Christmas at Holiday House - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,86
to have a translator along just in case.
The billing dispute wasn’t the problem. They were close to resolving it to the satisfaction of everyone, until the man asked to speak to management—which meant José.
Lucy had been working at the resort for three days and hadn’t seen him except from a distance during that time.
As she was working mostly with guests and tour operators, staying under the radar hadn’t been difficult until now.
Mr. Aiko, it turned out, only wanted to thank the hotel management for the wonderful stay he and his family had enjoyed. He asked Lucy to explain to José that he was part owner of a group of hotels across Asia. He had heard good things about the Lancaster properties and wanted to check them out himself.
“Thank you very much,” José said. “We would love to return your visit and see what we can learn from you. Which of your hotels would you recommend?”
They discussed visits and exchanged contact information, then Mr. Aiko and José bowed to each other, the guest thanked Lucy for her help and then left her alone with José.
She knew she should slip out the door of his office, as well, but she admitted she was starved for the sight of him.
She missed her friend. She missed taking in a few ski runs together at the end of the day or hanging out in the hotel bar, listening to the live entertainment. She missed having Sofia’s delicious tamales that she spent all day cooking or going ice-skating together at the park.
“How was your date the other night?”
The moment she asked the question, she wished she hadn’t. She should be trying to find some kind of common ground to regain what she could of their friendship, not jumping in with a question destined to antagonize him.
A muscle seemed to tighten in his jaw. “It was good. Quinn is a lot of fun to be around.”
Lucy could be fun. She was a good conversationalist, she could tell jokes in many languages, she knew how to belly dance.
She let out a breath, reminding herself that, despite the distance between them right now, he was still her friend and she wanted him to be happy. She hadn’t had the opportunity to meet Quinn yet as their paths hadn’t crossed, but others seemed to like the woman.
Not that she had said anything outright to anyone else about her, but there was a chance Lucy might have unobtrusively steered a few conversations in that direction.
“Great. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you?”
“Yes. You’re my friend, José. I care about you and want you to be happy. If you like this Quinn person, I think that’s great.”
“I hear a definite but in your voice.”
She should walk away right now. She had no business pushing things between them when he had made his point clear. A wise woman would smile, say good afternoon and go back to work.
When had she ever been wise?
Right now, she wanted to lock his office door, sidle around his desk and splay her hands across that broad, gorgeous chest of his.
She did one of the three, closing his door and locking it behind her.
“I just...can’t forget that kiss in Thailand,” she said, her voice husky. “No one has ever kissed me like that. Ever.”
He gazed at her for a long moment, his pupils widening and his breathing suddenly ragged. Finally his mouth tightened.
“I’m not doing this with you, Lucy.”
He sounded weary, and she suddenly felt like a stupid, cruel girl, poking a bear with a stick.
“Doing what? You started it when you kissed me.”
“And you ended it when you made it clear you don’t want the same things I do. It’s not enough for me anymore to be friends with you, content to wait in the nice, safe box you have shoved me into. Your good buddy José, fun to FaceTime when you’re bored or hang around with for the week or two out of the year when we get together.” He shrugged. “I want forever and you don’t. It is as simple as that. We have a basic disconnect we can’t get past.”
Lucy hitched in a breath, feeling perilously close to tears. What was wrong with her? She never cried. They were angry tears, she told herself.
“We only have a disconnect because you insist on being a...a typical obstinate, arrogant male who has to have things your way.”
He shook his head. “I refuse to sleep with you unless we’re actually dating with an eye toward a future together,