Two
Courtney’s conversation with Paris, her cousin’s sister-in-law, meant she had less time than she would have liked to get ready. Even with the little setback, she reached the outdoor lobby before Josh, and at the moment she was watching the assortment of fish swim in one of the several koi ponds located in the hotel complex.
“Oh, my God, Molly. J.T. Williamson is here. I can’t believe he’s staying at the same hotel as us,” a female voice blurted.
Courtney glanced at the teenager, whom she estimated to be around sixteen, standing a few feet away. Then her gaze drifted in the direction the girls were looking. On the rooftop in nothing but swim shorts and sunglasses, she’d thought Josh was hot. She’d been wrong. Dressed in khaki-colored pants—the maître d’ at Mistral wouldn’t let you through the door in shorts—and a dress shirt with the top two buttons left open, the man set a new world record in male hotness.
“He’s coming this way. We have to ask him for an autograph,” Molly, who had to be the other teen’s identical twin, replied. Before her sister could agree, Molly grabbed her hand, and the two headed in Josh’s direction. They intercepted him as he approached the gorgeous parrot named Red who was hanging out on his perch and occasionally calling out greetings to guests.
From where she stood, Courtney couldn’t hear their conversation. But Josh signed the sleeve of both girls’ T-shirts before posing for pictures with each of them. Once he’d satisfied their requests, they ran off, both focused on their cell phones as they typed away. Courtney imagined they were sending the pictures off to their friends back home. With the young fans gone, Josh turned his eyes on her and smiled as he closed the remaining distance between them.
Thanks to the media and her cousin, she knew all about Josh’s well-earned reputation. Except for one long-term relationship a few years ago, he bounced from one woman to another like a tennis ball going over a net. Sometimes he’d spend a Friday night with a model and then wake up Sunday morning with a well-known actress. Never in her life had she gone out with such a man.
Actually, she didn’t date much in general. When she did, the men were often individuals more interested in using their connection to her to further their careers or social standings. Even if her romantic life wasn’t so pathetic, she knew a man like Josh, who couldn’t commit for more than a night, wasn’t the type she wanted to waste her time on. Or at least usually she wouldn’t want to waste her time on.
Lately, she found herself bored and frustrated. For the past couple of years, she’d been watching her family members find the one. Not only hadn’t she found the one, but she hadn’t even been out with anyone in over eight months. While inviting Josh Williamson back to her suite wouldn’t get her any closer to finding someone she might spend her life with, it would make her vacation a little more exciting. And much like sex, excitement was another thing her life lacked. Unlike her younger sister, Courtney was the queen of predictability and responsibility. This afternoon, though, her sister’s voice insisting there was nothing wrong with having fun as long as you were responsible came through loud and clear. Unfortunately, she’d also heard her cousin Trent telling her to stay as far away from his friend as possible—something she found amusing, considering how similar his behavior had once been to Josh’s.
By the pool, she almost suggested they have dinner in her suite but in the end decided to err on the side of caution. Right now she wished she hadn’t.
“Hey. You look beautiful. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.” He kissed her cheek.
Around them, fans snapped pictures and called out his name. She was used to professional photographers taking her picture if they spotted her with her sister or a cousin. She wasn’t used to random people whipping out their cell phones and snapping photos though.
“No, I just got here.”
Josh placed his hand on her back. The warmth from it seeped into her bare skin, then spread like a wildfire, making her wish he had more than just his hand pressed against her body.
“Did you have any trouble getting us a reservation?” he asked as they started walking.
When your family owned the entire hotel complex, getting a reservation for dinner was never a problem. “Nope, we’re all set.”
Although she was no stranger to the French restaurant, the maître d’ didn’t recognize her when they entered. “Good evening and welcome to Mistral. Do you have a reservation this evening?”
“It should be under Courtney Belmont.” She intentionally hadn’t given Josh her full name up by the pool. For once in her life, she’d wanted to know the man across the table from her wasn’t there only because of who made up her family tree.
“The table you requested, Ms. Belmont, is ready. If you’ll please follow me.”
Another perk of being a part of the Sherbrooke family, not only could she get a reservation at any restaurant she desired, she could get the exact spot she wanted in the place. If she’d been with almost anyone else, she wouldn’t have cared where they sat. Tonight she’d rather not have a repeat of when they’d been near the pool and fans thought nothing of intruding on them and requesting an autograph or picture.
The maître d’ pulled out a chair and waited for Courtney to sit before handing her a large leather-bound menu. “Enjoy your meal. If you require anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Across the table, Josh studied her, and she could see the gears turning in his head. By the pool, he’d asked if they’d met because she looked familiar. When she told him no, she hadn’t been lying since they’d never been introduced. However, he’d attended her cousin Trent’s wedding, so it wasn’t like she only knew him because he appeared in Hollywood blockbusters.
“Are you related to Scott Belmont and Trent Sherbrooke?” he asked once they were alone.
After tonight, they might never see each other again, so if she lied, he would never know the difference. On too many occasions, though, she’d seen how what seemed like a simple lie could backfire on you in the long run.
“Guilty as charged. Trent’s my cousin, and Scott is my brother.”
“Explains why you look so familiar. I must have seen you at Trent and Addie’s wedding. Still cannot believe he’s not only married but a father.”
You’re not the only one. Courtney adored her cousin, but—at least until he met his wife—she’d never thought of him as husband and father material. Despite her previous beliefs, she’d never seen him happier.
“I read your brother married the woman who bought him at the bachelor auction.” Josh picked up his menu and opened it. “Once they went out on their four dates, my brother couldn’t get rid of the woman who bought him at the auction.”
She’d attended the event but didn’t remember who’d claimed his brother Evan on stage.
“Not only did she call him for months, but she’d randomly show up at his condo.”
Now she really wished she remembered who’d won Evan that night. When she returned home, she might need to look up the information. “Is she still bothering him?” Courtney glanced at the entrées listed to see if there were any new additions since her last visit.