Page 25 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

“I don’t want a sympathy job,” she says. “I can get one of those from Mac.”

“That’s not what this is.” I bob my head. “The thing is, I can be the brains of The Beachfront, but I don’t know how to be the heart of it. And a body can’t survive without both a brain and a heart.”

She peers up at me like I’m nuts. And maybe I am. I probably am. “Let me get this straight,” she says. “You’re begging me to be the heart of The Beachfront.”

I nod. “I guess I am.”

Her mouth curves up. “So you’re saying the inn might literally die without me?”

I quirk a brow. “Well. Figuratively. Yeah.”

“Just until the reopening?”

“Just until the reopening,” I repeat, bracing myself against the porch rail. “You jump, I jump.”

“Wait.” A small laugh puffs out of her. “Did you seriously just quote Titanic at me?”

“Maybe.”

“In that case”—Olivia’s lips twitches—“I guess being Rose could be pretty cool. She survived the sinking, her fashion sense was impeccable, and she put that awful Billy Zane in his place. But I’d definitely make room for you on the floating door if we ever ended up in the Atlantic Ocean together.”

“Are you kidding? I’ll make sure we don’t hit any icebergs in the first place.”

She coughs out another tiny laugh. “You’re a confident man.”

“Nah. I’m just a fan of survival. So.” I stick out a hand for a shake. “Do we have a deal?”

A dimple presses into her cheek. “You jump, I jump?”

“Exactly. Come on, Liv. I dare you.”

“Oh, man.” She rolls her eyes, but she shakes my hand. “No more dares. Ever.”

Chapter Nine

(In which we are dropped into the middle of a MCCOY SIBLING GROUP CHAT…)

DARBY

Wait. Seriously, Liv? I thought you never wanted to see Hudson Blaine again. Working with him is kind of the exact opposite.

OLIVIA

Thanks, Darbs. I was already second-guessing my decision.

TESS

What’s the big deal? Hudson’s a total cutie-pie!

OLIVIA

Sure, if you forget what happened at The Launch Pad.

MAC

What happened at The Launch Pad?

TESS

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