent on the project. It was Colleen Samson. And I
believe she did manipulate Tessa into thinking she was doing
the right thing by stalling the project.”
“Tessa’s still the one who did everything at the site,” I say.
“And she chose to lie about it.”
“Yes, that’s true.” He drums his fingers across his desk.
“However, I’ve decided to let Colleen Samson go for her part
in the entire thing. She’ll no longer be working for our
company, but I haven’t made a decision yet on Tessa. You
worked closely with her. Do you think her crimes justify her
being fired?”
“I’m not the owner of the company.” I shrug. “I can’t say
whether or not you should fire one of your employees.”
“But you can say if you thought Tessa did a good job on
the Turks project.”
My brows bend. “We almost didn’t open on time.”
“You’re right.” Stuart picks up a stack of papers on his
desk, holding them up for me to see. “I’ve just had a lot of
phone calls from some of the subcontractors in Turks and
Caicos wanting to vouch for Tessa. I’m not sure what to make
of it.”
“What did they say?”
Stuart flips through the first paper. “This one is from Nano
Hillard, your foreman. He says, ‘Tessa Johnson is a hands-on
leader who cares about the hotel and the people working for
it.’” He flips to the next page. “There’s one from Jarvis Knight
saying, ‘Tessa not only took the time to get to know us, she
listened to our opinions and made us feel like we were valued
employees of the WhiteSands family.’ Here’s one from
Gregory Dent. ‘I loved working for Tessa Johnson the past two
months and would recommend any of my friends and family
to work for WhiteSands in the future.’” Stuart shuffles through
page after page, glancing up at me. “There are probably
twenty-five unsolicited statements here.”
My eyes shift from the stack of papers to Stuart. “You
asked me if I thought her crimes justify her being fired.” I
sigh. “The truth is, Tessa inspires people to work hard. She’s
organized and dedicated to the job. She brings out the best in
everyone around her with her openness and friendliness.
Without her and the relationships she formed with the workers,
your hotel still might not be open. She’s the reason everything
came together.”
Stuart’s lips press into a smile. “So you’re saying Tessa did
more good in Turks and Caicos than bad?”
His words hit me hard.
Tessa did more good than bad.
I swallow. “Yeah, I guess that’s right.”
Is that right?
And if it is, then what’s the point of holding onto all of this
anger and bitterness?
I think back to what she said about my father—that he
could be a good dad and still be a bad husband, that maybe he
did more good in my life than bad.
 The thought makes me uncomfortable.
Stuart nods, scooting his chair back. “Thank you for your
insight. It will help me make a decision about her and her
future with this company.” He extends his hand out to me.
“We’ll be in touch.”
I leave the WhiteSands building more confused than ever.
My heart knows what it wants, but my head doesn’t know
how to get there—how to get past the things I’ve been holding
on to for so long.
CHAPTER 46
 LUKE

I sit in my car, staring at the two-story house in front of me,

working up the nerve to go knock on the door. I’ve been
sitting here for half an hour, when by now I should be
almost back to Jacksonville.
I don’t know what I’m doing. I made a rash decision when
I drove here. I don’t even know what I want to say.
There are things I should say.
That I was wrong.
That I shouldn’t have let so much time pass to reach out.
That I could’ve been more understanding.
That I was blinded by my hurt and anger.
I just don’t know if I have the courage to say all those
things. And I don’t know how well they’d be received.
My phone rings. It’s Kate.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Lauren told me where you’re headed,” she says. “Are you
sure you’re ready for this?”
“I’m already here.”
“Did you knock on the door?”
“Not yet.” I sigh. “I’m not sure I’m going to.”
“Luke, you’ve been miserable. Knock on the door. Get this
over with. It won’t be as bad as you’re imagining in your
head.”
 I rake my hand through my hair. “You promise?”
“I promise,” Kate says. “You’re doing the right thing.”
“Okay. I’m trusting your advice.”
“Call me when it’s over, and then we’ll conference Lauren
in too. We’ll both be dying to hear all the details.”
A slight smile pulls at my mouth. “I don’t doubt it.”
I hang up and look back at the house, sucking in a deep
breath.
