Operation Valentine (Hazel Oaks Resort Book 1)

by Kelsey McKnight

  “Sorry, I don’t have any idea what’s wrong.”

  “It’s a pretty full schedule.”

  She sat down at her desk and cupped her mug. So much for a little relaxing work to take her mind off her meeting. “Aren’t you a full-time adventure coordinator?”

  “Yes, but I have a conflict at four I’m pretty sure I emailed you about. Can you reschedule the Johnsons?”

  “No, Hudson, I need you to work. The Johnsons are a great couple, really, and they’ve been looking forward to taking the hike to the greenhouse before the end of their stay. I’ve got a little dinner basket that Terry has plans to pack. They couldn’t come for Valentine’s Day, so this is their Valentine’s. This sunset picnic amongst the flowers with the different colors going through the greenhouse glass. I mean, come on, they have to do that.”

  “I got it. I’ll make it up to them. I just can’t do it today.”

  “They’re leaving tomorrow at three. You don’t have time to make it up to them, and this was going to be their grand, romantic outing.”

  He grinned widely and swiped his schedule off her desk. “Oh, I’ll make the time. I’m a romance expert. Don’t stress it. And if you think it’s really a bad call, then I’m sure I can get Jordan to take on the extra gig. He’s been begging me for more hours. Your call.” He tapped her desk twice and walked away.

  No, the Johnsons deserved the outing she planned for them. They were a cute and happily married couple in their forties. They had four kids and were on the first vacation they’d taken without them. The hike was one of the reasons they’d chosen to come to Hazel Oaks. Apparently, they used to hike all the time and hadn’t been in forever. No. She was the head concierge, and she’d make sure they had the perfect romantic weekend. Unfortunately, that weekend required Hudson. She straightened her blazer and followed him out of the office.

  “Hudson,” she said loudly as he sped away from her. He didn’t turn around, so she upped her pace, finally catching up to him before he reached the glass doors in the lobby that led out to the garden maze. Cold air slipped inside when he tried to escape her, but she pushed the door closed and turned to face him, lips pursed and jaw clenched.

  “Look, I’m sorry about the Johnsons, I really am. I just can’t today,” he said firmly.

  “That’s not acceptable.”

  “Natalie, something came up and I’m sorry. I’ll be here tomorrow. Why don’t I take them on a sunrise hike? They can have breakfast instead of dinner. It’ll be romantic. You’ll be happy, they’ll be happy, everyone wins.”

  “And what am I supposed to do with them tonight?”

  “Well, see, that’s why you’re the boss. All those brilliant ideas of yours. I’m sure you’ll think of something great. True, it won’t be as good as my idea tomorrow morning, but really, give it your best shot,” he said, placing a hand on the door. Then he dropped it and turned to Nat, the light smile gone, quickly replaced by worry lines at his eyes. “I’m sorry. I really am. Something just came up and I am truly the only one who can handle it. Please.”

  Nat wasn’t used to seeing him so serious, let alone asking her so genuinely for something. She let out a deep breath, hoping some of her frustration would leave with it. “I’ll work something out.”

  “Appreciate it. Tomorrow will be perfect; you’ll be so impressed with me you’ll completely forget about today. In fact, you may even be singing my name. Shall I get you some tea to loosen up your vocal cords?”

  “If you don’t go now, I will force you to stay here.”

  “Tough and brilliant. I like that in a boss. See you later.”

  Nat massaged her temples with her fingertips, trying to calm the migraine that was undoubtably on its way. From the clear glass of the door, she watched Hudson walking through the snow-dusted maze. And for a moment, curiosity overtook her frustration. He’d never told her what he was doing. True, it wasn’t her business, but Hudson wasn’t a flake. He was annoying, but he was good at his job and that was why she’d scheduled the Johnsons with him in the first place. She couldn’t help but wonder what he would consider so important that he had to cancel.

  Whatever it was, she couldn’t worry about it then. Mr. Sutton would be there soon, and the coffee in her office was probably just warm enough to get down. Besides, now she had to plan a romantic scene to rival roses at sunset.

