Her Forbidden Love (Indigo Island Book 2) (2 page)

Suddenly the road was paved and the bus stopped jumping around. White wood fences sprung up on Dorsey’s side of the bus, and brilliant emerald-green grass stretched beyond the fence as far as she could see. They turned left and a guard appeared and opened the gate. Next thing she knew, they were inside an oasis of manicured grass and bright tropical flowers. The world had turned from sepia to Technicolor, a
Wizard of Oz–
like experience. A large pond glistened, ooze-free, next to horse stables on her left, and in front of Dorsey, the water of the sound and beyond it, the Atlantic Ocean, sparkled. Across the sound she spotted the red-and-white-striped lighthouse of Hilton Head Island.
Paradise found,
she thought, and took a deep breath.

“This is beautiful,” she said, smiling at Jim, who met her gaze.

For the first time in ten long years, Dorsey felt the tension in her neck releasing, just a little. Steve was right about one thing: she liked the manicured version of the island inside the gates of the plantation the best. This was what she’d seen online, the place she’d dreamed about.

The bus stopped in front of a bright blue wood cottage. Pulling the door open, Jim said, “You’re in cottage twenty-four, miss. It’s unlocked.” He delivered the speech without ever once making eye contact. Quietly he added, “Miss, keep ya tongue een ya teet an put fire een ya feet. E tuh wicket.”

Dorsey leaned down to try to hear him. “What? I don’t understand.”

Jim turned his head, his dark eyes locked with hers, and again, slowly, he shook his head. He was telling her to stay away from Steve, she was sure of it.

She turned to look at Steve, but he remained seated in the middle of the bus. “Let me know if you need anything, girl. See ya later,” he said.

Every man for himself,
she thought, and realized she’d probably made Steve mad with the women not girls comment.
It’s fine,
she reminded herself.
This is what I wanted. A fresh start. Independence. To prove to myself I can make it on my own. I probably won’t even see Steve very often.
Dorsey continued giving herself this pep talk as she dragged her suitcase and duffle bag out of the bus and then pulled them across the wood-plank steps of the cottage. When she finally got the suitcases inside, she realized she’d entered the land of giant bugs.

“This is the price of paradise,” she said, covering her mouth with her hand, stifling a scream.

Love bugs, mushy and plentiful, covered the front door of the cottage and littered the floor just inside—victims of pest control, she assumed. Unfortunately, the spiders adorning the ceiling were quite alive, as was the cockroach the size of a tube of toothpaste that skittered brazenly across the floor in front of her. She looked around what was otherwise a nice room, complete with a checkered couch, a round dining-room table, and a kitchenette with bright white appliances.

The only item in the kitchenette mini-refrigerator was a beetle cruising the bottom shelf, and she bravely used the often-copied “Welcome to the team!” note to squish it, leaving bug and note inside the icebox.

Wandering over to an open door with her name taped to it, Dorsey discovered her bedroom and loved it: two queen beds, a smaller television, and her own bathroom. But when she pulled the cream comforter from the bed she had decided to call her own, a black cricket jumped out. Stifling a scream, she decided to sleep in the other bed.

Breathe
. Dorsey walked into the kitchen and grabbed ice, and some water from the sink, ignoring all of the bug remnants from her killing spree. She reminded herself this was where she’d start over, bugs, and all.
A firm line between my past and future. Nobody needs to know anything about me except for who I am right now
.

“Cheers,” Dorsey said to the beetle crawling under the coffee table before heading back to her bedroom to unpack. Orientation was early in the morning, and she was excited to see how her new life would begin.

Chapter 2

Jack

J
ack leaned against the wall outside the conference room and eyed with disinterest the crop of new summer employees filing into the mandatory orientation meeting. It was the same types every summer and some of the same actual people – college co-eds, a few retirees, some jock guys to fill in the recreation staff, seasoned waiters recruited for summer work, golf and tennis pros who travelled to clubs all year round. This was Jack’s fifth summer on Indigo Island as an employee and his tenth summer visiting the island. This year was different though. When all the summer tourists departed on Labor Day, he’d still be here. It was too late to apply anywhere else.

