Page 116 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

MAC

Well, I don’t know exactly what’s going on there, Liv, but I do know you’ve done a great job getting The Beachfront set up for success. The Johnsons are so grateful you showed up.

OLIVIA

Yeah. Well. I guess I’m pretty grateful too …

… for the Johnsons, and new libraries, porch swings for two, and Hudson Blaine’s lips.

Chapter Forty-Six

Hudson

I’d tell you I’ve been up since the crack of dawn, but the truth is, I barely slept last night. With Liv next door and Jaqueline down the hall, it was a surreal stretch of hours to say the least.

Not to mention the thought of Liv meeting with her old boss today is making my guts churn.

What if Francine convinces her to go back to Luxe?

Olivia’s spent almost a decade making her home in Colorado with no plans to move to Abieville. Staying here indefinitely would be spontaneous at best. Worst-case scenario, it could be a compromise she’d come to regret.

The truth is, I haven’t had a chance to talk to the Johnsons about keeping Liv on as a second manager. And even if they agreed, she’s against taking a salary from them. So I can’t exactly promise her concrete employment in this town. All I can offer her is my heart.

For what it’s worth.

So she’s about to fly to Aspen where her former boss will be offering her a dream job. Who knows what kind of carrot Luxe may dangle now that they decided she was worth their while?

Then there’s the fact that her old apartment’s got a vacancy again. Olivia loves Sutton and Naomi. And they’ve got an empty room she wouldn’t have to share with a couple of dress dummies.

It would be all too easy for Liv to go back to the future she’s always worked toward. It’s about to be handed to her on a silver platter. Meanwhile, here in Abieville, she’s got a cheese plate, and her uncle’s beater of a truck.

She comes into the lobby now with Jacqueline trailing close behind her. Liv’s in loose travel pants, a thin sweater, and ballet flats. Her hair’s down, and her face is scrubbed clean except for a bit of pink lip gloss. Beside her, Jacqueline is dressed for a day on 5th Avenue with gold hoop earrings and another pair of heels. One of these things is not like the other. And only one of these things belongs here.

With me.

“Good morning.” Liv’s smile is warm, but my stomach lurches.

Is it good, though?

She’s got her bag on one shoulder, and she’s carrying the library’s copy of The Stand. When she notices me noticing, her mouth twitches. “Don’t worry. I’m only borrowing it. I’ll return Stephen King safe and sound.”

“I’m not worried about the book,” I say. But I am a little worried you won’t be back. “Need help with your bag?”

“Thanks, but I got it.”

Jacqueline pats the side of her bag. “I’ve got my bag too. No need to help me either.”

“Great,” I say. Then I hand Liv the large travel mug of coffee I prepared for her. “Splash of milk and three sugar cubes.”

Her lip curves up. “You remembered.”

“Always.”

Jacqueline clears her throat. “I’ll take a black coffee if you’ve got extra.”

“Of course. Sure.” I fill a spare travel cup for her and snap the top on, before passing it off to her.

“Thanks,” she says. “And thanks for letting me stay last night.” A tinge of pink rises in her cheeks. “It looks like you’ve got a good thing going here, Hud.” She darts her eyes between Liv and me. “Don’t screw it up.”

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