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.
I stormed out of the bathroom, grabbing the credit card off the bed on my way out of the suite.
"Hey, I'll text you when my last meeting is over." He tried to follow me to the door, but I closed it behind me, eager to make it to the elevator.
I didn't need to be reminded where I ranked in Mason's priorities.
I looked at the credit card in my hand as the elevator descended and smiled. If I was going to spend a day on my own, I was going to make it one hell of a day.
I knew it was late when I got back to the suite. Mason had sent three texts. I had given him enough time to set up five more contractor meetings if he wanted. My arms were loaded with shopping bags. I admired the new red polish on my toes. Red might be my new color.
I stepped off the elevator. Before I could use the room key, the door swung open.
"Where in the hell have you been?" He dragged me over the threshold.
"Shopping." I dropped the bags in a nearby chair. "Meetings go well?" I walked into the bedroom, leaving him with my purchases.
"I called you. I texted. I didn't know where you were."
"You told me to shop. I shopped."
He scratched the back of his head. His tie was on the bed with his jacket. He had pushed his sleeves up to his elbows.
"I also told you we were driving back as soon as my last meeting wrapped up. We should be halfway to South Padre by now."
"I guess I lost track of time." I shrugged.
"Get your stuff together. The valet is at the door." His voice was low.
I didn't know he could look angry. He always had a smile. A look that made women forget their own names. But right now he looked mad enough to enter a cage fight.
I packed my things, zipped the bag, and walked to the door. The valet had already loaded my shopping bags onto the brass cart.
Mason tipped him after the car was packed. He revved the engine and peeled out of the drive before my seatbelt was even fastened. He turned the radio up, blasting music through the streets of San Antonio.
I didn't bother to look at him. I knew he was mad at me, but I wasn't sorry. If I kept him off his precious schedule for a couple of hours, he deserved it. He had made me feel like an idiot. Like a weak, emotional, trusting fool. I wouldn't make that mistake again.
I stared out of the window while he drove us south to the island. Other than when he dropped his phone charger, neither of us spoke a word to the other. The music was loud enough to make speaking impossible.
The tires kicked up bits of gravel when he spun into the parking lot. He jumped out of the car and raced to the trunk. I grabbed my purse. He was already making his second trip to the top of the stairs with my bags when I stepped out of the car.
"I think that's everything." He slammed the trunk closed.
"Yeah, that's everything." I turned for the staircase, when I felt his hand on my arm.
"Before you go. You want to tell me what that stunt was you pulled today?" His eyes were fierce, brimming with storm clouds.
I shook off his hold. My racing heart was about to betray me again. "You told me to shop. I shopped."
He chuckled. "That's how you want this to go?"
"I don't want it to go anywhere." I dug into my bag for my wallet and retrieved the credit card. He'd know soon enough how much I had added to his balance. I handed it to him.
"Really?" He walked to the driver side. "I guess I was wrong about you."
I glared at him across the car. "That would make two of us."
I thought he was going to hop in the car and drive off. Drive away and let me wallow in the shitty decision I had made sleeping with him, skipping work to spend a day with him, trusting him with my family secret.
But he crossed in front of the engine. "I don't know what I did to you to deserve what you put me through this afternoon." He hung his head. "But I'm glad you're all right. Good luck to you, Miss Paige." He tapped on the hood of the car. "I'm sure you're going to take the reporting world by storm."
"What do you mean put you through?"
He stopped, his eyes landing on me. "It was fun, Miss Paige. We agreed when it wasn't fun anymore we wouldn't drag it out. This afternoon was not fun."
I felt tiny prickles of panic sweeping through my chest. What had I done? It wasn't anger that was swirling in those piercing eyes. It was worry. Fear.
"Wait, Mason."
He closed the car door. "I'm sure I'll see you on the island some time."
"No, wait." I threw my hands against the door, making it impossible for him to roll up the window. "Were you worried about me?"
It was dark outside. The sun had set over an hour ago. I could still see his eyes. The flecks of blue staring at me, boring into me.
"You were worried, and I completely ignored you." My voice was soft. I realized what I had done.
"Look, you're fine. We're home. I think we should leave this alone. Thanks for riding with me. I enjoyed the company yesterday."
My heart raced. "I'm sorry." I shook my head. "I didn't think about it like that."
He shifted the car into drive. It didn't seem to matter what I had to say, he was driving out of this parking lot.
"Good night, Miss Paige." He rolled up the window, leaving me on the sidewalk.
I listened as the sound from his car faded. It was replaced by the loud music of my downstairs neighbors. I turned for the steps. I climbed the stairs, knowing I couldn't undo what I had done, and it completely sucked.
13
Mason
I pushed myself harder. The sand crunched under my feet. I dodged to avoid the waves rolling up on the beach. I knew my pace was faster this morning. It needed to be. I didn't sleep well last night or the night before. Not like I had in San Antonio.
The phone rang, and I groaned when I saw the number.
"Carlos, good morning," I answered.
"Mason, hope I didn't wake you."
"Not at all Commissioner." I stopped running for a moment.
"Good. Hey, I wanted to give you a heads up."
"What's going on?" I turned from the water. The sun was blaring off the ocean.
"Commissioner Rodriguez is holding a press conference at the trailer park this morning. She's brought in an environmental group. Thought you might want to know about it."
I wished I had worn a shirt. The sweat was starting to roll toward my eyes. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.
"What time?"
"Ten o'clock. Can't be sure what she's got up her sleeve."
"I'll check it out. Thanks for the call, Carlos. You have any idea who the group is?"
"No, but she works with about ten different ones. I'm sure it's on her list."
"Sure. Not really the time for her to bring in new advocates."
"You and I both want the same thing. Jobs for the island. A development like yours could make all the difference for the residents here."
"I'm not worried about Commissioner Rodriguez, but I'll stop by and see what she has to say."
"I might poke around too, and if I hear anything else, I'll let you know."
"Thanks for the call."
I hung up, anxious to hear the music again. I needed to finish this run. The sun was starting to climb towards the clouds.
A girl in a pink bikini smiled as I hopped over the corner of her beach towel. My first question was why someone on my team hadn't alerted me to the press conference. I didn't like unexpected information coming from Carlos. It looked bad. It gave him an upper hand.
I ran past my usual turnaround spot. I needed the extra burn today. It had been almost a week since I had returned from San Antonio. Since we had returned.
My calves started to ache and I made a U-turn at the next boardwalk. The Palm Palace was twenty minutes behind me.
My phone buzzed again.
"Mark, what is it?"
"Good morning, sir."
"Calling about Commissioner Rodriguez's press conference?"
"Yes, sir. You already know about that?"
"Damn it, Mark. You are supposed to tell me before anyone else. That's what I pay you for." I was irritated.
"We just found out."
I didn't need excuses. The team had failed. "Do you at least know who the environmental group is she has partnered with?"
"Yes."
I smiled. "That's something. Who are they?"
"Not one we're really familiar with. The Custodians of the Dunes."
"Who in the hell are they?" I could see the boardwalk for the Palm in front of me. I ran faster.