2. William
2
WILLIAM
A dorable . That was my first thought when I noticed the maid standing in my doorway. She looked young, though I couldn’t guess her age.
There was something so innocent about the way her eyes turned to saucers when she rounded the corner and saw me. The way her pink lips parted into an “O.” I couldn’t help but smile as she moved through the room.
She was so damn cute.
“The bedding is fine,” I said, glancing around the room. “Maybe some more coffee if you have any.”
“Wouldn’t want your stay here to be uncaffeinated,” she quipped with a good-natured twinkle in her eye. Rummaging through a plastic-handled box from her cart, she plucked out a few single-serving coffee pods. “Do you drink decaf?”
“Nah, just regular.”
“I’ll give you some extras,” she said, glancing at the two dirtied mugs and the pile of paper coffee cups in the garbage. “If you run out, feel free to call the front desk. We’ll bring some more up. ”
I peeled my glasses off and rubbed my eyes. “That’ll probably come in handy.”
With practiced efficiency, she bent over, tied the trash bags, and replaced the liners.
Holy shit. I shouldn’t have been ogling the maid, but damn. Watching her bend over like that, I could see straight down that unfortunate polo. She was stacked. Tits like a dream, curves a guy could hold on to, strong arms, and deep brown eyes.
“Are you here for business or pleasure?” Her tongue darted across her lip, wetting it.
I was a goner.
“Business,” I said, lifting my laptop. “I needed a change of scenery. Working from home gets old.”
“Scenery, huh?” she asked, laughing as she floated through the room and tossed the bags into the cart by the door. “Maybe try opening the drapes.”
“Probably a good idea.” I chuckled. The last time I looked up from my computer was right after midnight. With the blackout curtains pulled shut, I hadn’t even realized it was daytime until she scared the shit out of me. “Didn’t realize I had such a dungeon vibe going on in here.”
Her laugh was melodic as she walked over to the drapes. “May I?”
“Go for it,” I said with a nod, catching a whiff of her scent as she passed by me. Rather than smelling like she bathed in perfume, she simply smelled clean. No frills, only the crisp fragrance of laundry detergent and shampoo. I liked that.
She yanked the curtains back with a swoosh, and sunlight flooded the room
It burned.
I winced and groaned, barely able to suppress the urge to hiss like a pissed-off vampire. It was so fucking bright outside.
She unlatched the double French doors and swung them open, allowing a blast of salty sea air to rush in. She breathed deeply and stared out over the water. While her back was still to me, I stole a moment to study her.
The maid was a little thing. Her trim pants stopped right above her ankles. They showed off her incredible ass. The pair of Keds on her feet were spotless—not a single scuff on them. Her white Taylor Creek Inn polo shirt was tucked in at her waist, neat and wrinkle-free. A practical ponytail pulled back her glossy brown hair.
Her appearance screamed no-nonsense .
She turned around and blinded me with a smile. “Much better. Sunlight is proven to help the brain release serotonin, and that will improve your mood.”
“Do I look like I’m in a bad mood?” I asked playfully.
“No, you just seemed frustrated,” she said with a laugh, circling her finger toward my hair. “Fresh air and sunshine will do wonders for your mind.”
So did being around her.
“Is there anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant?” Her soprano Disney princess voice made my dick twitch.
Oh, sweetheart…
I cleared my throat and forced my brain to form words that didn’t sound like they were coming from a horny caveman. I needed to stop thinking with my dick and focus. Business, not pleasure.
I set my laptop down. “Nah. Not unless you have a magic wand that can turn that thing into a coffee maker that makes more than one cup at a time,” I said, pointing at the Keurig. “But I'm probably more of a caffeine addict than most guests.”
“The average guest goes through two coffee pods for an overnight stay. They don’t even touch decaf, and most prefer lighter blends. Probably because the creamer is bland and tastes like milky cardboard.” She paused, cheeks turning red. “Sorry, you didn’t ask for a crash course on hotel coffee consumption trends. I tend to ramble.”
“You’re observant,” I said.
She beamed at the compliment, and it gave me the chance to study the pull of the corners of her eyes when she smiled. The way her nose wrinkled and the corner of her mouth twitched.
But as fast as the smile came, it left.
She shrugged. “The more I notice, the more I can help steer the ship in the right direction. Make things better for our guests, cut down on waste…”
I raised my eyebrows. “The inn must be lucky to have you.”
She blushed again, then checked her watch. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can get back to work. Are you staying another night?”
“Two weeks, actually.” I glanced over my shoulder at the shimmering water just outside the balcony. “Figured it was time for some fresh air.”
She tugged a business card out of her pocket and handed it to me. “If there’s anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable, just let me know, Mr.—”
I took the card from her and ran my finger along the edge. “Solomon. Will Solomon.”
Kristin Boyd, the card read. Head Housekeeper.
