Biker's Virgin

“Well… I’ve never thought about it before,” he replied, and I could tell that he was thinking about it now, much like I had. “I suppose the idea of not ending up with someone is…”

“Depressing?” I offered.

“A little,” Jason agreed. “But I can’t help thinking that if I did settle down, it would be years and years from now. Like when I was in my forties.”

“And I’m assuming the woman you settle down with would be—”

“In her twenties,” Jason finished for me. “Of course, that goes without saying.”

I laughed. “You were always an ambitious horndog.”

“Takes one to know one,” he shot back.

I laughed, knowing that I had missed my opportunity to come clean. I tried not to feel very happy about that.

“Have you seen Molly recently?” Jason asked.

My smile faltered guiltily, and I was glad that Jason wasn’t here to see that. “Uh… Yeah, I see her a lot actually, since we’re working together now.”

“She loves working at the resort,” he told me. “This job is so much better for her than the last one.”

“I agree,” I nodded.

“I’m glad she has you over there,” he said. “I feel better knowing she has someone to look out for her.”

I raised my eyebrows, knowing he would probably kick himself over that comment later when he did eventually find out about Molly and me.

“Listen, Jason,” I said, hearing a knock at my office door. “I’ve got to start my day. Talk later?”

“Of course,” he replied. “Thanks for calling, bro; it was nice catching up.”

I cut the line and sighed at my own cowardice. “Come in,” I called, after a moment.

Ben walked in with his clipboard in hand. “The helicopter just landed,” he informed me. “Why aren’t you up there?”

“What?” I asked, in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Ben raised his eyebrows at me. “Emma’s here.”

Chapter Thirty

Molly

“How are you?” I asked.

Alani was looking much happier since the incident with the Beaumonts had been dealt with, and her name had been cleared. She had reverted back to the old Alani that I was familiar with—cheerful, playful, and easy-going.

“I’m doing great,” she told me. “But for a second there, I was terrified.”

“I can imagine.”

“You don’t know how grateful I am to you,” she said, looking at me earnestly.

“Hey, you don’t have to thank me—”

“No, I do,” she insisted. “Any other superior in your position would have taken the guests’ side over mine. They wouldn’t have bothered to check tapes and speak to the boss on my behalf. They would have just assumed they understood the situation and acted accordingly.”

“I don’t know about that,” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed by Alani’s obvious gratitude towards me.