A small woman burst through the doorway behind the wooden counter. Beautiful pale hair fluttered around the sharp angles of her face. She carried her shoulders in the straight line of a drill sergeant, telling Lena that she was definitely in charge.
Marcy stuck her hand out and Lena automatically grasped it.
“Welcome to Escape. I’m Marcy.”
She reached for Colt’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Wyn. Of course, I’ll be working with you both this week, trying to keep everything flowing smoothly.”
“Working?” Lena’s mind raced, but she couldn’t make sense of what Marcy was saying.
“The production crew arrived yesterday and set up this morning. We were under the impression you’d be arriving earlier, but I suppose things happen when you’re traveling.”
Lena found herself apologizing, although she wasn’t exactly sure why. Normally, hotels didn’t care when you checked in and none of the literature she’d read about Escape indicated there was a strict policy. “We missed a connection.”
“No matter. We’re on a tight schedule, but we’ve adjusted things accordingly. The team would like to start immediately with some romantic shots during your welcome dinner this evening once you’ve settled.”
The fireball glanced down at the tiny gold watch wrapped around her slender wrist. “Your reservations are at seven so that gives you a couple hours to settle into your bungalow and unpack.” With a smile that was more perfunctory than welcoming, she asked, “Any questions?”
“Yes, what are you talking about?” Lena stared blankly at Marcy. It was as if she was speaking another language, one Lena knew she should understand but didn’t.
“The photo shoot.” The other woman’s eyes glanced behind her at Colt before returning to Lena again. “Surely Wyn explained everything to you.”
Colt cleared his throat. “Perhaps you could do us both a favor and go over it again.”
An expression of disbelief and irritation flitted across Marcy’s face, but she looked at Lena and explained. “Wyn and I have been working on a marketing campaign for Escape. When we started throwing around the idea of featuring a couple, he had the brilliant suggestion that we use you both as a real example of a loving couple honeymooning on our beautiful island.”
“Why would we want to spend our honeymoon posing for an ad campaign?”
Marcy’s brow wrinkled as her frown deepened. “Because you aren’t paying for the vacation.” She shot another nasty look across at Colt. “He really didn’t tell you any of this?”
“No, no, he didn’t.”
“I’m going to kill him.” Colt’s words were low and she thought Marcy hadn’t actually heard them. He started to turn, but Lena grasped his arm and held him there beside her. His biceps flexed beneath her hand. When had he gotten so strong?
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To catch the first ferry so I can kick his ass. He could have stopped us or told us, but he didn’t. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.”
Frowning at him, she said, “That isn’t funny,” before directing her attention back to Marcy who now looked just as confused as Lena had been moments ago.
“Marcy, there’s been a mix-up.”
“You aren’t Lena Rand?”
“No, yes, I mean I’m Lena but—”
“Are you telling me that if we don’t go through with the photo shoot that we can’t stay at the resort?” Colt raised his voice to drown out the rest of her words.
“Yes. No. Why would you want to back out now?” Marcy’s gaze bored into Colt’s. “You signed a contract, Wyn.”
“Um, I didn’t get married and this isn’t Wyn,” Lena blurted out. She almost felt sorry for Marcy as her eyes widened with shock before narrowing into slits.
“What do you mean this isn’t Wyn? What the hell is going on?”
Lena swallowed, realizing it was the first time she’d had to say out loud what had happened since leaving the church. “Let’s just say that Wyn decided he preferred my teenage whore of a cousin.”
Marcy blinked owlishly and then waved her hand in Colt’s direction. “Then who is this?”
“A friend,” she said, before realizing just how that might sound.
Marcy’s eyes narrowed just a little more as she took in the sight of Lena, unmarried Lena, with Colt towering over her in that way of his.
Lena launched a preemptive strike. “No, seriously, we’re just friends. When the wedding fell apart Colt was there. I had the honeymoon, or what I thought was supposed to be a honeymoon, and we hadn’t seen each other in a very long time.” Lena realized she was rambling but couldn’t seem to stop herself. “He travels. He’s a director. He makes documentaries all over the world.”
“Well, isn’t that nice for him,” Marcy said, looking unconvinced.
“How much would a week here cost, Marcy?” Colt asked, filling the pregnant silence. Which was a good thing because who knew what might come out of Lena’s mouth if she opened it again.
“We reserved the honeymoon bungalow for Wyn, the best location on property. An entire week there would cost $8,595. Not including tax.”
“It’s a private island. How can there be tax?” Colt asked.
“We have to pay the mainland for use of their utilities, municipal resources and the ferry service. But price isn’t the problem.”
Tension poured off Colt in waves. Lena could feel it tightening the muscles in her own back. He was frustrated, angry and ready to kill someone; the only problem was that the target for his anger was an entire ocean away. Normally, she wasn’t a violent person, but if Wyn had been standing next to them, she most definitely would have let Colt have at him. She was getting angrier and angrier with her ex-fiancé by the minute.
“Then what is the problem?” she asked.
“We’re booked solid. I don’t have another available room for four days. I have a contract with the production company, a deadline with the ad agency and an internationally distributed travel magazine. I don’t need more paying guests, I need a couple to photograph for our ad campaign.”
With a dismayed glance behind her, Marcy looked at Colt. She wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t his job to fix the mess Wyn had created.
“So basically, you’re saying our choices are to agree to appear in your photo shoot and get a free vacation or leave?”
For a moment, Lena thought she saw a glimmer of panic and regret flash through the other woman’s eyes, but before she could pounce it was gone.
“Look, I’m sorry, but I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. You’re both attractive. You’d make a great couple for our ad campaign. If you’re willing to do the work, I’d be happy to give you the same agreement I offered Wyn. Free room, food and amenities in exchange for your cooperation with our photography team.”
Lena looked around her at the charmingly elegant lobby. Outside the windows she could see the beckoning water and almost hear the lap of the waves as they hit the sand.
She didn’t want to leave. Not yet. Her life back home was a shambles. She wasn’t ready to face it. The resort was beautiful. She’d been looking forward to staying.
“I