AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He couldn’t hold back the smile anymore. She was almost as much fun in a bad mood as she was in a good one.
“Whatcha got there?”
She unclenched her hands from her hair and rubbed her temples, leaving two giant tufts of hair sticking up. “Accounting ledgers. I have spent the last,” she peered at her watch, “four hours trying to make sense of the system Steve used. Every time I think I have it figured out, I see something else I missed.”
He frowned. “Don’t we have an accounting firm that takes care of all that?”
“Trust but verify, Mr. Monroe.”
He nodded, still trying not to laugh. “Excellent advice.”
He’d lost her attention. She was looking at her ledgers again, and the pencil was back in her teeth. Eating didn’t seem urgent anymore, so he searched for something to say. “So, did Hurricane Sara vacate the area and move off to destroy some other island?”
Hope snapped her head up, the pencil dropping to the table. There was a battle going on her face as she tried to decide whether to explode at him or laugh. Given her present mood, he gave it a fifty-fifty shot either way. He raised his eyebrows, trying to tip the scales. First, she narrowed her eyes and tightened her face, then she pursed her lips, trying to keep it in. Finally, her shoulders started to shake, and the war was won.
“Oh my God, Alex, that’s the perfect analogy,” she raised a hand to her mouth and laughed.
“I thought you might punch me at first, but it was kind of funny.”
Her laughter was contagious, and before he knew it, he was laughing right along with her, his hilarity building on hers. As their mirth started to die down, Hope snorted and slapped her hands over her mouth, horrified.
That set him off again, which transferred to her. Tears were coming to his eyes, but he didn’t care—it just felt so good. Hope had her head down on the table, her shoulders shaking. Patti stood at the kitchen entrance with her hands on her hips and the strangest expression on her face. She came over to their table.
“What on earth is going on with you two?”
“Alex made my day,” Hope said. “He said, and I quote—So, did Hurricane Sara . . . vacate the area and . . . move off to destroy some other island?” Laughing, she could hardly get the words out.
Alex looked at Patti. “It was a lot funnier when I said it.”
Patti’s brow lowered, and she puffed herself up, standing with her hands on her hips. “Mr. Alex Monroe! I cannot believe you would say such a thing about a lady. And Ms. Sara, she was so nice to us!”
Uh-oh, now I’m in trouble.
But it only made him laugh harder. He tried to rein it in, but the whole situation kept getting funnier.
Hope tried to come to his defense. “Oh, Patti. You can say that. You weren’t her target.” She broke off for more hysterics, tears streaming down her face. “You have no idea how much of a gentleman he really was. I’m surprised he didn’t strangle her.”
“Well, I know nothing about that. You two just . . .” Patti waved her hand vaguely at them, turning around and going back into the kitchen.
He and Hope turned to each other and burst out laughing once again. Eventually, both of them had their heads down on the table. She slapped her hand down and he grabbed it in his before they slapped them down together. Her hand was soft and warm in his. But as their laughter finally died down, he let go. Wiping his eyes, Alex looked at Hope. “Oh God, thanks. I needed that. I’ve had an awful day.”
Hope reached out and squeezed his hand, making his heart jump. “Anything I can do to help?”
“No, don’t worry about it—the usual hassles. Now I need to patch things up with Patti. Wish me luck.” He tightened her hand in return and stood up.
Alex walked into the kitchen, his smile still lingering. Patti, Gerold, and Clark were all standing in the corner whispering. They snapped up their heads as he entered, all wearing matching guilty expressions.
“Now who’s up to no good?” Alex asked them with a laugh.
Patti cocked her head. “Who are you, and what did you do with our Alex?”
He held his hands up, surrendering. “All right. We got a little carried away in there. I’m sorry. We both needed to blow off some steam. And regarding Sara, let’s just say she’s incredibly protective of Hope and wasn’t sure . . . I was trustworthy regarding her sister.”
He looked down. “Come to think of it, I’m not sure I ever assured her of that. A root canal would be less painful, I think.” He opened the fridge and grabbed two of the sandwiches Gerold always had ready before waving as he left by the back door. Probably better to avoid Hope for the moment.
Alex walked along the side of the restaurant.
Avoid Hope . . .
