Operation Valentine (Hazel Oaks Resort Book 1)

by Kelsey McKnight

  “Oh, get something to wear when you’re out with your young man. I bet the pair of you are going to be following Marvin and me tonight, aren’t you?”

  Her cheeks flamed and she was glad Mina was in a dressing room and out of sight. “Hudson isn’t my young man. And we don’t follow you. We just assist in cultivating a festive and romantic atmosphere for all of our esteemed guests.”

  “Well, if you’re going to assist, I need you to dress the part. And who knows, maybe when Hudson sees you in this dress, he’ll assist you straight into a dance.” There was laughter in her voice. “Go on, find something spectacular. I won’t pick a dress until you do.”

  Nat appreciated Mina’s good mood and found it almost catching. It was so different than the quiet and reserved woman she’d seen so far. That note had made her giddy. And that attitude, it warmed Nat’s heart. She supposed there was nothing wrong with getting a special dress, especially if it was going to make Mina happy. She’d already planned on staying late to ensure the salsa night went well. Why not dress the part?

  “Okay,” Nat said as she stood up. “You twisted my arm. I’ll find something to wear, all right?”

  “Perfect, and Natalie, make sure you pick it out with Hudson in mind. I think when you plan your outfit with a man in mind, it means more when he tells you you’re beautiful.”

  Instead of correcting her again, Nat began perusing the racks, looking for something she loved. And maybe something he’d love. Nat flipped through the dresses, trying not to stress about her Hudson concerns. It was just a dress.

  Then she went into the dressing room beside Mina’s. While she went above and beyond for all of her guests, she had never tried on outfits in order to fit in or trailed a married couple as they worked on reviving their marriage. That was certainly a new one, and she wasn’t sure exactly how she felt. It seemed like time and attendance fraud if she were being honest. She was shopping for herself while on the clock. But then again, if Mr. Sutton were here, she knew he’d allow this. Well, she’d use her own credit card and not the resort’s to buy the dress. It would help with the awkwardness she felt.

  The last dress in the pile didn’t look like much on the hanger, sort of shapeless and dull. She was sure she was going to pick another losing outfit. But when she put it on and inspected herself in the floor length mirror in the dressing room, she was beyond pleasantly surprised. The red wasn’t bright, nor was it dull as she first thought. It had three-quarter-length sleeves and a deep V-neck. The butter-soft fabric hugged her torso, then flared out, leaving the hem to float just above her knees. She twirled from one side to the other, admiring the way it danced around her thighs.

  “Did you find anything?” Mina called from outside the dressing room.

  “I think so.”

  “Oh, let me see!”

  “Okay, one moment.”

  Nat opened the door slowly. Mina was dressed in her regular clothes again, much to Nat’s disappointment, but she didn’t have much time to think about it, as Mina clapped her hands.

  “Natalie, you’re a vision,” Mina breathed. “You have to get it.”

  “I might be a little overdressed at the lodge if I walk in wearing this.”

  “It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Now, get changed. We have to get back to the lodge, so I have enough time to finish getting ready before my date.”

  “Oh, did you find a dress?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Let me see,” Nat said.

  “You’ll see it tonight.”

  Nat smiled as Mina floated over to the shoe section and went back inside her dressing room. The woman looked so blissfully excited to be going out with her own husband, it gave Nat new hope that she and Hudson were doing the right thing. Maybe they weren’t sticking their noses where they didn’t belong. Maybe they truly were meant to help the Kents.

  The salsa night would go off without a hitch, she just knew it. Rebecca had confirmed the florist had delivered the roses, Terry was making a feast of arroz con pollo, yuca, croquetas, and pastelitos. And for dessert, she was whipping up some flan. The dance instructor would be there at a quarter to seven, and one of the staff event workers was setting up the sound system with a dance playlist.

  She was feeling so secure in her planning, she didn’t need to stay all night. In fact, she didn’t really need to “assist” with the dancing lesson. She’d probably just be a distraction. But as she left the dressing room, her new dress slung over one arm, she didn’t want to go home. She wanted to wear her dress, and even more than that, she wanted Hudson to see her in it.