I just need a few seconds of courage.
I fling open my car door and walk across the grass. I knock
hard on the door three times and step back.
I definitely don’t want to be standing on the porch when
the door opens. That’s too close for comfort. I’m not sure I can
trust myself at that distance.
My heart pounds wildly inside my chest. I haven’t been
this nervous…maybe in my entire life.
The door opens, and we both stand there for a few seconds,
not saying anything.
“Luke? It’s so good to see you. I can’t believe you’re
here.”
I push my hands in my pockets and look down. “I can’t
believe it either.”
My dad steps onto his porch. It’s been a few years since
I’ve seen him. He looks like me, but older. His hair is shorter,
and he’s wearing a tie and nice slacks. He’s exactly like the
man in my memories. Suddenly I see us in our backyard
throwing a football, eating hot dogs at a Jaguars game, playing
video games together in our basement, taking surf lessons,
grilling steaks on the Fourth of July, and filling out March
Madness brackets.
It’s all the memories that I’ve refused to think about for the
last twelve years, because remembering all the good things
he’s done makes it harder to stay angry at him.
 “Do you want to come inside?” he asks, clearly happy I’m
here. “I’ve got a baseball game on, or we could just sit and
talk. Whatever you want.”
I’m not ready for anything like that.
“No.” I shake my head. “I just came to tell you that I’m
tired of being angry at you. I want to get over everything that
you did to Mom, to me, and to the girls. I can’t keep holding
on to it.”
A glimmer of hope passes through his eyes.
“I’m not saying that I forgive you or that I ever will,
because I’m not sure that will happen.”
“I understand.” His eyes fill with moisture and his voice
cracks with emotion. “But it’s a start.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I take a few more steps back. “That’s
it.” I shrug. “That’s all I came to say.”
My dad steps forward too, as if he means to keep me here
longer. “I’m glad you came.”
I’m not sure right now if I’m glad I came or not.
Only time will tell.
I take another step toward my car, then turn around and
leave.
CHAPTER 47
 TESSA

D o you know what’s worse than being fired?

Being fired twice.
Technically, I haven’t been fired at all yet. I was on a one-
month probation while Mr. White looked into Colleen’s
involvement in the Turks and Caicos resort. But as I sit here in
his office, waiting to hear my fate, I don’t have much hope.
At this point, I wouldn’t put anything past Colleen.
If she wanted to fabricate proof that I was the one to blame
for everything, I think she could, and she wouldn’t even think
twice about blaming me.
It hurts.
She was my role model.
I was willing to give up so much, and cross boundaries that
I typically wouldn’t, all for her.
I thought I wanted to be just like her someday, but now I
realize it was a misguided dream that came from fears and
insecurities. I went so far down the career path, trying to make
up for the fact that I can’t have children, that I lost myself.
I still enjoy working, and I want to have a career, but it
isn’t the only thing I want to do with my life. I’m slowly
learning that embracing who I really am is what is going to
make me the happiest.
“How have you been?” Mr. White asks, sinking back into
his chair.
 How have I been?
I’m not sure how to answer that.
For the first time in my life, I went to the mall in sweats.
Nobody kicked me out or judged me. Actually, they probably
were judging me, but they didn’t say anything to my face. I
also binged all five seasons of Poldark on PBS. I’d already
seen it, but for reasons I won’t mention, I was in the mood for
it again. I cleaned out my closet. I had eighteen different pairs
of black shoes. Although one of the pairs is unusable from
when I let Meg borrow them and she got the heel stuck in a
sewer lid. Tyler cut the straps to get her loose. So really, I only
have seventeen pairs of black shoes, and that’s counting the
ones Luke hacked the heels off of.
“I’ve been great,” I say. That’s a more respectable answer,
and it doesn’t fill the awkwardness in the room with more
awkwardness. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Mr. White doesn’t want to hear my jobless, pathetic, life
story.
He stares back at me with a blank expression. “Tessa, I’d
like to offer you your job back.”
My mouth drops. “Why would you do that?”
“Should I not?” His unibrow furrows.
“I would love to have my job back. I just assumed you
would believe Colleen’s story over mine.”