My stomach grumbled loud enough to hear over my headphones. I glanced at the time.
Shit.
I’d been so focused on my project, I didn’t notice that several hours had passed. That always happened. There was no earthly reason for it. No deadline loomed over me, but I had a way of pushing myself like it did.
But I was bored and didn’t know how to not work .
With another groan, my stomach threatened to eat its way out of my body. I powered down my laptop, stuck it in the safe, punched the code into the keypad, and locked it up. I tossed my glasses down, grabbed my wallet off the desk, and shoved it into my back pocket. I remembered seeing a McDonald’s by the Piggly Wiggly on my drive into Beaufort.
The dollar menu was calling my name.
Ah, hell. I turned from the open door and began a quick sweep through the room for my phone. Losing that damn thing had become a full-blown habit. It didn’t help that I could go days at a time without checking it. That never struck me as a bad thing, but everyone else in my life disagreed.
“There you are,” I muttered, pulling it from between the cushions of the loveseat on the other side of my suite.
I wasn’t one to splurge, but I was here for two weeks, so I sprung for a bigger room. Might as well be comfortable.
I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Yikes. My hair was standing up on end like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket. It reminded me of when I pulled all-nighters during my undergrad at MIT almost two decades ago.
I grabbed my ball cap and pulled it on as the hotel room door slammed behind me.
Moving quickly with my head down, I took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. I’d almost made it to the front doors when a familiar voice grabbed my attention.
“Do you mind if I change in your office?” Kristin’s words carried through the lobby. A brunette dressed to the nines walked beside her.
“Of course. You know I don’t care,” the brunette chirped. Her high heels clicked as they made their way across the marble floor. “Do you need a ride over to Maddie’s since Mel is taking you home?”
“Nah,” Kristin said, yanking her hair out of the ponytail and flipping her head over before standing up straight again. The strands fell on her shoulders like a cascade of dark chocolate. “I’m just gonna drive over there tonight.”
The brunette eyed her sternly. “Get a ride with Mel or have Chase take you home. You need to blow off some steam, babe. Stop being so damn responsible for, like, three hours.”
Kristin shook her head. “I can’t. I got a call earlier from the school, and they...”
Her voice trailed off as she and the brunette slipped into a narrow hallway obscured by a potted ficus.
The blistering August heat smacked me in the face as I strode outside to the parking lot. Jeans and a pullover had been a ridiculous choice, but my thoughts were too fixed on Kristin to care. I didn’t know why, but part of me hoped I’d see her again soon. Numbers rolled through my mind as I walked toward my truck, and I smiled at the probability.
It was high.
Beaufort wasn’t much of a change in scenery from my home in New Bern, but it was nice to get out of my house. I was usually hands-off when my investment company acquired new properties. But the forty-five minute drive wasn’t that bad, and I wanted to scope things out now that I had purchased the Taylor Creek Inn.
Hotel management didn’t interest me at all. Plenty of talented people worked for me that could handle the day-to-day. But I wanted to see the place make money, so I decided to snoop around as soon as we got the metaphorical keys.
People tended to be more transparent if they didn’t know you signed their paycheck. I was great at cruising through life undetected.
I sank into the driver’s seat of my pickup truck as waves of heat rolled up the dash like a mirage. I cracked the window and cranked up. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I glanced at the screen. Spenser Crenshaw— Isaac Lawson’s gopher .
I sent the call to voicemail.
Spenser was pretty chill compared to some of the executive assistants I had the misfortune of interacting with. Still, I detested the formality of going through a gatekeeper to speak with someone. If Lawson needed something, he could call or text me himself like a normal human being.
As I eased out of the parking lot, a banged-up car in the gravel lot behind the inn let out a banshee scream. I slammed on breaks and whipped my head around. The driver smacked the steering wheel before flopping back against the seat. I pulled into the gravel lot and jerked the gearshift into park.
“Everything okay?” I called over as I hopped out of my truck. When the driver kicked open her door and stepped out, I realized it was the housekeeper from earlier, and smiled.
Probability, baby.
Kristin’s dark hair spilled over her shoulders as she got out and popped the hood. She’d exchanged her uniform for a ripped pair of denim shorts that hugged her ass, and a tank-top knotted at the waist. A strip of tan skin peeked out as the hem rode up. Her feet were in a pair of foam flip-flops that looked just big enough for a doll.
“Oh, Mr. Solomon?—”
“Please, call me Will,” I said, wincing as the sputtering car heaved like it was taking its last breath. “You need a hand?”
A waft of black smoke puffed out of the exhaust, and Kristin groaned.
I offered a sympathetic smile. “You know, it might be time to call the coroner.” I glanced at the watch on my wrist. “Time of death: quarter after five.”
She pressed her fingertips into her eyes and muttered, “This is the last thing I need today.”
“You want a ride?”
