the Publisher
HIS SISTER WAS starting to get on his nerves.
He loved her more than anyone else on this earth, but she had been pushing the boundaries of that love ever since she’d gotten engaged.
Clint held the cell phone to his ear, only partially listening to her latest panic-stricken rant. He knew better than to try and say anything to calm her down. The last time he’d tried that, he’d gotten an earful of colorful curse words streamed through the line that would have made his construction contractors blush.
He understood, or he was trying hard to anyway. She had a lot on her mind with the wedding fast approaching. In fact, his town car was dropping him off at the airport at this very moment on his way to sunny Maui where Lizzie and her fiancé would be tying the knot in a few short days. Only now she had some sort of pressing issue with a last-minute change, something to do with the catering. An issue she seemed to be taking way out of proportion. He’d simply learn who he had to pay to fix it once he got there. What was one more expense when it came to this wedding?
He’d be sure to take care of it after arrival. Again, he wasn’t going to tell her that. Right now, Lizzie just needed to vent.
His sister had always been a bit overly dramatic. But this wedding was taking that penchant to a whole new level and making him wonder, for that matter, exactly how many women had been put on this earth simply to irritate him?
“Anyway, how are you doing? Anything new?” Lizzie surprised him by asking. Rant over somehow. Not that he wasn’t grateful.
Did he dare tell her? That he was unexpectedly attending her wedding solo since the huge fallout with Maxine the other day. After she’d finally made one ultimatum too many.
He decided not to risk it. Lizzie would no doubt want the distraction and try to probe for all the details. Not something he wanted to get into right now. He’d tell her once he arrived at the resort.
“I’m doing fine,” he answered honestly. In truth, it was a relief to have finally severed the relationship with the up-and-coming actress. Maxine had grown increasingly demanding and pouty over the past several months. The only frustration now was that he’d already paid for all her flights, excursions and accommodations. Not to mention a hefty spa-and-beauty package at the resort. Shameful waste. Though part of him couldn’t help but wonder if it was worth it. “About to go check in for my flight as a matter of fact.”
“I’ll let you go then, big brother.” She paused but didn’t hang up. He knew what was coming and he appreciated it. But it still made him uneasy every time she did it. “And you know how much it means that you’re doing all this for me,” she said, her voice nearly breaking. “I mean it. Thank you.”
So unnecessary. She was the only family he had. He’d been solely responsible for her since they were both barely teens, so of course, he would take care of her wedding. And anything else that would make up for the unfair lot they’d been dealt growing up. She didn’t need to thank him for that. The wedding was just one more thing he considered his duty.
Unfortunately, so was having to listen to her mini breakdowns every time a snag occurred.
“You’re welcome, Lizzie,” he answered simply, then disconnected.
The morning didn’t get any better after he’d checked in for his flight. With precision, he’d arrived with just enough time to answer any urgent emails and go over a new bid, then comfortably board without having to rush. The airline announced a delay before he’d even gotten a chance to pull his tablet out and log on to his company intranet.
Clint cursed under his breath. An hour, at least. As luck would have it, his private jet was being serviced. The timing was beyond inconvenient. Well, he wasn’t going to sit here in this loud, crowded gate area. He’d go kill the time at the private executive suite the airport provided for certain clientele. Maybe he’d even get a chance to read a paper in some peace and quiet.
He swiped his card to get past the secure glass door to the exclusive suite and realized quickly that peace and quiet were not in the equation this morning.
* * *
This was, without question, one of the most embarrassing experiences of her whole life. Rita wanted to sink into the ground as she stammered to answer the airport employee who was very politely and professionally interrogating her. Not only had the other three people in the suite started to stare, she noticed from the corner of her vision that someone else had just walked in—a tall dark man with a leather briefcase. Wonderful. Yet one more person to witness her abject humiliation.
“I’m terribly sorry, miss. But there’s no record of anyone sponsoring you to be in this room,” the well-heeled, highly polished attendant repeated. Sheila, according to the gold name tag on her uniform. “I’m afraid you’ll have to pay for your breakfast and then leave.”
“Oh, um... I don’t understand... I was told by my friend who’s a member that I’d be allowed to hang out here if I wanted, and the flight was delayed. I just thought—” Her words were an incoherent mess. She’d never been good under pressure. And this haughty woman was making her feel like a piece of mud she was trying to brush off her Louboutins.
The attendant remained silent. Rita couldn’t detect one iota of sympathy in her eyes.
Oh, what the hell. The mushroom omelet and mimosa weren’t worth the trouble. Though it had to be the most delicious breakfast she’d ever been served.
“Fine, what do I owe you for the breakfast?” She reached for her wallet.
“With the drink, it will be seventy-five dollars.”
She nearly dropped her purse when she heard the figure. “Seventy-five dollars?” How could that be? Had they personally flown in the mushrooms straight from Japan and had a master chef prepare the meal?
Sheila merely nodded in such a superior way that Rita knew she wasn’t imagining her satisfied smirk of a smile. Satisfaction at her discomfort.
Currently between jobs, Rita had been trying hard to maintain a certain budget. A tight one. The loss of that kind of money had tears springing into her eyes. With shaky fingers, she reached for her credit card, which was already perilously close to the limit as she was about to spend a week in Hawaii. Most of her expenses were taken care of by the wedding party, but she’d still need money for extra meals or souvenirs. Why had she ever walked in here?
Suddenly, a wall in the form of a navy-blue silk shirt appeared in her vision. Someone had stepped between her and the employee, his back to Rita. The newcomer who’d walked in about thirty seconds ago. “Excuse me to interrupt, here. But I’d like to sponsor the young lady as my guest. Please put her breakfast charges on my account.”
What?
Great. Now she was getting pity charity from strangers who wanted to pay for her breakfast. “That won’t be necessary,” she argued to the man’s back. Lord, he was broad shouldered. She could see his toned muscles outlined under the finely tailored shirt. It was difficult to get around him to address the attendant.
“I insist,” the stranger said to her over his shoulder.
“Certainly, sir. How nice to see you again,” the attendant said to him. Rita dared a peek over his shoulder to look at her. It appeared that now Sheila was the one who looked somewhat uncomfortable, she noted with no small degree of satisfaction herself.
Still, she couldn’t have random strangers pay for her breakfast. “I said that won’t be necessary.” She tried to step around him once more.
The man actually stretched his arm out to block her!
Of all the nerve. Granted, he was trying to do something incredibly nice for her but to actually stop her from having any say in the matter was a bit much. Nice or not, he had no