I froze and stepped back to hide behind a large column and lifted my shades slightly. My heart dropped to my knees when I found August standing behind the small shed-like bar at the far end of the deck. About five or six women sitting or leaning against it, hanging on his every word as he mixed drinks and charmed them with jokes that were inaudible from where I stood.
“What the hell?” I whispered, watching him in a sleeveless white t-shirt, his muscles flexing as he wiped the counter. A few women walked away giggling carrying their coffee beverages or cocktails.
Two women were left seated, watching him as he topped off their drinks with a garnish.
“Are you just going to stand there, or you gonna order somethin’?” he called with a mere glance in my direction.
I slipped my sunglasses back on and walked over, taking a deep breath.
“What do you think you’re doing?” My voice was low, but the edge couldn’t be missed.
“Give me that.” He swiped the green drink from my hands and emptied it into the trash. Then took a small fresh glass and poured a cold pre-mixed coffee beverage, pushing it toward me without another word.
I didn’t touch it.
“Harper,” Carol, who was bleached blond and pushing fifty, moved over to me and put an arm around my bare shoulder. “Can you believe this guy just got in from Brooklyn too, small world huh?”
I ignored her and she pushed the drink he poured further toward me. “Geez you’re stiff girl. Here, take a shot of this, I just had one, it’s phenomenal, I’ll see you in yoga later. Love the shades by the way.” She waved and her friend followed her back to the lounge chairs.
We were alone now, and he crept over to me, resting his elbows on the counter, leaning over. “Good morning,” he said with a sly grin.
It didn’t suit him one bit. Speaking of which…
“Shouldn’t you be in a suit behind a desk somewhere?”
He straightened. “Too hot for a suit.”
“August, I’m serious. Go back to work.”
He looked genuinely confused. “I am at work.”
“Really? Here?”
“Yes.” He greeted another set of customers who ordered a fruity cocktail.
I sighed. “Well, for how long?”
He leaned in and whispered, as if asking for the answers to a pop quiz. “Depends, how long are you staying?”
“I don’t know. I have no plans to leave anytime soon…” I crossed my arms.
He grinned and flipped a shaker in his hands. “Awesome, Daiquiri?”
I shook my head and took a healthy swig of the coffee mixture that was surprisingly delicious.
August’s grin widened. “Not bad, huh?”
“It’s dreadful.”
He smiled at the couple leaving with their drinks and leaned over the bar, slipping off my sunglasses. His grin instantly faded when he saw my eyes. “Harper.”
I pushed them back up my face, finished the drink and left.
I avoided August—and whatever it was he was up to—for the rest of the day. It wasn’t like he’d be lonely. He had plenty of attention from all the single women on the resort. All seventy of them, while I signed up for every single activity on the menu. Which backfired.
By dinnertime, I was too exhausted to chew and just ordered a milkshake, taking it to my room, where I stayed for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I snuck a peek on the pool deck and cursed when I found him still there, with his stupid dimple, charming up a crowd of like eight women.
