Olivia waited for more. When it didn’t come, she raised her eyebrows expectantly. “That’s it?”
“That’s it. You can’t control the heart. People have been trying to do that since the damn dawn of time. Nobody has managed to.”
“You can’t control the heart? That’s the advice you have for me?”
“No, my advice is to take a deep breath and stop worrying so much. If you like this girl and think you want more, then talk to her about it. Does she like you?”
The smile came all on its own. “Yeah. She does.”
“Then it sounds like you have a date for New Year’s Eve…which we need to talk about right now if you expect your guests to have anything to eat.”
“Okay, okay.” Olivia slid her tablet back in front of her. She didn’t feel a ton better. She was still anxious. Confused. Wary. So wary. Hayley had breezed in out of nowhere, taken Olivia’s job, fudged much of her responsibilities, and as much as Olivia had fought the attraction, Hayley had won her over. At least her body…
Oh, who was she kidding. Hayley had won over much of the rest of her as well. Quickly. So quickly, Olivia felt completely off-balance and once again thought it felt like the world had tilted just enough to make her slide a little bit to one side or a little bit to the other with each step she took, making it impossible for her to move forward in a straight line. It was driving her slightly mad.
She and Tessa finished things up, and Tessa hugged her tightly before she all but bolted back to her kitchen. Olivia didn’t really have time to sit and ponder, and for that, she was grateful. She needed to stay busy, and there was certainly a lot to do.
Two parts of her battled between avoiding Hayley at all costs and actively seeking her out.
She settled for shooting her what she hoped was a smoldering look as she passed by the front desk where Hayley was helping Stephanie with incoming guests.
Judging by the way Hayley’s cheeks colored, Olivia called it a win.
* * *
Why couldn’t every place he went be seventy-five degrees and sunny? It wasn’t the first time Benton had pondered the silly question. And he knew the solution: He had enough money that he could move to someplace that was seventy-five degrees and sunny on a regular basis. He and Kerry had talked about retiring someplace nice. Someplace like Key West, where he was right now.
It was the last stop on his cruise, and he loved the artsy little island off the coast of Florida. He cruised a lot, and there were definitely stops where he didn’t get off the ship to explore. He preferred to stay on board, work, have a cocktail, whatever. He wasn’t interested in shopping. He wasn’t a sightseeing kind of guy. But Key West was different. Key West was an attitude. A mood. He always got off the ship here and he always wandered the streets, stopping into various bars and restaurants, starting up conversations with the locals.
Kerry had loved it here. No, they’d never come over Christmas—there was no way she wanted to be away from her beloved Manhattan at this time of year—but they’d come to Key West on several occasions, and she’d fallen in love with its color, culture, atmosphere just as he had.
He sat at a bar in a small place completely open to the beach and savored the East Coast IPA, a beer the bartender had recommended. What was it about the ocean that he loved so much? Benton knew it wasn’t uncommon for a person to feel peace and relaxation while on the beach listening to the waves. But it was uncommon for him to feel peace and relaxation anywhere. They weren’t go-to feelings for him and never had been. But when he was near the ocean, when he could see the waves roll in and hear them crash against the shore, it was as if all his troubles and worries faded into the background and only the most important things became clear.
Key West was a sort of artist colony, and there were many galleries along the streets and pieces of art in various yards. Benton took another slug of his beer and noticed a man down the beach a bit. He had an easel set up in the sand and he sat facing the water, brush in hand, tipping himself to one side so he could see around his canvas, then sitting back up straight and stroking the brush across his work. Benton couldn’t see the man’s painting, but part of him wished he could.
A flash of movement caught his eye and he looked to the left and up. Another easel sat on a balcony of the building next to the bar. A woman wearing a flowing white shirt of some sort was also painting, facing the same direction as the man on the beach, doing the same look around her canvas, then painting.
