Clint wasn’t terribly good at reading her frustrated vibe.
He was already ending the call before she could protest any further. “You’re all set. We can board together.”
Rita clamped down on her annoyance. If she said anything further she would merely sound petulant and ungrateful. Never mind that she was trying to feel more in charge of herself, more in control of her life. This flight had literally been the first travel ticket she’d purchased for herself, paid for completely on her own. And Clint Fallon had just given it away and upgraded her to first class.
She knew it was illogical of her to be angry or to feel slighted. Clint had no idea of her circumstances. Or the silly symbolic meaning she’d put behind the whole trip.
Rita herself had only actually just now realized how much it meant to her.
* * *
It appeared Rita had not taken him seriously when he’d said he could use some company on the flight. Despite sitting right next to him, she’d barely spoken two words. The complete opposite of what he knew would have happened with Maxie. She would have no doubt talked his ear off about everything from her latest gig to the spa treatment she’d been scheduled for.
Something between the two extremes would have been nice.
He should have taken the opportunity to get some work done. But he’d found himself distracted by the delicate rose scent of her perfume. Her jet-black hair brushed against his shoulder when she shifted in her seat and he’d had to resist the urge to ask her if he could run his fingers through the thick silky strands.
How uncharacteristic of him.
Now, several hours later, she was just as quiet. They were finally approaching the Grande Maui resort in Kaanapali. And he was experiencing yet another silent ride. The woman had no interest in speaking to him.
The vehicle finally came to a stop and they both exited, then waited as the young driver pulled their bags out of the rear trunk.
He heard Lizzie’s excited voice from behind before he could even reach for his luggage.
“You’re here!” his sister shouted, her voice breathy with excitement. He found himself bear-hugged in her skinny arms a short second later. She noticed Rita standing next to them when she finally let go. “You’re here too.” Lizzie glanced at the town car. “You two came together?”
She didn’t wait for an answer as she took Rita in her arms next. Clint watched as the two women also embraced, Rita’s dark hair and olive skin a complete contrast to his sister’s red coloring and fair complexion. There was true affection in their tight hug.
“I ran into Rita at the airport,” he answered his sister over their heads.
“Oh, how fortunate,” Lizzie exclaimed as they finally pulled apart.
“Yes. Very lucky for me,” Rita began. “He paid for my breakfast, saved me from a very embarrassing situation at the executive lounge, then upgraded me to first class.”
If she actually felt lucky about any of that, her tone distinctly said otherwise. Was she mad at him? Whatever for? The thought tugged at him. Usually, the women in his life made it more than clear whatever his transgressions against them might be. Maybe he was interpreting her tiredness after a long flight for sarcasm. Or perhaps he was hearing things; the large gushing stone fountain behind them was pretty loud after all.
“You’ll both have to tell me exactly how you ran into each other,” Lizzie said and peeked inside the still-waiting car. “But where’s Maxie?”
Both ladies turned to him, awaiting his answer. He bit back a curse. This wasn’t something he wanted to get into in front of Rita Paul. Though he’d be hard-pressed to say why that was so.
“Change of plans. I’ll be unaccompanied on this trip,” he told his sister, hoping beyond any real expectation that she’d let the matter drop.
She didn’t. Lizzie’s eyes grew wide and a huge grin spread across her lips. “I heard nothing of this change.”
“Things didn’t work out.” And that’s all he wanted to say on the matter.
His sister’s smile grew wider. “You don’t say!”
She’d never really taken to Maxie. Not that there’d been anyone he’d been with so far that she’d approved of. His sister kept telling him the women he dated were far too shallow.
Little did Lizzie know, at this point in his life, he wanted shallow. Particularly now, when he was no longer solely responsible for his sister.
Rita glanced from one of them to the other. Suddenly, Lizzie clamped a hand over her mouth; the smile completely disintegrated. “Oh, Rita, I don’t mean to be insensitive. I’m so sorry things didn’t work out between you and Jay.”
A flash of regret seemed to pass through Rita’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant. “It wasn’t meant to be. Let’s just focus on celebrating you and Jonathon.”
“I missed you.” The two women linked arms, then slowly started to walk toward the front desk. Clint hovered behind, tipping the bell steward who loaded their luggage onto a cart. His gaze remained on Rita as she walked away. He didn’t know the woman from a passing acquaintance but he felt... He couldn’t even describe what he felt.
He’d met her years ago and had somehow forgotten her. Which seemed unbelievable given his reaction to her now.
She was one of his sister’s close friends. A bridesmaid in her wedding. Based on their conversation just now, she’d clearly just come out of what sounded like a serious relationship.
The last thing he wanted was any kind of meaningful relationship himself. Not for several years. He’d done all he could for his sister. She was a grown, educated, about-to-be-married woman. He intended this next period of his life to be all about his growing business and doing all the things he hadn’t been able to do after he and Lizzie had been orphaned when he was merely sixteen. His sister had only been fourteen.
Lizzie turned and gave him a questioning look. He read it as “Hurry up, already.” For the younger sibling, she could certainly be quite bossy, Clint thought as he strolled to where they now stood by the check-in desk.
“This is the man whose credit card is covering all these charges,” Lizzie told the desk clerk as she pointed at him. “Including the expanded catering menu we discussed earlier.”
The gentleman handed him a key card. “Mr. Fallon. Welcome. Your suite is ready and waiting for you. You’ll find a chilled bottle of champagne and a basket of fruit.”
Lizzie clapped her hands and turned to him. “Excellent, Rita and I will be snagging that champagne from you, big brother.”
“Is that so? And why should I relinquish it to you two?”
Lizzie huffed with impatience, as if the answer should be obvious. “Because us girls are celebrating. More than just my upcoming nuptials.”
“Fine. Consider it yours.” He knew he could be too indulgent with her sometimes. But this was her wedding. “What else will you two be celebrating then?”
She draped her arm around Rita’s shoulders. “We are also celebrating this young lady’s newly found freedom.”
Rita’s eyes flickered downward. She looked far from celebratory at the moment.
Clint signed the paperwork he’d been handed and watched as the two women slowly made their way down the hall.
So who exactly was Jay? And was there any chance Rita was still hung up on him?
But there was no denying the real, much bigger question—why did Clint want to know so badly?