“You assumed wrong. Colleen Samson no longer works
for WhiteSands.”
“Oh.” My eyes widen. I feel guilty, like I cost Colleen her
job. It’s clearly going to take me a while to mentally get out
from under her influence and manipulation. Baby steps.
“Did you know, in the fifty years I’ve owned this
company, I’ve never had any construction workers from a job
site reach out to me, complimenting someone from
corporate?”
“No, I didn’t know that.”
 Are we sharing secrets now? If so, I’m wondering if Mr.
White knows in my twenty-four years, I’ve never been able to
use chopsticks properly.
“It’s never happened until now,” he says. “Over the last
month, I’ve had twenty-five workers from the Turks hotel
contact my office. They all said nearly the same thing: Tessa
Johnson made their job so enjoyable and that you were an
asset to the company.”
“They said that?”
He nods, adding a smile. “I’m not sure what you did down
there, but it was effective.”
I can’t believe so many of those subcontractors would call
corporate for me. Especially after they found out everything I
did. I’m speechless and humbled by their support. I wish I
could go down there and give each one of them a huge hug.
“And, when you add that to the glowing recommendation
Luke McKenna gave you from that very chair last week, I’d be
a fool not to hire you back.”
“Luke was here?”
“Yes. He said you did more good than harm in Turks and
Caicos.”
I can’t believe Luke said that. After everything that
happened, I thought he hated me.
I blink back the moisture in my eyes. “That’s very kind of
him.”
For weeks I’ve been torturing myself over how I left things
with him. But maybe things between us aren’t as bad as I’ve
imagined.
Maybe Luke can forgive me after all.
“Tessa, I think you have a lot of potential. In this situation,
you were a victim of your misplaced loyalty. I’d love to give
you a second chance and see what you can do when you are
loyal to the company. So if you’re interested, we’d love to
have you back at WhiteSands—Colleen free.”
 I’m full of shock. “That sounds great to me. When can I
get started?”
“How about immediately?”
CHAPTER 48
 LUKE

T he Cabo heat is dry and sweltering.

I’ve been in the buffet restaurant for the last two
hours, trying to fix the air conditioning unit. It’s like a
sauna in here, and I left my water bottle back in the main
building.
I walk across the property, heading to the front desk to find
some water. I look around. Everything seems vacant. The crew
who’ve been working on the pool deck is gone, and the tile
guy piecing together the mosaic around the hot tub is missing
as well.
I open the door to the main building and immediately hear
“You Need to Calm Down” by Taylor Swift.
I pause. This moment feels like déjà vu.
But it can’t be.
I walk up the steps, round the corner, and there, in the
middle of the Cabo San Lucas hotel lobby, are all of my
construction workers, holding pink plates full of food.
It’s a meet-and-greet, and it has Tessa Johnson written all
over it.
My heart lifts and my footsteps quicken. I walk through
the crowd, looking around.
She’s got to be here.
I’m surprised by how much I want her to be here.
 For the past three months, I haven’t been able to get her
out of my mind. Thinking about Tessa is the greatest stealer of
time. So is anger and harboring bad feelings—I’m slowly
learning that.
“Luke!” Mateo, my new foreman, calls to me over the
music. “It’s a fiesta!”
“I can see that.” I nod as my eyes continue to scan the
room. “Who’s in charge? Who did this?”
“It’s our new jefa,” Mateo says.
Jefa. Boss.
I follow Mateo’s eyes, spinning around, and there she is.
Tessa.
My breath catches.
She’s more beautiful than my mind’s been able to recreate
in my thoughts and dreams the last few months, but she’s
different. She’s the Tessa that I knew in Turks and Caicos—
not the one who first arrived on the island, but the one that she
blossomed into.
Her hair is down, hanging straight. She has on a flowing,
black skirt that hits above her knees with a white shirt tucked
into the waist. She’s wearing black sandals and the colorful,
beaded friendship bracelet that matches the one I’m wearing
on my wrist.
Her expression is timid, as if she’s unsure whether I’m
happy to see her.
I am happy to see her—my heart has come alive again, as
if it only beats for her.
I step forward, lessening the space between us.
