PRINCE CHARMING: A Secret Baby Stepbrother Romance (40 page)

“I told you, I’m not interested,” Claire said. “I just want to read my book in peace.”

“Not interested in a bed? I was going to offer you one of the master bedrooms that is still unoccupied. I thought you would be more comfortable there.”

“Oh,” Claire said. “Sorry. I misunderstood.”

There was a slight blush on her cheek, and Chance smiled at it. “Now, if you would follow me, please,” he said to them.

“Amy, get that,” Claire told her and showed her the duffel resting on the ground. “We grabbed some stuff from the luggage we might need and left the rest on the plane.”

“No problem.” Amy slung the bag over her shoulder and whispered to her friend. “Let’s go. I got a boy to catch.”

Claire shook her head and grabbed her overnight bag. “As always.”

They reached the room more quickly than Claire expected. Chance pushed the door open.

“Make yourselves comfortable.”

“Nice,” Amy said as they walked into a fancy room.

“Not bad,” Claire said, forcing her expression to mimic boredom instead of the excitement she felt.

“Master bath is in there, towels are over there in that cabinet, and you will find other toiletries you might need in the cupboard in the bathroom,” Chance told them, pointing to various locations as he spoke.

“Thank you,” Claire smiled.

“So, how about joining me in the entertainment room when you are settled?” he asked again.

Claire looked at him, then at Amy, then she looked away. “I’ll stay here. I’d love a hot shower,” she smiled. “Thanks for the accommodations. It is a lovely room.”

“Okay. Coming?” he asked Amy.

Amy grinned at Claire and winked. “See you later.”

After they left, Claire remained in the room, admiring the tapestries, art, and woodwork. The bathroom was a delight, and she slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the bath. The warm water flowed over her ivory skin, and she let it massage her tired body. Her head fell back so the water could course through her silken hair. She ran her hand over her face as her mind drifted to a moment not so long ago, when she was in the shower, and Trent had joined her. He had put his arms around her body, lathering soap over her and tickling her.

Her mind changed tactics and drifted to the hallway, where she stood only a few feet away from him as he held another woman in his arms and kissed her.

Were it not for the water cascading down her face, one could have easily seen the trail of tears as they joined the water pool at her feet. She leaned against the bathroom tiles and cried in silence as the pain of her heartbreak overwhelmed her.

CHAPTER 6

When Willow and Amy returned to the room later that night, Claire was curled up on the accent chair with a throw covering her legs. She instantly woke and looked around.

“What’s going on?” she asked as she stretched her legs.

“Have you been crying?” Willow asked her.

Claire pushed the throw aside and set her book on the nightstand. “What have you two been up to?” she asked, wiping the smears from her face.

“I was just out,” Willow said, removing her shoes.

“Out? Out where? In the ocean?” Claire asked.

Amy and Willow laughed. “It is a rather large piece of property, dear,” Willow responded. “Lots of places to be.”

“Mrs. Callahan?” Amy giggled. “Are you secretly meeting that man from the beach?”

Willow blushed and walked to the bathroom. “That’s none of your business, girls,” she tossed back at them as she closed the door.

“Of course it is,” Claire shouted back. “I don’t want to see my mother hooking up with a one-night stand.”

“Well, I’m not in a position to judge,” Amy said, blushing. “Chance is quite the catch.”

“I don’t even want to know what you two were doing,” Claire mumbled and sat back down in her chair. “I just hope the weather changes tomorrow so we can make it to St. Lucia in one piece.”

“I wouldn’t mind a few more days here,” Amy sighed. “I mean, this place is like a resort. Look at this room, and the service is great. And it’s free!”

“That may be the case, but we have already paid to be somewhere else,” Claire countered.

“Don’t you like it here?” Amy asked.

“I thought you didn’t even want to go to St. Lucia,” Willow pointed out as she rejoined the conversation. “We aren’t really losing if we are on a private island getting royal treatment. But…you wouldn’t know because you haven’t done anything.”

“Exactly!” Amy said. “Claire, the purpose of this trip is to get your mind off of…you know…”

“That’s exactly why I am staying away from people, especially men,” she said to Amy. “I can’t seem to do anything without thinking of Trent. Even taking a shower is a reminder, and I am not too keen on being with another man for one night just to get him off my mind. As a matter of fact, if I thought that would work, I would do it, but it won’t so that would be a dumb mistake on my part.”

“I’m not saying you should hook up with some random man, Claire,” Amy said. “We’re saying you can’t stay holed up in your room, and what you are doing now is a perfect indication of what will happen in St. Lucia.”

“I don’t need you two breathing down my neck,” Claire seethed, her temper getting hot. “I will deal with this in my own time and in my own way. You can’t force me.”

“Okay,” Willow grumbled as she threw her hands in the air in defeat. “I’m not trying to force you into anything, Claire.”

“Whatever. And you, Mom, I saw the way that man was touching you.”

“Oh, that’s Bryan. After you girls wandered off, I got bored and decided to stretch my legs. He approached me, and he wasn’t hard on the eyes, either,” she said.

“Bryan, is it?” Amy teased.

“Amy, don’t make me come over there,” she threatened with a laugh. “I saw you with that man yesterday, and just now out there. What’s that about?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “He keeps inviting me, but when I’m with him I sense he is unavailable. I’m not sure what’s going on there. He seems to be messed up.”

“Which brings me to my point,” Claire interjected. “You don’t even know these people. The plane made an emergency landing, and right away you two are trying to hook up with strangers.”

“All friends were once strangers,” Willow pointed out. “You just have to take that leap sometime.”

“Well, I hope it works out for the both of you,” Claire said. “I’m off to bed.”

“At least we agree on that. It has been a long day,” Willow said.

