on the island, scouting around, seeing what I could find, when I ran across this place.”
“Scouting out build sites in Cozumel. I think I work for the wrong company.”
“Well, you’re here aren’t you?”
Viola told him all about her contest win and the vacation package clause. By the end of it, he was grinning as wide as she was.
“Well, for our sake, I’m glad it was you who made the trip and not your boss.”
“So am I.”
Ryan turned around and looked at the building. “I’d love to have the funds to fix this place up, but things are so tight with our chapter right now. We only have enough to build two houses this year, and nowhere near enough to do right by these people.”
“I would love to do something to help.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew exactly what that something was.
“Well, if you happen to stumble across a spare million, let me know.” He grinned a big, wide smile.
Viola returned his smile and stuck out her hand. “You’ll be the first to know if I do.” They shook hands and she watched as Ryan disappeared back into the structure.
Viola jogged back out to the scooter, her mind turning over possibilities of what she could do to help, and began her journey back through the bushes to the road. When she popped out, she did a quick double check to make sure no one could hear her.
“Jerod?”
Nothing.
“Jerod?” This time she made sure to be louder.
79
“You rang?”
As if nothing ever happened, he was standing with his shoulder leaning against a nearby palm tree.
Viola felt a hidden weight lift from her shoulders. Finally . She marched over to him and punched his arm.
“Are you okay? You had me scared half to death.” He glanced down at the impact mark left on his shirt before he brushed it away with his hand.
“Just a little genie thing. No need to worry about me.”
“What little genie thing?”
He looked up to the sky and sighed. “I have the power of the universe at my fingertips. But if I use it for my own purpose, I become drained.” He reached out and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.
“Kind of like a security measure. Keep you from dipping into the company piggy bank.” It made sense, in a strange sort of way. “But you’re okay now?”
“Perfect as can be.”
“Then no more showing off. Got it?”
Jerod straightened and gave her a bow. “Of course, Mistress.” Viola sighed. “Good. I’d hate to think what would happen on my first date with Bill if I didn’t finish our lessons.”
“Is that why you called? Are you ready to continue?”
“Actually, no.”
With her heart pounding, she proceeded to tell him the plight of the locals living in the old resort. For his part, Jerod listened and genuinely looked interested in what she was saying.
“I want to help them.” She was vibrating, she was so excited. “Do you think you can?”
Jerod didn’t say anything for a while. He seemed to search her face, looking for something she wasn’t sure was there.
80
“What?”
He shrugged. “It’s nice to find someone interested in helping others.” She opened her mouth to respond, but there was something in the way he looked at her that had her snap it shut again. If she didn’t know better, his expression looked a little bit like respect. And adoration.
Shit.
“Viola, I need you to think long and hard about this wish, and exactly how you want to word it. I’ve seen more than my fair share of good intentions go bad.” Viola dropped her head so it rested on Jerod’s chest. She took little comfort in his warmth this time. What a decision she had to make—be selfish and ignore the plight of these people and keep the wish for herself, and see them get thrown out of their homes.
Or try to help them and potentially ruin the lives they’d created for themselves by making the wrong wish. So either she was a selfish bitch, or a pathetic schmuck with bad grammar. Great .
“You don’t have to make the
“Scouting out build sites in Cozumel. I think I work for the wrong company.”
“Well, you’re here aren’t you?”
Viola told him all about her contest win and the vacation package clause. By the end of it, he was grinning as wide as she was.
“Well, for our sake, I’m glad it was you who made the trip and not your boss.”
“So am I.”
Ryan turned around and looked at the building. “I’d love to have the funds to fix this place up, but things are so tight with our chapter right now. We only have enough to build two houses this year, and nowhere near enough to do right by these people.”
“I would love to do something to help.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew exactly what that something was.
“Well, if you happen to stumble across a spare million, let me know.” He grinned a big, wide smile.
Viola returned his smile and stuck out her hand. “You’ll be the first to know if I do.” They shook hands and she watched as Ryan disappeared back into the structure.
Viola jogged back out to the scooter, her mind turning over possibilities of what she could do to help, and began her journey back through the bushes to the road. When she popped out, she did a quick double check to make sure no one could hear her.
“Jerod?”
Nothing.
“Jerod?” This time she made sure to be louder.
79
“You rang?”
As if nothing ever happened, he was standing with his shoulder leaning against a nearby palm tree.
Viola felt a hidden weight lift from her shoulders. Finally . She marched over to him and punched his arm.
“Are you okay? You had me scared half to death.” He glanced down at the impact mark left on his shirt before he brushed it away with his hand.
“Just a little genie thing. No need to worry about me.”
“What little genie thing?”
He looked up to the sky and sighed. “I have the power of the universe at my fingertips. But if I use it for my own purpose, I become drained.” He reached out and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.
“Kind of like a security measure. Keep you from dipping into the company piggy bank.” It made sense, in a strange sort of way. “But you’re okay now?”
“Perfect as can be.”
“Then no more showing off. Got it?”
Jerod straightened and gave her a bow. “Of course, Mistress.” Viola sighed. “Good. I’d hate to think what would happen on my first date with Bill if I didn’t finish our lessons.”
“Is that why you called? Are you ready to continue?”
“Actually, no.”
With her heart pounding, she proceeded to tell him the plight of the locals living in the old resort. For his part, Jerod listened and genuinely looked interested in what she was saying.
“I want to help them.” She was vibrating, she was so excited. “Do you think you can?”
Jerod didn’t say anything for a while. He seemed to search her face, looking for something she wasn’t sure was there.
80
“What?”
He shrugged. “It’s nice to find someone interested in helping others.” She opened her mouth to respond, but there was something in the way he looked at her that had her snap it shut again. If she didn’t know better, his expression looked a little bit like respect. And adoration.
Shit.
“Viola, I need you to think long and hard about this wish, and exactly how you want to word it. I’ve seen more than my fair share of good intentions go bad.” Viola dropped her head so it rested on Jerod’s chest. She took little comfort in his warmth this time. What a decision she had to make—be selfish and ignore the plight of these people and keep the wish for herself, and see them get thrown out of their homes.
Or try to help them and potentially ruin the lives they’d created for themselves by making the wrong wish. So either she was a selfish bitch, or a pathetic schmuck with bad grammar. Great .
“You don’t have to make the
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