Page 40 of Just My Luck

“I hung my clothes up to dry in the bathroom, but I might need to use the hairdryer on them,” she sighed.

He turned to face her, his back to the drama raging outside. “Let me call housekeeping⁠—”

“No,” she interrupted firmly. “I’m sure they have enough to do, and they’re all probably worried about their families with this storm. My clothes can dry on their own, and if they don’t, it won’t be the first time I’ve worn damp clothes. Happens all the time after surfing.”

He drew in a deep breath. “Listen, Zara⁠—”

“It’s okay.” She sank down on the couch and crossed her legs at the ankles. Very distracting legs, they were, with her tanned skin, that scar, those blue-painted toenails. “You can skip the explanations. I’ve come up with a number of theories, I bet at least one of them is correct.”

“I doubt that,” he said dryly

“Don’t worry, I’ve crossed ‘alien trying to figure out human behavior’ off the list.”

Ironically, that one came close, in a way. It wasn’t his purpose at the resort, but it had been a side benefit he’d never anticipated. He walked over to the seating area and dropped onto the couch with her—the other end of the couch so as not to crowd her. He knew he wasn’t entirely forgiven yet.

“Okay, let’s hear it. Top five theories.”

“Five, you lost a bet. Four, you were spying on a business competitor.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “Three, you wanted to prove you could handle a real job. Two, you’re considering purchasing the resort and wanted an inside view before you invested.”

“Not bad.” He lifted an eyebrow at her in acknowledgement of her cleverness.

“And number one?”

“You lost something at the resort and it seemed like a good way to search for it.”

He startled.

She pounced on his reaction, changing her position so she was on her knees, facing him, bathrobe tucked around her. “I nailed it, didn’t I? Don’t lie to me, now.”

“You’re…close,” he admitted. God, he wished he could just tell her. Her honey eyes were wide with curiosity and alive with intelligence.

Maybe she could help him. She knew the Royal Leilani inside and out, and she knew everything about Kona, too, both from a local’s perspective and a concierge’s.

“I lost a piece of intellectual property at the resort. It’s extremely valuable, and I don’t want it to get into the wrong hands. I was hoping to find it before that happened.”

“Like that Japanese guy? Those wrong hands?”

“Yes, for example.” There could be others, but he didn’t want to scare her too much.

“Or your sister’s?”

“She doesn’t know anything about it. She was here on other business.”

“She was a little insulting,” Zara said thoughtfully. “I didn’t understand why at first, but now I do. She thought I was after your money.”

He waved a hand. “Her opinion doesn’t matter.”

Zara snorted. “I dare you to tell her that.”

That got a laugh out of him.

“She doesn’t look like you. It never occurred to me she might be your sister.”

“Half-sister,” he corrected. “We have the same mother, but my father is Korean. Maureen is a handful. I’m sorry you had to deal with her.”

“You mean, you’re sorry I followed her and got myself into trouble?” she said wryly. “I really can’t put the blame of that on you. I have a tendency to rush into sticky situations without thinking them through.”

“Really?” he asked dryly. “Have you ever heard that saying that a person’s greatest strength is also their greatest weakness?”