Love Walks In

by Samantha Chase

  “Absolutely,” Aubrey replied. “But if you can give me any brochures and web addresses for them, I can at least get started. Have you thought about where you want to hold the first launch?”

  He had. Unfortunately, she had shot the idea down. Rather than comment on it, he stopped and pondered it. “We’re approaching the summer season, and I think I’d prefer to stay out of the south and wait until the cooler temperatures set in. We want our guests to be able to enjoy each of the resorts and the amenities without the possibility of the heat ruining their experience.”

  “Sounds like a plan. So we start up north.” She stopped and considered her options. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to maybe save Vermont and Maine for the fall. I think we can really play on the foliage.”

  “Agreed. But if it’s what we’re going to do, we might as well put our upstate New York resort in with them and do a whole northeast blitz, right?”

  “There are pros and cons to it…”

  It amazed Hugh how easily they bantered back and forth, and how in sync they were with one another on the direction of the campaign. Clearly she was an intelligent woman, and while it was a plus for their working relationship, it just made him all the more intrigued about who Aubrey really was. And no matter how hard he tried, the same questions kept coming to mind: Why had she agreed to marry a man she didn’t love? Why wasn’t she working right now? Why was she so willing to take on a job with him on such short notice, one that would keep her traveling and away from home?

  Eventually, Hugh knew he’d have the answers.

  “So what do you think?” Aubrey asked, her face full of excitement and expectation.

  Crap. He’d totally zoned out while she was talking and now he felt like a complete idiot. Between the barbs about her running out on her wedding, sniffing her hair, and now not paying attention to her ideas, Hugh was certain she was going to throw in the towel and tell him what a colossal tool he was.

  And he’d completely deserve it.

  “Hugh?”

  He was about to apologize when Dorothy knocked on the door and came in. Whew! He’d never been so thankful to see another person in his life. Smiling brightly at his assistant, he asked, “So? What did you find out?”

  “We’re booked solid for the weekend,” Dorothy said, turning to smile sympathetically at Aubrey. “I’m sorry. If you’d like, I can see what’s available in the area for you and we can arrange car service to take you back and forth, if it’s agreeable to you?”

  “Oh…um…” Aubrey began.

  “Dotty, give us a few minutes. In the meantime, can you please see about making travel arrangements for Aubrey to fly back to Raleigh on Monday and return…?” He looked at Aubrey for confirmation.

  Her blue eyes went wide at how quickly things were moving. “I…I guess I could be back here by next weekend if that’s all right. Or I could come back sooner? I don’t really have a lot to do. I just need to check on some things and pack properly.”

  Dorothy shook her head and looked at Hugh. “You’re leaving for Florida on Wednesday, then you were going up to Hilton Head for the weekend, and then we have you penciled in for some time with your family the week after.”

  Hugh looked at his assistant and let his mind consider all of the things that needed to be done. They could take this weekend for Aubrey to study this particular resort. Maybe it would be best for her to travel with him to Florida and South Carolina, then she could go home while he was with his family. Plus, he’d get the opportunity to tour the property Quinn had told him about.

  Yes. This was a schedule he could definitely work with. He clapped his hands together and smiled, looking from Dorothy to Aubrey and back again. “Okay, let’s plan on Aubrey going home to Raleigh on Monday and, if you’re agreeable,” he said to Aubrey, “you can meet me down in Palm Beach and travel with me to Hilton Head.” Without waiting for her response, he turned back to Dorothy. “Check with both resorts and make reservations for Miss Burke.”

  Dorothy nodded and instead of leaving, she turned to Aubrey. “Before we begin, is this all okay with you? It’s a little bit of a whirlwind and it’s very short notice.”

  Aubrey smiled gratefully. “It will be fine. I’m looking forward to getting started.”

  They chatted for another minute on logistics and travel times, and Dorothy wished them both a good night and a good weekend before she walked out the door.

  “She’s very efficient,” Aubrey said once the office door closed.

  “She’s a godsend. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” He paused. “She’ll have all of your travel itineraries ready for you before she leaves.”

  “Wow! She works fast.”

  He chuckled. “She does this sort of thing all the time. I’m pretty regimented on my travel schedule—it’s rare I have to do something on the spur of the moment. But we deal with a lot of VIP guests and several business clients like Bill, so Dorothy’s a pro at doing the travel stuff.”

  “Well, that’s good.” She folded her hands in her lap and looked around nervously. Hugh noticed she tended to nibble on her bottom lip when she was nervous. He was just about to ask what was on her mind when she spoke again. “So…about a place to stay this weekend?”

  Damn. Was there a way to offer her one of the rooms in his apartment without coming off as weird and creepy? As of now, they were technically employer/employee, and it might be considered inappropriate. With a shake of his head, Hugh knew what he had to do. Picking up the phone, he buzzed through to Dorothy.

  “Yes?”

  “I know you’re busy with the flight reservations and all, but we’ll need to find Aubrey a room in town for the weekend. Maybe you can get Tim to help you?”

  “No problem. Give me a few minutes.”