  *

  By ten, Nat was feeling much better. Terry had agreed to make the Johnsons a special five-course meal for a romantic dinner they’d share in the historic study. She’d sent her assistant Rebecca to the store to get decorations for some splashes of color and cheer for a Valentine’s meal they’d never forget. She’d even called Mimi’s Boutique to see if they could send over some dresses for Mrs. Johnson to pick from. Take that Hudson. She could do romance way better than him. It was a woman thing, all this romance. Guys just didn’t get it.

  She tried not to look at her watch as she waited at the concierge’s welcome station in the lobby beside the check-in desk. Mr. Sutton was due any second now and looking at her watch wouldn’t change that. Instead, she organized and reorganized everything she could get her hands on. This space was used by the entire concierge team as a way to invite guests to sign up for different activities and events, making it much less tidy than she would have liked. She added new pamphlets to the desk so that each stack advertising the local shops, the adventure activities, and the spa amenities all had seven pamphlets facing the correct direction neatly. Then she refilled the gold cup with more Hazel Oaks pens and fixed the small stack of concierge business cards. She was almost done with that when a man in a very expensive suit walked into the lobby.

  He had white hair that was slicked back, a gold watch, and a big, white smile. Nat watched as he greeted everyone in the lobby, shaking hands, taking time to interact with each guest he saw. Then, he turned to the front desk and started the same thing with each of the employees. This wasn’t the boss she’d imagined. He had hotels all over the country and even some overseas. The Sutton name was recognized as one of the richest around and here he was, taking time to know exactly who was working for him.

  Maybe that was the point of the meeting. Maybe he wanted to get to know her since she directly interacted with the guests, ensuring they all had a great stay. It would make sense. Her nerves relaxing some, she continued to watch Mr. Sutton, ready for when it would be her turn, liking him a little more with each hand he shook.

  “Who’s that?” asked a voice at her shoulder.

  Nat jumped. Hudson was leaning against the desk, twirling one of the pens she’d just replenished between his fingers. She hadn’t even heard him walk over, let alone stand that close to her. He smelled good, almost like Christmas. Maybe it was the pine trees’ scent or the light hint of snow on his hair. He was definitely in his element outside. If only he didn’t irritate her so much when he was inside. She could’ve stayed annoyed at him, frustration oozing from her body, but she’d worked it out, and now the Johnsons would have two Valentine’s Day meals. So instead, she turned to him and pasted on her smile.

  “That’s the boss, Mr. Sutton.”

  “Oh. Wonder why he’s here.”

  “To see me.”

  He turned and looked at her, eyes squinted, brow furrowed. “I say this with all the respect I can muster, but why would he come here to see you? He doesn’t usually come here, right? Is everything alright? Is HR involved? Do you want me to come in the meeting with you, so there’s like, I don’t know, a witness?”

  Nat was taken aback. That was actually really considerate of him. And then she thought about what he said. Should she have contacted HR? Should she have a witness there? Maybe Anna, the assistant manager would be a good rep. Nat should’ve gone to her about the meeting in the first place, but she had been too wrapped up in her own nervous energy to think that far ahead. But he was right; that would’ve been the responsible thing to do instead of stifling her nerves with coffee.

  “Natalie, you there?” he a
sked, waving his hand in front of her face.

  She shook her head and blinked a few times. “Sorry, yeah, I’m here. Um, that’s sweet of you. Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of that. Let me give Anna a call. She can meet me here and—”

  “Too late, here he comes.”

  “Natalie Keller,” Mr. Sutton said, arms open upon seeing her. He immediately took her hand and shook it. “I am so glad you’re here. Do you have a couple moments for us to talk? It’ll be quick and then you can get straight back to work. I’ve heard you’re quite the dedicated worker, and I’d hate to take up any time you need for our guests.”

  Nat took a deep breath. He’d said she could go back to work. She wasn’t being fired. She could handle whatever he threw at her now. “Yes, sir. Would you like to go into the study? We’re setting up a private dinner so it’s completely empty at the moment as my team prepares.” There was no way she was having him in her tiny, sparse office.

