“Yeah.” She nodded. “It’s a mess.”
“I agree with Ben. Maybe you should go on the record.” He waved the waiter away when he approached them. “Nothing for me today, Eddie.”
The man frowned, then nodded and quickly disappeared.
“I’m not sure.” She sighed and glanced out the window. “Then it’s a her-word-against-his sort of deal. If I remain silent, I’m hoping this will all just… blow over.”
He shrugged and looked down at her hands. “I guess it was a lot easier on you being romantically linked to me than him.”
She laughed. “Yes, it was.”
He smiled and reached his hand across the table and took hers. “We could always give them another story.” Just then his phone rang, and he sighed. “Which we will have to work on later. We’ve got another party coming in for this weekend.”
She squeezed his hand. “Later then.”
She couldn’t explain it, but after her talk with Cal, she felt more settled. Like she could conquer anything. Even an egotistical, stalking director with the entire world on his side.
She’d just finished up her brunch when Maggie called her back.
So?” Maggie asked. “Did you read it yet?”
* * *
“Read what?”
* * *
“Check your email.”
* * *
Bella flipped open her iPad and looked at the proposed statement Maggie had emailed her.
* * *
“It’s tasteful and doesn’t go into too much detail. I’m not sure it will keep the reporters at bay, but at least it won’t have them knocking down my door with torches. I guess we can go ahead with it.”
Maggie sighed loudly. “I’m sorry I ever connected the two of you. That is the last time I interfere with my client’s private lives.”
“Hey,” Bella broke in, “you had no clue. After all, there aren’t any warning labels for men.”
Maggie laughed. “If there were, the last three men I’ve gone out on dates with would’ve had plenty of them.”
Bella smiled. “Go ahead and send it out. I’ll post it on all my social media pages.”
“I can arrange for an interview there at the resort if you want. All you have to do is say the word,” Maggie added.
“No, thank you. For now, let’s see how the statement plays out.”
Chapter Twelve
Calvin spent his entire workday wishing he could hunt Bella down and talk to her. There was so much he wanted to assure her of after Ben’s call.
The first thing he’d done was lock himself in his office and read Michael Himes entire interview. He’d believed he hated the man before, but after reading the narcissistic interview he wanted to smash the man’s teeth in.
The man had accused Bella of setting up the meeting so she could get an audience with him. Then he said that, shortly after he’d called off their relationship, she’d turned to stalking him, going as far as following him and sending crazy text messages to him.
He’d promised Ben that he’d watch over Bella. He had almost come clean about the night before but figured that Ben had meant it when he’d told him he didn’t want to know what was going on between them.
Knowing that most of the group for the large wedding party was arriving, he made his way down to the dock to collect the guests in the six-seater golf cart they had on the island. It helped with some of the older guests or the ones with kids.
The luggage would be delivered up to the main building by a few employees driving the used luggage truck Sarah had purchased a year ago from the airport. The thing had earned its position as one of the best buys so far. He remembered when they had to take several trips up to the building from the dock, trying to fit all the luggage on the golf cart.
When the ferry arrived, more than twenty people stepped off it, demanding his attention.
“Welcome to East Haven,” he said with a warm smile. He got everyone’s attention. “No, please,” he said to a woman trying to cart her luggage off the ferry. “Please, leave all your luggage. We’ll take care of getting your bags up to your rooms.” The woman set her bag down. “If you haven’t already attached a luggage tag with your name, please take a moment to do so now so we can make sure your bags get to the correct rooms.” He waved towards the small luggage cards that East Haven Resorts had printed out. Several people moved forward to take them.
“Once you’re done, feel free to head on up to the main building. If anyone in your party needs help, you will be shuttled up.” He motioned to the golf cart.
An attractive middle-aged blonde woman approached him. “I’m Kathleen Wright. Mother of the bride.” She smiled at him. “My daughter, Eliza.” She motioned to a pretty young blonde woman, who smiled shyly at him. “I assume everything is ready for us?”
“Yes, Mrs. Wright,” he responded.
“Miss,” the woman corrected as she ran her eyes over him.
“Miss.” He nodded quickly. “Yes, everything is all set.” He motioned towards the cart. “If you want, I can take you up to the main building?”
The woman smiled. “No, I think we’re going to walk around and see the grounds before we head in. It was a long flight and drive here.”
He stepped aside and waved to a pathway. “The path towards the gazebo is there.”
For the next hour, he answered questions, shuttled guests, and made sure everyone was checked in and had gotten to the right rooms. He met the groom, a Fredrick Stafford. The man was easily twice the age of the young bride and somewhat of a jerk.
Calvin caught the guy yelling at one of the maids in the hallway just outside his rooms.
“Can I help you?” Calvin had stepped in.
The man’s eyes had run up and down him quickly.
“I would hope so.” The silver-haired man had crossed his arms over his rather large belly. “There are only four towels in my room. I specifically demanded that six be placed in here before I arrived.”
Sandra, the maid who Fredrick had been yelling at, turned to him. “I was just bringing these up.” She held out two more towels.”
“Thank you.” He took the towels from Sandra himself and turned to the man.
“I’m sure, Mr.…”
“Fredrick Stafford, the groom,” he answered, puffing out his chest.
That statement took Calvin by surprise and it was obvious to the man, even though Calvin liked to think he recovered quickly enough. “Mr. Stafford, it was just a slight oversight. If you’d just let me know…”
“Slight?” The man’s voice had risen. “If you believe that this is slight, I wonder how the rest of the wedding is going to go? I knew it was a mistake to trust the Wrights with something so important as finding the venue for my special day.”
His special day? Calvin thought, but he held his tongue as the man continued to belittle the resort and staff.
After leaving the man, he made his way towards his office, intent on taking a couple of aspirin for the headache he had gained from listening to the man complaining.