Tropical Bartender Bear (Shifting Sands Resort 3)

Laura felt her cheeks heat again. “He’s my mate,” she finally said, simply.

“Ah,” Gizelle said knowingly.

Laura braced herself to explain further, but Gizelle tossed her head as if she were scenting the air and said, “He likes you,” before she turned and scampered off.

Probably, her befuddled look was similar to the look Fred gave her when she caught him leaving the buffet. “I’m headed to the mainland today,” she told him. “So don’t worry if you don’t see me around!” Then she was off to grab the quickest food available at the buffet before she went to meet Tex.

Laura wasn’t sure what to expect when she tapped at the door to the staff house, but it definitely wasn’t the cheerful roar of welcome that the staff gave her.

“Come in!” Breck hollered from the kitchen. “Mi castle, es so castle, or something! Can I get

you a breakfast beer? Some juice?”

Travis stood at the bottom of the stairs and shouted up, “Tex, your girlfriend is here!” He wandered back into the kitchen to take a plate of eggs from Breck. “It’s supposed to be mi casa, my house.”

“Compared to our last place, this is totally a castle,” Breck retorted. “It’s also one of the only buildings in the place with its own kitchen. Do you want some eggs Miss Smith?”

Bastian, who had answered the door, smiled down at her. “We’re watching last night’s speeches, join us?” He was already wearing his lifeguard’s uniform, the first aid kit strapped to his waist.

Even Graham thawed enough to smile and stand up to remove a pile of questionable literature from the end of the loveseat so she could sit.

Laura did sit, gingerly, and accepted the juice Breck brought her with a flourish.

The Mr. Shifter competition being streamed on the big TV was returning from a promotional break, and the little blonde hostess was standing in front of the red curtains of the little theatre, all her charm turned on. If Laura hadn’t watched her stridently return a perfectly good meal at the restaurant two nights before, she might have believed the charismatic little act.

Mr. India took the stage and flashed a perfect white smile before launching into a well-rehearsed tirade about responsibility to the environment.

“Keep it down,” Breck told Tex, as he stomped down the stairs in his cowboy boots. “This one’s actually coherent.”

“Unlike Mr. Canada, who might have written his speech from a Tim Hortons menu. Maple syrup and donuts, eh?” Travis was clearly unimpressed.

The bachelor banter faded to Laura’s ears at the sight of Tex. Mr. India, in his crisp white shirt, was forgotten.

Cowboys had never done it for her, but there was something about Tex, something that made Mr. India look inconsequential. It was something that made Laura forgive the foolish boots and the big buckle. And the hat was perfect.

“Bring me back some double A batteries, will you, Tex?” Travis indicated an ancient personal tape player.

“I need a new pair of socks,” Breck showed off the hole in his stockinged toe. “And can you grab me copy of the latest People magazine?”

“A new septic system would be great,” Travis quipped. “I don’t know how this one hasn’t failed yet.”

“We’ve only got a few more days,” Tex reminded them calmly. “Tonight are the final awards, we just have to get through them, and then the beach party, and almost everyone will be leaving tomorrow on the charter.”

“I don’t know if the water system is going to last that long,” Travis said. His golden skin couldn’t hide the dark circles under his eyes. As early as it was, Laura suspected he had been up late the night before and already been hard at work that morning.

“I wish I was going,” he added longingly. “But I know if I step foot off the island, there won’t be a working generator in the place.”

“I could probably fix a generator,” Breck told him. “But I am not touching the toilets, so you aren’t allowed to go.”

“If people wouldn’t keep flushing whatever the hell they are flushing, they’d all work just fine,” Travis stormed. “Seriously, who flushes paper towels?”

“Let’s get out of here before Travis goes off on a rant about the crappy electrical system that the original builders put in,” Tex suggested at Laura’s elbow.

“Lucky dog!” Breck called after them.

The dock at the south end of the beach was simple and old, which also described the boat that waited for them. It had two outboards, one tipped up out of the water. While the boat was still moored and Laura was getting comfortable in her seat, Tex drew the other up and put the dry one into service. “Travis says to switch them every time we use them,” he explained to Laura’s quizzical look. “Says it prolongs their life.”

“Why are there two?” Laura asked.