  “A private dinner sounds lovely. But I’ve heard you’re an excellent concierge, so that doesn’t surprise me. No, you and I can chat right here.” Then he turned to Hudson and offered his hand. “George Sutton, are you a guest here?”

  “No, sir. I’m one of the adventure coordinators here. Hudson Dougal.”

  “Yes, Hudson. Nice to meet you. Actually, why don’t you stick around for this chat. Natalie may need your help.”

  “I’d love to, sir. I do have an appointment in twenty minutes. I’m taking a couple guests horseback riding before lunch. Will I be able to make it?”

  “Yes, this will be a quick chat.” He glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his voice a bit to address them. “With Valentine’s Day coming up, I have a special project for, well, for you two. My best friends, Marvin and Mina Kent are coming in two days. They’ll be here for two weeks and leave the fifteenth.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” Nat said, taking a notepad out of the top drawer and then reached into the cup, grabbing a pen. She wrote down the dates and names. “We will make sure to give them the full VIP treatment. Don’t you worry. Your friends will have the time of their lives.”

  “While normally that is all I would ask for, this is a special case. I got a call from their daughter, Louise. Apparently…” He paused, as if unsure of how to say his next words. “The Kents are not doing so well. Louise is worried they may be close to divorce.”

  Nat was no stranger to catering to stressed couples, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “I’m sorry to hear that, sir. Would you like me to book a second suite? Just in case?”

  “No, the exact opposite, I want you to fix it.”

  “What?” Nat didn’t mean to be so informal, but the single word slipped out in her surprise.

  “I realize this isn’t normally either of your job descriptions, but I would consider this a personal favor, not to your boss, but to me. Here’s the thing. Louise booked their stay here since it’s where they had their honeymoon. They also came for their first anniversary. This is a special place for them. I’m hoping you can do things, like the private dinner in the study, to get the romance back on track.”

  “I don’t know, sir,” Nat started. She loved the idea of bringing two people together, but they were the boss’s friends. What if something went wrong? What if she couldn’t bring the couple back together and Mr. Sutton took it personally? She loved her job.

  The panic she’d felt earlier slowly started to creep back. She looked over at Hudson, trying to read him, to see if he felt the same. But that goofy smile was still on his face. She couldn’t tell if he was stressed or worried or even bored. His gaze flickered in her direction. For a beat they held eye contact, then it was gone, and he was looking back at their boss.

  “Mr. Sutton,” Hudson began, his smile not as vibrant as before, “we are truly sorry about your friends. But what if we can’t keep them together, or we make it worse?”

  Mr. Sutton waved a dramatic hand in front of him, as if washing away their fears. “Listen, you two. This is a request from one man to two people. I am not ordering you to help. You can tell me right now that you aren’t interested, and I won’t comment on it again. If it works out, great, I’ll be thrilled, but you won’t receive a bonus or a raise or anything like that. If it doesn’t, you won’t be fired or reprimanded. This isn’t official. I just…I just want the best for my friends, but I understand if you don’t want to help.”

  Nat’s heart went out to him. She had no idea Mr. Sutton had a heart like that. To be honest, she knew very little about him. But from the few minutes she’d watched him, and from their conversation, she knew she had to help him. She couldn’t let him down. “Sir,” she said, rounding the desk to stand before him, “I’d be honored to help your friends. Everyone deserves another chance. I’ll truly do my best.” She extended her hand out to him, ready to shake on the deal.

  The man exhaled; his whole body instantly relaxing. He took her proffered hand and shook it vigorously. “Thank you, thank you, Natalie. You need to know I appreciate your time. I just hope it won’t take away from time with your own valentine,” he teased jovially.

  Nat forced a laugh, trying to match his enthusiasm. She wasn’t going to tell him just how single she actually was. Though, it meant that she had plenty of time to help.

  “I’ll help too, Mr. Sutton. I’ve got the time,” Hudson said, the wide grin back. “Natalie and I will make a great team.”

