Strangers in Paradise by Barbara Dunlop

Author:Barbara Dunlop [Dunlop, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Parker was floored to learn that Hailey had undermined him. One minute she was naked in his arms, the next she was telling people he couldn’t be trusted in business. He didn’t know what had happened, but he was absolutely determined to find out.

He finally tracked her down on the film set at Silas and Mia’s. Willow and Buzz were doing a chase scene on foot across the peaked roof of the house and garage. Everyone’s attention was on the action, giving Parker an opportunity to approach Hailey.

She was slightly apart from the crew, between the river and the catering tent. The surveyor’s tape boundary was behind her, but there wasn’t much of an audience today. The novelty of filming had apparently worn off.

He got close before she spotted him.

She didn’t bolt as he marched forward. Instead, she tucked her hair behind her ears and stiffened her spine. She clearly knew the confrontation was inevitable.

“What the hell, Hailey?” he asked on a growling undertone as he came to a halt a couple of feet away.

She tossed her hair and turned her focus back to Willow. “What the hell what, Parker?”

“You’re going to pretend?” he challenged in astonishment.

“Me pretend?” She gave a cold laugh at that. “That’s a good one.”

“I was operating in good faith.” He had been open and honest about his intentions across the board.

Not so much Hailey, it seemed. She hadn’t trusted him in the beginning and her tune hadn’t changed even while their relationship did.

She crossed her arms over her chest, sarcasm clear in her tone. “Sure you were.”

“Was this the plan all along?” he demanded.

She turned to him. “I don’t know. Was it?”

“You slept with me.” He couldn’t believe she’d go that far. Had he completely misjudged her?

“You slept with me,” she countered.

“I was attracted to you. I wanted to date you. What the hell were you doing?”

“Dating me?” She laughed again. “You were spying on me. You were spying on all of us.”

He widened his stance, wondering if she was delusional or simply keeping up the ruse. “How so? I talked to Hugh before I came anywhere near Paradise. Then I came straight to Raven as soon as I hit town. I’ve been straight with everyone, including you, from the very beginning.”

He’d thought she was being straight with him. He would have bet money on it. But no, she’d burrowed in like some sleeper agent. She’d played just hard enough to keep his interest.

“Straight?” she challenged.

He didn’t get why she would ask that, because she knew the answer as well as he did. “Yes, straight.”

“You’ve been vague. You’ve been obscure. You pretended all you wanted was a minor interest in Galina.”

“That was what I wanted.” He hadn’t been vague or obscure about anything. Just as soon as WSA caught his interest, he’d let Brodie in on his thinking.

“Ha,” she scoffed, as if she’d caught him in a lie.

He could see they weren’t getting anywhere. She wasn’t about to admit anything. All that was left was to salvage what he’d come for, if that was even possible.

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