Page 29 of Redemption
I frowned. Vaughn didn’t typically flounder about with words.
“The principal’s safety is of the utmost importance,” he continued.
“I know.” Where was he going with this?
“You’re going to be sharing a small space for an extended period of time.”
I glanced around the cabin. No shit.
“The Crawford and Mackenzie families are important to Hudson. And while the principal’s safety is always the top priority, we want to keep our valuable clients satisfied.”
Um…excuse me. What?
“What I’m trying to say is that you can be abrasive. Commanding.”
“Wow. Thanks,” I scoffed.
“It’s not a bad thing, but…at least try to give the principal the illusion that she’s in control.”
I barked out a laugh. “Anything else?”
“Be safe out there. Check in as agreed, and we shouldn’t have any problems. Right?”
“Right,” I said. If only it were that simple.
I had a sinking feeling that of all the challenges I’d faced as a bodyguard, none would compare to this trip. To spending two months at sea with a woman I’d always desired and never been able to resist.
CHAPTER SEVEN
My phone buzzed. I assumed it was Edward again, and I was prepared to send his call to voice mail. But instead, Greer’s name flashed on the screen, along with a picture of us from her birthday trip a few years ago. We were smiling, best friends after almost two decades. My gut clenched with guilt—both familiar and unwanted.
For years, I’d suppressed my guilt over my secret relationship with Jackson. I told myself it was in the past. It didn’t matter. Besides, Greer’s biggest fear had been that Jackson would ruin her relationship with me. And despite how difficult it had been, I had never let what had happened with her brother come between us.
But seeing Jackson again, knowing that I’d be spending the next two months with him… It had a funny way of bringing all the guilt, all the secrets, all the lies, back to the forefront of my mind. And since Jackson and I hadn’t touched on the topic of Greer earlier, I could only assume he hadn’t told her about his new assignment.
Hell, he’d never been one to tell his sister the truth about us. Why should it be any different now?
I took a deep breath and hit the button to connect the call. “Greer. Hey.” I placed the phone on the bed, tapping the speaker button so I could chat while I got ready for bed.
“Sloan! I’m glad I caught you before you head off on your big adventure. I had a crazy idea I wanted to run by you.” She sounded strange. Almost…hyper? Or out of breath?
“Okay,” I said, dragging out the word. Greer had always been more of a planner. Less…spontaneous. Crazy ideas typically weren’t part of her vernacular.
“I hope you’re not going to kill me, but…” I braced myself while I waited for the rest of whatever she was going to say. “I bought a plane ticket to Puerto Rico. I thought I could meet you there.”
“You…what?” The last word came out as more of a shriek.
“I bought a plane ticket to Puerto Rico!”
“What about…what about Logan and the kids?” I asked, trying to wrap my head around her impromptu travel plans. “And work?”
“They’ll be fine. Besides, I can use the trip for content.”
I frowned. Greer owned a popular lifestyle blog that she’d transformed into a huge platform. She and her team typically planned their content months, if not years, in advance. A trip like this was completely out of character.
That said, maybe she needed a break. She ran a successful seven-figure business. She was a mom of two. A wife. It was a lot. I didn’t know how she made it look so easy, even when I knew it wasn’t.
“I get that, but can you really just drop everything and leave?”