Barefoot Bay: The Billionaire's Convenient Secret (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Leigh Duncan Read Free Book Online

to develop feelings for the woman who was as determined to buy his aunt’s store as he was to safeguard it.
    He spared a last lingering glance at her, then retreated back the way he’d come. With each step, he reminded himself why getting involved with Charlie was a bad idea until he’d nearly convinced himself that he’d come to the Casa Blanca to discover what she knew about the sale of the Super Min, not to lose himself in her charms.
    No matter how tempted he was to take her into his arms.
    The walk did him some good and, by the time he reached the front of the resort, he’d recovered his equilibrium. Determined to make it through the evening without losing his head, he entered the main building where low, modulated voices drifted from a back office. Spotting the restaurant tucked into one corner of the expansive lobby, he headed for Junonia without stopping at the unmanned check-in desk. Halfway there, his footsteps slowed when someone called his name.
    “Can I help—well, hey, Josh!” Her hair a mass of strawberry blond curls, Casa Blanca’s owner hurried out from behind the reception area. Quickly closing the gap between them, she wrapped her slender arms around him and gave him a quick squeeze. “It’s so good to see you. It’s been ages.”
    “Mrs. Walker, you look wonderful, as always.” Josh settled a warm smile on his former babysitter.
    “That’s Lacey to friends like you, Josh,” she shushed.
    “Nice place you have here. It’s quite an improvement over the old homestead.” After a hurricane destroyed her family home, Lacey Armstrong Walker had started from scratch, turning the property into the Casa Blanca Resort. “I know Aunt Charity had her doubts, but even she agrees that you’ve done an amazing job with all this.”
    “As for the resort, my husband, Clay, deserves a lot of the credit. He came up with the design, oversaw the construction.”
    “Next time I’m in the market for an architect, I’ll keep him in mind.” He’d heard good things about Clay Walker, Jr. and made a mental note to get in touch with the man if his plans to launch a new store on Mimosa Key panned out. Shelving the idea for the moment, he asked about the family. “How’s Ashley? She must be all grown up now. The last time I saw her, she was just a little kid.” He palmed a hand at waist height.
    “Eighteen and growing more beautiful every day. If you’re in town long enough, I’m sure she’d love to see you. And Elijah, too. He’s five going on fifteen, if you know what I mean.”
    He didn’t, but hoped he would one day. Catching up on the latest news about the Walker family, though, reminded him that he had questions of his own. “Listen, Lacey, if you have a sec, I wondered if you’ve spoken to Charity lately.”
    Lacey’s dark eyes widened. “You’re the second person to ask about her today.”
    “Oh?” He eased into a slow smile. “Let me guess. The first was one of your guests—a tall, slender blonde?”
    “That’s the one. I take it you two know each other.”
    “Not well.” He shrugged, noncommittal. “She stopped by the Super Min earlier today. So have you spoken to Aunt Charity lately?”
    “Gosh, I haven’t seen your aunt since the last town council meeting when she got approval for the new store. We celebrated with margaritas at SOB,” she said, naming the locally popular watering hole. “Nothing’s wrong, is it, Josh?”
    “It’s probably nothing.” Apparently, the news that Charity was selling the Super Min hadn’t made it onto the local grapevine. He cleared his throat. “She left town without canceling her appointment with Ms. Oak. That doesn’t sound like Charity, but I suppose she had her reasons.”
    Lacey tsked. “She usually does.”
    Usually several of them at the same time.
    Behind them, a phone chirped, drawing Lacey’s attention. “I’d better get that, Josh. I’m filling in up front this weekend. It was good to see you again. Don’t be a