  Armed with a new confidence and excitement for the evening, Nat wandered over to the shoe section. She needed to complete her outfit.

  *

  Hudson

  Hudson checked his watch again. It was nearly seven, and still Nat was nowhere to be seen. She had texted him around five to say she was with Mina, but he expected her to be micromanaging each individual rose petal. Instead, one of her staff, a nice girl named Rebecca, seemed to be taking charge of the final setup.

  The study had been closed off to guests, and it was transformed. The fire was going, and instead of reading lamps, candles had been placed on the mantel, a few of the low tables, and the larger one draped in white fabric where Terry would serve dinner. Crystal vases held roses in full bloom but nearly every flat surface and a space in the center of the room had been cleared out for the salsa lesson.

  The instructor, a tall man named Marco, was flicking through the song choices with the tech who had changed the music for the night. And beside Hudson stood Marvin, looking nervous as all get out in a deep red button-down shirt with black slacks and a dark tie. Hudson thought he cleaned up pretty good, then felt he should clean up a little bit too. He quickly left and ditched his daytime clothes of hiking pants and a thermal shirt in favor of one of the things he kept in the back of his Jeep, for a situation where he might need to look a little nice. He’d changed into a pale blue button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled to the elbow and some pressed black pants he only wore when absolutely necessary. Marvin had insisted Hudson looked sharp, but Hudson felt a little silly. It’s not like he needed to dress up for her or for the dancing. Yet, here he was, in a dress shirt for the first time in months. He had to unbutton the first two buttons so he would be a little less constricted.

  Hudson felt a bit like Nat, all buttoned up and ironed. He could clean up when he wanted to and knew fifteen different ways to shine a dress shoe to regulation, but it didn’t mean he relished it. He felt more at home dressed for the outdoors and not a board meeting. And even though Marvin had pushed him to wear a tie, Hudson couldn’t bring himself to even consider it. To him, he was going above and beyond in the fashion department.

  “What time is it?” Marvin asked for the fourth time since coming downstairs.

  “You know, Mina said something about you losing things all the time. I’m beginning to think she was right. I saw you wearing a watch today. What happened to it?”

  “Probably in the room. I don’t know, Mina usually handles that.”

  Hudson shook his head. “Almost seven.”

  “She’s coming, right?”

  “Why wouldn’t she?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe she thought it was a silly idea. Possibly that we’re too old for this.”

  Hudson put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. It was clear Marvin was spiraling with the nerves, and he didn’t want him to completely fall apart. “Take a deep breath. Tonight is all about just having fun and getting back to what you guys used to love doing together. There aren’t any judges or a studio audience to cheer for you. Come on, let’s go wait in the lobby, so you can escort her from the elevator.”

  “Yes, I can do that.” Marvin nodded as if affirming he was doing the right thing.

  As Hudson led the way out of the study and through the lobby, he wondered what it was like to be so nervous to see a girl, especially one you’ve known for years
. Was that love? Getting so twisted up after being apart for a day that you turned into a mess like Marvin? He liked to think he was a little more put together than that, but what did he know?

  The elevator doors opened with a ding and Marvin straightened. But it wasn’t Mina, it was just a couple with two little boys who looked dressed for a swim in the indoor pool before bed. It was now just after seven, a very un-Nat thing. Then he had the sickening thought that maybe Mina didn’t want to go dancing and Nat was so busy trying to convince her to come that she didn’t realize what time it was. If Mina didn’t show, Hudson had no idea what could possibly be done to bring the pair back together.

  “Wow.” Marvin’s voice was low, nearly a sigh.

  Hudson looked around to see what had caught his attention, and his gaze swept up the double staircase that framed the elevators. Mina was slowly descending, dressed in a black dress with fringe at the bottom that danced with every step. She was absolutely radiant, and it was clear why Marvin was speechless. And then, from behind Mina, he saw Nat. It was Hudson’s turn to be speechless.

