Page 93 of The Main Event

What I wanted more than anything was for him to commit to the hotel. Would it be the same thing as committing to me? No, but it would feel significant regardless.

The truth was, despite my best intentions, I was falling for Jax. It was supposed to be a fling and nothing more, but that’s not how things were turning out. I enjoyed being with him. I loved laughing with him. More than anything, I adored listening to his ideas and hearing his thoughts for the hotel.

He’d been stifled his entire life. His family thought they knew what was best for him. He believed that maybe they were right. Perhaps, if I showed him they were wrong, I would save both him and the hotel. They’d become synonymous in my head now.

“You need to take a breath,” I said. “I have the day off tomorrow. Maybe … maybe we could go somewhere and do something.”

“You mean other than to my room, right?” I could feel his smile against my cheek.

“We can do that if you want.” I wasn’t opposed. “I was thinking something different, though. Is there anything else in Salem you want to see?”

“Walking around Salem is going to be like living life in a fishbowl for a little bit,” he countered. “How about I take you on a trip somewhere else for a change?”

“Where to?”

“How do you feel about spending a day in Boston with me?”

I had to tamp down my enthusiasm. “And you would be the tour guide?”

“I would. I want to take you to some of my favorite places.”

“I think I can be persuaded to do that.”

“Good.” He angled his mouth so it was right over mine. “Now, we both have busy days, but I have an idea.”

“Are you going to suggest we do it on your desk?”

“Would you be opposed to that?”

I didn’t have to consider the question long. “No, but you have to be quiet. Tammy is probably outside the door right now listening for signs of sinning.”

He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “Ask me if I care.”

Surprisingly, I found I didn’t care either. This felt right. At least for me. If he chose family over happiness, though, would anything ever feel right again?

23

TWENTY-THREE

My original plan was to take Daisy to my favorite places and have a low-key day. I was thinking the farmer’s market, and maybe a museum. It turned into a blustery day, however, and the more I thought about a museum, the more I cringed.

How unoriginal can you get? Do something fun.

So, that’s what I arranged.

First up, I hired a car to pick us up. I didn’t want to worry about parking or navigating traffic. I wanted Daisy to have my full attention.

I dressed in simple black pants and a thermal pullover. Then, instead of grabbing a suit coat, I tugged on the hoodie. Tammy was in the lobby when I headed down.

“I’ll be gone for the day,” I said to her. “If there’s an emergency, you can call, but it had better be an actual emergency.”

Tammy was clearly caught off guard because she stopped what she was doing—as far as I could tell, her main job was to irritate everybody else, including the front desk staff—and looked me up and down. “Where are you going?”

It was none of her business. Not even a little. I answered anyway. “I’m going to Boston.”

“Alone?”

“Does it matter?”

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