  Looking up at Aubrey, he smiled apologetically. “I know it’s not ideal, but…”

  She held up a hand to stop him. “It’s fine. Really. You’ve been beyond generous already. I don’t expect you to turn away guests with a reservation so I’m not inconvenienced.”

  While he appreciated her good attitude, it didn’t make him feel any better. “I guess we’ll wait and see what Dorothy comes up with. I can drive you over to check in and then we’ll meet Bill for dinner. What do you think?”

  Aubrey sagged a little. “Honestly? He’s exhausting.”

  Hugh laughed out loud. “Oh, thank God. I thought I was the only one who felt that way!”

  “Are you kidding? When I met him last night in the lounge, I thought it was the alcohol making him so loud and chatty, but it turns out it’s just his personality!”

  “It wasn’t so noticeable over the phone, but once he arrived here, I was a little surprised. He’s a great guy and an amazing businessman but…”

  “Definitely not quiet and reserved.” They both laughed, then fell into companionable silence until Dorothy knocked on the door.

  She walked in and handed Aubrey a folder. “In here are all your travel documents. I was able to coordinate it so you’ll be arriving in Palm Beach within fifteen minutes of each other, so you’ll both be able to take the town car to the resort. Then you’ll be driving with Hugh up to Hilton Head.”

  “Driving?” Aubrey asked in surprise.

  Dorothy nodded. “Every once in a while, the boss prefers to drive. It takes longer, it’s less efficient, but he’s quirky like that.”

  “Hey! I’m right here.”

  Dorothy smiled at him serenely. “And it’s nothing I haven’t said to you before. I understand why you like to do it, but I still think you’re crazy to want to drive up I-95 when you can be flying first class.”

  “Maybe because I don’t get to drive as often as I’d like. Have you ever thought of that?”

  “Of course I have. You say it to me every time we have this conversation.”

  “And yet we’re still havin
g it.” But he grinned at her. He liked how Dorothy wasn’t afraid to speak her mind to him—and how she was genuinely concerned for him in a maternal way.

  “I do have some bad news, however.”

  “Uh-oh,” Aubrey said quietly.

  “There’s a big music festival this weekend. It normally doesn’t affect us because our guests come here just to relax, but the rest of the local hotels are all booked. I called around and had Tim and the boys at the desk do the same—there isn’t a room to be had within a fifty-mile radius.” She looked at Aubrey apologetically. “I’m sorry.” Then she looked at Hugh. “Maybe we can—”

  “Aubrey can stay with me,” Hugh blurted out.

  “What?” both women said in unison.

  “I’ve got an entire apartment with four guest rooms. It’s just for the weekend and at this point, it’s the only option. I’m not going to make her sleep here in the office, for crying out loud.” He stared at his assistant, as if daring her to argue. “Do you have another suggestion?”

  She silently shook her head.

  Hugh looked over at Aubrey and saw the telltale nibbling of her lip. “It’s not ideal, I know. And I feel very bad about putting you in this awkward position, but there’s plenty of room and you’ll have lots of privacy. It’s only for two nights. We’ll be so busy during the day with new-hire paperwork and getting things in motion for the campaign, it won’t be a big deal. I promise.”

  Her eyes went from his to Dorothy’s as if seeking the older woman’s approval. “It really is a huge space,” Dorothy said. “And believe me when I say he’s hardly ever there.”

  Aubrey still didn’t look convinced.

  Hugh wanted to put her mind at ease. “I’ll sleep here in the office then, if that’s what it takes to make you feel okay with the situation. You can have the entire apartment to yourself.” It was the last thing he ever thought he’d offer.

  Idiot.

  “Oh no. I couldn’t let you do that, Hugh. I’m being silly, right? I mean, we’re adults. I’ll have my own room. What’s the big deal?”

  Dorothy looked from one to the other. “I’ll leave it to the two of you to work out.” She looked at Aubrey. “I’m looking forward to working with you, Miss Burke, and if you have any questions about your travel plans, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.”

  “Thank you, Dorothy. I appreciate all your help.”

  “Boss, I’ll see you on Monday.”

  Hugh nodded. “Have a good weekend.”

  When they were alone, Aubrey spoke first. “I’m sorry I seemed to freak out. I don’t know why I did. I feel bad intruding on your personal space, and no matter how much I genuinely try to leave you alone, the universe keeps throwing us together.”

  That was one way of looking at it. “Like I said, it’s not ideal, but I think we can handle it for the weekend. Besides, if we’re going to be traveling together next week and working together closely on this campaign, it makes sense for us to get used to hanging out together now.”

  “I suppose.” But she didn’t sound convinced.

  Hugh stood and stretched. “Come on. It’s getting late. We should probably freshen up and call Bill to see when he’d like to meet. I probably should have done it already, but my head was spinning after our earlier meeting.”

  Aubrey chuckled. “Join the club.”

  “Where’s your luggage?”

  “Tim’s holding it at the front desk for me. I wasn’t sure what to do with it and I was getting tired of lugging it around.”

  Together they walked out to get it, wishing Tim a good evening before stepping out into the evening air. It was another mild night, and the walk to Hugh’s apartment was spent largely in silence. Hugh was lost in his own thoughts. How was he going to manage not only having Aubrey in his apartment, sleeping in the next room, but traveling with her all next week? Clearly he was a glutton for punishment.