She looked around, and then at her phone, and then back at the inn. She was flustered and blinking back tears. “That, um, that’s very kind,” she said with a tremor in her voice. “I’m just gonna call a friend to come get me.”
There was no earthly reason for me to care, but it bothered me to see Kristin so flustered and upset. It ruined my day to watch her day fall apart, and I didn’t understand why.
I hated the idea of her sweating it out in the hellish million degree heat until a friend got here. And I didn’t want to leave her standing in a secluded parking lot by herself.
I cleared my throat to break the silence. “You know, I’m half decent with cars. I could take a look while you wait for your ride. Might be a quick fix, and it’ll save you a tow and a bill from a mechanic.”
Kristin shook her head. “You were on your way out...”
I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my jeans and shrugged. “I was just running out to grab something to eat. Getting some of that sunshine and fresh air, you know?”
Despite her steeled expression, the internal battle raging in her mind was obvious. I could see it in those anxious brown eyes. She wasn’t going to ask for help.
“You got any dinner recommendations?” I asked, distracting her as I moved to look beneath the hood.
Her brown eyes tracked my every step. They were cautious and untrusting. Not like I could make this pile of scrap metal any worse.
“Revanche is excellent,” she said, pointing to the big brick building across the street. “The food is amazing. It’s one of the best restaurants in the country. If you're feeling seafood, The Sanitary in Morehead is a local landmark. There are a few good spots across the bridge in Atlantic Beach if you want something with an ocean view.”
I chuckled as I tinkered with the motor. “I guess I err on the side of casual. I was gonna swing through a drive-through and grab a burger or something. Which one of those places is your favorite? Revanche?”
Kristin shrugged as she fired off a text. “I’m not fancy enough for Revanche. I’m friends with the owner and the pastry chef, so sometimes I get to be the guinea pig for new menu items.” She cracked a smile. “It’s a cool perk.”
“Any good local joints that won’t be filled with tourists?” I asked, continuing to assess the engine. Was that duct tape holding the alternator together?
She tucked her phone in the back pocket of her shorts and hunched over the engine beside me. “There’s a twenty-four hour diner a few miles away. Killer breakfast, and Ethel’s the sweetest. If you want burgers, fries, and cheap beer on tap, there’s a bar a little ways down Highway 101.”
“You drink there often?” I wasn’t so much looking for a recommendation as much as I was trying to figure out how old she was. Sure, her employee records could’ve told me as much. But for some stupid reason, I wanted to talk to her.
She peered over her shoulder as if she was waiting for someone. “Whenever I get a night off.”
I looked up from half-rusted engine parts and studied her cautiously.
A slow smile drew up her lips. “What?”
I chuckled and wiped my grease-streaked hands on my jeans. “I can’t imagine you drinking a beer.”
It was either a blush or heat-stroke that stained her cheeks. I hoped it was a blush. Everything about her was drop dead sexy mixed with pure innocence. I was ready to eat it up.
“Like I said,” she laughed, “I’m not fancy.”
“What’s the bar called?” A burger and a beer sounded amazing.
“It’s called Jokers, but there’s no sign outside. Keep going on Highway 101 past the airfield. It’s on the left about a mile up the road. Look for a shack on a gravel lot with a bunch of cars and a neon beer sign in the window.”
“Will you be there tonight?” The words were out before my brain could stop them.
She shook her head. “No, I’ve got, um… I have to go to a thing tonight.”
A truck crunched through the gravel, and Kristin snapped to attention. A man wearing a dress shirt, jeans, and dress shoes hopped out of the driver’s seat. There was a gun holstered on his belt and a shiny badge clipped beside it.
Kristin wrung her hands as the man approached. She didn’t have a ring on her finger. Was that her boyfriend? Brother?
“Please tell me she finally died,” the man said when he got within earshot. “That car is a rolling coffin.”
Kristin shoved her hands in her pockets. “I’m gonna see if Steve can get her running for a few more weeks.”
Well that was just great. Who the hell was Steve? Did she have an endless pool of gentleman callers?
The man gave her a doubtful look. “Kris, I think it’s time to let her go.”
Kristin looked like she’d rather go with the clunker into car heaven than continue this conversation.
“I’m Will,” I said, extending my hand to him. “Nice to meet you.”
He raised his brow, eyes darting between Kristin and me as he shook my hand. “Chase Brannan.”
Looks like I’d be getting my dinner to-go and doing a deep dive on Kristin and Chase.
Chase peered around at the back of the car. “Your tags are still expired. You’re gonna get pulled over.”
She sighed. “Well, if the car can’t be resurrected, at least I won’t have wasted money.” Her tone shifted from distress to resignation .
The head of housekeeping at a prestigious hotel like the Taylor Creek Inn shouldn’t be scrimping by. The desperation in Kristin’s voice left me with more questions than answers.