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Celeste flipped the page of the paperback she’d picked up at the airport and returned her attention to the story. Or she tried to, anyway. The kids were pretty noisy. The scene before her was charming and sweet—Santa sent to the beach to entertain and bestow gifts upon the youngest guests. It reminded her of everything she’d once so foolishly longed for. Exactly the kind of scene she was trying to get away from when she jetted out to the Caribbean every December. She was here for warm and tropical. Not stark reminders of all she’d lost three years ago when the man she’d loved, the man she’d dreamed of having children with like the ones currently in front of her, had so callously deserted her at the worst possible moment.
This resort was definitely geared more toward families than the one she was used to. She might have to find a more remote section of beach in order to avoid such scenes for the rest of her stay. Her heart couldn’t take it.
A shadow suddenly fell over the pages of her book.
“Ho-ho-ho.”
Santa appeared to be strolling the beach closer and closer to where she sat, the children following close behind him. Now they all stood just a couple of feet from her chair. She watched as St. Nicholas leaned down to tousle the hair of one particularly excited young boy who’d clearly just received some type of toy car based on the wrapped shape.
It was futile. There was no way to even try to concentrate on her romantic suspense novel now. As charming as the children were, and they really were adorable, she couldn’t take much more Christmas cheer. Glancing down the expanse of sand, she searched in vain for another empty beach chair farther away from this main part of the resort. They all appeared taken. With a resigned sigh, Celeste dropped the book and stood, wrapping her silky sarong around her midsection. Might as well get another cup of coffee or perhaps a latte until all the commotion quieted.
A squealing toddler darted past her to get to the faux Santa and she nearly toppled over in her effort to avoid the collision. This was so far from the relaxing morning she’d envisioned. Not that the kids weren’t cute. They really were, with all their excitement and near tangible anticipation to receive a present. They were just so…loud. Loud, boisterous reminders of all she’d be missing out on in life. Look at how her one attempt to start a family had turned out; nothing more than an abject lesson in humiliation and hurt.
No, she wouldn’t be having children. Or her own family. The one she’d been born into took up more than enough of her time and emotional energy.
She leaned down to retrieve her flip-flops from beneath the lounge chair and stopped short when she straightened. A wall of bright red topped by a cotton white beard suddenly filled her view.
“Ho-ho-ho. Well, hello there, young lady.” Santa smiled at her.
“Um…hi.”
“We appear to have disturbed your morning, miss. A big jolly apology for the nuisance.”
His words were cordial enough. But Celeste had the clear impression that he was somehow mocking her.
“No apology necessary, St. Nick,” she said with a slight salute, then tried to step around him, only to have him block her path. Of all the nerve.
The smile grew wider under the thick fake beard. “Really? I mean, you practically have a circular thought bubble above your head that screams ‘bah humbug.’”
The same strange sensation of familiarity nagged at her yet again. He was clearly deepening his voice for the role but something about the tone and inflection rang a bell. And the eyes. As she studied their golden depths she couldn’t help but sense that she’d somehow gazed upon those eyes before.
Had she met him before in a professional capacity? Her position as VP of marketing for a luxury goods firm had her regularly working on advertising campaigns with various agencies. Maybe Santa had done work previously as a character actor for a project she’d worked on in the past.
What were the chances?
Not that it mattered. Right now all that mattered was that she find some peace and quiet.
But St. Nick seemed to have other plans.
“Excuse me.”
Reid knew he should have stepped away the first time she’d said it. But he couldn’t seem to help himself. He’d recognized her immediately. She clearly didn’t remember Reid in return. He wondered if her cutting look of utter disdain would change at all if she did recall who he was. No doubt it would intensify. They hadn’t exactly been on the best of terms the last time they’d seen each other.
Well, the feeling was mutual.
The children scattered all at once, clearly bored with the conversation the adults were having above their heads.
“I didn’t realize they’d hired someone to play the part of Scrooge this morning,” he goaded her, not even sure why he was doing so. There really was no reason to try to get a rise out of her. Other than for his pure entertainment.
She sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry. I somehow missed the part where my holiday spirit was any of your business.”
