“That won’t work. Look, the Mau Loa is the most exclusive celebrity resort in all of Hawaii. You need at least three forms of ID just to check in. The rich and famous like it because, with the exception of hanging out of a helicopter, it’s impenetrable to the paparazzi and crazy fans when all they want is a little time to themselves and maybe a private wedding ceremony.”
Her heart beat rapidly, trying to escape the confines of her ribs. “Then I’ll stay in another hotel and go to the Mau Loa for the meetings with the planner,” she argued weakly.
A grouchy voice came from inside the cab. “Hey, lady, in or out? You’re costing me money!”
Jackson ducked in front of the open passenger window. “You want to say that again?”
“Yeah.” The driver clearly intended on setting things straight. But as soon as he saw the hulking figure curling his fingers into a fist and shooting him a dare with his eyes, the cabbie’s bravado fell dead away. Clearing his throat and shifting in his seat, he finished with, “I meant, take all the time you need.”
“Appreciate it.”
As Jackson straightened to loom over her again, Vanessa was reminded of the fact that he made a living from using his fists. And though she knew it was a sport and not the drunken beatings she’d grown up with, she had to wonder how much of that contained violence leaked into his personality.
“Sorry, where was I?”
Swallowing hard, she looked around, wanting to avoid the truth in those topaz eyes. She feared that, when everything was said and done, her closing arguments wouldn’t be enough to avoid participating in this charade. Thank God she could depend on her sharp tongue to act as her shield. “I’m pretty sure you were about to impart more of your infinite wisdom and explain why I can’t stay somewhere else for the week.”
“Lucky for you,” he said with one corner of his mouth hitched up, “I’ve decided to waive all infinite wisdom fees today.” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as he grabbed the top of the door with one hand. “The wedding planner is eccentric and known for dropping clients if he even suspects things aren’t on the up and up. If he finds out Lucie and Reid aren’t coming until the last minute, he’s liable to call it off. No planner, no wedding. And if there’s no wedding, Reid’ll have my balls, never mind the guilt trip we’ll be on with my sister for the next decade or so. Understand what I’m getting at here?”
Feeling deflated, she finally met his gaze and filled in the big, fat blanks. “You and I need to check in as Reid and Lucie in order to secure their wedding.”
“Bingo.”
Her mind raced, warring between helping her best friend and going against not only her occupational code of ethics but also one of her Rules. They’d been carved in stone and then traced with her blood since the day she made them. They kept her balanced. One could even say they were like her religion. And this wasn’t going to be one instance of one lie. This would be a whole week of lies. Of deceit. It didn’t matter to whom or for what reason.
Rule #6: Never indulge in the poison of lies. She’d had enough lies from her mom and stepdad growing up to last her five lifetimes. She excused lying about as much as she excused Hitler.
Tamping down her uneasiness over the situation, she focused on assessing it logically. “How do we even pull it off without IDs?”
“I have a connection at the resort who will help with checkin at least, so that part will be taken care of.”
“How do we explain why Lucie is staying at the resort while her fiancé stays off grounds?”
A devilish smile curled his lips. “Nice try. We don’t. We’ll be staying in the same bungalow together.”
“With two bedrooms.”
“The reservation is already made for a premier one bedroom. There would be no reason for a bride and groom to request two. But no one will know that ‘Reid’ is sleeping on the couch.”
Think, Nessie! “What happens at the end of the week when we’re not the ones walking down the aisle?”
“There’s another wedding on Saturday that’s higher profile. A-list celebrity trumps former UFC light heavyweight champ. According to my connection, the planner needs to attend that one so he, and therefore the resort, won’t know that the people who made the decisions aren’t the ones actually getting married.”
With as smooth as he countered her every issue, she wondered if he made a habit of deceiving others. And why did that notion disappoint her so much? “Well, you certainly have all your bases covered,” she said tightly. Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she added, “Fine, I’ll do it for Lucie. But I’m still taking a cab.”
Jackson’s face lit up like he’d just been told he won a harem of Playboy bunnies. “That’s fine. We’ll have plenty of quality time this week. See you soon, pupule wahine.”
“Poo-poo-lay wah-hee-nay? What on earth does that mean?”
Winking, he said, “It’s a Hawaiian endearment.”