He’d arrived two weeks before Memorial Day, a week after graduating with honors from University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando. Jack had a blast his senior year, knowing he’d landed a management position with Top Club on Indigo Island as soon as he graduated. He had the offer in-hand at Christmas, with Steve Fordham’s signature across the bottom welcoming him to the team, welcoming him to management. He’d be the first person promoted from lifeguard to the front office, and the youngest in management ever.

His mom had been so proud, her eyes were glistening at the dinner table as he told her the news. Since he was the only child now, he knew it would be especially hard when he moved away. But he’d always take care of his mom. He was all she had.

Jack’s ambitions were huge. He knew he’d own his own chain of hotels someday. At least that was the plan. He’d learned a lot at college – tourism and guest services management, hospitality industry finance, information systems management and even techniques of food preparation. He’d loved classes in culture and cuisine, facilities management and even enjoyed the revenue management courses. When he’d told his mom he took an elective in Yacht, Country and City Club management she had laughed hysterically over the telephone. He didn’t mention any of the other classes after that, especially not the history and culture of wine. Jack wasn’t laughing, not about any of this. It was his future. He’d make her proud, and, with his success, he’d try to make his mom happy again.

A group of five newly hired college co-eds walked noisily down the hall headed for orientation. When they spotted Jack, they all started to hit each other and whisper, a situation Jack was more than accustomed to. He flashed them his dimpled smile as they walked past. He’d always be friendly to them, but he wasn’t available, not more than a one-night stand. Not to them, not to anyone.

“Oh my God, he’s so hot,” the short blonde said as they passed him and strutted into the conference room.

“Aren’t you joining us, Jack?” Steve said, punching him in the arm. Steve was drenched, as always, in aftershave, a scent so strong it must double as bug repellent. Jack sneezed.

“Sure, if you need me to. I feel like I already know this stuff.”

“This stuff, as you call it, is important, son. Especially if you want to be in management,” Steve said, lowering his voice.

“I have an offer in hand from you. I am in management. I should have started two weeks ago,” Jack said, his brown eyes narrowing as he stared at his boss.

“I told you, I’ll honor it. I paid you for the summer, upfront, like you demanded as I recall. So now you just need to wait until the season is over. Three months and the position is yours, as long as you maintain a stellar employment record. You can do that, can’t you?” Steve said, patting Jack on the shoulder.

Jack wanted to pull away, or punch him, but said, “Sure, Steve. ETQ all the way.”

“Good,” Steve said, and walked into the conference room.

Jack hated being lied to more than anything. He was a man of his word. Knowing he’d turned down three other job offers, one with a company rivaling the size of Top Club pissed him off. He had been offered a job, he’d accepted it and then, when he arrived on the island he was told he’d be a lifeguard again for the summer. Now he had no choice. He had to make it work. He’d checked. The other three positions he’d been offered already were filled.

He balled his hands into fists, took a deep breath and followed Steve inside.

Jack looked around the ballroom, the setting for corporate retreats and indoor weddings in case of bad weather, and the scene of Steve’s power trip meetings. He saw some familiar faces, repeats from the summer before. Rebecca was back, and trying to catch his eye. They’d had some fun, especially in bed, but that’s all it was. Fun. Most girls got that, and he’d tell them that up front. No strings, no relationship. He’d had trouble shaking Rebecca last summer, though. He found an empty seat in the second-to-last row and sat down, dreading hearing Steve and his pompous squeaky voice drone on about how great the summer would be. Jack knew it would be the longest in his life, because of Steve.

Jack’s attention was drawn to a pretty strawberry blonde who walked down the center aisle like a deer in the headlights. Her hair was crazy curly, nothing like the rest of the girls who flattened and primped so much their hair all looked the same. She had freckles on her nose and gorgeous green eyes. He wanted to jump up and help her find a seat.

What’s wrong with me?
Sure she’s adorable, but you aren’t looking for anyone this summer. Just work and get promoted, Jack reminded himself.

“Don’t we have a fabulous-looking group of new Top Club team members?” Steve said enthusiastically, using his stupid bullhorn as usual. “I know a couple of you are on long-term contracts. Dorsey, where are you?”