  They entered the building and rode up in the elevator quietly. When the doors opened, Hugh let her go first, then stepped out and took his key card from his pocket. “I have extras inside. Remind me to give you one so you can come and go as you need to without having to wait on me.”

  He had a feeling he’d be locking himself in his office for the majority of the weekend.

  “I assume we’ll be working together all weekend, but I appreciate the offer.”

  “You don’t have to be on the clock the whole time,” he said lightly, opening the door for her. “You should take some time to enjoy the pool or something. No use in both of us being cooped up in the office all weekend. The weather’s supposed to be beautiful.”

  She nodded, stopping in the middle of the living room. “Oh, Hugh. This is wonderful.” Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at him.

  And Hugh knew he was in over his head.

  Chapter 4

  Aubrey was in trouble.

  Big, serious trouble.

  It was near midnight and she and Hugh were walking through the door of his apartment. Dinner with Bill had been loud and lively and exhausting. Bill had teased her mercilessly because she didn’t drink. He carried on about how difficult it was going to be for her to put together a wine campaign without knowing what it tasted like. Luckily, Hugh had come to her rescue and assured Bill one had nothing to do with the other.

  It was the first time Aubrey could remember someone coming to her defense.

  Ever.

  She needed space—Hugh made her feel too many things. She turned to him and said, “It’s been another long day. I think I’m going to get ready for bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Hugh nodded, then called her name before she could open her door. “Don’t let the things Bill said upset you. You don’t need to drink the product to be able to do your job. We have chefs and sommeliers who handle that end of the event. You’re going to do a great job.”

  All she could do was nod. Emotion clogged her throat and she quickly walked into her room and shut the door before letting the first tear fall.

  Why did she have to meet Hugh now? Why, when her life had pretty much hit a new low, did she have to meet a man who was kind, compassionate, and giving? She wiped the tear away and almost chuckled. He was also a little arrogant, opinionated, and bossy, but all in all, with his incredible good looks and sexy body and…never mind. She groaned and sank to the floor.

  Now what? Looking around the room, she couldn’t believe it was really hers to use. It had a king-size bed, a spa-quality en suite, and a balcony overlooking another pond. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

  Her eyes stopped on her purse. She had left it—and her phone—in the room earlier because she didn’t need it.

  “It’s time,” she said quietly and rose to walk across the room. Taking the phone out, she turned it on and waited to see how many voice mails and text messages there were. Much to her surprise, there weren’t many.

  There were three texts from friends and two voice mails from Paul. The first one was nothing but his ranting and raving and calling her names—she’d expected it—but his second one was much calmer.

  “Aubrey, you know why I thought our getting married was a good idea. However, it was more beneficial for me than you, and it wasn’t fair of me to make you think otherwise. Anyway, when I got home, I explained my situation to Kristen and she has agreed to be my wife. We’re going to Vegas on Saturday. I didn’t want you to hear about it from anyone else. I hope things won’t be awkward for you when you come home. Take care.”

  She threw the phone down on the bed. “Son of a bitch!” she hissed. She had wanted to simply go to Vegas, but Paul had called her tacky. God, how could she have been so stupid? So trusting?

  Scooping up the phone, she was about to delete both messages when it started to ring. The sound startled her and the phone flew from her hands. Taking a deep breath, Aubrey reached for it, surprised to see
her father’s face on the screen. It was after midnight on California time. Back in North Carolina, it was three hours earlier. “Hello?” she answered nervously as she stepped out onto the balcony.

  “Aubrey, it’s about time you answered your phone. Where are you?”

  “It’s awful late, Dad. Is everything okay?” She was hoping he didn’t notice her diversion tactics.

  “I’m aware of the time, Aubrey. If you’re still in California—which I have a suspicion you are—then you’re aware of the time difference.”

  “Yes, Dad.”

  “Had you had your phone turned on, I wouldn’t have to do this at such an ungodly hour.”

  She wanted to mention he could have left a message, but held her tongue. “Yes, Dad.”

  For the next ten minutes she listened to him rant about how irresponsible she was and how humiliating it was for Paul to come home without her. Aubrey was about to point out that Paul had clearly gotten over his humiliation, but figured her father wouldn’t appreciate the observation.

  The entire time he talked, she stood looking out at the property. The sky was clear, there was a gentle breeze, and if it weren’t for the harping on the other end of the phone, she would almost call it a perfect night.

  “I’m tired of your behavior, Aubrey,” her father was saying. “It was understandable when you were younger, but enough is enough. I’m tired of making excuses for you.”

  Hadn’t she told Hugh earlier she was done with people talking to her like this? “No one’s asked you to make excuses. There is nothing wrong with me,” she said firmly. “And you know what? I am sick and tired of you making me feel like something is.”

  “Maybe you’re forgetting—”

  “I’m not forgetting anything,” she interrupted. “Maybe it’s you who needs to forget. I’m a disappointment to you—I get it. I don’t need you calling just to remind me of it. If I’m so horrible and such a letdown, then why don’t you do us both a favor and stop calling.”