Outback Affair: An Affair Novel (Entangled Indulgence) (14 page)

Chapter Sixteen

The hairdresser lifted the black cape off Alex’s shoulders with a flourish.

“Voila,
a new man.” She ran her fingers along his hairline. “Alex, you have a white mark on your neck where your hair was so long.”

Alex stood and brushed the remaining hair from his suit trousers and tucked his shirt in as he looked in the mirror.

Christ, he hated this part of the job.

All dressed up and looking like a businessman did not sit comfortably with him, but it was a necessary evil. This deal was important, and it was the last meeting he’d be having as the managing director. As soon as he signed the contract with Bartholomew, he’d go back to the cabin, get changed, and wait for Jess to come back from the tour. By the time his family descended, he would have made his peace with her, and hopefully she’d be happy to move into the villa with him until she went home. There was no reason they couldn’t spend some time together before she went back to the States once he explained why he’d not told her the truth. And he’d give her his first ever interview about Cockatoo Springs and the award-winning chef school. But not about him—he wasn’t prepared to go that far.

“Thanks, Wendy. I did leave it a bit long this time.” He strolled across the salon and looked across at the doorway to the day spa. “Busy day ahead here? I have a friend staying here who’d like a manicure.”

“Send her over. We’ll fit her in.” Wendy raised her eyebrows. “Friend or family? Having friends at your party this year for a change?”

He grinned. “Friend. Family doesn’t arrive till the weekend.”

Wendy shook her head. “How long have you been out fishing in the outback? It
is
the weekend.”

“Shit. What day is it?”

“Friday. Your party is tomorrow night. The staff is looking forward to it.” She gave him another smile and nudged his ribs. “Your sister-in-law is booked in for a treatment this afternoon. You do know your secret is out, don’t you.”

Alex narrowed his eyes. “What secret?”

“Clayton let it slip in the kitchen last night, and it went around like wildfire.” Her grin got wider. “You have no idea, do you…Alessandro?”

“Oh, shit.”

“We’ve all suspected for ages. Wondered why a simple barramundi fisherman had the luxury villa on the beachfront kept vacant for him.”

Okay, he’d known this would happen one day, but now Jess being on the scene complicated matters. He’d have to get to Jess the instant she got off the tour. He hoped like hell his name wouldn’t come up in discussions. Surprisingly, it just didn’t seem to matter that much anymore. The only thing that worried him was Jess being upset. His secret was out, the contract was almost over, and he needed to get to Jess before she found out through someone else. She was pretty pissed with him, so he didn’t think she’d ask about him. But she might try to ask around about Alessandro.

He reached into his pocket and passed Wendy a tip. “Look after my sister-in-law. Which one is booked in today?”

“Lissy.”

Alex stepped out onto the covered walkway that crossed the pool. It was the quickest way to the executive suite where Bartholomew was waiting for him. As soon as the contract was signed he’d seek out whoever of his family had arrived, and then he’d wait for Jess. If it all worked out to plan, it would be a great weekend.

…

Larry Bartholomew was dressed casually in white jeans and a bright yellow T-shirt stretched tightly across his huge paunch. He took Alex’s hand in his large beefy grasp and spoke in a booming voice.

“Good to meet you, son.” Alex stiffened, taking an instant dislike to the gregarious American.

“Now before we look at the paperwork, I want to see all around this place. Your man showed me the contract, and it looks all fine and dandy, but I want to see what you think makes this place so special. Maybe I could meet the new chef from London? What do you say, boy?”

“Good.” Alex headed for the door. The quicker he did the tour, the sooner the paperwork was signed, and he could get away from business and find his family before Jess got back. “Come this way. We’ll do the kitchens first, and then I’ll show you the grounds.”

Alex strode out, and the big man hurried along behind him, huffing by the time they reached the kitchen. A couple of the sous-chefs were filleting barramundi at the big sink under the window.

“Another fresh shipment in?”

“Yes, they came in on the helicopter about an hour ago.”

“The helicopter’s in already?”

“Yes, they put on three extra trips this morning. Remember, your family are all arriving today for the party tomorrow night.”

“Yes.” All the more reason to get this tour over and done with. “Clayton’s not around?”

“No, he went back to Darwin on the chopper to collect some Asian spices he couldn’t order through the supplier. He’s coming back in the last helicopter after lunch.”

Alex turned to Bartholomew. “Clayton’s not here. You’ll have to meet him later. We’ll take a quick tour. One of the vehicles should be there so you can see the level of comfort we’ll offer your clients.”