He shrugged. “We just aim to please every guest, is all.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “And this is how you go about doing so? Aren’t you overstepping your responsibility just a bit? You’re here simply to hand out some presents to the children.” She pointed to the empty fleece sack he held. “Clearly your task is over.”
Wow, she really was something else. She may as well have flicked him away like a royal princess dismissing a lowly jester. Not that he didn’t look the part in this ridiculous suit.
“Furthermore, I fail to see how my satisfaction is the responsibility of the resort Santa.” She studied him up and down. Clearly, he came up lacking in her summation. He should have walked away long before. Or never approached her in the first place. Life was too short to deal with the likes of Miss Frajedi. He had too much on his plate trying to get this place in order.
Still, Reid found himself studying her closely. The past three years had been extremely kind to her, she was still strikingly attractive. Dark, wavy hair framed a strong face with high cheekbones and hazel eyes the color of a Caribbean sunset. No wonder Jack had fallen for her so hard, the poor man. Luckily, he’d come to his senses in time. Though Reid had never approved of the way his friend had ultimately ended things. So last-minute. So hurtful. It was never right to leave a lady at the altar. Not even one like Celeste Frajedi. He’d made sure to share that sentiment with his friend, resulting in a now strained relationship between the men.
Her eyes suddenly narrowed on his face. “Do I know you?” she demanded.
Reid hesitated. For the briefest moment, he debated telling her exactly who he was. The look on her face when she found out would be a sight to see.
Ultimately, he decided against it. What would be the point? She was a paying guest after all. She was entitled to the tropical vacation she had paid for. The resort was large and expansive. The beach alone covered over a mile. If he played his cards right, they would never have to run into each other again for the duration of her stay. In fact, he vowed to make sure of it.
He shrugged. “Everyone knows me. I’m Santa Claus.”
She studied him some more. Part of him wanted her to figure it out. Finally, she blew out a deep breath. “Right. Well, Santa. I’d like to go get a cup of coffee.” With that, she brushed against his arm in her haste to get past him. An enticing scent of coconut and sun-kissed skin tickled his nose. Some kind of static electricity shot through his elbow and clear down his side.
“Merry Christmas, princess.”
He spoke to her back as she stormed off. Her gait hastened as she walked past the breakfast cabana and instead veered toward the residential suite area. Apparently, she’d lost her appetite for the cup of coffee. That thought sent a tingle of guilt through his center.
Reid rubbed a hand down his face as he watched her walk away. Damn it. What had he just done? He thought about going after her to apologize. Now that he thought about it, he had to admit he’d been less than professional just now. As the newly minted co-owner of the Baja Majestic Resort on the beautiful island of Jamaica, he owed it to all of his guests to treat them well, regardless of any past history. He had no excuse. He’d just been so surprised to see her lying there, the recognition had thrown him off.
But he had to make sure not to slip up like that again. He couldn’t forget how important his role was here. No one else was going to get this place up to the standards that the Evanson clientele expected. His father certainly wasn’t up to the task. In fact, his father seemed to be doing everything possible to run the family hospitality business into the ground. A gambler through and through, his fraternal parent took way too many chances, risked too many valuables. The cleanup always fell to Reid. This current project being no exception.
He couldn’t allow himself to forget how much responsibility he bore. An entire conglomerate of employees, contract workers, and their dependents relied on Evanson Hotels and Resorts for their livelihoods and their future. Not to mention his own parents.
And he’d just gone and insulted a valuable, paying guest.
As much as he hated to admit it, he would have to make up for his behavior. He had to somehow atone for the way he’d just treated Celeste Frajedi.
Merry Christmas, princess.
The derisive words repeatedly echoed through her head as Celeste fled to her deluxe suite and slammed the door behind her. Walking over to the glass screen door leading to the third-floor balcony, she pulled aside the curtains to let the bright sunshine in. He hands were shaking, she realized with no small amount of dismay. He’d rattled her. When was the last time she’d actually felt thrown by a man? Or anyone else, for that matter? Her mother notwithstanding.
Perhaps a better question was why had she let the likes of a pretend Santa Claus in an ill-fitting suit and a side-skewed beard get to her so badly?