It was the sun over the water, of course. The blazing yellow-orange ball hovering in the sky, causing the water to twinkle and glitter as if iridescent. In another hour or two, the beach would be crowded with people, as everybody in Key West cheered and drank to the sunset. For now, these two artists had some time.
Benton’s mind went to his daughter. Honestly, she hadn’t been off his mind all week. Not since the email she’d sent and the things she’d said in it. He’d been rolling that around in his head pretty much nonstop. But now, he was thinking about how Hayley was so much like Kerry. So much and in so many ways. Art and paintings always did this to him, sent him off on this particular tangent. Hayley was good. He knew that. He didn’t tell her often—okay, he’d hardly ever told her—but she was. She had talent. It amazed him at times how his genes had ended up in such a creative soul as Hayley’s. Benton could barely color in a coloring book.
The bartender got him a second beer but put this one in a plastic cup so Benton could go out onto the beach, and he wandered toward the water. His skin had bronzed nicely over the past week, and it occurred to him as he looked down at his own legs how much healthier he looked with a bit of a tan. Working in an office twelve to fifteen hours a day did nothing for his complexion except make sure he looked pasty.
When he was close enough that the ocean waves rolled over his bare feet, Benton simply stood and watched. Breathed. Remembered…
It was years ago. Him, Kerry, and Hayley. On a different beach, but still here in Key West. Miraculously, there had been few people that day, and the space felt like theirs and theirs alone. Hayley couldn’t have been more than six, playing with her plastic toys in the sand, creating a pretty elaborate sandcastle for a kid whose age was still in the single digits. He sat in a lounge chair, head back, eyes closed, soaking in the warmth of the sun. Kerry was in the chair next to him, her hand in his across the space between them.
“Hey, Benny?” Kerry’s voice was quiet, as if she didn’t want to disturb the peace in the air.
“Hmm?” He’d opened his eyes and turned to her, his beautiful wife, as she took her sunglasses off. Her skin had tanned to a deep bronze, and her emerald one-piece bathing suit only accentuated the green of her eyes.
“This is the happiest I have ever been in my life.” Her voice was still quiet, but it overflowed with emotion. “This moment. Right here.”
As if on cue, Hayley looked up from her construction, a big smile on her face, and waved at them. “Hi, Mommy! Hi, Daddy!”
They waved back to their daughter in unison. “Hi, baby,” Kerry called to her. When she turned back to Benton, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “One day, when I’m on my deathbed and looking back on my life, this is the moment I’ll remember. This is the memory I’ll take with me. You. Me. Her. Our family. It’s the most important thing, Benny. She is the most important thing.”
He’d listened to her. With a stroke of his thumb, he’d wiped away the one tear that had escaped down her cheek. He’d loved her so much right then. He’d loved her always, of course, but that moment was…intense. He hadn’t thought about it in a long time, but there was something about this place, this time of year without her that turned him melancholy and cerebral.
She is the most important thing.
And it hit him.
He didn’t know what exactly it was, but it hit him. Hard. Square in the chest like he’d caught a punch from a boxer. Made him step back to maintain his balance. He blinked as he looked out over the water. Blinked some more as he ma
rveled over the fact that everything was suddenly so much clearer, and he had no idea why.
He did know, however, exactly what he needed to do.
He pulled out his cell and dialed, waited.
“You’re on a ship, you’re not supposed to be calling me.” Susan’s voice held the hint of a scolding, but she mostly sounded happy to hear from him. “Everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” Benton said, then amended his words. “No. Not fine. Great. Everything is great. Better than it’s been in a long time.”
“Wow. Well, that’s definitely good to hear.”
Benton poked the sand with his toe. “I need you to change my flight.”
“Okay. To what?”
“To tomorrow. Out of Key West.”
There was a moment of silence on Susan’s end. Benton could almost hear the gears in her brain whirring. “You’re sure everything’s okay?”
“I promise. I’m heading back to the ship right now to collect my things. Get me a flight from here to whatever airport in New York gets me closest to Evergreen Hills.”
