Page 129 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

My stomach swoops. “Okay.”

He swallows hard, and his Adam’s apple dips. “I just need you to know that I see you, Olivia McCoy. Not just your beauty. That’s a given. But I see everything that’s underneath too.” He takes my hand. “Your kindness. Your patience and generosity. All of you is beautiful to me. So no matter what you choose to do, I promise to totally support you.” He pauses for a beat, and my eyes begin to sting. “You’ve changed my life in just one month, and I want your future to be everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

“I …” I blink against the tears prickling at my eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He squeezes my hand and my breath squeezes out right along with it. “My number one goal is for you to be happy. Whatever that happiness looks like. And I’m here for that going forward. I’m here for you.” He pins me with a stare. “I am for you.”

At this point, there’s almost no air left in my lungs, so I just sit in stunned silence as he leans over to press a kiss to my forehead. Soft and sweet. Right below the bandage. Straight to my heart. “Hudson,” I manage to say.

“Just get some sleep now,” he says softly. He releases my hand and rises from the bed. “Tomorrow you’re coming home.”

Chapter Fifty-One

Olivia

If it weren’t for all the meds, I probably would’ve been up all night, dancing around like some kind of Disney princess with birds singing love songs, mice making dresses, and the monitors coming to life to bake me a cake.

Instead, I enjoy one of the most restful sleeps I can remember. And the first thing I do when I wake the next morning is make a three-way call to Sutton and Naomi.

I tell them I won’t be moving back into my old room after all. But as consolation, I invite them for a weekend at The Beachfront. I haven’t exactly cleared the offer with Hudson yet, but he’s been saying yes to pretty much anything I ask, and I don’t mind feeling like I’ve got him wrapped around my finger. Or my bandaged head.

Not at all.

Still, I make sure Sutton and Naomi know it might be months before we have a free suite, but they seem good with that. It turns out everyone wants to stay at the inn where Lincoln and Hadley might get married. And a free weekend in the Adirondacks softens the blow of losing a roommate.

The next thing I do is FaceTime Francine Tomlin to turn down her job.

Yes, I’d planned to give her the courtesy of an in-person meeting, but I’m not allowed to fly for at least a month, so I really had no choice. Either way, I was curious to hear the offer since Luxe passed me over in the first place. And let’s just say they pulled out all the stops.

I guess I could’ve felt a certain smugness rejecting them now. But smug isn’t my best look. And I’ve decided on a different path anyway.

Now I just need to get out of this hospital so I can start taking the next steps.

OLIVIA

Natalie said she’d be back in ten minutes. How long has it been now?

MAC

Three.

OLIVIA

Man. Time is a turtle.

TESS

Slow and steady wins the race, Liv.

DARBY

Actually, that particular Aesop’s fable was a tortoise, not a turtle.

TESS

Who told you that, Darbs? Your best friend, Einstein?

DARBY

---