I groaned. “We’ll do that after dinner. I need a break before I can tackle overheads.”
“Fine,” Ben nodded. “What about staff disputes; can you handle that now?”
“I expect you to.”
He sighed. “Save the fun jobs for me, huh?”
“Always,” I nodded. “Perks of being the boss.”
“You don’t pay me well enough.”
I laughed. “Easy, boy; didn’t you receive a raise a few months ago?”
“That was before we opened the resort.”
I laughed. “And, I’m getting my money’s worth,” I told him. “Anything else I need to handle before dinner?”
“I’ve been getting a call from the same reporter for a week now; she’s adamant she wants to talk to you about running a piece in the local paper.”
“She wants to promote the resort?”
“She does.”
“Tell her that this resort runs on a reputation of exclusivity,” I said. “And, doing a splashy newspaper spread is not exclusive. I want people to wonder what’s inside, instead of seeing it laid out for them during breakfast.”
“I’ll let her know.”
“Good,” I nodded. “Are we done then?”
“Are we ever?” he asked wryly. “We’re finished for the moment.”
“Excellent,” I nodded. “Meet back here in an hour?”
He took the elevator down to the staff rooms while I continued on to Pepe Albero. Of all the restaurants at the resort, the Italian fine dining atmosphere was the one I liked best. There was always good classical music in the background, a bar that specialized in edgy new cocktails, and the food was excellent. I had sampled almost every item on the menu, and I was more than ready to repeat the process.
I had a standing table reserved for me every night. It was in one corner of the restaurant, where I was cocooned away in a little alcove but could still see all the comings and goings from my vantage point. I had just stepped into the restaurant, and I was heading to my table when I spotted Molly at the bar.
I stalled a little, momentarily floored by how breathtaking she looked. I hadn’t seen her since she had arrived days ago. In fact, I had taken pains to avoid her—mostly because I realized how weak I was. The fact that she had brought up our kiss six years ago told me that it had been an important moment for her. Which meant, if I showed any interest, there was a strong possibility she wouldn’t resist. I could not afford to go down that road. She was Jason’s sister, and I didn’t have the best track record with women.
Molly was wearing a slinky one-shouldered cocktail dress in a brilliant midnight blue that made the gold tones of her blonde hair pop. She looked like a model of the runway, and I found myself unable to turn away.
“Mr. Dubois?”
I turned to Kani, the waiter who served me each night. “Sorry… What did you say?”
“I asked if you’d like your usual drink, sir.”
“Uh…yes,” I nodded. “Yes, you can send it to my table.”
Kani nodded and walked over to the bar. I turned my attention back to Molly and realized with a pang of shock that she was with someone. The gentleman sitting next to her was well dressed, in a tailored suit and silver cufflinks. He looked to be in his early thirties but was obviously a part of the well-to-do business crowd that came to Hawaii each year on vacation. I was fairly sure the man wasn’t a guest at my resort, however.
“Kani,” I said, as he passed by.
“Yes, sir?”
“Who’s that man over there…with Ms. Sinclair?” I asked. “He’s not a guest here, is he?”
“Not that I know of, sir,” he replied.