“You got it.” This time, he could hear the smile in Susan’s voice, the unspoken joy and approval. “I’ll let you know when everything is set.”
“Thank you, Susan. For everything.”
Benton slid his phone back into the pocket of his shorts and finished the last of his beer. He stood a few moments longer, looking at the ocean, listening to the waves. The beach was starting to fill up in anticipation of the sunset, the buzz of conversation around him increasing in volume, but he didn’t care. He was content. Certain. About life, about his heart. He hadn’t felt this calm and sure around anything but work since before Kerry was diagnosed, and he’d forgotten how good it felt. Also, strangely, he felt her. A definition escaped him—Her presence? Her essence? Her spirit? He normally didn’t believe in such mumbo jumbo, but there wasn’t a doubt in his mind. He felt Kerry, right there with him. So, there was that.
He allowed himself another minute or two to bask in the beauty of nature. Then he turned and headed back into the bar where he paid his tab. His walk back to the ship was brisk with excitement.
He had so much ground to make up.
Chapter Twenty
This was Olivia’s eighth New Year’s Eve celebration at the Evergreen, and just like every year before, she was a mixture of excited, nervous, anxious, and joyful. There was so much to do. So much that needed to be monitored, directed, and managed that she barely had time to breathe, let alone eat. By late afternoon on Saturday, her stomach felt gurgly and she knew she needed to find some food to tide her over until the festivities began.
She wasn’t the only one brimming with anticipation. She could feel it throughout the resort as she made her rounds. The spas were full and there were a couple of guests relaxing in the pool. The rooftop bar, where folks would watch the ball drop and count down to midnight, was well stocked and clean, the tabletops shining, the daylight beginning to wane outside. There were two bartenders on, Mike and a young guy named Ari. A third would arrive at six, which was a good thing, as there were already a dozen patrons seated in various spots. Also behind the bar was Hayley, tablet in hand, pointing at different bottles and chatting with Mike, their backs to her. Not wanting to interrupt, Olivia allowed herself ten seconds to enjoy the view, the way Hayley’s black pants hugged her ass, how the matching blazer tapered in at the waist so nicely, how Hayley’s hair was a waterfall of browns and golds cascading past her shoulder blades. A surge of arousal hit her, settling low in her body and causing a gentle throbbing there.
So. Yeah.
God.
With a hard swallow and a quick shake of her head, Olivia headed back downstairs before she was seen, and detoured, taking the back hall to Split Rail. Only a few tables had occupants, but that would change soon. Tessa was serving New Year’s Eve dinner at eight, and a quick glance at the reservations told Olivia they were packed full. Thank God. They may not be booked, but people from Evergreen Hills had come through once again with their outside reservations for dinner. She gave the hostess a nod, then headed toward the kitchen, knowing it wasn’t so much a beehive tonight as it was backstage at a huge production, and she needed to stay the hell out of everybody’s way.
She found her usual corner and felt a small smile spread onto her face. Olivia loved watching the kitchen staff work like this, when there was a big meal or event about to happen. They were the epitome of a well-oiled machine. Somebody dropped a stainless steel bowl, which hit the floor with a clang, and then the entire staff shouted, “Oh-pa!” and went on with their work.
At the end of the steel prep table, Tessa glanced over and saw her. She held up a finger—the universal sign for “Hang on a second”—and disappeared into the walk-in refrigerator. She came out with a plate covered in plastic wrap and handed it to Olivia. A quick peek told her it was a turkey sandwich and a small bowl of Tessa’s homemade cranberries. Olivia’s mouth watered and she looked up at her friend in surprise.
“I’ve met you,” Tessa said quickly. “I know you’re running around like a crazy person and have probably had nothing but coffee.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go. Eat it. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“You’re the best!” Olivia called out as Tessa was absorbed back into the fray.
