Page 16 of A Taste of Paradise

Shay exhaled deeply. ‘Thank you. I still don’t even know why I bothered to come, to be honest. My family insisted that since I’d already spent the money on the trip, I may as well come here anyway and take some time out, lick my wounds and what-have-you. Not to mention that it was the perfect excuse for me to get out of Dodge for a bit. I wasn’t ready to face everyone back home. I didn’t want the questions and people coming up to tell me how sorry they were. This isn’t a funeral. So I guess I came mostly because I didn’t want to deal with the fallout. With Sarah, especially.’ He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. ‘But being here hasn’t made it any easier either. I’ve been sitting in that room and thinking about it. Picking apart the past five years of my life to find out what I could have done better. What did I miss? I lied to myself about a lot and I still don’t have the answers I want. But the strangest thing of all, the thing I don’t understand the most, is how I feel now.’

‘It’s only natural to feel upset—’

‘I’m not, though.’

Lily’s confounded response flew from her mouth. ‘You’re not?’

‘At least not in the way I think I should be.’ Shay’s expression hovered somewhere between pained and perplexed. She couldn’t decipher it.

‘I’m hurt and angry, of course, but I’m also a bit numb, I suppose? It’s almost as if somewhere inside, I knew something like this would happen.’ He looked down at her with a forlorn expression. ‘It’s almost as if I was prepared for it, maybe even a little relieved? I don’t understand it, and that’s driving me crazy more than anything.’

‘Don’t try to understand it then,’ Lily offered, though she was struggling to understand it herself. ‘You can’t dictate how you’re supposed to feel, and maybe right now isn’t the best time to try to dissect your feelings either.’

‘What am I supposed to do though?’ he asked, the question almost a plea. ‘In two days’ time, I was supposed to be married and on honeymoon. It’s hard to escape from that.’

‘What I’d suggest first and foremost is that you try your best to take your mind off it. I know it seems almost impossible but focusing on what should have been won’t change it either.’

‘How do I do that?’

Lily smiled and waved an arm toward the beach and surroundings. ‘Look where you are – one of the most beautiful places on earth! You can always face reality when you go back home, but for the moment you’re in paradise. Tell you what, I’ll help show you around the island if you like, and you should definitely come along to The Palms sunset party next week, the one that got us out of the catering bill?’ she reminded him. ‘It’s an island tradition.’

She couldn’t be certain but thought she saw his eyes light up at the idea and was pleased.

‘You’re sure? I wouldn’t want to take up any more of your time when you’ve got such a lot on. Or get in the way either.’

‘Honestly, it’s not a problem,’ Lily said, warming to her theme. ‘I’m off the hook for this really annoying wedding that was coming up, so I’ve got some unexpected time on my hands,’ she joked, and this time Shay cracked a smile. ‘Hey, you could always help us out with some of the preparations too, an extra pair of hands never goes astray.’ She chuckled, pleased afresh with her brainwave to distract him from his heartbreak. ‘Truly, stay for the sunset party. It’s one of The Palms’ biggest events of the year, and always a night to remember.’

Chapter 14

Later that evening, before she left for the day, Erin went to check on Molly Cooke, whom she’d upgraded to a gorgeous beachside hacienda with one of the loveliest coastal views in the resort in the hope of easing her discomfort upon arrival. She was about halfway up when the elevator stopped. Erin stared straight ahead as the double doors opened and outside, as if summoned by her lack of consideration, stood Mack.

They stared at each other in complete silence. She could tell he was even contemplating letting the elevator go and getting the next. Did he want to avoid her that badly?

‘Just get in. I promise I won’t say another word to you about the resort.’

He looked at her sceptically.

‘I swear.’

Mack stepped inside and faced the door in silence.

Erin didn’t mean to stare, though she often seemed to when it came to this guy, but she couldn’t help but notice that he seemed tense too.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his jaw flex slightly and for a fleeting moment, thought she’d caught him glancing toward her too.

Fix this. Grant’s words from earlier echoed in her mind.

Be honest with him. Apologise, she ordered herself.

The elevator chimed at the floor she needed, and Erin gave Mack a half grin as she stepped out into the corridor.

Now’s the time. Do it.

She turned to look at him, inwardly cringing.

‘You were right. I was focusing on all the wrong stuff,’ she confessed with a sigh. ‘I’m very sorry. I can get a little … intense when it comes to my work, I know that. It’s kind of my life.’ She took a rushed breath. ‘I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t hold my wrongdoing against the resort though,’ she managed to slip in, as the doors once again started to close over.

Mack looked back at her but said nothing. Then he was gone.