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“I have to say it’s one of the more intense situations I’ve been involved in since I started this job.”
“Really?” Skepticism laced the word. “Didn’t you just deal with a man who tried to fake renovations in order to benefit a friend or something?”
Hudson nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t know any of the people involved. It’s much less intense when I’m dealing with people and situations in which I have no personal stake.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Kayleigh said. “I definitely had a personal stake in Wilder’s case. Honestly, I have a personal stake in everything that happens here.”
“And that’s the way it should be,” Hudson told her. “After all, this is your responsibility, and I’ve seen how you interact with the guests and the employees. Your heart is here.”
“It is,” Kayleigh agreed. “It really is.”
“On the other hand, I don’t have a place that is strictly my responsibility, so I don’t become as personally involved with the people I’m dealing with.”
Hudson wasn’t sure which was worse. Being too involved or not having close ties in his work environment. Seeing the drain the previous day’s happenings had taken on Kayleigh, he was inclined to think it was better not to have those ties.
However, he wouldn’t want to give up the connection he’d forged with Kayleigh, which he enjoyed immensely. Even the moments when they ran in silence side by side on treadmills.
After an hour, Kayleigh pressed the button to turn her machine off. He’d noticed she hadn’t reached the fast pace she usually did, which made him think that she was as tired as she looked.
She went into the changing room, and when she came back out, she said, “Hope you have a good day.”
“You too.” Hudson wanted to see her later, but he also didn’t want to distract her from her work. “If you need a break at any point, or want to meet up for lunch, let me know.”
“I will,” she said. “But no promises. I have a ton of work to get through.”
Hudson hoped she wasn’t using the work to avoid meeting up with him. He didn’t want to think that she was tiring of him, because hedefinitelywasn’t tired of her.
Since he’d spent a lot of time on the treadmill recently, he took some time to lift weights. Once he got back to the suite, he’d be dealing with a bunch of emails and phone calls, and he just needed a little more time to himself.
The one problem with being three hours behind New York was that Caleb and Alexander had already been at work for an hour or more. As soon as he made contact with either one, his day would be off and running.
Between a ton of emails, phone calls, and reading reports, the morning flew by, and when there was finally a lull in it all, it was already after one. As soon as he realized it was past lunch, his stomach growled, so he ordered something from room service.
While he waited for the food to arrive, Hudson paced the suite, stretching out his legs. Working at tables that didn’t have ergonomic chairs, his back frequently let him know that he needed to get up and stretch.
He wondered how Kayleigh’s day was going. Hopefully, she wasn’t dealing with too many interruptions so that she could get caught up.
His food had just been delivered when Caren called to see if she could meet with him. After she assured him that she didn’t mind if he ate while they talked, he told her to come to the suite.
He hoped she wasn’t coming up to let him know that something more had developed that needed their attention. The thefts he’d come to deal with initially still needed to be resolved, but until a new lead popped up, there was really nothing he could do.
“How has your morning gone?” Caren asked as she stepped into the suite a few minutes later.
“Well, you know the drill when we’re away from the office. The emails and phone calls don’t stop.”
“Tell me about it,” Caren said as she sat down at the table. “I’m scheduled to go back to New York tomorrow afternoon. As long as something more doesn’t come up.”
Hudson angled a look at her as he lifted his sandwich. “Do you anticipate something might?”
“No. But there’s always a chance. Especially when you’re dealing with someone like Liz.”
“Do you think she’ll sue?”
“I’d like to think not,” Caren said. “But given her mindset, I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried it. Just to see.”
“If she makes Alexander spend money on lawyers just to see, he’s going to be petty enough to turn around and sue her back.”
Caren chuckled. “That is a likely scenario, but I have to say that I’ll try my best to talk him out of that particular path if he seems so inclined.”