“Great!” His loud voice echoed through the large kitchen. “Then we’ll get this signed and we can have a drink, boy.” Larry slapped him on the back, and Alex clenched his jaw, counting to ten silently before he lost his temper and blew the deal. If it hadn’t been for Mitch telling him what a great opportunity it was to break into the overseas luxury market, he would have put the skids under this obnoxious guy straight up.

Alex led him across to the pool area, pointing out the unusual bar located in the middle of the water.

“How about a drink, now?” Some sunbathers lying on the pool lounges near the bar looked across as Larry’s voice carried loudly across the water. Alex shook his head.

“There’s a bar in the executive suite. We’ll get the contract signed first.”

He turned and stepped onto the path toward the eastern side of the pool. Bartholomew didn’t follow, and Alex turned around waiting for the portly guy to catch him up.

“Gotta love hanging around these places, don’t ya reckon? Some nice bikinis around.”

Alex nodded with a tight smile. “I have another appointment, Larry. If we don’t hurry, I’ll have to get my assistant to sort the contract signing out.”

Larry followed him with a grunt, and they walked across the small bridge dividing the pool from the bar. Alex flicked a glance across to the sun lounges, and his breath caught in his throat. Jess was lying on a sun lounger on her stomach in a tiny red bikini on the other side of the bar. Her head was turned away from them on the pillow, and her arms were crossed beneath her head. Alex grabbed Larry’s arm and motioned him to the opposite direction.

“What the hell is she doing there?” he muttered to himself.

Why wasn’t she on the bush tucker tour?
The last thing he wanted was for her to see him in his suit doing a deal.

Christ, the day was getting more complicated by the minute.

“Sorry? What did you say?” Larry said.

“I just thought you might like to see the gardens and where the day tours go out.”

Larry followed him slowly as Alex strode from the pool area to the bottom floor of the building. “I’d rather have that drink.”

“You can come back to the pool later,” he said tightly. “If you want your tours to come here, we’ll do it my way.”

“No need to snap my head off. You want this deal or not?” Larry frowned at him, and Alex tried to placate him with a smile.

“Sorry, Larry. I’ve got a lot of meetings ahead of me today. Look, there’s a bottle of fifteen-year-old single malt whisky in my office to seal the deal. As soon as we sign on the dotted line we’ll have that drink.”

When they reached the end of the corridor, he shoved the office door open, strode across to his desk, and picked up the phone.

“Mitch, I need you. Bring the contract in, please. We’re ready to sign.” He hung the phone up and turned to Larry, gesturing to an armchair.

“Sit down. I’ll pour the drinks.” Alex crossed to the small bar by the window and reached for the whisky. He leaned forward as a flash of red caught his eye. Jess was standing beside the sun lounger knotting a red sarong beneath her breasts. As he watched, she turned and headed along the path and disappeared between the trees.

As soon as Mitch arrived and the contract was signed, he was going to track her down and find out what she was doing here. She should be safely up in the gorge collecting bush tucker by now.

He glanced up as Mitch opened the door, and Larry held his hand out.

“I’ll have mine neat,” Larry said.

“One for me too, please, boss,” Mitch said. He raised his eyebrows when Alex shoved a glass toward him, slopping the whisky on his fingers.

“Mitch.” Alex tried to focus on the business at hand, but all he could think of was Jess and wondering if she was heading back to the cabin. “When we finish here, I have another meeting. Can you show Larry around, please?”

“No problem.” He shot Alex a curious glance as he held his hand out for the contract. Pulling a pen from his pocket, Alex signed with a flourish and put the contract on the table in front of Larry.

“I may see you around later today, Larry. A pleasure doing business with you.” He shook the man’s hand briefly and headed for the door.

“Mitch, I’ll be out for a while.”

He dashed over to his beachfront villa, keeping an eye out for Jess in case she’d come back to the pool, but there was no sign of her. He threw his suit jacket on the sofa. After pulling his tie loose, he unbuttoned his shirt with one hand and dialed reception with the other.

“It’s Alex. Have we got a guest by the name of Trent booked in yet?”

He tucked the phone beneath his chin and stepped out of his suit trousers while he waited for the receptionist to check.

“No guest checked in or booked ahead by the name of Trent. Are you expecting a guest, sir?”

“No, that’s fine. Thanks.” Alex hung up and let out his breath slowly, relieved Jess was still over at the cabin. She must have wandered over for a swim. Maybe she’d calmed down and they could talk. He’d head straight over there now. It looked like he was going to have to own up to his deception. If the word had gone around about him being Alessandro, he wanted her to hear it from him and no one else.