“Here,” said the girl Jack had just been watching. He could see her face blush a deep red. He could tell she hated to be singled out. Jack knew that would make Steve draw even more attention to her.

“Stand up, honey,” Steve said, bounding down the aisle and reaching her row, pulling Dorsey up by her hand.

“Dorsey’s our new Kids Club leader. Better her than me, if you know what I mean,” Steve said, and a few employees laughed.

“Where’s Jack?”

Oh shit, really? Two can play this game, Steve.

“Hey, I’m Jack. So happy to be here for my fifth season,” Jack said, standing up before Steve could reach his row, taking charge of the room. Jack knew the smile on his face was forced. Usually because of his dimples, people believed it anyway. His smiles never had reached his eyes, not since his brother’s accident. “Steve here hired me in management, but then changed his mind. So I get to be a lifeguard for the summer. Again.”

“Jack, let’s tell them the whole story,” Steve said to him without his handy bullhorn. Then he held the thing back up to his lying lips and said, “Jack here is going to be head lifeguard and in charge of all pool staff for the summer. After Labor Day, he is joining management. The youngest person we’ve ever hired to management, something which he should be grateful for,” Steve said. “Let’s give him a round of applause.”

Steve walked back up to the front of the room, basking in Jack’s applause. Jack caught Dorsey looking at him, clapping vigorously. He gave her a quick smile. She blushed and lowered her eyes. She was a babe, he decided. He dropped back into his seat, prepared for a two-hour lecture from Steve about the rules he already knew, about a system he helped create over the past five years. Steve himself had only been here for two seasons.

Jack put his head down on the table in front of him and settled in for a nap.

“Jack, wake up,” Rebecca said.

Disoriented, Jack sat up, realizing he’d slept through orientation and employees were filing out of the ballroom. He stood up quickly, wiping drool from the side of his mouth.

“Uh, thanks,” he said, looking past her, trying to figure out an escape route.

“Look, I know you said we were over last summer, but I’m here, you’re here as well,” she said, smiling up at Jack hopefully.

“No, we’re over,” he said, too loudly he realized as he looked up and saw Dorsey standing in the aisle in front of him. He pushed past Rebecca and Dorsey and walked quickly out of the ballroom.

“Jerk!” Rebecca yelled in his wake.

Chapter 3

Dorsey

D
orsey found the young woman Jack had been talking to outside the ballroom. She was leaning against the wall, alone, crying.

“Are you OK?” she asked, worried about her and wondering what was going on with her and Jack.

“I’m fine,” she sniffed. “I just shouldn’t have gone out with him. They all warned me what he was like. I thought I’d change him, that he’d actually like me, not just want sex.”

“Oh, well,” Dorsey said, stepping back. She didn’t want to know any more. Didn’t need to know any more. She’d seen the way all the women here looked at Jack, like he was a piece of meat, a prize to be won.

“I’d stay away from him if I were you,” Rebecca said. “He’s bad news, but I miss him.”

Dorsey walked away, not sure she could be of any help, and she had work to do. By the end of the second day on the island, Dorsey had the Kids Club cleaned up and ready for the new crop of vacationers arriving the next morning. Memorial Day Weekend started tomorrow and kicked off the season. Dorsey couldn’t wait for the kids to arrive. Laughter and fun would fill the now-quiet air. The Kids Club was housed in a bright white cottage, closest to the swimming pool facilities and adjacent to a wonderful play area with swings and climbing structures, and plenty of shade from the giant pine trees. Steve had shown her the supply closet and the order form if she needed more crayons or the like. She’d scrubbed the black-and-white-checked linoleum floor until it shined, and she’d ordered a new bright blue area rug for the kids to sit on. The windows shone. Everything was ready.

Dorsey headed for the beach after locking the Kids Club behind her for the day. She was feeling more settled, more at home on the island each moment. All the new staff were nice and friendly, even if she didn’t have anything to talk to them about. At least they said hello and good morning. They were all, she had realized, freakishly good looking – bright white teeth, big smiles, perfect skin. All the guys were built like lifeguards and body builders. All the girls were in shape and model-looking.