She opened a door revealing a concrete storage area. Tyler was busy making a bed out of towels while Spock sniffed anxiously at the corners of the room.
“Thank you,” I said to the concierge, stepping inside.
“Hi, Keiko,” Tyler greeted the concierge. “Thank you again for the towels. I'll go see the chef for some food for Spock next.”
“You are most welcome,” Keiko said with a smile. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
I shook my head, staring at Tyler. Aliens must have switched out the scared, shy kid with one who was able to talk to adults. I had never seen this side of him.
“No, thank you,” Tyler replied. Keiko nodded and carefully closed the door behind her as she left.
“This looks like it will be a good place for Spock to stay,” I said, petting lounging dog on his head. Tyler put the finishing touches on what was going to be Spock's bed before standing up.
“I think it will work. I'd like to have him in the hotel room with me, but I don't think Mom's ready for that yet.” He glanced around the room. “I'm not sure Spock likes it, but it's way better than outside.”
“How about we bring Spock back some food after lunch and see how he’s doing in here,” I offered. Tyler nodded.
“Do you mind if I talk to the chef first and meet you there? Keiko said the kitchen might have some plastic bowls I can use for water and food.” Spock put his head under Tyler's hand, and Tyler rubbed his ears automatically. I could hear the wind outside even through the thick concrete.
I blinked twice in surprise. This was the second time he was going to stand up for the dog and get over his shyness around strangers. “Um, sure. That's fine by me. Do you want me to come with you to talk to the chef?”
“No, that's okay. I got it,” he told me. He smiled and went to the door. “You be good, Spock. I'll be back in a little bit with lunch.”
Spock tried to follow, and we had to slam the door shut in order to keep him in the room alone. Spock cried softly at the door, begging us to come back and rescue him.
“You think he'll be okay?” Tyler asked, glancing back at the door as we walked down the hallway. “He sounded scared.”
I smiled and hugged him around the shoulders. “He'll be fine. We'll make lunch fast.”
He nodded, and we hurried down the hallway. Maddy wasn't going to like the idea of a dog, but if Spock was getting Tyler over his shyness and insecurities, she was going to warm up to the idea of a pet quickly. If this was what Spock was able to do for Tyler's confidence after just a day, I couldn't wait to see what he would do for him after a week, a month, even a year. Maddy was just going to have to deal with it.
***
I came out of the shower with my hair wrapped in a towel and my body nestled in a fluffy hotel robe. It felt good to be clean. I had helped Tyler carry water and food to Spock and tried to help Tyler brush the sand out of Spock's fur after lunch. I was fairly certain that the dog was still half sand. Now that it was approaching dinner time, Tyler was probably back in the storage room with Spock. Maddy had been less than thrilled about it all, but she was excited to see the changes it was bringing about in Tyler.
I glanced at my watch. It was only a couple minutes after six, so I still had plenty of time to get ready for my date with Logan. I grabbed my makeup bag and stood in front of the mirror.
No, I told myself. Not a date. I did not want to get romantically involved with him again. He had a body that made my insides heat and quiver, but the fact that he had burned me so badly before still stung. I wasn't about to let him get close enough to hurt me again.
Then why are you going to dinner? I frowned and noticed little lines popping up on my face. Logan Hayes had betrayed me once before. He had almost ruined everything I had been trying to build and didn't even have the decency to call me himself to do it.
Even so, he was good for Tyler. The past couple of days, Logan had gotten more conversation and smiles out of him than I had seen in weeks. For whatever reason, Tyler trusted him. And so far, he hadn't betrayed that trust.
I set the brush down hard on the bathroom counter. I really had no idea what I was doing when it came to Logan.
“I'll just cancel,” I said out-loud to the mirror. “I shouldn't have dinner with the competition anyway.”
Yet, I kept putting on my makeup and didn't pick up the phone to call and cancel. Part of me, probably the part of me that enjoyed seeing him walk in his board shorts, wanted to go to dinner with him. If I ignored the past, the man was a catch. Billionaire, gorgeous, and apparently good with kids and dogs. It was just the way he had used me two years ago that burned.
The TV buzzed with an important update in the other room. I had forgotten to turn it off when I got in the shower.
“The National Hurricane Center has officially upgraded Tropical Storm Hannah to a Category 1 hurricane.” A pretty forecaster stood in front of a map with a large swirl of clouds spinning across the ocean. “The storm is expected to skirt the edge of Antigua and surrounding islands, but as always, residents are encouraged to take precautions. These storms can shift direction or increase in power at any time.”
The wind rattled the boards over my window as if to accentuate her words. The resort staff had been busy all day preparing everything for the oncoming storm. All the windows had boards, and even the sliding glass doors had been protected. It looked as though the staff were getting ready for a Category 5 rather than a storm that was supposed to bypass us, but I would rather they be over-prepared than surprised.
I looked back to the mirror to find I had finished my makeup without realizing it. What was I doing? I should know better than to even go to dinner with him. I had been down this road before. I slid my earrings on, thinking about the past and the last time I had gone out with Logan Hayes.
Chapter 12