His dimples deepened. “Nice.”
“Thank you for your help Mr…”
“Johnson.” He kept his arm on her back and wrapped his other hand around her elbow. His hands were strong and warm and she couldn’t help but notice how nicely he smelled, a great combination of musk and man. “Come up to my office so I can check both of you out.”
Haley bristled. The only men she let tell her what to do were her dad and her brother. Scratch that, the only men who ever tried to tell her what to do, but failed, were her dad and her brother. She shook him off. “Sorry, not going to some strange dude’s office and nobody needs to check me out.”
He laughed. “My apologies, ma’am, but I’ve already checked you out.” He pumped his eyebrows and she was struck by the fact that he was much too attractive and much too friendly. “I’m not that strange. I… work for the hotel. I need to file a report and I want to make sure your son is okay. If you think he needs it I’ll call the EMTs or we can run him to the medical center, it’s less than half a mile away.”
I can’t afford another medical bill. How much will EMTs cost?Haley pulled Taz closer, hating that her first thought was about money, but she’d barely paid off the medical bills for Taz’s last set of stitches. She hugged her son and wished for the millionth time she could afford decent insurance, but being self-employed didn’t give her that luxury. “No EMTs, please. I think he’s okay.”
Fear suddenly gripped her. He didn’t have any visible injuries besides a little goose egg forming on his head and the rug burn on his elbow. What if there was something wrong with his back or neck from when he hit the wall and her pride and tight pockets made him suffer? She couldn’t do that to her boy. Eyeing the tall, strong man by her side, she didn’t feel comfortable just letting him take over. She was the one responsible for her son, but she was so tired from the drive yesterday and not sleeping well last night. One more emergency with her boy was more than she could handle right now.
She sighed and quietly admitted, “I don’t know what to do.” It was hard to allow this capable and handsome man to see her uncertainties as a mother. Usually, she pretended that she had everything under control.
“We’ll look at him and then decide.” He started walking up the steps, escorting her along.
A wiry man with spiky blond hair stood off to the side of the staircase, staring at her intently. He reminded her of Brad Pitt, but for some reason the look in his hazel eyes disturbed her. She glanced away and allowed Mr. Johnson to escort her up the stairs past the luggage strewn everywhere.
“I’ll have someone get that to your room,” Mr. Johnson said. “I apologize that you were carrying it yourself. Didn’t anyone offer to take it for you?”
“They did, but…” she ducked her head and admitted, “I told them I was a tough chick and could handle it.”
She risked a glance at him. His brow furrowed as if he couldn’t understand why she would do that.You try being a single mom running your own business and worrying about every cent you spend, she wanted to yell at him. Whatever this man’s job was at the hotel, his clothes were made out of the kind of expensive material that screamed he would never comprehend such a thought as not wanting to spend a few dollars tipping the bellhop.
“I’m sure you could handle it,” he said with a gracious smile.
Haley nodded her appreciation.
They made it to the top of the stairs. Haley’s legs wobbled from Taz’s extra weight, but she wasn’t ready to let him go, not after that scare.
“Jace,” Mr. Johnson called to a bellhop.
“Yes, sir,” the young man hurried to them.
“We’ve had a little collision, please get Ms…” He glanced at her left hand as if to reassure himself that she was a Ms.
Haley arched an eyebrow up at him, wanting to give him a bit of a challenge. She got the impression he wanted to know her marital status for something more than this interaction and it scared and exhilarated her. His eyes laughed at her and she spit out the name before reason could stop her, “Ms. Turnbow.”
“Ms. Turnbow’s luggage to her room.”
“We haven’t checked in yet,” Haley explained, as if the pile of luggage on the stairs wasn’t explanation enough.
“Put her in the Tropical Suite.”
“Down the hall from yours, sir?” Jace’s voice squeaked.
Haley swallowed hard. “No! We’re fine with a regular room. We might get lost in a suite.”
Mr. Johnson smiled down at her and Haley had to admit those dimples really drew her in, giving his smile a mix of mischievousness and empathy.
“Please. You don’t need to upgrade us.” She tried again without the sarcasm.
“Oh, but I do. After our less than perfect first impression, I need to keep a close eye on you two and make sure your experience at the Hotel Del Sol is an excellent one. You’ll love the ocean view and Taz will love the space.”
“I’m on it, sir,” Jace said.
Haley shook her head, at a loss for words. This man reminded her of her bossy pants brother, Isaac, and she didn’t like it. Well, maybe Mr. Johnson had a few qualities that appealed to her, such as the obvious muscles under his short-sleeved dress shirt, but she came on vacation to get away from men who had her best interests at heart. Her dad, her brother, and worst of all, Taz’s father, Brad. No, Brad didn’t have her best interests at heart, only his own, and he tried to get her to buy into his lust-filled train any chance he found.