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“I need an all-access card,” Kayleigh said.
The woman looked back at Kayleigh with a frown. “All access?”
“Yep. This is Hudson St. James, and he’s here from Remington headquarters in New York. He needs a card that allows him to go wherever he needs to while he’s here.”
“Okay.” She gave Hudson a smile, then waved him over to her desk. “Let’s get you set up.”
The woman introduced herself as Stephanie Bedard as he joined her at the desk, then she walked him through the process of setting up the all-access card. Kayleigh was speaking with one of the other women present, but Hudson couldn’t hear what they were talking about since that desk was on the other side of the room.
“You’re all set,” the woman said as she handed over the card, which was attached to a coiled band like Kayleigh had wrapped around her wrist.
“Thank you.” Hudson took the card and slid the band onto his right wrist.
He appreciated that Kayleigh had initiated getting him the access. It would mean he could wander wherever he wanted and experience the behind-the-scenes stuff that he hadn’t been able to see when he’d been there as a guest. He’d thought that he’d have to ask for it, so he was appreciative of her getting clearance for him without his prompting.
“Ready to go?” Kayleigh asked as he joined her.
Hudson nodded, curious about where she’d take him next. They said goodbye to the women there, then headed back out into the hall to retrace their steps to the elevator.
“Is there someplace else I can show you? Or do you just want to wander on your own?”
Hudson checked his watch. “Would you mind grabbing some lunch so we can talk a bit more? Then I’ll let you get on with your day.”
Kayleigh hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Sure. The Steakhouse has a nice lunch menu.”
“Sounds good. I’ve enjoyed the food I’ve had there so far.”
Once they reached the main floor, they made their way in the direction of the Steakhouse. Each of the Remington resorts was decorated differently, although they all had an elegant, upscale look to them.
This particular resort leaned more toward rustic elegance. That seemed like an oxymoron, but it worked for the location. The interior had a mix of huge timbers and stone. There were fireplaces and overstuffed couches spread throughout the reception area.
“Hi, Kayleigh.” The hostess at the restaurant’s entrance greeted her with a smile. “Here for lunch?”
“Yes, please.”
The hostess turned her smile briefly on Hudson as she picked up a couple of menus from the stand. “Please follow me.”
She led them through the restaurant to a small booth near the back. Hudson waited for Kayleigh to sit down before he slid into the booth opposite her. The hostess handed them each a menu as she told them the lunch specials for the day.
The restaurant wasn’t too busy, but they were a little early, so Hudson assumed business would pick up.
“Do you have a recommendation?” Hudson asked as he looked through the menu.
“I usually go for soup or salad for lunch.” She glanced up at him. “But I’ve heard good things about the steak sandwich. Also, the steak fajita.”
“So you go to a steakhouse and have a salad?”
Kayleigh chuckled. “Well, it’s a grilled steak salad, so I think it’s okay.”
“I’ll have to reserve judgment,” Hudson told her.
When their server showed up to take their order, Hudson decided to go with the steak sandwich. The woman greeted Kayleigh with friendly familiarity, and Kayleigh asked her about her family, mentioning them by name.
Hudson watched the interaction with interest. Each employee that Kayleigh spoke with seemed to blossom under her attention. He didn’t think she was faking her care and concern.
“Do you know all the employees and their families?” Hudson asked once it was just the two of them.
“Not all, unfortunately. But if they’ve been here for any length of time, I know their name, and possibly some information about their families, depending on whether they’ve decided to share personal stuff with me.”