  Nat’s slender hand was on the banister as she walked. In the warm glow of the chandelier, he could only see her in that red dress, as if he’d zoomed in on just her. Nat’s hair was loose around her shoulders in big waves. He dropped his gaze to her feet, smiling at the strappy gold high heels. Hudson had seen her in every shade of suit and skirt in existence, and she looked great in all of them, but nothing could compare to the sight of her coming toward him wearing a dress like that and a smile reserved only for him. A real smile.

  He was still staring when Nat came beside him, her cheeks rosy and her eyes gleaming in the light. “Doesn’t she look great?”

  “Doesn’t who look what?” Hudson didn’t have a single idea what Nat was talking about.

  She frowned and whispered, “Mina. Look at Marvin’s face. I can tell he’s obviously smitten.”

  Hudson snapped out of his haze and glanced over his shoulder. Marvin was positively beaming with delight as he made Mina do a twirl for him to show off the dress. It was a nice sight, but he would much rather look at Nat.

  “Yeah, she looks good.”

  “Only good?” Nat crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. “I’ll have you know I spent hours with her picking out the perfect outfit and getting her ready at the spa. If she just looks good, I obviously didn’t do my job.”

  “Trust me, Marvin is thrilled to see her. He was a wreck waiting for you guys to come down. He was actually worried she wouldn’t show.” He wanted to say something about her and her dress. He wanted to tell her she looked pretty, gorgeous, spectacular, all the buzz words he’d heard in movies and read in books. No matter which one he thought of, none seemed enough. But he couldn’t stay silent; that would be foolish. “Nat, you look….” He couldn’t even finish the sentence. He just waved his hand up and down her body, and then settled his gaze on her beautiful eyes.

  Nat gave him an odd look he couldn’t quite place but smiled all the same and said, “Finish your sentence, Hudson. Use your words.”

  And then the nerves were gone. He loved the little quips she threw at him. Though she was standing before him, flawless, she was still Nat. “Begging for compliments, are you? Alright, I cave.” He reached out and took her hand, kissing her knuckles. “You’re beautiful.” He let go of her hand gently and slipped a stray hair behind her ear. “There, and now you’re perfect.”

  “Thanks, Hudson,” she said, dropping her eyes to the floor for a second. Then she looked back up at him. “Not so bad yourself. I’m impressed. I didn’t know you owned a button-down shirt.”

  “Don’t get used to it. This was probably a one-time thing.”

  “Shame, it suits you.” Then she flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked over to where the Kents were standing, still gazing at one another.

  As he watched Nat walk to the study, Hudson was instantly regretting his earlier decision. Marvin was right. He should have written some sort of note, just in case she showed up looking beautiful in a dress. That made him want to take her dancing.

  “Hudson, are you coming?” Nat called out. The Kents were already headed toward the study, but she was still waiting for him. She could’ve been calling him to his death at that moment and he’d have followed her.

  “Think we did good?” he asked with a nod in their direction.

  “Between your brilliant ideas and my attention to detail, I think we pulled off some pretty awesome things.”

  He grinned. “You’re saying I’m brilliant?”

  “I believe I said your ideas were brilliant. Let’s not get carried away.” She held up her finger. “Remember to be on your best behavior. If you’re good, Terry might have some pastelitos with your name on them.”

  “Are you bribing me with food like a dog?”

  “I don’t know. Is it working?”

  “Like a charm.”

  Nat giggled, an actual giggle. It was such a light sound, he could hardly picture it coming from her lips. “Okay, time to be professional.”

  Marco the dance instructor greeted Mina and Marvin as Hudson and Nat tucked themselves away in a cozy alcove flanked by two bookcases. While they had a fairly clear view of Mina and Marvin, they were blissfully out of the way. In any other situation, Hudson would ask why he needed to be there. After all, Marco was taking care of the dancing and Terry was taking care of the cooking. But with Nat next to him tapping her toe to the music as she swayed in her armchair, he thanked his lucky stars he happened to be in the lobby when Mr. Sutton came to the lodge that day.

