A Sinful Trap (Three Sinful Wishes 2)
Message received. She inserted herself between Nick and Liam, elbows on the bar. “If you’re here for a drink, what are we drinking to? Is Sedona’s favorite Odd Couple celebrating an anniversary?”
Nick gave her a quelling look.
She ignored it, of course. “Are you two fighting again? It’s Jace’s fault, isn’t it?”
Jace looked outraged. “What?”
Nick and Liam nodded.
“I knew it,” Bailey informed them sagely. “It usually is.”
She wasn’t sure how or why those two were friends, let alone roommates. Jace was a hot but sadly commitment-phobic troublemaker who worked with Liam in the resort kitchens. He was also Kaya’s nemesis—or so she claimed. Bailey knew the real reason for her animosity was good old-fashioned lust. She wanted the loud, outspoken, idiot, and bickering was obviously their way of venting all that unresolved sexual tension.
Nick, meanwhile, was a beefy, ginger-bearded geoarchaeologist—Bailey still had no idea what that entailed—who didn’t date anyone in town, male, female or nonbinary. The only person she’d seen him show any interest in was Kaya, and by interest Bailey meant she’d caught him staring at her. He didn’t talk much, so it was doubtful he’d made any actual moves.
Too bad. He’d probably be a better pick for her than Jace.
“Is the topic a secret?” she asked, lowering her voice. “Is it about laundry day again? Or Jace cooking in the nude with company while you’re trying to sleep?”
When Jace opened his mouth, Liam jumped in first.
“Let’s not rehash any of it for Bailey right now.” His smile was strained and she wondered how long he’d been listening to them bicker. “Not when she’s the one with the news.”
Jace scowled. “You mean the Locke guy? Is Mr. Moneybags the Third giving you any trouble at the inn? I saw them working on the roof the other day. Celeste is steamed he didn’t hire her.”
“Don’t be so judgmental,” Liam said. “He made that money on his own. I’m the one with the family inheritance. Pick on me instead.”
Jace snorted. “Nah, you work for a living and I like you. Even if you are pussy whipped. Anyway, Locke could buy your family’s restaurant chain with his pocket change, from what I hear. I’m not sure why one person needs all that money or that much land. Seems greedy to me.”
She didn’t like the way they were discussing Cam. She might have had the same thoughts a few days ago, but not now that she’d met him. He wasn’t that.
Nick cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “I hear he does good things with that money. Gives land to people who need it.”
Bailey clung to his words, unaccountably grateful. “He does?”
“I can’t believe you know who we’re talking about,” Jace grumbled at his roommate. “I mean, he’s still alive and not made of stone, or some trickster spirit that you shouldn’t be hanging out with anyway.”
Nick’s expression grew pinched.
Meanwhile, Liam looked ready to throttle Jace.
She put her hand on his shoulder. “Angel food? I’m starving, so I’m going to order for us. We always get the same thing here, so I know what they want. Can you go out on the patio and make sure they save our table? And let me know if you see Dani and Kaya. I can’t believe they aren’t here yet.”
Liam got off his stool so fast she nearly laughed and ruined the charade. “Yes, ma’am.”
“There goes a gentleman,” she sighed dramatically, tapping Jace and Nick on their backs. “Play nice, boys, I like this place. And Mama needs some food with her girl talk.”
She walked around the bar and snuck through the kitchen door to find Benny in his usual spot by the grill. “Hey there, B-man. Don’t mind me, I’m hiding for a minute to help out a friend.”
The frown that had always seemed as much a permanent fixture as his Hawaiian shirts disappeared when he saw her. “Bailey. You know you’re welcome anytime, girl. Did you bring those friends of yours?”
At her nod, he started prepping the food for what she knew was going to be their regular order. He was a bear, but his center was gooey old marshmallow if you dug deep enough.
“Would you add an extra helping of nachos for Liam? How are things going?” she asked when he gave her a thumbs up.
“Couldn’t be better unless I was surfing.” He always said that. “But I should be asking you that question. Your inn is buzzing with people. And I heard you hired Ava. I hope that doesn’t mean you’ll stop coming to see me.”
“That’s never going to happen. I love it here. It’s technically the closest I’ve ever been to the beach.”
Benny clutched his heart. “I swear, I need to fix that before I die. No one should go through life without sticking their toes in the ocean.”
“Whenever you and Kashi are ready, I’m willing to tag along.”