I closed the bathroom door behind me and brushed my teeth. Usually after the calls about Hailey I slept restlessly. My dreams filled with frantic scenes of trying to rescue her. I would search the rooms of an empty house. Sometimes the house was on fire. I never found her. I always woke up feeling sick and angry.
I was angry at Brian for ruining our family. I was angry at the police for not protecting my sister. I was angry at my parents for not finding a way to bring her back. But mostly I was angry at Hailey for choosing him. She was the one who let him into her life. She destroyed our lives. When those thoughts came, I pushed them out, telling myself I was selfish. I felt guilty for even thinking it. Hailey was a victim. I zipped my toothbrush back in my overnight bag and walked into the suite to find Mason.
He was standing in front of the window. The phone pressed to his ear. The business channel was on mute, and there were spreadsheets scattered on the coffee table.
I made a cup of coffee while he finished his call.
He turned and smiled. “Good morning.” He tossed the phone on the table.
He had obviously showered. His hair looked dry, though. I wondered how long he had been awake.
“Good morning.” I stirred in a teaspoon of sugar and tasted the coffee.
“How did you sleep?”
“I-uh-thank you.” I was utterly embarrassed. My family secrets spilled in a mess at my feet. I realized I didn’t have one of those terrible dreams about my sister last night. Mason’s arms had been around me. I might have dreamed it, but I thought he kept checking on me, running his hands over me gently, drowning out the pain.
He stood in front of me. I looked puzzled when he pulled out his wallet, fished out a credit card, and pushed it across the counter. “Here. Why don’t you do some shopping while I’m in my meetings?”
I blinked at the card. “Shopping?”
“Have lunch. Maybe try one of the spas. Whatever you want to do. I’m going to be tied up for the next four hours before we can drive back.” He refilled his coffee mug.
I left the card on the table. “I have money. I can buy my own lunch.” I walked out of the kitchen, back to the bedroom.
“Wait a minute.” He followed me. “I’d like to do something for you.”
I spun on my heels. “Why? You feel sorry for me because of last night?” I was wrong when I thought I had felt embarrassed. This was complete humiliation. I couldn’t believe I had revealed all of it.
“Not at all.” His blue gaze caught me off guard. “You’re going to be stuck here. And after our agreement yesterday, I can’t have you hanging around the suite. I need to keep these meetings confidential. It’s best for both of us.”
“The meetings are here?”
He nodded. “I try to keep things private. Remember? I’m not going to meet in the lobby where half of San Antonio can see who is bidding on the deal.”
“Right.” I sat on the edge of the bed.
Whatever the connection was I thought we had shared last night must have been my imagination. This man wasn’t acting like we had bonded over emotional family baggage. He was acting like a businessman waiting for a board meeting to start. His white shirt was crisp. I wanted to reach up and see if it was even possible to crease his collar. Nothing seemed to throw him off.
He looked exactly like the smug, arrogant man I had met on the beach at the trailer park. I balled my fists, angry at myself for ignoring my first instincts.
He handed the card to me a second time. “Use it. Don’t use it. But you have about thirty minutes before I’m going to kick you out.”
I looked at him. “You’re serious? You’re making me leave?”
“Dead serious.”
I don’t know what I was thinking. I hauled my suitcase in the bathroom with me and slammed the door. I felt stripped and bare. I shared feelings and secrets. I don’t know if that was as upsetting as what we had shared at dinner.
The Riverwalk was romantic. He was romantic. For a night, I had started to think he wasn’t only interested in the fun. He listened. We talked. He flirted. He kissed me like I was the girl he had been searching for. The courtyard. I closed my eyes. God, what I let him do to me in the courtyard.
I washed my face roughly and applied a quick coat of makeup. I threw on one of the other sundresses and slipped into a pair of comfortable sandals. Nothing like the heels I wore last night. I scowled at the lingerie in the back of my bag. I realized it wasn’t likely that piece of fabric would see the light of day for a while.
Because when we got back to South Padre I knew what would happen next. I would never speak to Mason Lachlan again. I would delete his number from my phone. I would try to delete his eyes from my memory.