Chapter 48 Just His Assistant

Chapter 48 Just His Assistant
Mayzie smiled at Arking as she walked down the stairs. He was at the bar, pouring himself a drink. Through the manor’s large main window, she could see the veranda where the dinner table was already set up. A chef she hadn’t met before was busy working at the barbecue. Looking out at the grill, Mayzie wondered if she would be forced to taste-test Dalton's food in front of everyone again.

"Hey. Is something wrong?" Mayzie asked, stepping into the earth-toned living room.

Arking barely looked up. "Nope," he muttered. "I need to get back to my guest." Without another word, he walked out to the veranda, handed Thelma her drink, and took a seat right next to her.

Inside, Ariel was lounging on the sofa with his own guest. He frowned at his brother's abrupt exit, then peered over at the back of the sofa at Mayzie. "He’s in a bad mood. It’s not just you, so don't take it personally."

Mayzie doubted Ariel's excuse, but she couldn't deny that Arking's sudden coldness left her completely baffled.

"Is dinner almost ready?" Clyde asked, walking up beside her. Ember was right with him, clinging tightly to his arm and offering Mayzie a warm smile.

"I’m not sure," Mayzie replied.

"It’s five-thirty, which means everyone needs a drink," Ariel said, standing up from the sofa with a grin. "I'll mix us some martinis."

"Make mine dirty," Mayzie said.

Ariel nodded and stepped behind the bar to get to work.

"Where are Blake and Gustav?" Mayzie asked, sliding onto a barstool. Clyde and Ember sat down next to her. Across the room, Ariel’s guest, Cielo, sat quietly on the sofa, clearly wanting no part in the conversation. When Mayzie had first walked in, she and Cielo had locked eyes for a split second before Cielo quickly looked away.

"They brought female guests. Where do you think they are?" Ariel chuckled. "Don't expect to see much of them tonight."

Clyde frowned, clearing his throat loudly.

"Ah, sorry, man." Ariel's smile instantly vanished. "I forgot about Bellatrix."

"It's fine," Clyde muttered, his expression still dark.

"There you are," Dalton snapped, marching up to the bar. His eyes locked onto Mayzie. "I’ve been knocking on your door for the last ten minutes."

Mayzie pouted slightly in confusion. "Why?"

"Why?" he snorted. "You were sick when I left you. I..." He sighed, cutting himself off. "Never mind. You look well enough now."

Ariel slid Mayzie's martini across the bar, but Dalton snatched it up before she could touch it. "Let's head outside. Dinner is almost ready to be served." He placed a firm hand on Mayzie's shoulder, keeping her seated for a moment longer.

When the others had moved out to the veranda, Dalton took a sip of the drink, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small item. Mayzie took the small box from his hand, looking at it curiously. "What's this?"

"Ginger capsules. They work better for motion sickness than any medicine I’ve ever tried." Clearing his throat, he glared down at her touched expression. "Don't look at me like that. I only got them because we’ll be traveling between the islands. I don't have time to look after you every time you feel sick. I'm busy, and you have work to do." With that harsh reminder, he turned and walked outside.

Smiling to herself, Mayzie slipped the box into her shorts pocket and followed him to the table. She was seated right between Dalton and Clyde. A few moments later, Gustav, Blake, and their dates joined the group. Both Mayzie and Clyde stole a quick, worried glance across the circular table at Bellatrix.

"Are you feeling any better?" Bellatrix asked as the staff began serving the plates.

"Much better," Mayzie replied before turning to Clyde. "How do you like your room?"

"It’s great," Clyde smiled. "I’m across the hall, so I don't have an ocean view, but looking out at the jungle is pretty cool."

"I’ll have to come check it out later," Mayzie said with a grin.

He nodded, taking a bite of his food.

As the conversation began to wind down, Thelma spoke up excitedly. "Let's all go for a star walk later!"

"A star walk?" Bellatrix repeated.

"Yeah! All the couples walk down the beach together under the moonlight and the stars, but we keep some distance between us," Thelma explained with a wink. "It’s incredibly romantic. Who knows what might happen?"

Bellatrix blushed deeply.

"Sounds good to me," Blake smiled, watching Bellatrix's reaction closely.

"Too bad Dalton and Mayzie can't join," Arking chimed in from across the table.

Thelma looked at them with sudden concern. "Why not? Are you still feeling sick, Mayzie?"

"No, they just aren't a couple," Arking said coldly. "She’s just his assistant."

Dalton's lip curled in irritation.

"Oh! I assumed everyone here was paired up," Thelma giggled, and her friends joined in. "You two would look so cute together, though. You're both tall, attractive, and you have similar personalities. You should really think about it."

"I agree," Ember added. "I thought they were together, especially since Dalton basically handed me off to Clyde." She gave Clyde a wide smile and added, "Not that I'm complaining."

Bellatrix clenched her jaw as she watched Ember press a kiss to Clyde's cheek.

Cielo smiled at Ember's display of affection, then shifted her gaze back to Dalton and Mayzie. Unlike her friends, her voice held no playfulness. "You two spend an awful lot of time together for people who aren't dating. Are you sure you aren't hiding a secret romance?"

"They aren't dating," Arking growled, cutting her off.

The servers arrived with another round of drinks. "Is everyone drinking martinis?" Mayzie asked, trying to change the subject.

"We feature a different drink each night," Dalton explained. "Tonight is martinis, tomorrow is wine." As he spoke, he noticed a bit of sauce on her face just below her lip. Without warning, he reached over and wiped it away with his thumb. Mayzie blinked in surprise. Replying to her puzzled look, he simply wiped his hand on his napkin and said, "You had sauce on your face."

"Oh my gosh, that was so sweet... it hurts," Marga teased. "I've known Dalton for three years, and I've never seen him do anything even close to being very kind."

"Next time, just tell me," Mayzie muttered under her breath, feeling her cheeks burn. She glanced toward Arking, but he immediately averted his eyes. His blatant avoidance stung.

"Star walk time!" Thelma announced loudly, picking up on the sudden tension between Mayzie and Arking. She grabbed Arking's hand and pulled him toward the beach, and the rest of the group quickly followed, leaving Mayzie and Dalton alone at the table.

"I'm going to bed," Mayzie said, standing up.

"Be up by six," Dalton reminded her. "Tomorrow is packed, and I need you to keep things running smoothly."

Mayzie nodded and headed back inside the manor.