Page 8 of Love is a Roller Coaster

My chest warms. I guess shedoeswant to keep talking. “Well, the owner at the time was this crotchety old man, Richard. He had no family, and he’d owned the hotel for years. To be honest, he was barely going through the motions. The hotel was only half-full most of the time, but he had paid everything off when he was really young, so it was just something to keep his mind active. But I had other ideas.” I smile, remembering when I met with him to discuss my plans for the hotel. “Surprisingly, he really liked my vision for the hotel. So he started training me to take over his place. And last year…well…”

“Did he die?” Brooke asks, her hand over her heart.

“No! He’s fine. He retired and moved to Minnesota. Can you believe it? He said he was sick of the beach.”

Brooke laughs. “I don’t know how anyone could ever get sick of the beach.”

“Agreed.” I hold her gaze for a moment, sparks flying between us. But I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. After all, she was supposed to be here on herhoneymoon. I’m sure the electricity I feel between us is only one-sided. I look down and resume shuffling my papers. “Well, I should let you get to the art walk.”

“Did you…are you going?”

I snap my head up to look at her. “Uh, not tonight. I was going to spend the evening with my sister and nephew.”

“Oh.” She presses her red lips together, then glances at the front door. “I guess…”

My phone buzzes on the desk. I look down and see a text from my sister.

Leila

Oliver just started puking. You’d better stay away. This is the second stomach bug he’s caught this year, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. That includes you.

“Ugh.” I type out a response to her.

I’m so sorry. Do you want me to pick up some Gatorade and drop it off for him?

Leila’s response is immediate.

No! Stay away! Shield yourself from the germs! I’ll make Carson pick some up on his way home.

“What’s wrong?” Brooke asks.

“My nephew got the stomach flu, so I guess I’m free for the evening.” I lock my phone and set it down on the counter. “I have to wait until?—”

“Hey, boss.” Bryce walks through the front door of the hotel, my late-night relief. “I know I’m here early, but I figured you wouldn’t mind starting your time off.”

I swear the universe is trying to push me and Brooke together tonight. And it seems like she wants to be with me, too.

Well, who am I to question the universe?

“Thanks, Bryce. I appreciate it.” I file the papers inside the desk, straighten, and smile at Brooke. “Ready?”

Her perfect lips lift into a huge grin, the one I remember so well from five years ago. The one I haven’t seen since then. “Ready.”

chapter five

BROOKE

“I really liked that collection,”I say as we exit the Wendy Frasier Gallery.

“I could tell,” Tyler says. “Which one was your favorite?”

“Hmm.” I look over my shoulder to glimpse the paintings of the ocean through the window of the gallery. “The one with the dolphins under the water and the sunset.”

“That was really nice. I liked the one with the girls in the bikinis.”

I turn to see Tyler wagging his eyebrows at me, and I jokingly shove my shoulder into his side. He stumbles, probably faking how hard I pushed him, and laughs out loud.

“How about this one?” Tyler asks, gesturing at the sign for the Canyon Cove Art Institute student gallery.

---