Page 55 of Sweet Home Louisiana

Maddie moved out onto the dock.“Kennedy was giving you some…tips?”

He chuckled and Maddie smiled.He was a nice guy.

“She’s trying to scare me off.”

“Yeah she is,” Maddie agreed.“Is it working?”

“From the company, no,” he said.“From sharing an office with her?Yes.”

Maddie laughed.“You won’t have to share an office with her.”

“There’s another office space?”he asked.

She thought about the crowded, dusty “office” that was supposed to be an office.And that had worked very well as a place to have almost-sex with Owen.She felt a flush rush over her skin and she cleared her throat.“No, the one Kennedy’s in is pretty much the main one.But there’s no way she’d share with you.”

He laughed.“Good thing I’m not easily intimidated.Especially by teenage girls with bad attitudes.”

Maddie lifted a brow.“Kennedy has an attitude for sure, but she’s not a teenager.She’s twenty-four.”

There was a pause on Bennett’s end.Then he coughed lightly.“Oh?”

“Yeah.”Maddie smiled thinking about Bennett and Kennedy meeting in person.That could be interesting.“How did you not meet her when you were down here for tours in the past?”she asked as the thought occurred to her.

“I don’t know,” he said.“The first time, one of the guys checked me in.The second time it was a brunette with piercings and tattoos…” He trailed off.“That’sKennedy?”

Maddie chuckled.“That’s Kennedy.”

“Wow.I guess…when you said the guys’ younger cousin worked for them part-time while going to school, I assumed you meant she was in high school and filled in on the weekends or something.”

Maddie shook her head, even though he couldn’t see it.She was enjoying this for some reason.“Nope.She’s an integral part of everything down here.She’s taking classes part-time from Loyola, but I think she plans to stay here.”Maddie frowned.“Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not sure what her plans are.”

“Hmm,” was all Bennett said to that.

What did the bachelor billionaire think of Kennedy?Maddie wondered.She’d love to know.But she couldn’t ask.They weren’t that close.They had a professional relationship.

“So how are you?”she asked, changing the subject.

“I was calling to ask you the same thing,” Bennett said.

His voice was deep and smooth and Maddie knew this man was very used to getting the answers he wanted and talking people into things.He had taken over his father’s business, but he’d grown it significantly in the time he’d been in charge.They’d only met in person once, but he’d been in an expensive suit and while he’d been friendly—and very enthusiastic about the bayou—he’d come off as sophisticated and commanding.Actually, all of that made his interest and excitement about the bayou and the tour company even funnier.

“I’m fine,” she answered.“Everything is good.”

“Great.Glad to hear it.Especially with the typhoid and everything going around.”

Maddie opened her mouth to reply, then shut it.She frowned.Then she said, “The what?”

“The typhoid fever,” Bennett said.“I’m glad to hear everyone is okay.I was, obviously, concerned to read about it.”

“Youreadabout it?”Maddie asked.“What are you talking about?”

“On You Travel,” he said.

“What’s You Travel?”

“A travel review site,” Bennett told her.“One of the best.Though I check on Travel Time and World Wide, too.”

Maddie sighed.“Which one rates the bayou boys?”

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