Chapter Two

Bennett

"The hotel plans in Wailea, Maui, have gone as planned. The blueprints have been authorized by both our construction team and the mayor of the municipality. I have the anticipated budget here, and if you approve, you may sign and we may begin construction the following week."

When I looked up from my phone, I noticed several worried pairs of eyes blinking at me. I looked across to my wild-haired helper, Henry, who had the same worried expression on his face. I hadn't realized I was in the middle of a meeting. I had no idea what we were discussing. I swallowed and cleared my throat. "Let's go along with it if my mum approves."

"Um, Bennett, your mother asked you to supervise this," Henry murmured quietly to me. "If we go to her, she will reprimand us."

My seat shifted awkwardly. Were they still discussing the construction of the Wailea hotel resort? Or had we moved on to another topic? Today I couldn't concentrate.

It was entirely Henley's fault. It had been a week and she still hadn't called. Every few seconds, I checked my phone to see if it was vibrating or displaying an unfamiliar number. What was she doing taking so long? I assumed she'd call the next day and we'd work something out. She, however, had not. And she hadn't been there the past two times I'd returned to the eatery.

"Are you Mr. Calloway?"

"Well, let me look at the expected prices again," I responded, hoping to piece things together. It didn't matter what I said because my mother would always have the last say on the arrangements.

Following the meeting, I returned home to find Sebastian waiting for me by the front door. He extended his hand in greeting. "How was the meeting?"

"Boring. They don't truly require my services. I only say yes or no. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm hiding from my mother," he explained as he followed me inside.

I raised an eyebrow at my companion. "You can't do it at home? Why don't you just shut the door?"

"She holds the keys."

"Replace the locks."

"She'll have keys," he replied with a shake of his head. "She's insane. She, on the other hand, will not come here. I believe she is terrified of your mother."

I wouldn't have been surprised in the least. The majority of persons were. I certainly was. "Don't be too loud," I told him.

He motioned me away. "Don't worry about me; I'll do my own thing."

I sighed and sat down on my couch to check my phone.

Nothing.

Tsk, I threw it away from me.

"You look like your prom date walked out on you," Sebastian said from across the room, where he'd taken a seat at my computer desk. He was holding a newspaper he'd made from who knows where.

So much for his staying quiet. I gave him a glum expression, but realized I was simply proving his point, so I averted my gaze. "How come she hasn't called?"

"Who?"

"Henley."

"Is that the girl from the restaurant?"

I agreed by nodding.

"Well, your note was a little strange," he explained as he opened the newspaper.

"But I was inebriated. She was well aware of this."

He shook his head. "Did you forget to leave a tip?"

I made a blink. Is it possible that I left her a terrible tip? I remembered making the note, but I couldn't recall leaving a tip. "I'm not sure what I left her."