  Nat’s mouth dropped open before she could help herself. She quickly closed it and fixed her customer service smile back on. She didn’t need Hudson’s help, and she definitely didn’t want it. What if he had something else to do? What if he bailed again? No, it was better she took care of things alone. “Oh, Hudson, it’s alright. I have this under control. I know you’re pretty busy with all of your adventure activities. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Nonsense, Natalie. I’m happy to help.”

  “Right, with the activities I schedule for you to do with them.”

  “With the planning too. Maybe you’ll need a guy’s perspective.”

  “Actually,” Mr. Sutton said, interrupting their overly polite bickering, “I think that’s a good idea to get two perspectives on this. Thank you both very much. I’m going to get to know the rest of the staff but call me if you need anything at all. Have a great day.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and pulled out two sleek business cards, handing one to each of them. “This has my direct number if there are any problems. If I don’t answer and it’s an emergency, feel free to use the cell.” Then he waved and sauntered off, his booming personality welcoming more people as he went.

  When he was out of earshot, Nat turned to Hudson. “Really, Hudson, I get that you’re busy. I’ll handle all of this, don’t worry.”

  “I don’t know. This could be my shot at looking good in front of the boss. I’ve got my eyes on a spot at one of his California hotels. This might help me get there.”

  “Didn’t you just hear him? Helping isn’t going to boost your place in the company.”

  “Oh yeah,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Doing a favor for the boss will in no way help my career. That’s probably why you don’t want me to help. You want the A in the group project all to yourself.”

  Nat rolled her eyes too and sighed. He made her feel like she was back in high school for all the wrong reasons. “That’s not what I’m doing. I’m not selfish like that.”

  “Besides, women don’t know anything about planning romance.”

  Nat scoffed, tore the sheet of paper with the information out of the notebook, then slipped it back into the drawer. “Seriously? Women are all about the romance.” She placed the pen back in the gold cup, adjusting it slightly so the logo would face the guests. “Why do you think women don’t know anything about it?”

  “Think about it.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice, as if letting her in on some big secret. “In every book, movie, song, who usually has to do the grand gesture? The guy. Who’
s bringing flowers and setting up flash dance mobs and running through the airport before the plane takes off? The guy. Romance is a man’s game.”

  “Right, but why does the guy need to do the grand gesture? It’s usually because he’s done something stupid and he needs to fix it.”

  “Whoa, that’s mighty negative. So, I guess women never do anything wrong in relationships.”

  “No, actually, we’re perfect. At least I am,” she said primly, carefully folding her paper in half.

  Hudson laughed out loud; a deep sound that echoed in the high ceilings of the lobby. It made Nat glance around to make sure he didn’t disturb anyone. “Then don’t you think you owe it to womankind to teach me your ways? Seriously, one day, I’m gonna get married and I’ll be able to look back at this Valentine’s Day and say that I learned all about love from the best. So, after my sunrise breakfast with the Johnsons, we can meet up and plan.”

  “Fine.” Nat didn’t have it in her to argue with him. He’d probably come to the first little meeting, then get bored and wander off, bailing on another of his responsibilities. It was easier to play along, but plan on her own.

  “Besides, if I do well and impress the boss, I’ll be on my way to California by summer and out of your hair. See, it’s a win/win,” he said with a grin. “Catch you later, Natalie.”

  Nat fought the urge to smile when he was gone. That man was infuriating, but he also intrigued her. The sunrise picnic was a good idea, more romantic than she figured him capable of. If they really had to work together, and he actually showed up when she needed him, she just hoped his one good idea wouldn’t be the only one.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Hudson

  Hudson returned from the hike starving. He had to get to the Spartan Gym in half an hour, but if he didn’t grab a sandwich or something first, he wouldn’t do anyone any good.

  He pulled off his gloves, stuffing them in the pocket of his coat as he went the back way into the kitchen in search of something to eat. Terry stood at one of the long, silver prep tables chopping a tomato with the kind of skill he only saw on cooking shows on TV.