“Hi,” she says, pointing to the Hello, My Name Is sticker
on her shirt. “I’m Tessa Johnson. Corporate sent me to open
the hotel.”
“I thought corporate was sending Michael Meeker,” I say.
 “They were, but I begged Stuart White to send me instead.
I have some unfinished business I was hoping to take care of.”
I’m really hoping that I’m her unfinished business.
I reach my hand out. “Luke McKenna, the on-site
contractor.”
“It’s really nice to meet you, Luke.” Her eyes drop to my
wrist, and she smiles. “I like your bracelet,” she says, slipping
her hand in mine. I don’t know why, but that one action has
my heart going crazy.
There’s never been a handshake as exciting as this one.
I look down at her wrist. “I like your bracelet too.”
She lifts her chin, flipping into a more businesslike role.
“You should know, my methods for opening a hotel are a little
unorthodox. I like parties and spa days. Do you think you’ll be
able to handle that?”
“We might butt heads every once in a while.” We’re still
shaking hands. It’s like neither one of us is willing to break
from the other. “I like to keep my workers actually working.”
“Don’t worry,” she says, lifting one shoulder. “You’ll
warm up to me and my ways.”
I already have. Her touch and her smile have thawed my
hard heart, and suddenly I don’t care about any of the other
stuff that happened between us.
I just want her and the way she makes me feel.
“I can be moody,” I say. “Do you think you can handle
that?”
“I have no problem putting you in your place if your
attitude becomes a problem.”
My lips twitch. “I look forward to that.”
Her fingers tighten around mine. Our handshake has
transitioned into a handhold, spreading a trail of chills up my
arm.
 “You should know,” she says, “I lied on my last job and
hurt the people I cared about the most. But that’s not who I
want to be. Not who I am.”
“And you should know, I have a hard time forgiving
people and letting things go when I’ve been wronged. But
that’s not who I want to be. I’m trying to be better.”
“That’s good to hear.” Her expression softens. “I’m sorry
for everything I said and did.”
“I’m sorry too. I said a lot of things that I didn’t mean.”
Her lips grow into one of her flirtatious smiles. “There’s
one more thing you should know about me if we’re going to
work together.”
“And what’s that?” I ask, stepping closer.
“Falling for coworkers is a weakness of mine.” She slowly
puts her arms around my neck.
“That’s strange, because it’s a weakness of mine too.” My
hands go to her waist, pulling her to me, until the tips of our
noses touch. “I guess we’ll have to suffer through together.”
“I can’t have kids,” she whispers between us.
“I know,” I whisper back, hugging her to me. “It’s
something else we’ll get through together.”
“And I still like to wear high heels and get my nails done.
I’m not giving that up for you.”
“And I’m not giving up my work boots for you.”
“We can discuss that item later,” she says with a smile that
does me in.
I pull her to me, kissing her—softly at first—until I can’t
take it anymore. My arms close around her, and I deepen the
kiss.
The men whistle and catcall around us. “Mira a los jefes!”
We kiss for a while, but like every productive job site, you
have to get back to work eventually.
EPILOGUE
TESSA
TWO MONTHS LATER

“A re you nervous?” I ask Luke as we walk across the

lawn to my dad’s front door.
Luke eyes me. “Do I look nervous?”
“Well, you’re frowning.”
“That’s just my natural face.”
I study him. “Yeah, I guess so.” I glance at the family
room windows. “My siblings are already watching us.”
His face pales a little, and his steps slow, so what do I do?
I jump on Luke, wrapping my legs around his waist, pulling
his neck to me and trying to kiss him.
He dodges my advances, rearing his head back. “What are
you doing?”
“I’m giving my siblings a show.”
His head shakes as he tries to unlink my legs and arms
from his body. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Oh, come on! It’ll be funny if we start making out right in
front of them.”
“Nothing about that is funny.”
I plant several slobbery kisses on his cheek and neck
before he pushes me off his body.
I slither to the ground, putting my hand on my hip. “Are
we back to that, Luke? Back to the cringe kiss where you push
me away?”
“No.” He tackles me into a bear hug, kissing my forehead
softly. “We’re not back to the cringe kiss.”
