The only emotions that she needed to manage were her own, and she had no interest in picking those apart right now.
When she was in Louisiana, she’d come home so exhausted every day, emotionally and physically, barely managing to take a shower before falling into bed. At the time, it had been what she’d needed. She hadn’t wanted to think about Grant. Or her very public failed wedding. Or the fact that it was her fault that it was so public, but still.
After a few months being part of the cleaning and rebuilding efforts post-hurricane, this was a walk in the park, and she was finally in a place where she didn’t feel an uncomfortable hollowness in her stomach whenever she thought about everything she’d overlooked while she’d been plodding along toward marriage.
That said, she still wasn’t ready to dissect the series of decisions that had led her to present a damning PowerPoint presentation on the eve of her wedding.
Her dad was looking at her a little too closely, like he sensed that something wasn’t quite right, but he seemed to decide to let it go. “Right, right. New love and all that. And you said that things are going well with Hallie?”
Brynn nodded. “She’s been great so far.” Brynn loved competent people, and when it came to managing The Stone’s Throw, she didn’t think anyone could be better. Hallie was direct and funny and just the right amount of effortlessly calm, no matter what issues arose. Speaking of which, “Yesterday, a guest locked themselves out of their room in nothing but a towel. I guess they’d gone to get ice and forgot their keycard.”
Her dad gave her a bemused smile. “I’m sure that was a sight.”
“It should have been a really embarrassing situation. Instead, Hallie just told him that the naked polar bear plunge was next weekend, but she admired his determination.” Brynn was still a little awestruck at how smooth Hallie had navigated the unexpected scene. If she’d been at the desk alone, the situation would have ended very differently.
Her dad laughed. He, like Hallie, always seemed to know the right thing to say. Mostly because it seemed like he was always speaking from the heart, and he never worried about how he’d be perceived.
Brynn was picking up on the policies and procedures with ease, but the soft skills were outside of her depth. People were finicky. Illogical. Unpredictable. And as someone who’d spent years trying to learn a framework for understanding the world,peoplestill escaped her.
It was part of what she’d liked about Grant when they’d started seeing one another. He hadn’t seemed to mind that shewas a little awkward. That she didn’t always have the right words on the tip of her tongue. That, sometimes, she asked clarifying questions that seemed to annoy other people.
If there was anything to take away from the Grant situation, it was that what people said and what people did could be vastly different things.
And now, with the frustrating acceptance of that knowledge, she didn’t know what to think. About anything, it felt like some days. Which was why it was easier to be alone.
Easier said than done, though, where her parents were involved. And even though she was supposed to be manning the desk alone today, and it was still fifteen minutes until seven a.m., she heard Hallie’s apartment door open and could picture her walking decisively down the carpeted hallway, just a few seconds from reaching the lobby. “Hey, Dad. I’ve gotta go. Love you and Mom.”
She didn’t wait for a response to hang up, knowing that her dad loved a slow fade on their goodbyes. If she didn’t disconnect the call, she may never get him off the line.
There was just enough time for her to put her phone away before Hallie bounded around the corner in her bouncy, signature high ponytail and headed toward the coffee carafes. “Morning, Brynn.”
So far, Brynn really liked Hallie. She was also more than a little intimidated by her, given how well Hallie managed all the competing priorities at the inn. She had been incredibly helpful in getting Brynn up to speed, and if her willingness to answer Brynn’s millions of questions were any indication, she had the patience of a saint. She had thisstability—yes, thatwas the word Brynn settled on—that she was drawn toward.
And it wasn’t just her feelings on Hallie; after all, she hadn’t been the most trustful of her own opinions as of late. But therewere actual, factual data points that she had to back up her hypothesis that Hallie was, in fact, agoodperson.
For example, over this past week, Hallie never seemed to get frustrated with Brynn’s inability to pick up social cues from guests. Hallie just took control of the situation, and then they’d discuss it after. And she always seemed to know what to say, no matter what turn a conversation took.
They only had a week left together before Hallie was set to head to Colorado, and Brynn was trying to soak up as much knowledge—pretty much a crash course in human understanding—as she could during this time.
With a coffee cup in hand, Hallie ambled over to her. Brynn instinctively sat up a little straighter. She was generally a people pleaser—she knew this about herself—but she also, specifically, wanted Hallie’s approval. “Hey, Hallie. I didn’t know if I’d be seeing you this morning. I’m on the desk, right?” she confirmed, knowing it was what they’d agreed to yesterday.
Hallie took a long, decadent inhale from her mug before answering. “Mm-hmm… trial by fire,” she said with a playful smile. Hallie seemed to be the epitome of a morning person.
Brynn’s eyes grew wide, and she knew that the alarm was apparent on her face. “I hope not.”
That earned a laugh from Hallie, which helped quell Brynn’s racing nerves. Especially when Hallie added earnestly, “And I know you have the fire plan diagram ready if so.”
She wanted to do a good job. For Reese. And for Hallie now, too. They hadn’t spent a lot of time together outside of work, but she could tell that Hallie cared deeply about The Stone’s Throw. Brynn sincerely appreciated that level of effort, especially when Hallie was, these days, an employee like her.
She almost jumped when a soft, warm hand rested on her forearm. Her focus lifted to meet Hallie’s bright hazel eyes, an arresting combination of brown and green with gold speckledin. Hallie must get compliments on them all the time. She was about to say as much when she noticed a group of two people—she decided not to assume whether they were a couple or not until she had more information—heading toward the counter.
Hallie clocked their presence as well—of course she did, even though she wasn’t facing them—and with another gentle squeeze, which only made Brynn feel strange because it did actually comfort her, moved to the side and whispered, “You’ve got this.”
“I’ve got this,” Brynn muttered quietly, psyching herself up before she remembered to smile as the guests reached her. “Good morning. Beautiful morning, isn’t it? How can I help you this morning?” She felt the heat flame across her cheeks. God, she sounded silly. Not practiced and at ease the way Hallie did, like talking to guests was as easy as breathing.
She was both grateful for Hallie’s presence in case she needed to do damage control and wildly embarrassed that she was going to be present for Brynn bombing on her first attempt out of the gate.
The guests, people in their fifties or sixties who were dressed in heavy winter jackets, both eyed her curiously. The woman spoke first, thankfully choosing to ignore Brynn’s flub. “My husband and I were going to take a walk around the grounds and wanted to know how late breakfast is served.”