“Shit,” he muttered beneath his breath as he pulled his jeans on. “How did everything get so complicated so quickly? Why does how she feels bother me so much?” Next week couldn’t come soon enough. Handing over the management to Mitch and spending the summer fishing was looking very appealing. And then when the season was over, he had some big decisions to make. Was he going to stick around the Territory, or go back south and find a law firm? Or he could travel to the States and look up Jess, if she was still talking to him.

Alex headed to the resort through the pool area in case Jess had come back, but there was no sign of her. It was almost lunchtime, and the sun loungers were empty. He nodded to the barman who was filling ice buckets in preparation for the usual after lunch rush to the pool.

“Alex!” For a moment he thought it was Jess, and he turned around slowly, but grinned when he saw the woman with a riot of curls running across the pool bridge toward him.

“Lissy!” He lifted her up when she reached him and twirled her around. When he set her down, she hugged him close.

“Alex, it’s so good to see you.”

He held her hands and looked at her. “You, too, Lissy. Where’s my big brother and that nephew of mine?”

“We’re up in the lagoon wing next to your parents. They’ve arrived too. And Tom and Brianna and the twins are on the other side of us.” Lissy raised her hand and held his chin and scrutinized him. “Look at you, all tanned and fit. This place has certainly agreed with you. You look a lot better than you did last year.”

Alex leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. “It’s been a good year, Lis. I’m ready to move on.”

He looped his arm around her shoulder and turned her in the direction of the bridge. “I’ll take you back to your room and say a quick hello to the family.”
He looked around, keeping an eye out for Jess. “I’ve just got something I have to do before I can settle in and catch up on all the family news.”

“I thought you’d handed most of the work over to Mitch.”

“Yes, I have. It’s something personal. I’ll fill you all in later if it works out.

If it doesn’t I might crack the whisky open.” Alex smiled wryly as they stopped in the middle of the small bridge and exchanged a glance as they both remembered the last time the Richards’ brothers had shared a bottle of whisky. It had been the day of Emily’s funeral. Lissy looked up at him and her eyes filled with tears.

“So you’re really okay?”

Alex used his thumb to wipe away the tear that rolled down Lissy’s cheek. His sister-in-law was a rock when Emily was killed, and he’d gotten to know her well. He’d never let on to any of his family that Emily had deceived him.

“Yes, I’m really okay. I’ve moved on, Lis.”

Chapter Seventeen

“Fuck you,” Jess said under her breath. “Fuck you, Alex.”

Jess stood at the side of the large window overlooking the pool. She bit the side of her cheek to force away the tears that were threatening to fall. When she saw Alex head toward the pool her heartbeat kicked up, and she’d stood watching him stride across past the pool bar. She decided to act maturely and tell him she was in the resort and was about to turn to head to the door. And let him explain what he’d been up to, because she had known there was something.

When the woman ran across to the bridge to him and Alex took her in his arms and kissed her, Jess’s world shattered and she realized what he was hiding. A searing shaft of jealousy engulfed her, and she slid down on to the sofa in front of the window.

She’d been right all along. He’d wanted her in the cabin because he already had someone here at the resort. She would bunker down in her room until she could get the first flight out of here. Stuff the interview and stuff the job.

An ache began in the middle of her chest and moved up to her throat. For a few minutes she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity, and then the anger kicked in.
Why should she give up the entire reason for being here just because a man wooed her into his bed?

…

“I’ll be back in a half hour or so, I just have to go to the cabin and see someone.” Alex hugged his mother for the second time and grinned over the top of her loose black curls at his two older brothers. Having his family here made him all the more determined to make his peace with Jess.

He’d make her see reason. It would be fun to have her at his birthday dinner, and he was looking forward to introducing her to his family. He just had to convince her she could trust him.

Nick slapped him on the shoulder as he walked to the door.

“Good to see you looking fit and well, mate. Lissy says you’re moving on next week?”

“Yes, contract’s up and the school is established and going really well. I’ve made a few enquiries down in Brisbane, but I was thinking about taking a trip to the States first. I’ll tell you about it later over a drink.”

He closed the door and left his family, grinning at the noise that came through the door. It was just like the noise that always filled his parent’s home when everyone was visiting. Once his sisters arrived with their families, the resort wouldn’t know what had hit it.

The door to the cabin was closed, and he pushed it open slowly.

“Jess? Jess, are you there?” He checked each room, but there was no sign of her or her belongings.

“Where is she, little buddy?” Alex reached down and scratched the little dog’s back. “I wonder where she went.” Picking up the phone, he dialed reception. “Has a Ms. Trent registered yet?”

When the clerk said no, Alex began to worry. He called the helicopter office.

“Bill, it’s Alex. Have you taken any passengers out this morning?”

