Read Online A Holiday Romance by Carrie Alexander - Free Book Online Page B

of that, too.
    As they left the main hotel behind, the manicured landscaping gave way to a lush garden. A stone path curved into the darkness, where hidden outdoor fixtures threw dramatic fans of light against the spires of cypress and the spreading arms of a grove of olive trees. They entered an oasis of lush acacia and enormous needle-pointed agave and yucca. Low lights dotted the path like fireflies.
    Kyle marched along with no appreciation of his surroundings. His face was carved stone.
    When the prickly silence became too much, Alice said, “You know I stayed to work on the cake.”
    “Yes.”
    “You wouldn’t fire them over that…”
    Kyle didn’t answer. Her throat tightened. Up till now, she hadn’t fully believed he was the coldhearted boss of the staff’s tales. Chloe calling him a taskmaster hadseemed more admiring than actually fearful. As for the chef’s dismissal, that had been justified, according to Rivka. But she’d then cut Fred off from revealing the details of some other past firing that had sounded dire.
    “I made Rivka keep me,” Alice said. “They needed the help. You can’t blame them for that.”
    Kyle’s stride slowed. “Then who do I blame?” He looked sidelong at her and said, “You?” in a thick rough voice that sent a shiver racing through her.

CHAPTER FIVE
    A LICE TOUCHED her tongue to dry lips. “You blame the chef who destroyed their work.”
    Kyle gave a quick nod. “Of course.”
    The reasonable capitulation was unexpected. He’d been acting like such a grump.
    Maybe his tension wasn’t as related to Fred and Rivka as Alice had supposed. She watched him closely as they paused at the edge of the garden where the path rejoined the paved roads that wound around the resort. They were populated during the day with golf carts and scooters bearing the PM logo, but at this time of morning they were empty.
    He must have felt her eyes on him, instead of the low stuccoed sprawl of the condominiums. “I had no plans to fire them, even if they had taken you dancing. But I’d like to know why you did it.”
    “Why I lied? Or why I disobeyed? ”
    His gaze flicked over her. “I didn’t say that.”
    “But clearly you’re used to being obeyed.”
    “By staff. You’re a guest.”
    “Ah. I’m among the privileged.”
    “Yes.”
    She sighed. He was so darned correct all the time. It was frustrating.
    “Why did you?” he asked again.
    “Well, I suppose it was because I wanted to help—” She stopped, swallowing the automatic response.
    Why had she so quickly dismissed her resolution to make her vacation an adventure? She’d planned on serving herself a full helping of life. Instead, she’d stuck herself away in the kitchen for the entire evening, doing more of what she did at home. She didn’t regret chipping in, not a bit, but the choice was a clear warning of how easily she could fall into old habits.
    “I’m a helper,” she admitted to Kyle. “I always have been.” But I can change. I want to change.
    She just had to figure out how to go about it. Scheduling activities clearly wasn’t enough.
    “What does that mean?”
    “It means my life’s been on hold.” Which hadn’t been entirely because of her mother’s illness, Alice realized, although that was the convenient explanation. Easier than accepting that she’d done this to herself because she’d been wounded by her fiancé’s rejection. Her mother’s situation had simply given her a timely excuse to retreat to the nest.
    She stole another look at Kyle. He was as tall and straight and square-shouldered as ever. But somehow more approachable, maybe because of the shorts and old sweatshirt, or the nonaccusatory questions.
    Maybe it was the safety of concealing darkness.
    “My engagement had been broken,” she confessed, “and my mother was seriously ill.” Deep breath. “But that’s not an excuse. That’s life. Everyone deals with these things.”
    “Some handle it better than others.” Kyle