Honor Bound by Joey Hill (speld decodable readers .txt) 📕

her. It was time to start living again. With that in mind . . .

“Is Tish in today?”

Clay arched a brow. “Yeah. Should be at her desk. Why?”

“She has a condo in Hawaii she told me about.”

“You going on vacation? Finally?”

She offered up a bright smile. “Yes. Finally. And I’m going to take Tish up on her offer to let me use her condo. She said it’s right on the beach.”

“It’s a nice condo complex. I’ve got a place there myself.”

“Do you? So it’s worth the trip?”

He nodded. “Definitely worth the trip. When are you going?”

“Next week. We’re on the tail end of a few projects, and since it’s not quite spring here yet, I have a month or so before the new ones start up.”

“Perfect timing. Hawaii is great this time of year.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Taking anyone with you?”

She shook her head. “No. Going alone.”

He leaned against the conference table. “That’s no fun.”

“Oh, believe me. I intend to have a lot of fun once I get there.”

“Yeah? How so?”

Her body heated at the thought. Or maybe it was just standing so close to Clay. She took a step back and grinned. “Can’t tell you everything, you know. I’m off to find Tish. See you soon.” She waved to him and hurried down the hall toward his offices.

She intended to make these plans and make them fast, before she changed her mind.

Tish smiled at her as she approached. “How was the meeting?”

“Mind-numbingly dull. So do you have the reservations?”

Tish nodded. “All set. You sure you want to do this alone?”

“Yes. Of course. I’m ready.”

“Are you? Are you sure?”

Tish had been one of her closest friends in the industry. She’d actually started working as a clerk for Ella and James, until Clay had recognized her talents and lured her away to work as his assistant.

Ella remembered how pissed James had been over that. He and Clay had had words.

Serious words. But Clay had told him it was business.

She’d hated losing Tish, mainly because they’d worked together in the office and gotten close. That hadn’t changed after Tish went to work for Clay. They got together for lunch once a week, and hung out whenever Ella wasn’t busy with James.

After James’s death, Tish had been her rock. Ten years older than Ella, Tish had lost her husband, John, to cancer. She knew how it felt to lose the man of your dreams, the other half of yourself. And Ella had leaned on Tish—hard. Tish had strong shoulders and had weathered a lot of crying on Ella’s part. She hadn’t said a word, either—until Ella had been ready to talk about it.

She loved Tish like a sister.

So she expected Tish to look out for her, even now, five years later. “I’m sure. I think.”

Tish laughed. “That’s what I thought. Hey, if nothing else, you’ll get some rest, a great tan and you’ll come back relaxed. You work too hard.”

“I need to work hard.”

“No, you don’t. Not anymore. It’s okay to let your guard down. It’s been five years, Ella.

Let go.”

“I’m trying. That’s what this trip is all about.”

Tish shook her head. “I don’t know why you need to go all the way to Hawaii to get laid, but whatever.”

Ella pulled up a chair in front of Tish’s desk and leaned forward. “You know exactly why I have to go all the way to Hawaii. Who do I know here? Who do I associate with? All the men in the industry. Do you think I’m going to . . .” She cast a quick glance around the room. “Do you think I’m going to have sex with any of them?”

Tish leaned back in her chair. “I think there’s some mighty fine men in this business.

Open your eyes. Take your pick. Don’t you see how they look at you?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t pay any attention. These men all knew James. I want a stranger.”

“Bleh. That’s not good. You don’t know what you’ll get.”

“Laid, Tish. I’ll get laid. I’ll have phenomenal sex, get it out of my system, and I’ll come home relaxed and ready to go back to work without the added distraction of . . .”

“Being horny?”

Ella laughed. “Yes.”

“I think it would be a lot easier to scratch that itch with someone you know.”

“Oh, hell no. That’s the last thing I want. Trust me, this is the best way.”

Tish sighed. “If you say so. The condo is booked for you. Have a good time. And for God’s sake, be careful.”

“I will.” She stood and walked around the desk and threw her arms around Tish. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Tish waved her off. “Now, get out of here before I get all mushy and ruin my makeup.”

Ella laughed, excitement pouring through her. “Okay.”

She turned to walk away, but Tish stopped her with a, “Hey.”

Ella pivoted. “What?”

“We need to go shopping. You can’t wear dusty blue jeans, work shirts and boots on Waikiki beach.”

Clay waited until Ella had left the offices. Then he came out of one of the workrooms and stopped at Tish’s desk.

“She taking the condo?”

His assistant shifted her gaze away from her computer and over to him. “How do you know about that?”

“She told me.”

“Oh. Well, then, yes.”

“When is she going?”

Tish regarded him with a suspicious glare.

“I’m concerned about her, Tish. You know how it is. How we all are.”

Tish nodded. “I know. Me, too. She leaves Sunday. She’ll be there a week.”

“She’s really going alone?”

“So she says.”

“I’m not sure I like that.”

Tish laughed. “I’m pretty sure it’s none of your business.”

He smirked. “Probably not. But when has that ever stopped me?”

“Never.”

His smile widened. “What does my calendar look like for the next week and a half ?”

She brought up the calendar on the computer. “A couple meetings. Nothing major.”

“Move them. And book my condo for Sunday.”

Tish shook her head. “For a week, I suppose?”

“Yeah.”

“Ella isn’t going to like this.”

“Ella has nothing to do with it. I’m going deep-sea fishing.”

Tish snorted. “Sure you are.”

“And if I happen to run