“Of course I will.”
“She’s a very appealing young woman.” Mick smiled with it. “On several levels. And an asset to the resort. We look after our own. I’ll add if Miles wasn’t who Miles is, he wouldn’t have brought this up at the meeting. And now, let’s fire up the grill.”
Outside, Nell made a point to draw Miles away. And watching them, Drea winced.
“Let them hash it out.” Rory gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We didn’t raise shrinking violets.”
“That’s my worry. I’d hate to see this end up in a fight.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Not even close. But you’re right, let them hash it out. We can mop up the metaphorical blood later if necessary.”
Nell drew Miles around to the side of the house. “Listen, I have to do this.”
“So you’ve said, and so everyone agreed.”
“It’s not that I don’t know you, don’t trust you.”
“It isn’t?”
“No, and you damn well know it, so get off the high horse.”
“I couldn’t get in the saddle because you took up all the room.”
She paced a few feet away, paced back again. “You’re not going to piss me off.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Miles!” She threw up her hands, then tapped her fists against her temples. “You can sympathize, you can be outraged about the idea of someone in power pressuring—in subtle or overt ways—a woman to have sex. But you can’t know what it’s like to be in that woman’s position.”
“And you do?”
“Yes, I do. I know what it’s like to feel cornered by a guy who thinks I should be interested, or grateful, or compliant. And—”
“Hold the hell on.” Taking her by the arms, he stared down at her. “Who? Who did that?”
She gave him a look, both affectionate and disdainful at once.
“Do you want me to start reeling off names since high school? I’m not going to do that. I handled it, and I’ll keep handling. But I know what it’s like, and you just can’t. And yeah, Liam’s right. I’ve seen her handle herself. But you’re not a guest, not another member of the staff. You’re the boss. So I’m going to talk to her and establish there’s not any doubt or hesitation in her about having a sexual relationship with you.
“Is it just sexual?”
“Who’s asking? The head of Hospitality or my sister?”
“I guess, in this case, it’s your sister.”
“Then I don’t know yet.”
She nodded. “That’s fair. I never know either.”
“My sister doesn’t have sexual relationships. She’s pure and untouched.”
“That’s right.” Now she patted his cheek. “Just like our mother, who conceived and bore three children through a chaste miracle.”
“That’s my theory.”
“I love you, Miles, and you didn’t piss me off, so you lose the bet.”
“Day’s not over.”
* * *
Nell went back and forth over where best to meet Morgan, and in the end texted a request to go to the Nash house on Monday at ten.
Somewhere, she thought, Morgan would feel comfortable, and after her family left for work so they’d have privacy.
When she arrived, Morgan answered the door quickly.
“Hi, thanks for seeing me. I’d forgotten what a lovely house this is. I don’t get out this way often.”
“Come on in. At first I was surprised you wanted to come by this morning, then I realized I shouldn’t have been.”
“Miles told you?”
“No, he hasn’t said anything. But I know you had a family meeting yesterday, so I guess it came up that Miles and I are seeing each other.”
“That’s just the term he used. Isn’t that interesting?”
“We’d better sit down. Why don’t we go to the great room? I can make coffee.”
“That’d be good. I have to say you can tell three women live here—and I mean that in the best possible way. It just looks feminine. Smells feminine. And oh, your yard! So pretty. I love the bird feeders.”
“Me, too. Coffee, latte, cappuccino—your choice.”
“I’d love a latte.”
“We’ll make that two. Have a seat.”
“There’s something so artistic and soothing about your backyard. I talked myself out of an apartment and bought a small house. Small enough, I told myself, so I could maintain it myself, with a yard small enough I could do the same.