There was something about the way he’d looked at her. He clearly hadn’t liked what he’d seen. Had her feelings regarding the noisy children been so obvious? She hadn’t realized she’d shown any outward signs that she’d been bothered by them but clearly the man had picked up something. He’d called her a scrooge!
Never mind that his labeling of her as such was perilously close to the truth. Still, her attitude to Christmas was none of his business. How dare he treat her the way he had? Her ire and irritation shot up even further as she thought of the derision in his eyes as he’d studied her.
His negative view of her seemed way out of proportion to whatever imagined slight he’d witnessed. It was as if he’d disliked her on sight. Which brought back the question: Why had he seemed so familiar to her?
Celeste shook off the query. The answer hardly mattered. She had no doubt the upper-level management in charge of the resort would be appalled if they knew of the actions of their character actor employee. She was in the very business of appealing to consumers as a professional marketer. The faux Santa’s behavior would be considered a nightmare to any business leader. That was no way to treat any customer.
Still, the encounter shouldn’t have shaken her up as much as it had. She was a professional, after all. And she’d certainly suffered through worse humiliation. The best thing to do would be to try to just forget about the whole incident and put it completely behind her. She would chalk it up to yet one more instance of a negative holiday memory. As if she needed any more of those.
With a calming inhalation of breath, she sank to the carpeted floor. She would meditate until the whole interaction with the wayward St. Nick was nothing more than a mere ghost of a thought in her head. Relaxing all her muscles, she began to count down from ten. Then she did nothing but clear her mind.
It wasn’t easy.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Celeste had no idea how much time had passed before the annoying knocking roused her out of her deep state of meditative trance. Was it too much to ask for just some calming time after the morning she’d had? Apparently, this day was just going to be one irritation after another.
“Room service,” came a soft, feminine voice from the other side of her door.
It took a moment to reorient as Celeste forced herself to stand from her cross-legged sitting position on the floor. Her leg muscles screamed in protest at the abrupt movement as she walked to the door.
“There’s been some kind of mistake,” she said to the petite uniformed woman standing outside with a cart. “I haven’t ordered any room service.”
The woman smiled as she shook her head. “This is on the house, madam.” Without waiting for acknowledgment, she wheeled the cart toward the center of the room.
“I don’t understand?”
The woman’s smile didn’t falter as she answered. “No charge, madam. Compliments of the resort.” She handed her an envelope that had sat in the middle of the tray. With that, she pivoted on her heel and left the room.
Celeste blinked in confusion at the shut door before understanding dawned. Sure enough, when she read the note, her suspicion was confirmed.
Please accept this complimentary gesture as a token of appreciation and regret that you may have been inconvenienced in any way this morning.
Sincerely, The Baja Majestic Resort.
Someone in upper management must have witnessed the unpleasantness between her and Santa earlier this morning. She studied the goodies before her on the food service cart. They’d certainly made an effort to appease her. A silver carafe of steaming hot coffee sat in the center of the tray. A chilled bottle of champagne sent a curl of frost into the air. Orange juice and a variety of pastries rounded out the offerings. Not bad at all as a conciliatory gesture. Someone was trying hard to make things up to her. A foolish part of her felt guilty that perhaps bad Santa might have been chastised harshly by his superiors. Or even worse, that he’d been fired.
He may have been an overbearing clod, but he didn’t deserve to have his livelihood jeopardized. She would have to look into that. The desk attendant in the concierge lounge would surely know exactly what had transpired and the ultimate outcome that had led to the enticing cart she’d just had delivered. A visit later this afternoon wouldn’t hurt. If he had been let go, it was probably not too late for her to intervene. Not that he deserved her good will. Still, she would be the bigger person if needed.
It was a role she’d been well groomed for her whole life, after all.
CHAPTER TWO (#u53400e69-8644-5e46-b1a5-243b71b5ee49)
“ONE OF THE guests would like to see you, mi paadie.”
Reid looked up from the spreadsheet he’d been studying to the man who had just entered his office without knocking. Alex was co-owner of the property and Reid felt grateful every day for that fact. He wasn’t sure what he would have done without the other man’s intimate knowledge of the island and its customs. Not to mention his sharp head for business.
