of the bed. She wrapped it around her hastily and tightened the belt.
“You could have announced yourself,” she said, fighting embarrassment.
“I knocked.”
“I know, but I thought it was Anna Jane or Leona.”
“Perhaps you should have asked instead of assuming.”
“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
He filled her doorway. Perhaps in deference to the fact that he worked on a tropical island, Jarrett didn’t wear a suit or tie. Instead he wore a red polo shirt tucked into worn jeans. She could see the muscle definition of his arms and chest under the smooth material.
She jerked her mind away from his masculine presence and reminded herself this wasn’t a social call. Last night Jarrett had made his opinion of her very clear. His words still stung.
“Come in,” she said, motioning to the chair in front of the vanity. “I’ll just be a second.”
She scooped up the shorts and T-shirt she’d picked out earlier and headed for the bathroom.
As she dressed quickly she consoled herself with the thought that she’d found another piece of her personality. She’d been embarrassed that Jarrett had caught her wearing a towel, so she was modest and definitely not promiscuous. Thank goodness. She wished she could share her observation, but Jarrett didn’t strike her as the kind of person who had much of a sense of humor.
The thought made her smile, and her lips were still curved up when she opened the bathroom door. Jarrett’s neutral expression squashed her amusement like an empty peanut shell. She squared her shoulders and glanced at the clock radio on the nightstand.
“If you’re here to make sure I’m downstairs in time to meet your driver, you don’t have to worry. I have no intention of being late.”
“Not at all,” he said, and nodded at the bed. “Please sit down.”
She perched on the edge of the mattress and placed her hands in her lap. If he wanted to play at being socially correct, she could do the same.
When she was settled, he drew in a breath. “I’ve spoken to my manager at the hotel. Despite the fact that we were all hoping family members would come forward to report you missing, no one has.”
He continued talking, but Ariel didn’t hear him. She couldn’t. She focused on that single sentence, those cold words that cut her adrift from her hopes and left her floundering for support.
“No one?” she asked, interrupting him. “No one has reported me missing?”
“No.”
It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. How could she be all alone in the world? It wasn’t right. “No one wants me,” she whispered, more to herself than him.
Jarrett cleared his throat. “I’m sure you have family. Just not here, at the resort.”
She wanted to ask how he was sure. He couldn’t be. He was just trying to say the right thing. Not to be kind, but so she wouldn’t get hysterical or cause him any more trouble. If he even believed her at all. Along with this latest batch of bad news, she was still reeling from his assumption she was faking her condition in order to get close to him. Why would any woman try such a desperate tactic on a man like him?
She couldn’t think about that now, she told herself. What was important was finding her life. “My room,” she said as she received a burst of inspiration. “I haven’t been in my room. The housekeeping staff only has to look for a room that hasn’t been slept in.”
“I wish it was that simple.” He leaned back on the small chair and rested one ankle on the opposite knee. “Because of the location of St. Alicia, not to mention the limited amenities, many of our guests make trips to other islands. An unused bed isn’t that unusual around here.”
“What about the other—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “I’ve already sent word to the other islands,” he said. “News about you will travel quickly. If you have family or friends on the other islands, they’ll be able to get in touch with you here. It shouldn’t take
“You could have announced yourself,” she said, fighting embarrassment.
“I knocked.”
“I know, but I thought it was Anna Jane or Leona.”
“Perhaps you should have asked instead of assuming.”
“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
He filled her doorway. Perhaps in deference to the fact that he worked on a tropical island, Jarrett didn’t wear a suit or tie. Instead he wore a red polo shirt tucked into worn jeans. She could see the muscle definition of his arms and chest under the smooth material.
She jerked her mind away from his masculine presence and reminded herself this wasn’t a social call. Last night Jarrett had made his opinion of her very clear. His words still stung.
“Come in,” she said, motioning to the chair in front of the vanity. “I’ll just be a second.”
She scooped up the shorts and T-shirt she’d picked out earlier and headed for the bathroom.
As she dressed quickly she consoled herself with the thought that she’d found another piece of her personality. She’d been embarrassed that Jarrett had caught her wearing a towel, so she was modest and definitely not promiscuous. Thank goodness. She wished she could share her observation, but Jarrett didn’t strike her as the kind of person who had much of a sense of humor.
The thought made her smile, and her lips were still curved up when she opened the bathroom door. Jarrett’s neutral expression squashed her amusement like an empty peanut shell. She squared her shoulders and glanced at the clock radio on the nightstand.
“If you’re here to make sure I’m downstairs in time to meet your driver, you don’t have to worry. I have no intention of being late.”
“Not at all,” he said, and nodded at the bed. “Please sit down.”
She perched on the edge of the mattress and placed her hands in her lap. If he wanted to play at being socially correct, she could do the same.
When she was settled, he drew in a breath. “I’ve spoken to my manager at the hotel. Despite the fact that we were all hoping family members would come forward to report you missing, no one has.”
He continued talking, but Ariel didn’t hear him. She couldn’t. She focused on that single sentence, those cold words that cut her adrift from her hopes and left her floundering for support.
“No one?” she asked, interrupting him. “No one has reported me missing?”
“No.”
It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. How could she be all alone in the world? It wasn’t right. “No one wants me,” she whispered, more to herself than him.
Jarrett cleared his throat. “I’m sure you have family. Just not here, at the resort.”
She wanted to ask how he was sure. He couldn’t be. He was just trying to say the right thing. Not to be kind, but so she wouldn’t get hysterical or cause him any more trouble. If he even believed her at all. Along with this latest batch of bad news, she was still reeling from his assumption she was faking her condition in order to get close to him. Why would any woman try such a desperate tactic on a man like him?
She couldn’t think about that now, she told herself. What was important was finding her life. “My room,” she said as she received a burst of inspiration. “I haven’t been in my room. The housekeeping staff only has to look for a room that hasn’t been slept in.”
“I wish it was that simple.” He leaned back on the small chair and rested one ankle on the opposite knee. “Because of the location of St. Alicia, not to mention the limited amenities, many of our guests make trips to other islands. An unused bed isn’t that unusual around here.”
“What about the other—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “I’ve already sent word to the other islands,” he said. “News about you will travel quickly. If you have family or friends on the other islands, they’ll be able to get in touch with you here. It shouldn’t take
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