I laugh as I tug him toward the porch, opening the front
door. “Hello?”
 My family immediately acts busy, as if they weren’t spying
on us through the windows.
“Nice try,” I say, glancing around the room. “We already
saw you watching us.”
Brooke rushes to us. “You guys are so cute!”
“Luke, this is my sister Brooke,” I say.
Her eyes trail up and down him, stopping at his feet.
“Look! He does wear work boots everywhere. Even to Game
Night.”
“I told you.” I point to Ben. “This is Brooke’s friend—”
“Ben,” Luke finishes for me, shaking his hand. “How
could I forget the man from the infamous Zoom call?”
Ben laughs. “Hey, whatever I did must’ve worked, because
you’re here now.”
“That’s true.”
Meg pushes them out of the way, shooting her hand out to
Luke. “I’m Meg, and this is my husband, Tyler.” She glances
behind her. “And our little boy, Krew, is running around here
somewhere.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Luke says, greeting them.
Matt steps forward, pulling me into a giant hug. “Hey,
Tess.”
“I was so excited when I heard you and Remi were coming
for the weekend.”
“We couldn’t miss the moment you brought G.I. Joe
Poldark home for the first time.”
Luke’s eyes swing to mine. “Who?”
“Nobody,” I reassure as I reach out to hug Remi. “While
you’re in town, I was hoping we could do a hot yoga class
together.”
“Do I get to come too?” Matt asks.
Remi smiles back at him. “You’re not invited. Only girls.”
 “Welcome, Luke,” my dad says, stepping forward. “I’m
Paul.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Tessa says you’re in construction. Come with me.” He
gestures for Luke to follow him. “I’ve got a few things around
the house that need to be fixed.”
“Dad!” I groan. “Luke doesn’t want to fix your broken
stuff.”
“It’s fine.” My dad waves me off. “Besides, Anna Mae is
in the kitchen, and he needs to meet her.”
I shake my head, watching as they walk into the next
room.
“Tess, Luke’s a total babe!” Brooke hits my shoulder.
“Although I see what you mean by the grumpy thing,”
Meg says. “I don’t think he smiled once.”
“Why would he smile?” Matt asks. “We’re suffocating
him.”
“Is this how you guys talked about us?” Tyler asks,
pointing to him, Remi, and Ben.
“Yeah,” we say in unison.
“Nobody talks behind my back.” Ben sinks into the couch.
“I’m part of the family.”
“And this is why I’m going to go help Anna Mae in the
kitchen,” Remi says. “I love you guys, but I can only handle
the Johnson family in small doses.” She kisses Matt on the
cheek on her way out.
“Look at you two!” Meg says to Matt.
“Yeah, things are good. Remi’s come a long way. Who
knows? Maybe next year at this time, we’ll be planning our
wedding.”
“That’s awesome!” Brooke says.
“Sorry we’re late. What did I miss?” I ask.
 “Where have you guys been?” Matt asks. “You were
supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“We stopped at Kohl’s.”
“Kohl’s? Like, the department store?” Meg asks.
I can understand her confusion. That place is more her
style than mine. “Yeah. That’s where Luke likes to buy his
cargo shorts. It’s actually not that bad in there. I bought a maxi
dress for twenty-five bucks and got Kohl’s cash. I didn’t even
know that was a thing.”
Brooke’s brows lower. “You bought a maxi dress?”
“With sleeves,” I add.
“That’s something Meg would wear,” Brooke says. “Who
are you, and what have you done with my sister Tessa?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Being with Luke has brought me
back to my roots.”
“Are maxi dresses part of your roots?” Matt asks.
“No, it just represents a certain lifestyle. I don’t want to be
the party girl anymore. I can see myself actually settling
down.”
“Will you please take a picture the day you wear that maxi
dress to work,” Meg begs. “I have to see it with my own
eyes.”
My face twists in disgust. “Oh, I’d never be caught dead in
that dress at work. It’s more of a Saturday/Sunday outfit.”
“And there’s the Tessa we all know and love,” Brooke
says.
“So, what’s next for you and Luke?” Meg asks. “Won’t he
leave town again to oversee a job site?”
