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“I don’t know. New boyfriend and all.”
So there it was. Without a doubt, one hundred thousand percent Neo was not interested in me. His tone suggested he couldn’t care less if Garrett and I were dating.
I hadn’t set out to goad him into jealousy. That had, apparently, been Garrett’s plan, which I’d unwittingly agreed to. And this morning, with Neo showing up when he did, was a totally innocent moment with some really bad timing. But I had wondered when we talked about the waterskiing incident, if maybe there was something between us . . .
So much for that. He sounded as indifferent as a person could get.
“Garrett isn’t my boyfriend,” I told him anyway, just for full disclosure and not to mislead. Not that Neo cared. “He’s just a really good friend of mine.”
“Hmm.” Neo made a face as if he didn’t believe that.
“Seriously, he is. This morning—” I swallowed, realizing I couldn’t tell him what we’d been talking about.I’d been lamenting that I wasn’t qualified to be a real member of the Grado family due to my lack of credentials and embarrassing past.So I said, lamely, “I had a moment. And Garrett was comforting me. But that’s all.”
“What kind of moment?”
That he sounded genuinely concerned slayed me.
“Nothing.” I tried to wave it off. “Honestly, it was silly.”
It was clear from the look on his face he wanted to know. And was maybe even a little wounded that I wasn’t telling him. But I couldn’t. Sorry, Neo, this one’s staying locked in the vault.
Neo was silent another minute, but when I didn’t elaborate he moved on. “You know I don’t care either way. I just...” He shrugged.
Oh, I know you don’t care. Trust me, Neo, I know all too well.
“What?” I prompted. Another couple had joined us in the courtyard, but they were on the other side of the pond, only partially in our view. Unlike us, they definitely weren’t sitting on opposite ends of their bench. What I’d have given to be sitting practically in Neo’s lap, like the woman in that couple.
“He’s a good-looking guy. Staying in your house. I don’t know...” His tone was still nonchalant, like he was more curious than concerned about what I did with Garrett.
“Let me point out the obvious,” I said, moving into slightly dangerous territory. “A man and woman could be friends without romantic feelings. Look at us.”
It was the briefest of flickers—something in his eyes, in his face, something that gave me hope...If I hadn’t been staring right at him, if there hadn’t been a soft light close by to illuminate his face, now that the sun had set...maybe I was misreading it, but whatever it was, there was a flicker of something. Then just like that, it was gone.
“You’re right,” he said. And was about to say more, possibly, when a man in a suit walked up to us tentatively.
“Mr. Grado?” he asked.
Neo sat up. “Yes?”
The man looked at me and then back to Neo. “I am extremely sorry to interrupt. My name is Cleo Lamant, the manager of the inn. Unfortunately, we are having a slight problem. All of the cottages on the south side have lost power.”
We turned to look at the cottages behind us. A handful of them were completely dark. Including both of ours.
“They are on a separate grid from the others,” he continued. “We’re being told by the power company there was animal interference. They may not go on for twelve hours.”
Animal interference? What the heck did that mean?
“They’re not on a generator?” Neo asked.
I let my thoughts drift as the two of them discussed why their backup generator wasn’t working, Neo now standing with the manager. He’d obviously dealt with similar issues at Grado Valley and, because of it, sympathized with the inn’s plight probably more than most. At the mention of a wedding, I tuned back into their conversation, having been momentarily mesmerized by Neo’s forearms. Again.
“There’s a wedding party here tonight,” the manager said. “So unfortunately, we are completely booked.”
Crap. That wasn’t good.
“Do you have alternate arrangements to suggest?”
Clearly the manager was wholly unprepared for Neo to take it as well as he was. “We do, of course. There is a hotel in town that can accommodate you. We are able to do so here as well, in an east cottage, close to the spa.” He nodded toward the lower end of the property. “But there is just one available.”
