I can only do better from here. Is that what I want? To do better? Am I going to continue like this once I am in charge of the lodge? It was nice to get out. Maybe I need to really think a couple of things through, but I’m sure as hell not going to tell Brooke she’s the reason I’m thinking about this. I might not know her very well, but I have a pretty good hunch that she would gloat if she knew she did this to me.
I pull into the lodge's parking lot and head inside to grab a couple of things to look into once I get home.
The lobby is quiet when I enter, and the receptionist waves quickly before returning to whatever she’s doing on the computer.
“Dutton,” a familiar voice says, coming from the direction of the lodge's restaurant and bar.
I turn to find Preston King striding toward me in an expensive suit, his dress shoes clicking on the floor with authority.
My family and his family have been friends since before Iwas born. Our parents were best friends as kids and never grew apart. While the Richfords are only known for the lodge, the Kings own far more companies than I can keep track of, and Preston has put in the work to take over all of them one day.
But seeing as how he’s here, he must need to get away from something.
“Preston.” I shake his hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too.” He lets out a breath. “Life was getting a bit wild there for a moment, and I needed a change of scenery.”
Ah, yes, I’ve read some of the articles printed about him lately. They're starting to turn his bachelor lifestyle into one with a bad light, and I can’t imagine how that would feel to have the entire world watching your every move, waiting for you to fail.
But if anyone finds out about Henry, I have a hunch I'll find out far too quickly. Which is another great motivator to make this work with Brooke.
“Well, you came to the right place,” I tell him, because despite my father’s actions, Lovers Lodge will always offer exclusivity for those who need it.
Preston rubs the back of his neck.
“Is, uh, is your sister around?” he asks nervously.
I chuckle.
“You mean the one person here who is never happy to see you arrive?”
“That’s the one.”
“She went home for the night.”
“Good.” He nods repeatedly. “That’s good. Have a good night, Dutton. I’ll be here for a week, so let’s get together."
“You got it,” I tell him and continue on to my office.
I grab what I need, pausing when I see the sticky note on my computer screen. It’s Grace’s handwriting.
Recruiting Brooke to help you was a dick move. Genius, but dickish. Don’t hurt her.
I repeat the last three words in my head.
Hurting Brooke is the last thing I want to do. In fact, I’m still wondering who had her in tears just a few days ago.
Looks like I’ll be asking Brooke about that tomorrow.
And just the idea of knowing I get to see her again makes me smile all the way back to my truck.
Chapter
Ten
BROOKE
Like the lasttime he came over, Dutton lets himself right in through my front door.