“We talked to our boss and explained that we’d like to stay
together. Mr. White agreed that I could work remotely
wherever Luke is. I’d only have to fly back to corporate a few
times, but everything else can be done out of the office.”
“Wow,” Matt says. “That’s really nice of your boss.”
 “Mr. White thinks we make a good team. Plus, he doesn’t
want to lose me as an assistant or Luke as a contractor. So this
was the best way to keep us both happy.”
“I like that Luke’s here,” Tyler says from his spot next to
Ben. “Now I’m not the one that has to fix everything around
the house.”
Ben looks at Tyler. “It’s your own fault. Anyone who
keeps a pocket knife with them at all times will get asked to
fix things.”
Tyler’s brows rise. “You don’t carry a pocket knife?”
“Never.” Ben shakes his head. “My fitted pants are way
too tight for something like that.”
Brooke pushes me toward the kitchen. “Come on. We
better make sure Dad doesn’t have Luke remodeling
anything.”
We walk into the next room. Luke’s bending over the back
of the pulled-out dishwasher.
“Dad, he’s not a repairman. He’s a contractor,” I say.
“I told him the same thing,” Anna Mae says. “It’s good to
see you, Tessa.”
“You too.” I wave at her; then my gaze shifts back to Luke.
“You don’t have to fix that.”
“It’s fine,” he says, shooting me a smile. “I like helping
out.”
“Aunt Tessa!” Tyler’s son, Krew, comes running in from
the backyard. He smashes his tiny body into mine, giving me a
giant hug. “You’re back.”
I tousle his hair. “You’ve gotten so tall the last two
months.”
“I lost another tooth.” He smiles big, showing off the gap
in his mouth.
“I hope the Tooth Fairy came,” I say.
“Yep. I got one dollar.”
 I glance at Meg. “Sounds like the Tooth Fairy is a
cheapskate.”
“Aunt Tessa, my birthday is coming up.” Krew tugs on my
shirt, trying to keep my attention on him. “Will you come to
my party?”
“Of course I will, but are you sure you want me there with
all of your friends?”
His little fingers close around mine. “Yes! You’re my
favorite aunt!”
“I heard that,” Brooke says.
“Aunt Tessa always plays with me. She’s the best aunt
there ever was.”
I smile down at Krew’s adorable face for one second
before he runs off. As I straighten, I catch Luke watching me.
His expression is a mixture of kindness, love, and sadness, and
I instantly know what he’s thinking, because it’s the same
thing I’m thinking too.
Someday I want to be more than an aunt. But if I’m not,
being the best aunt I can will hopefully be enough.
“Are we ready to play some games?” Matt asks, popping
his head into the kitchen. “We have to find out if Luke’s any
good at Pictionary.”
“I hope he’s better than Nigel Faartz was,” I say.
“Agreed,” Ben shouts from the family room. “I still
maintain that what he drew was not a submarine. It was
Pictionary gone wrong.”
Brooke points around the room. “Everyone just make sure
you don’t draw something that can be confused for a body
part.”
“And don’t go rogue like Tessa’s last date and draw
whatever you want,” Meg says. “Pass the Apple is not on a
Pictionary card.”
Now it’s Tyler’s turn to yell from the family room. “In my
defense, I was trying to flirt with Meg.”
 “Yeah, while on a date with me,” I complain.
Luke’s brows bunch together. “You and Tyler dated?”
“I set them up on a blind date,” Paul explains. “Nothing to
worry about.”
“The Johnson family is a little competitive,” Remi says to
Luke. “Consider yourself warned.”
Everyone funnels out of the kitchen, leaving Luke and me
alone.
I wrap my arms around his waist. “What do you think of
my family?”
“I think they’re great,” he says, brushing a strand of hair
back from my face. “A little nosy, but I’m used to that with
you.”
“So they haven’t scared you off yet?”
His lips brush against my cheek and then my ear as he
whispers, “Tessa, nothing about you could scare me off. I plan
on being here forever.”
“Good.” I look up at him. “Because I’m planning on
forever too.”
There’s something special about being loved
unconditionally—despite our mistakes, flaws, and
shortcomings. That’s the kind of love that I always hoped for
but wasn’t sure I deserved.
