Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
I roll my eyes.
Everybody knows I’m a bird geek and they still rub it in.
“That would’ve been more fun than stumbling on Captain Grumpmuffin. Or how he stumbled on me, I guess.”
Jenn goes silent.
“I don’t follow. You mean you never met him before he wound up in your room in the buff? How?”
“I woke up from a nightmare. I thought I was dreaming at first, but actually that noise was—”
“Get. Out!” she belts out. “The hot guy broke into your room? Naked? I would have screamed.”
“Oh, I did. But it gets better because he wasn’t just some random creeper.” I pause for effect, waiting until she draws in a breath. “He’s the freaking manager here. Apparently, they let him use this room whenever it’s free. Someone made a massive boo-boo and let him book this room in the system, even though I was already staying.”
“Holy—um, don’t tell me you’re suing Winthrope? That could get awkward when I’m the one who hooked you up with Lanai.”
“Nah, can’t stand lawyers. This guy talked me down when I stopped freaking out and showed me his keycard. He had his own room downgraded. But he was showering in my suite at two thirty in the morning.”
“God. That’s bonkers!” she throws back.
“Yeah, and now he’s worried about what I’ll say in the review. So he keeps groveling, following me around like a lost puppy and asking how he can make it up to me. So annoying. I’d rather go skinny-dipping in a swarm of bees.”
Jenn laughs loudly in my ear and doesn’t stop until she snorts, gasping for air.
“Hang on, are you crazy? You didn’t fall or anything when he scared you, right?”
“Nope.” I tap the side of my head gently. “Still all there.”
“Lady, you’re at a top Hawaiian resort and they’re at your beck and call. Why don’t you see how far they’re willing to go to make it up to you?”
“Really?” My brows go up. “Isn’t that like a conflict of interest coming from you?”
“You never heard it from me and I’m off the clock.” She laughs. “So, yeah. They’ll either give you everything you want or tell you to buzz off. What have you got to lose? You’re flying back home in like three days, right?”
“Yeah. I don’t know. I don’t really want to give Moody McGrumpface another reason to talk to me. It was awkward enough when he ambushed me at breakfast and tried to practically hand-feed me a free lobster omelet. Jackass.”
No need to tell her he’d shame a Michelangelo sculpture—especially below the beltline.
“Awww, why jackass? It’s not his fault they messed up the reservations.”
“I don’t know. You’re right. It’s just hella awkward. And I don’t think he’d be trying to make it up to me so hard if I wasn’t a reviewer.”
“Maybe not, but...does it matter?” she asks. “You are a reviewer, Pippa, and a damned good one. Naked In Hawaii needs your review. So milk it.”
I’m quiet for a second, turning over her advice.
“Reviews should be honest to matter. I can’t fathom how I could ever be objective about this place, considering the crazy that went down.”
“True. But you’re just giving him a chance to show their customer service skills and earn a good review. Plus, you should come out of it with something to show for the near-heart attack.”
I never thought about it like that.
“Why do you make so much sense?” I wonder out loud.
But before we can talk it out more, my phone pings. I look at the screen and see an incoming text.
“Hold that thought,” I say. “New message, I need to make sure it’s not about my dad.”
“How’s he doing?” Her tone sobers.
“He was fine when I left.” But that could always change. I tap my phone and scan the message from Winthrope concierge. “Hmm. You may be right.”
“I’m always right, but about what?” Jenn asks.
“They just gave me a huge spa credit. So, yeah, maybe you’re onto something and I should just see how far they’ll take it. Maybe they’ll help pay for my next vacation?”
She giggles. “Do it, girl boss. You also need to tell me why you’re going out of your way to avoid NIH now that he’s fully dressed and chasing after you.”
“NIH?”
“Naked In Hawaii! Duh.”
I bite my lip.
“Oh. Well. I may have forgotten to mention that I was wearing a t-shirt and panties at the time.” I wince when Jenn gasps. “Seriously, though, it wasn’t hot. I thought he was a serial killer. So I armed myself with a lamp which I deftly dropped in the commotion. I even cut my foot on a crystal shard.”
“Ouch!”
“Nothing too nasty, thankfully. When he called to downgrade his room, he also sent up a first aid kit.”
Jenn laughs so hard she snort-coughs. “Are you serious? Pippa, it’s like you lived every bad rom-com meet-cute. You’re going to marry this guy.”