Though Alex definitely had one flaw: a clear aversion to knocking before entering a closed door. Not that Reid had been doing much in the way of concentrating just now. A set of light hazel eyes and tumbling dark hair had interrupted his thoughts unwanted and unbidden throughout the morning. He wondered if she’d liked the tray of goodies he’d had sent to her room. Would she find it all an adequate apology? Or had she huffed in disgust and pushed the tray aside. He suspected the latter. Not that he could really blame her if she had.
“And hello to you too, Alex,” he answered his partner without looking away from the screen he hadn’t really been focusing on.
“Did you hear what I said, man?”
He nodded. “It appears I’m being summoned by one of the guests, is that it?”
Alex smiled at him. “You wanted to be hands-on, did you not? She’s asking for you specifically.”
Wasn’t it enough that he’d been commandeered into playing Santa this morning when the actor originally hired to play the part had called in sick? The entertainment manager had run to him in a panic. No one else was available to do it. And the resort had announced the event weeks in advance. In the end it was easier just to don the suit and get the whole fiasco over with.
Only he’d come face-to-face with a woman he hadn’t ever expected to see again.
Now he apparently had to go smooth the ruffles of a guest who no doubt felt slighted somehow or was trying to finagle a room upgrade.
“I tried to take care of it myself. Explained to her that I was co-owner of the resort. But like I said, the guest insists on seeing you specifically.”
Reid sighed and stood. The guest in question had to be one of those checking in this morning who he’d greeted. Apparently, they’d taken it to heart when he’d said that he’d personally see to any detail regarding their stay that they weren’t completely happy with. Though why Alex hadn’t just taken care of it by partially crediting the guest or explaining that they were at full capacity and had no upgrade to give out was lost on him.
Again, it was probably best to simply go get it over with. It was just clearly going to be one of those days.
Celeste shook her head and tried to blink away the image she was sure she had to be imagining. But when she opened her eyes again, the unwanted vision stood clear as day in front of her still.
This couldn’t be happening. “You’re the nasty Santa?”
Her words came out harsher and louder than she’d intended. Every eye currently in the concierge lounge turned to stare at her. She distinctly heard a giggle of feminine laughter from behind her somewhere.
To his credit, Reid Evanson looked as shocked as she was at the unexpected turn. Suddenly, the events of the morning seemed to make much more sense. She definitely hadn’t been imagining the waves of dislike emanating from the man playing jolly ol’ St. Nick.
Well, the feeling went both ways.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
He thrust his hands into his pockets before answering. “You’re the one who asked for me.”
He was being deliberately obtuse. Celeste tried to summon some semblance of calm. It didn’t help that the gentleman she’d spoken to earlier was shifting his amused gaze from one of them to the other. None of this was the least bit amusing.
“I mean, what are you doing here on this resort?”
“You two know each other?” the other man wanted to know.
“We were acquainted once,” Reid answered briefly.
Despite herself, she found herself studying him. He’d aged well. Clean shaven before, he currently sported a close-cropped beard slightly darker than the sandy blond hair on his head. He wore said hair longer, nearly touching his shoulders. Instead of the Santa suit from earlier, he now wore a formfitting T-shirt tucked into pleated khaki pants. It all showed off the physique of a man who clearly took care of himself. Had he always been so muscular?
“Why did you ask for me?” Reid wanted to know.
“I didn’t. I asked to see Santa Claus.” This time, the person behind her didn’t even bother to try to hide her laughter. Heaven help her, she knew how ridiculous she sounded. She had half a mind to let out a giggle herself.
Without another word, he stepped around the long, highly polished counter and gently took her by the elbow.
“Let’s discuss all this in my office.”
His office? The room he led her to, if it held human emotions, would have no doubt been insulted to be referred to as such. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooked a scenic beach with a majestic view of the crystal-blue ocean into the horizon. Plush carpeting had her feet sinking in her flip-flops. A grand desk with three large monitors sat in the center of it all.
“You run the resort,” she commented as he shut the door behind him.
“I own it. Along with my partner, Alex Wiliston. “He was the gentleman you were speaking with earlier.”
