[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

red carpet was rolled out, limos were traveling through town, and the streets were jammed.
Crew would be lucky to get five minutes alone with Haley over the next five days.
With determination, he took a seat at the bar, determined to get information out of Marlin. His
bartender and Haley seemed to be quite chummy, so Crew hoped his loyal employee might know
where she was.
As he listened to the clink of glasses and the cheerful voices of his patrons, and waited for Marlin
to have a free moment, Crew took out a cigar. He didn t mind waiting  it meant his place of
business was busy and a constant stream of cash was flowing in.
 Sorry I took so long, Mr. Storm. We ve been swamped all afternoon and into the evening. I don t
expect we ll be slowing down any time in the near future, Marlin said as he pulled out a special
bottle of single-malt scotch. He grabbed a glass and poured in three fingers of the fine liquor. Marlin
pretended to be about to dull the experience with ice cubes, but Crew knew not to fall for that joke
anymore.
Crew grabbed the glass and savored the first sip, enjoying the warm burn down his throat. With
the night and day he d had, he could down the entire bottle and still not lose the tension in his
shoulders, but no  he wanted to be sober when he found Haley.
 Have you taken any breaks? Crew asked suspiciously. He knew Marlin would work himself to
the bone if he didn t get caught. Crew admired the man s work ethic, but he didn t want his head
bartender to get worn out when needed most.
 Why? Are you offering to take over? I think the ladies would enjoy that. You d get my tip jar
filled up real fast, Marlin offered with a cackle, then lit a smoke and took a grateful drag.
Obviously, Marlin hadn t had a break, or even the time to sneak in one of his beloved smokes.
Crew had worked the bar before, and he knew the drill well, but tonight he was on a mission and that
didn t include warding off drunken socialites who had more money than brains.
 Maybe some other time, but I ve been up since last night with only a few hours sleep. I m
starting to feel it, Crew told him as he blew out a fragrant puff of cigar smoke, which Marlin leaned
over to smell.
 Did you notice the two bombshells over in the booth? They ve been eyeing you since you walked
in. The broads have more plastic on them than a Barbie doll, but man, are they hot! If it wasn t for my
old lady, I might give  em a wink or two. Not that I m their type. Marlin cackled again at his own
brand of wit.
 Yes, I noticed them right off. They re kind of hard to miss in the getups they re&  wearing.
Keep an eye out, and if they get too inebriated, have security escort them upstairs. I don t need
anything to happen to the double-D twins, he said with a wink.
 Why don t you just escort them on up yourself? I know how you like the girls with nothing but
sex on their mind, and believe me, those women are looking to get laid.
 I think I ll pass, Marlin. They ll find their next victim soon enough. Even as he spoke, one of the
girls had begun scanning the room for new prospects since it was obvious Crew wasn t interested.
The other one wasn t giving up so easily. He had a bad feeling that if he stayed at the bar too long,
she d work up the energy to approach.
Women like her weren t used to making the first move. They normally had to fend guys off. Well,
he wasn t just any guy.
 Yeah, that s what I thought, especially with the way you ve been all googly-eyed over Ms.
Sutherland, Marlin said as he put out his smoke, then moved down the bar quickly to replace a beer
in front of one customer, and a gin and tonic in front of another.
Even if Marlin didn t seem to be paying attention, the man had eyes in the back of his head. He
kept the drinks coming so customers never had the opportunity to think about leaving. It was why this
lounge was making the most money in the resort, or the island for that matter, by a long shot.
 Speaking of Haley, have you seen her today? Crew tried to ask casually, but by the triumphant
look in Marlin s eyes, he hadn t succeeded in downplaying the way he felt.
That s why women were nothing but trouble, Crew warned himself.
 Yeah, she was in here about an hour ago. Had some soup and crackers, then said something
about seeing the show tonight. I bet you re wanting to join her in that nice, dark theater. Marlin
mocked him by making a kissing sound.
Seriously, the man was too old to be acting like a horny teenager.
 Maybe, Crew said noncommittally.
He couldn t give all his secrets away, after all.
Just as he got up to leave, his phone rang. With a frustrated groan, Crew picked it up, waved
goodbye to Marlin, then headed toward his office. Perfect. A little longer until he got to meet up with
Haley.
Chapter Eighteen [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]