  “Isn’t she such a good dancer?” Nat whispered, leaning toward Hudson.

  Hudson watched Marvin nearly tread on her feet. “Someone in the relationship needs to have some rhythm.”

  “Are you a good dancer?”

  “I’m much better at rock climbing and free diving than I am on a dance floor, but I feel like whoever my partner was would be less likely to end up with a broken foot than others.”

  “Well that doesn’t inspire confidence.”

  “Only one way to find out.” Hudson stood and held out his hand. “Come on. If we’re gonna hang out all night, we might as well learn a few salsa moves.”

  “You have to be joking.”

  “Is this the face of a man who would joke about something as serious as salsa?”

  Nat looked at him blankly, then nodded. “Yeah, you fit the bill.”

  “I can be serious if I want to. Come on, Nat, dance with me. If you think I’m being ridiculous, you can step on my foot and never dance with me again, okay?”

  Her gaze flitted from his outstretched hand to his face and back again. “I don’t know if this is a good idea. We’ve already missed the basics.”

  “Then we’ll make them up. Trust me, I have a pretty expansive imagination.”

  “Oh, what the heck. Let’s give it a try.”

  “Don’t strain yourself with excitement.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  As soon as she rose from her seat, Hudson pulled her into his arms before he could lose his nerve. The action caught her by surprise, and her hazel eyes widened. He’d been paying close attention to Marco’s instructions for the first three songs, although it wasn’t exactly a beginners’ class, since the Kents were no strangers to salsa, despite what Marvin’s lack of rhythm seemed to suggest. When he was holding Mina, she took charge and he managed to follow along. But Hudson had been forced to learn the waltz for different country club functions when he’d been home. He had some basic skills. If Nat could follow lead, they’d be in a good place.

  He placed one hand on the swell of her hip as he held her fingers tightly in the other. She rested her palm on his shoulder, and they gently moved to the song, which was a bit faster than he would have liked. It would have been easier if the Kents were into ballroom dancing and not the electric, exciting beat of salsa. Still, he didn’t want to give up.

  “Hold on tight, I’m going to spin
you,” he said, keeping one eye on Marco as he instructed the Kents. It was a good thing Hudson was a fast learner.

  With one hand, he spun Nat out then pulled her back in, her back against his chest. He was thrilled that had actually worked and they hadn’t ended up flying into a bookcase of mystery novels. Maybe if running a Spartan Gym didn’t work out, he could take up dance. Marco was fit. It’d probably keep Hudson in good shape and there was probably less of a chance he’d injure himself.

  As Marco corrected the Kents’ footwork, Hudson and Nat mirrored their moves, grinning to each other in the candlelit dimness of their alcove. With each part of the lesson, they both became a little bolder, a little more open with their clumsy steps and loose turns that would probably have Marco snapping his fingers to correct them if he saw.

  Hudson spun Nat, pulling her in close to him. Looking down into her eyes, he began to wonder. She’d put up a fight about dancing but was in a salsa dress. What was she expecting to happen? “Nat, why’d you wear that dress?”

  “What?” she asked, pulling away from him a bit. “As opposed to what? Overalls?”

  “No, sorry, that didn’t come out right. Did you expect to dance with me?”

  She shrugged, turning away to watch the Kents. Hudson stayed quiet, allowing her to sort out her answer.

  “Well,” she finally said. “I guess I wanted to be ready just in case.”

  His throat grew tight. It wasn’t exactly a confession of feelings, but it was certainly something he could savor. “I’m glad you did.”

  Nat’s phone chirped from the purse on the armchair then she scrambled to silence it. She took it from her purse and held it to her ear, one hand cupped over the mouthpiece, as she had a whispered conversation, Hudson trying to figure out if his words of affirmation would have actually gone anywhere if the phone hadn’t rung. And where exactly would he want them to go? What if that slot in California opened and he decided to go for it? In theory, distance sounded easy enough if you really cared about the other person, but distance bred resentment, something he saw more than enough every time he left his parents’ home in California to go to boarding school.