Her walk back to the office was peppered with greetings to guests and short conversations with others, and what would normally take three minutes took closer to twenty. Olivia never avoided guests. She always stopped and made the time to listen to them, whether they had a complaint or just wanted to say hello. It was important to her to be approachable.
The shuttle bringing people back from Clearpeak Mountain had just emptied out, and the lobby was filled with people in various colors of coats and hats milling around. Some carried skis, some carried snowboards or snowshoes. Everybody seemed extra energetic, as often was the case when New Year’s Eve approached. Finally getting past the crowd and shooting Stephanie one of their shorthand, “Do you need help?” looks—Stephanie gave a subtle shake of her head—she made it back to her office.
Dropping into her chair felt like all weight came off her shoulders in that moment, and Olivia just sat. Took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Then she uncovered the plate and took a huge bite of the sandwich…which pulled moans of ecstasy from her as she chewed. How was it that Tessa could make something as simple as a turkey sandwich taste like heaven on a plate? Opening her desk drawer, she took out a spoon and dug into the cranberries.
More moaning.
Stephanie popped her head through the open doorway. “Everything okay in here?” she asked, eyebrows raised in expectation.
Olivia laughed and held up the sandwich.
“One of Tessa’s?”
Olivia took another bite. Nodded.
“I figured.” Stephanie turned to go, then came back. “Hey, can you forward me that email you sent last week on vacation schedules? I think I accidentally deleted it.” She clenched her teeth and made an oops face.
“On it.” A scoop of cranberries later, Olivia sat up straight and woke up her computer. A burst of laughter came from the front desk. She recognized Stephanie’s but not the two others and figured they must be guests. She smiled at the sound, loving when her staff was enjoying themselves, especially on a day that could be so stressful.
Three clicks and she was looking at her Sent folder, scanning for the email she’d sent to Stephanie, when something else caught her eye. It was an email she’d sent to Hayley, and it had an attachment.
Except she couldn’t remember sending Hayley anything lately that had an attachment. She went to the email itself, which had no subject line and no body, just her own standard signature that went at the bottom of all emails she sent: name, title, resort name, address, phone number, and email.
She clicked to open the attachment.
It blossomed onto her screen, and her brow furrowed. First, there was confusion as she looked at her ow
n proposal for ways to improve things at the Evergreen. Her breakdown of each department. Her suggested ways to modernize. Her comparisons to other resorts of similar size. Her cost analysis. She’d spent months and months writing it up. Countless hours, both here and at home, on her own time.
It was obvious Hayley had emailed it to herself—who else would?—and Olivia remembered leaving it open earlier in the week when she’d been reviewing it and had been called away from her desk unexpectedly. What in the world would Hayley need it for? And why wouldn’t she just ask Olivia for it?
She sat there, staring, for several moments, brow furrowed, head jumbled. And then her brain went to bad places. She couldn’t stop it; it was like it had, ironically, a mind of its own. She started to think about Hayley’s inexperience. Her incompetence with regard to how a resort was run. Her deer-in-the-headlights look at staff meetings. The complete blank she’d drawn when it came to the budget. What if she was worried about her job already? It was true she’d gotten better as weeks had gone by, but…what if she was getting pressure from Corporate and Olivia didn’t know? What would Hayley do in that case? Would she go so far as to steal—
“Hey.” As if Olivia had conjured her up, Hayley walked into the office wearing a big smile and looking—God help me—stupidly sexy. Her green eyes sparkled with obvious excitement. “The rooftop bar is good to go. It’s going to be so cool up there tonight.” She crossed through and toward her own office, still talking. “I need to make a couple of calls and then maybe we can talk about what we want to do tonight.” She tossed a wink over her shoulder and disappeared into her office.
Olivia sat motionless, blinking at the empty doorway to Hayley’s office. Her brain, which had been so quick to throw her every worst-case scenario possible, was now quiet. That was almost worse, as long moments went by and Olivia made no moves at all. Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. She could hear Hayley chatting away with somebody on her phone, laughing that laugh that Olivia loved so much.
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