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Hudson elbowed me. “Your woman looks all official up there.”
Pride swelled in my chest, not because of the “official” part of his statement—I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about that—but because of the “your woman” part.
“She looks like she belongs there,” I replied.She belongs here with me in the Carolina Banks.
Hudson eyed me. “And the resort? Does it belong?”
I shrugged. I still wasn’t wild about the idea, but I was slowly coming around. My fellow islanders had voted for it, so I would have to trust that they had known what they were doing. It was a tall order for me, but I was working on it.
The ceremony ended, and the real workers started packing up the equipment. Claire shook Mayor Stoltz’s hand and walked over to join Hudson and me.
He made a sweeping motion with his hand. “Pretty good crowd.” A fair number of locals had shown up, probably because it was still the off-season and they didn’t have anything better to do. Or it might have been out of sheer curiosity.
Seeming pleased, Claire nodded. “These events are boring. It’s all about the photo op for the media. Hopefully, they got my good side.”
I hooked my arm around her waist. “Honey, all your sides are good sides.”
Hudson grimaced. “Does that line work for you?” he asked Claire.
Gazing adoringly at me, she grinned. “Actually, it does.”
My brother put his hands on his hips. “Huh. If you ever get tired of his lame-ass lines, feel free to move on to a man who really knows how to talk to a lady.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Before I could threaten my brother with bodily harm, Claire quipped, “I know someone who would love to hear your lines.” She subtly pointed to the edge of the crowd, where Mrs. Sullivan was leaning on her walker.
Hudson grinned. “The lady can’t help it if she has good taste.”
“Didn’t you say she has chartreuse houndstooth wallpaper?” Claire asked without missing a beat.
Scowling, Hudson pointed at me. “You’re a bad influence on her.” He walked away, cursing me under his breath.
“What do you think?” I asked Claire. “Am I a bad influence?”
Her mouth stretched wide, and she had a suggestive look in her eyes. “Only in the best ways possible.”
Groaning, I leaned my forehead against hers. “Are you sure you have to go?”
Sighing, she checked the time on her smart watch. “Yes, and I need to leave in the next five minutes, or I might miss my flight.”
She was now a permanent Markham employee. Her job wasn’t clearly defined, but that was what she liked about it—there was always a new challenge. This week, Phil was sending her to one of his resorts in Atlanta as a spy—my word, not theirs. If pretending to be a guest and reporting back to the boss wasn’t spying, then I didn’t know what was.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?”
She shook her head. “You’re busy with the renovations. Plus, you’re on doggy duty.” She knelt down in front of Maggie and scratched her ears, letting the canine cover her face in kisses. “I’m going to miss you so much! You be good for Bennett, okay?”
“There you go, making me jealous of a dog again,” I muttered.
Claire straightened. Giving me a coy smile, she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me in a way that probably made poor old Mrs. Sullivan blush. “Is that better?”
It was so much better.
***