“Me too,” Amy added and slipped out of her sandals.

Before long they were all curled up on the king sized bed, and the billowy softness of the spread was enough to transport them easily into the land of dreams.

***

When they woke the next morning, they could hear the hustling and bustling taking place outside their door. Claire got up and peeked into the hallway. “What’s going on?” she asked a woman she recognized from the plane.

“The weather has cleared. The captain has asked us to return to the airstrip. We will be leaving in an hour or so.”

“Thanks,” Claire said. “Mom! Amy! We gotta go!” she said as she walked over to the bed and yanked the covers off them.

“What? Go where?” Willow asked, sleep still clinging to her eyes. “I’m not ready to leave.”

“The weather has cleared, and the captain has given us instructions to get back to the airstrip.”

“So soon?” Willow asked, obviously disappointed.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m sure you will meet him again,” she said.

One hour later, the passengers were boarding the plane to St. Lucia. Only Willow and Amy sported long faces as they thought of the men they were leaving behind.

The flight to St. Lucia was turbulence-free, and Willow stared out the window the entire time. Amy buried herself in her tablet, and Claire, like she wanted, was left alone to the tortures of her own mind.

“I told him where we were headed,” Willow said after a long while.

“You think he will follow you?” Claire asked. She knew her mother was lonely after spending so many years without a single date. Claire had pried her from her work to take her out sometimes, so in truth, she shouldn’t be blocking a relationship. But she didn’t think a relationship could develop after meeting a man, any man, while stuck on an island overnight.

“That wouldn’t be the worst thing,” Willow said.

“No, it wouldn’t,” Claire said. “But I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Why must you be so negative?” Willow grouched. “Just because you’re miserable doesn’t mean everyone else has to be!” she snapped. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” she sighed and wiped her hand down her face. “I’m just…”

“You’re right,” Claire sighed. “I am in no position to decide for anyone who is best for them. Look what my own choice produced.”

“Claire, I didn’t mean…” Willow started apologizing.

“It’s alright, Mom,” she said sadly. “There’s no need to apologize.”

The silence was deafening for the remainder of the journey, the only sound coming from the cockpit when the pilot announced their descent. No one knew exactly what to say to the others, and when they arrived at The Body Hotel in Castries, the tension was so thick it could be cut.

Claire and Trent had made reservations in the honeymoon suite, so Willow and Amy had taken the rooms next to it. Claire had the room at the end, and thus the luxury of a balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

She wheeled her luggage inside and let it fall on the ground. The room was amazing and still held all they had reserved for two. She touched the sign that read ‘Congratulations to the bride and groom!’ She sighed and tossed it in the trash.

Everything in the room was designed for the two of them, and her chest tightened as her mind was prompted to remember the man who had so recently broken her heart. She thought about the times they had spent together. The memories escaped her as the tears trickled down her face. She quickly brushed them aside and went out on the balcony. It was a beautiful afternoon, and she got lost in the waves as they rolled over each other on their way to the shore. They became one again until they were replaced by the others. And the cycle continued. As she stood there, she wondered if her life was a cycle like the rolling waves.

Was she expected to just move on? When would she? The pain inside her was becoming intolerable as the days passed and the memories haunted her. She sighed, stepped back inside, and started unpacking her things.

“Knock, knock,” came a voice outside the door.

“It’s open, Amy,” she called. Amy breezed in, dressed in a bikini and wrap. Claire couldn’t help but laugh. “So soon?”

“I have been waiting to see the beach for two years,” she exclaimed. “I won’t let a moment pass before I touch that blue, crisp water. So, what are you waiting on?”

“I guess I could do that,” Claire said as she rummaged in her suitcase for one of the swimsuits she had brought with her.

“No time like the present,” Amy beamed. “We are going to have so much fun here! They have a lovely restaurant downstairs and an entertainment area where we can get our groove on,” she laughed as she jiggled, much to Claire’s amusement.

“I didn’t come all this way to embarrass myself,” she told her crazy friend.

Amy stopped and looked at her incredulously. “So why did you come?” she asked in a serious tone.

“Oh, come on,” Claire said as she found the swimsuit. She was back from the bathroom in two minutes, her long black hair clipped at her nape. “Satisfied?”

“Very,” Amy grinned and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go make our own waves in Castries.”

They spent the afternoon in the lagoon, and by the time they crawled back to shore, they were beat and wrinkled. “That felt so good,” Claire said. She threw the towel around her shoulders to keep warm against the chill that usually followed a swim.

The sun was behind them, so they needed no suntan lotion as they lay sprawled on the beach chairs. The water was clear as crystal and stretched as far as their eyes could see. Claire felt like she could stay in that spot forever, but she was painfully aware that she shouldn’t get too attached.

At dusk they decided to leave because they were starving. It had only occurred to them that they hadn’t eaten a proper meal since the day before. When Claire got back to her room, a food cart was waiting for her. She raised her brows and lifted the stainless steel covers to reveal chicken parmigiana, mashed potatoes, shrimp in coconut sauce, fresh, stir fried vegetables and garlic bread. Dinner served for two. She removed the champagne chilling in the ice bucket and looked at it like she didn’t know what it was. And all the memories flooded her once more. She replaced the bottle and tossed herself face down on the sheets. Everything hurt more when she tried to escape, and in that moment she hated Trent for ruining her.

CHAPTER 7

A loud knock woke Claire the next morning. She walked slowly to the door, still clad in her swimsuit from the day before.

“Claire,” her mother sighed as she hugged her and pushed into the room. Claire went back to bed and observed the anguish on her mother’s face as she saw the meal for two and the congratulatory accessories and wines. So, even her mother could feel her pain! Willow walked to the phone and yanked the receiver from the cradle.