“No, mate, I’m just about to fly to Darwin to pick Clayton up. I’ve got an empty bird. Had no one go out so far today. Just incoming guests.”

Worry pinched at his gut. Surely she wouldn’t have tried to get out another way.

Where was she?

He picked the phone up again and dialed reception. “Bill, have you checked in any tall blond women this morning?”

“I only just came on duty.”

Shit.
He ran his hand through his newly cropped hair, surprised to feel the stubble beneath his fingers.

“Can you have a look and tell me if any female guests have registered this morning by themselves and get me their room numbers?”

He stood at the door looking at the sofa, remembering the feel of Jess’s smooth skin beneath his hands last night.

“Three, Alex. O’Reilly, Van Lund, and Petersen. Rooms 114, 115, and 231.” Bill laughed. “Not sure if their blondes or brunettes. Does she have to be a blonde?”

“Very funny.”

Giving Bowser a quick pat, he headed back to the resort, where he headed to the gift shop. He bought three small gift baskets and made his way up to room 114. He knocked on the door, waited, but there was no reply. He knocked again and waited for a few moments before knocking on 115.

“Just a moment,” an unfamiliar voice with a British accent called out.

A petite dark-haired girl opened the door and a taller redhead peered over her shoulder. Alex cleared his throat and handed them one of the baskets. “Good morning. A welcome gift from management. Is one of you in 114?” He presumed the pair of them may be traveling together and have side-by-side rooms.

The redhead piped up. “Yes, I’m in 114.”

Alec handed over the second basket of chocolate and flowers, before crossing to the lift and going to the second floor. He tapped lightly on the door of room 231, one of the larger rooms that overlooked the pool.

“Who is it?”

Alex sagged with relief when Jess’s voice came through the door.

“A delivery.”

“I’m not expecting a delivery.”

“Open the door, Jess.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to talk to you.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“Please, Jess.” Alex put the basket on the floor, prepared to wait her out.

The door opened slowly, and Jess peered around the edge. His stomach dropped when he saw her face.

“What do you want?” Her eyes were red, and he was sure she’d been crying.

“I want to talk to you. He reached down for the basket and held it out to her. “Peace offering?”

“Thank you, now go away and leave me alone.” She took the basket and began to shut the door. Alex jammed his foot in the space and received an icy glare in return.

“While you’re here, you can answer me one question?” she said.

“Yes?”

“Does the job in the kitchen still stand? I might as well get something out of this awful trip.”

“Do you want to?”

“Of course I do.”

“Can I come in? Please? We can talk about it.”

“No.”

Alex sensed he wasn’t going to get anywhere by persisting. “Grab me a pen and a piece of paper.”

Jess closed the door and for a moment, he wondered if she would come back. Then the door opened again, and she passed him a hotel notepad and pen without saying a word. He wrote down Clayton’s name and the phone extension of the kitchen and handed it back to her. She closed the door in his face, and the hollow feeling in his stomach was almost as bad as the loss he’d experienced two years earlier when Emily died.

…

Jess frowned at the mirror when she washed her face. Her eyes were swollen, her face was blotchy, and it really pissed her off that Alex had seen her like that.

What was he playing at?

She’d seen him with that woman and had nothing more to say to him. No matter if he wanted to apologize for whatever he’d done, or give her flowers and chocolates. She gritted her teeth. She was immovable, and she would not give in and listen to him. Picking up the phone, she dialed the extension he’d given her.

“Clayton.”

“Hello, Clayton, my name is Jess. Alex said I might be able to talk to you about a kitchen hand job?”

“Sure, come on down and see me. I’m in the restaurant now.”

“I’m on my way.”

…

“Jess, wait!” She took a step back when a firm hand grabbed her elbow. Larry Bartholomew leaned in to hug her.

“Hello, Larry. I heard you were here.”

“Just signed a million dollar deal with Alessandro Ricardo,” he said smugly.

So it’s true. Ricardo is here.

Jess felt the first glimmer of excitement as her spirits lifted.

“Your father said I might see you here.” Larry kept his hand on her arm, and she pulled it out of his grasp.

“My father doesn’t know I’m here.”

Larry leaned in close to her and tapped his nose. “Yes, he does, and what’s more he told me you are after an interview with Ricardo.” His alcohol infused breath wafted in front of her. “But there’s no need. Don’t waste your time. I know all about it, and I’ve already decided to give the job to one of the other freelance journalists. Seeing you’re here, we could have some fun together, and who knows what might happen when the next job comes up.”