Luke showed me I deserve to be loved like that.
We kiss in my parent’s kitchen for a while until Matt yells
from the family room.
“We know you’re making out. Stop it! I didn’t come from
Texas for that.”
I step back from Luke. “You know how to play Pictionary,
right?”
He smirks as he walks toward the living room. “I’m sure
I’ll be fine, even with all of your family’s rules.”
“We’ll see about that. It’s boys against girls,” I say.
 I smile as I follow after him. It feels right having Luke at
my house with my family. I only wish my mom was here to
meet him too.
But in a way, she led me right to him.
And from now on, Luke McKenna is my North Star.

THE END

I hope you enjoyed Tessa and Luke’s story. I love hearing what
readers liked most about my books, so don’t forget to leave a
review and tell me.
Check out the next book in The Sweet Rom “Com” Series
Complete
Ben and I are just friends.
We’ve tried to be more, but it never works. There’s no
chemistry between us.
At least that’s the story I tell everyone.
Truth is, I’m pining for Ben. HARD. Like Taylor Swift, You
Belong With Me, hard. I don’t know what happened. Suddenly,
his casual touch is fire, and his easy smile stops my heart.
But Ben has put me in the friend zone. Permanently. His
supermodel girlfriend and him setting me up with a pro
football player confirm this.
It’s time to bury these feelings. Lock them up. A famous pro
athlete is exactly what I need to get over my infatuation.
Except Ben isn’t making things easy. He’s leveled up his
touching and flirting—all good stuff unless you’re trying to
move on with your life.
So what’s a girl to do? Confess my feelings and risk losing my
best friend? Or keep on pretending and end up with the wrong
man?
 If you’d like to learn about future books and get bonus
chapters, sign up for my newsletter at www.kortneykeisel.com.
Stay connected with me at www.kortneykeisel.com, or follow
me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book was a headache to write. I had all of these plot ideas
that I wanted to incorporate, but they weren’t coming together
on page the way they did in my mind. I had to rely A LOT on
my beta readers’ feedback.
Stacy, you were by my side the entire book brainstorming
with me. When I was stuck and couldn’t get out of my head,
your ideas helped me get excited about the book again. Thanks
for being my writing partner in crime.
Anne, thanks for being honest and helping me see what I
couldn’t with Tessa’s character.
Meredith, thanks for reading an early draft and giving me
confidence that it didn’t entirely suck.
Michelle, thanks for reading two different versions and
weighing in on both.
Kaylen and McKenna, you are both my humor people.
Thanks for adding so much to this book. I love having you
behind the scenes with me.
Madi, thank you for making time for me and this book
during the craziness of life. I rely on your notes and feedback
so much.
Thank you to my editor, Emily Poole, for pointing out
some major plot holes before it was too late. Your insight
really helped make the book better.
Thank you to my other editor and friend, Laura Toland.
You helped talk me off the ledge when my plot wasn’t coming
together. I appreciated your plot brainstorming via Marco
Polo. And thank you for always doing such a fabulous job on
the copy edit.
A big thanks goes to my daughter, Sadie. She always reads
multiple drafts of the book, talks about songs that should go on
my playlist, and helps me make killer Instagram reels. I love
talking books with you.
To the rest of my family: Kurt you are the best at giving
me hilarious lines to use in my books that are way too
inappropriate for me to actually use. I love you for that.
Thanks to my kids for always being up for a discussion about
my book covers, marketing, and plot ideas. You guys are all so
special to me.
And as always, I couldn’t have written another book
without the help of my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus
Christ. Writing books so fast is daunting. I am eternally
grateful for the help I am blessed with.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kortney graduated from the University of Utah with an English degree and spent a
few years before motherhood teaching 7th and 8th graders how to write a book
report, among other things. But after a reading slump, where no plots seemed to
satisfy, Kortney pulled out her laptop and started writing the “perfect” love story…
or at least she tried. Writing love stories is her job…just kidding. Her real job is
taking care of her five awesome kids and spending time with her husband.
Kortney loves a good romance movie or book, warm chocolate chip cookies, and
traveling the world.
Connect with Kortney at www.kortneykeisel.com
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