Page 54 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

“Which could be great for the inn.”

“‘Could’ is the word I’m getting snagged on,” he says. “Book deals and movie contracts are way out of my league.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “I was ready to host couples escaping to the Adirondacks for quiet getaways. Or maybe families on vacation.” He grunts. “I’m so not prepared for The Beachfront to be a potential fishbowl of publicity.”

“I’m sorry.” My shoulders creep up. I should’ve discussed this with him before blurting out the idea. But I was in a roomful of my cousins. We’re loud and we talk over each other, and we speak without thinking first. “I was just trying to help.”

“I know you were,” he says, his jaw going tight. “But the thing is, you’ll be long gone by Labor Day weekend.” He expels a frustrated breath. “And I … I hate that.”

My eyes soften. “That I’ll be gone?”

He doesn’t answer for a long moment. Then he says, “I just don’t want to fail.”

“Hey.” I hold his gaze. “You’ll be great, Hudson. I know it.”

“As much as I appreciate the vote of confidence,” he says, “I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Well, lucky for you, I do. And I’m also pretty good at talking people out of panic mode.”

He pulls his hands from his pockets, and crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not panicking.”

“You’re not not panicking.” I quirk a brow. “But it’s all good. I can give you some tips. Easy peasy.”

“To be honest, peasy doesn’t sound much better than kinks.”

“You’re hilarious, but I promise it will be fine.” I chuckle, hoping my positivity will transfer to him by osmosis. Or whatever you’d call what happens between two people alone in a kitchen.

“So you’ve done this before?” he asks. “With celebrities, I mean?”

“We didn’t have anyone as famous as Link staying at Luxe, but we had quite a few A-listers over the years.”

“I’d feel way more comfortable with an inn full of G-listers. Maybe all the way to Q.” A smirk tugs his lips. “So what am I supposed to do first?”

“Reach out to Link’s people. Or maybe Brady can contact Link directly, since it sounds like they’re friends now.” I push out a laugh. “Find out what level of privacy he and Hadley are hoping for. It would be great if they posted publicly about staying at The Beachfront, but if they’d rather stay under the radar, you can register them under fake names, serve meals in their room, and arrange private meetings with Brady in the library or our office.” I catch myself. “I mean your office. I won’t be there. But you’ll have more desk space. So there’s that.”

He frowns. “Don’t remind me.”

“Anyway, Link does have some pretty obsessed fans—and I’m not just talking about Lettie and Nella—so even if they aren’t trying to hide their stay in Abieville, you’ll want to make sure they’re not hounded by the locals. Or worse, paparazzi. I’ve heard they’re a pretty low-key couple. Not your typical Hollywood egos. But they might bring a small team with them. Maybe someone for security. A personal assistant. You’ll need to find out how many rooms to reserve, in that case.”

Now it’s Hudson’s turn to laugh. “So you’re saying we might have bodyguards here?”

“Maybe.”

His shoulders dip. “And it could be a make-or-break moment for The Beachfront?”

“Potentially.”

He crosses the kitchen, pacing. Then he strides back, coming right up to tower above me. He’s so close, I can smell his leather and pine scent. And I won’t lie. It’s making me a tad lightheaded.

“This is crazy, Liv.” His eyes laser in on mine. “I can’t do this alone. I need you.” His voice is deep and gravelly.

The words I need you make me weak in the knees.

“All right.” My teeth capture my lip, and I chew for a moment. Thinking. Stalling. “What if we got Link and Hadley to come to Abieville before we reopen instead of over Labor Day weekend? We could pitch them a super-private getaway at The Beachfront while I’m still here to help you.”

“Oh, man.” He blinks. “If you can make that happen, I’ll write you the best reference letter you’ve ever seen. Any employer with half a brain will be knocking down your door to hire you.”

“Okay, then.” I nod, my heart banging in my chest. “I’ll do my best.”

“You will?”

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