He reached over and ran his fat hand down her arm. The knowledge that her father was tracking her life and career made her feel sicker than Larry already was, and Jess’s vision blurred. She leaned in close to tell him exactly what she thought, lowering her voice as there were several people close by on sun loungers.

“Take your hands off me.”

Before she could finish, Larry looked away from her, and his voice slurred.

“Ricardo, can I buy you another drink?”

Alex held her gaze steadily as her world came crashing down around her.

Alex Richards. Alessandro Ricardo.

The penny dropped. Just one more thing he’d lied about, and the biggest betrayal, when he knew all along she’d been looking for Ricardo. The whole time, from the very first night they had dinner, he’d lied and pretended to be someone else.

I will never trust another man as long as I live.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to relax and turned to Larry with a bright smile.

“It was nice to see you, Larry. Say hello to my father for me.” She turned away, ignoring Alex, who was speaking quietly to her boss. She stood straight and held Alex’s gaze as she walked toward the building. A movement next to her caught her attention and she looked up at a woman with a tumble of black curly hair. She looked familiar, but she didn’t know who she was. Jess flicked a tight smile in her direction and turned toward her room. A hand grabbed her shoulder; she stopped and lifted her chin high.

“Take your hand off me.” She kept her voice low as the woman watched them.

“Jess, we need to talk. I can explain. I had my reasons.”

“No, Alex…Alessandro. There is nothing you could say to explain your lies.” The woman behind Alex sat up in her sun lounger, following the exchange with great interest. “I am not a bit interested in what you have to say to me. You are a scheming liar, through and through.”

He grabbed her arm again. “Jess, there’s a lot of stuff I need to tell you. I am not going to let you go while you are so upset.

“Upset?.” Her voice rose. “You think this is upset?. Buddy, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” She clenched her jaw and glared at him. “Now take your fucking fingers off my arm before I show you how upset I can get.”

She shook his hand off and strode down the path straight to the reception building. Find the first helicopter out of here, and she was on it. There was no way she could look at that man—Alex, Alessandro, whatever he decided to call himself—without choking him.

He’d played her for a fool and this easy Yank had fallen right into his arms more than once. Hooked and reeled in like one of his smelly fish, and she’d fallen for it, wide-eyed and believing.

She threw her room card onto the counter and the clerk looked up at her.

“Sorry, ma’am. I didn’t hear you come in.

“I need a seat on the first helicopter out of here.” She looked at the young man as he stared at her. “Please.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, they’re fully booked today, even with the extra flights. We’ve had a lot of guests changing over.”

Sweat broke out on her forehead despite the air conditioning, and Jess mopped at her brow with shaking fingers.

The clerk clicked the keyboard and looked at the screen. “The first flight out to Darwin is tomorrow afternoon.”

“Book me on it, please. Room 231.”

…

Alex stood by the pool and watched Jess stride off. She held her head high and almost swaggered along the path, but he’d seen her eyes. Deep, deep hurt filled them, and he was filled with remorse. She turned the corner of the building and disappeared from his sight.

How the hell was he going to explain and apologize and convince her he’d been going to come clean this afternoon?

A gentle hand tugged on his arm. “Do you want to tell me how you made that beautiful girl so sad?”

He looked up and shook his head slowly.
“Mama, did you see all that?” He held out his arms, and his mother hugged him back.

“Yes, I did. Your sisters have arrived, and I decided to have some quiet time around the pool. Brianna and Lissy and your three sisters, are in the day spa, and Nick and Tom are over at the playground with the children.”

Warmth filled Alex’s chest, and some of the distress eased. He dropped his chin into Tessa’s hair. “Where’s Dad?”

“Where do you think?”

“In your room reading some academic tome?”

“You always were clever.” Tessa nodded and smiled up at him. “Now tell me about your lady friend. Can I help?”

“Walk with me. I have to get rid of that horrid man.” Alex tucked his mother’s hand into the crook of his elbow. “I much prefer fishing to business. Next week, I’m out of here. Come to my villa and I’ll tell you the whole sad story.”

…

Jess sat cross-legged on her bed, peering at her laptop screen, searching for a flight from Darwin to New York. She’d called Monica to tell her she was on the way home, and called the rental car company arranging for the car to be picked up in Daly River. She’d almost had to mortgage her apartment to pay for it. The earliest she could fly out was tomorrow night via Sydney and Los Angeles.

Thirty-four hours.

Which made it a long, long time until she could lock herself in her apartment, get right away from the world, and lick her wounds. She was tempted to write the damn article anyway and expose Alessandro Ricardo as sexy barramundi fisherman Alex Richards, but her ethics wouldn’t let her do that, no matter what a lowlife liar he was.