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“We?” Kayleigh asked.
Was Hudson sticking around to be a part of all of this?
“Metaphorical we?” Hudson said with a lift of his brows. “I mean, I’m still going to be around for a bit because the other issues aren’t resolved yet. But you have the final word, since this is your resort.”
Kayleigh gave a huff of laughter. “I wish it was really mine. To me, this is one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
“Well, I’ve been to places that are, objectively speaking, more beautiful, but this has an aesthetic that exudes a welcoming warmth that can’t be denied.”
She was sure that saying that Serenity Point, Idaho, was the most beautiful place in the world likely made her seem unpolished and less worldly. But for her, beauty went so far beyond the large timber and stone appearance of the resort’s buildings or the towering trees and majestic mountains in the distance.
The beauty of the resort lay in the feelings it drew from her. It was home and safety, and it represented the realization of her dreams.
Kayleigh loved her job, and she loved the resort. It was difficult to see it being so negatively impacted by Liz’s machinations as well as those of whoever was behind the other stuff that had happened.
But she refused to let Liz taint this place that brought her so much joy, and though she wasn’t feeling particularly joyful right then, she’d get it back. She had to.
“We have a pretty steady clientele who return each year,” Kayleigh said. “Which makes me very happy.”
“We seem to have people who are very loyal to our Remington properties. They take vacations at Remington resorts around the world, depending on the season. They go to the one in Bali in the summer for the tropical experience, then come here in winter for the skiing experience.”
“Sometimes I forget just how rich the people who come here are,” Kayleigh said. “But regardless, I’m glad that they’ve decided to spend their dollars here in addition to other Remington locations.”
Hudson grinned, his blue eyes lighting up. “Alexander is glad, too.”
Kayleigh laughed. “I’m sure that’s true.”
“I guess we should make our way over to the restaurant,” Kayleigh said after they’d chatted for a bit longer.
When Hudson would finally leave the resort, she was going to really miss the easy conversations that they shared. But he was still there for the time being, so she was going to just enjoy his presence while she could.
Andrea had left for the day a while ago, so her desk was empty. Kayleigh tried to hype herself up for the meal, but honestly, she was so tired. Even though it meant she wouldn’t get to spend more time with Hudson, she just wanted to go home.
Caren was already at the table when they arrived, and she greeted them with a smile. It didn’t take them too long to place their orders and then get their food.
Kayleigh had thought that perhaps the meal would just be an extension of her workday, but Caren didn’t bring up what had occurred that day. Instead, the conversation bounced through a few different topics, including other Remington locations, vacations they’d been on, and Caren shared a few things about her family.
It wasn’t until they were drinking their after-dinner coffees that Caren turned the conversation back to business.
She offered Kayleigh a gentle smile. “I know today has been difficult for you. In fact, the past few days have likely been extremely difficult for you. I want to thank you for allowing me to step in and handle the investigation. It really was something that was best dealt with by headquarters, given the conflicts and such.”
“I was happy to let you take charge,” Kayleigh said. “It was clear from the beginning that you have more experience handling things like this. And one thing my dad has always taught us is to never let our pride get in the way of how a situation is handled. We all have different strengths, and it’s very evident that dealing with people and incidents like this one is your superpower.”
Caren chuckled. “HR superhero? I’ll take it.”
“Alexander definitely thinks Caren is a superhero,” Hudson said. “He sends her out to handle stuff like this all the time, and I think he’d lose his mind if she ever left Remington to work for another company.”
“I’ve tried to leave,” Caren confessed. “But he’s always convinced me to stay.”
“I can see why,” Kayleigh said. “I don’t think things would have turned out as well had we had to handle this ourselves. Stephanie is great, don’t get me wrong, but since this involved Liz… We’re both too close to her to have been able to deal with her effectively. So thank you for coming and dealing respectfully with us and everyone else involved.”
“I’ll be here for a couple more days, just to make sure everything is taken care of, then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“I hope you’ll come back sometime and actually enjoy all we offer here.”
“I’m not much of a skier, to be honest,” Caren said, gesturing to herself.
“I’m not either,” Kayleigh confessed. “When it comes to winter sports, I’m more of an ice skater. But there’s nothing like curling up in front of a blazing fire with coffee or hot chocolate and a good book. Plus, we do offer spa services, and we have a lovely pool area with different types of pools. Summer is nice, too, especially if you like spending time on the water.”
