I sat in the sand, my back propped against the mailbox post until the sun was fully above the horizon, reading notes filled with love, hope, promise, sadness, and every emotion in between.
I dusted off my backside and started walking to the inn.
Most of the work was completed at the inn, so I started cleaning the rooms the construction crew had signed off on when I got back from the beach. It wasn’t my job, but since we weren’t reopening for another week and James wasn’t here to boss me around, I was bored. I would have taken the weekend off to visit friends in South Carolina, but he’d ruined that with his request that I show the nephew around. Dane. I needed to work on saying his name without a hoity lift of my nose. For all I knew, he could be a Billy Badass, not that I was sure that’d be favorable. All I knew at this point was Dane had messed up my last chance to escape Sunset Beach until after Labor Day.
Shortly after noon I heard James’s car pull up in front of the entrance. He really needed to get in the habit of using the assigned parking stalls; otherwise I’d spend the first month of the busy season reminding him he couldn’t leave his car wherever he wanted. I busied myself behind the desk, tapping away at the keyboard, making sure we hadn’t overbooked for the coming month. That was another of James’s problems: he was so paranoid that someone would cancel and we’d have an empty room for a night that he tended to oversell. He didn’t understand, no matter how many times I’d explained it, that it did more harm to the success of the inn than having a room available for a walk-in guest who hadn’t planned on staying overnight.
I stiffened when voices announced someone entering the foyer. Where James’s voice grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard, his nephew’s echoed off the high ceilings, warming me from the inside. His accent was rough, typical of the Northeast, the timbre rich like aged oak. When I looked up, I was immediately grateful for the tall desk between us, because my dick was popping up to greet him. The man was James’s polar opposite. He was tall. I wouldn’t even guess at his height, but I’d be willing to bet he was nearly a foot taller than me. Then again, I could count on always being the short one in any group. His back was broad, framed by messy brown waves that hung just past his shoulders. If I closed my eyes, it’d be easy to imagine what the neatly groomed scruff on his cheeks and jaw would feel like abrading my skin. And his eyes… holy hell, those eyes were so light they were nearly translucent. Playing tour guide was going to be hell, but at least I’d have eye candy.
“Ahh, and there’s Brook,” James announced with feigned joy. I glanced up, biting back a snarky comment. I was annoyed about manning the desk when Dane was our only guest, irritated that I’d had to find alternate accommodations for four families so far due to James overbooking and I’d only verified the month of June, and suspicious of the drastic turn in my boss’s demeanor. “Brook, this is my nephew, Dane Montgomery. As I told you earlier, he’s going to be visiting for a few weeks.”
“Two,” Dane corrected him. “I have to be back in New York intwoweeks.”
James schooled his features, but not quickly enough. I noted the upturned lip, as if he was disgusted by the reminder that his visitor wasn’t here to stay. The entire interaction felt forced. Off. Like they were strangers rather than kin. “Yes, well, let me show you to your room. I think you’ll be pleased with the view.”
“As long as there’s a bed and hot water, I don’t need a fancy view.”
Dammit, why did this guy already have to be breaking down the asshole image I’d built of him in my mind? He was supposed to be pretentious and high-maintenance, not down-to-earth, easy to please, and hotter than Hades in a heatwave.
“If you need anything, call the desk,” I told him before quickly turning back to the damage control I was doing, thanks to a completely inept boss. How had I not realized what he was doing sooner?
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, but thank you.” Dane gave a quick wave before following his uncle down the hall. Memorial Day couldn’t get here quick enough. At least then we’d be busy with guests and I wouldn’t have time to think about the gorgeous guest in room six.
