Operation Valentine (Hazel Oaks Resort Book 1)

by Kelsey McKnight

  From his first day, she had been the untouchable queen of the resort. Whatever she said was law when it came to her staff, and even the staff and other departments respected her hard work and dedication. The first time he saw her, she had been dressed in a black pencil skirt and a pale pink silk blouse. She’d been sitting in one of the conference rooms alone, a pile of notebooks stacked before her. He hadn’t known who she was and had leaned against the doorway and given her one of his most charming grins. Then he made a joke about how much of a stickler for rules he heard the head concierge was and how he was excited to shake things up a bit, hoping to bond over a mutual frustration.

  The gorgeous strawberry blonde gave him a brilliant smile, collected her notebooks, and brushed past him. “She really is. I bet she won’t like you a single bit. Have fun.” On her way through the door, she had passed him her business card. It read Natalie Keller, Head Concierge.

  They didn’t see much of each other during the first few weeks he worked there. Hudson spent a great deal of time training and learning the resort with the other adventure coordinators, and Nat was inside doing various administrative things or ducking in and out of the other offices to coordinate dinners and outings. She’d come out to the lobby to handle the guests every now and then. He’d watch her make her way through the room, chatting with everyone, checking on their stays, making notes in her notebook, handing out pamphlets. It was clear she loved her job just maybe not as clear how the two of them would ever find something in common. So in general, even when he was in the resort, he stayed out of her way.

  But it had soon proved to be unavoidable. He’d need to talk to her about a guest or give her a briefing on a new activity he wanted to plan. She’d have schedule questions or special guest requests. And with those moments, the teasing started, the witty remarks passed back and forth as they saw each other. He always admired her quick wit. No one seemed to be able to put him in his place quite as quickly and thoroughly as Natalie Keller. And it always surprised him when it happened because it was like seeing a crack in a porcelain doll. She wasn’t just a customer service robot. Then, he just enjoyed joking with her.

  Now things were vastly different. He was allowed to call her Nat, hold her hand, even kiss her. After golf he’d dreamt about holding her again, about what it might be like to travel with her. She seemed like the kind of girl he could take trekking up a mountain or hang gliding. As long as he put it on the schedule, she’d probably do it. And that was exactly the kind of woman he always wanted. And then as he was dressing for the dance lessons he started thinking about other opportunities to be together. Real ones. Tangible ones. Like, he wanted to go to the wishing well and get some professional pictures taken for the website. Nat would have the perfect eye for that. He was going to the gym today and he wondered if Nat would want to give one of their workouts a try. Hudson wanted to take her camping out in a giant field. They’d lie out, staring at the stars as she told him all the stories of her life, about playing violin in Germany, moving to Spain as a kid, how she decided Hazel Oaks was the place she would plant her roots.

  He’d even considered what it would be like if she ever met his family. Though, to be honest, he quit on that thought quickly since it seemed to set off anxiety he didn’t know he had. That must’ve been the reason his heart pounded so rapidly when he’d pondered that idea for the briefest of seconds.

  Each time he saw Nat, he learned more about her. With each new discovery he was realizing just how perfect she really could be for him. She had this structure he hated and yet somehow needed. But she also wanted to take some time and be a little wild and free, traveling the globe, making friends wherever she stopped. She loved exercise and seemed to thrive outside. All things that left his head spinning, yet he craved more. She wasn’t just quick-witted and pretty, she was whip-smart and had the kind of upbringing that both mirrored and contrasted his.

  As he did his morning workout in the Spartan Gym, he couldn’t seem to turn off his mind, no matter how loudly he turned his music up or how heavy the tires he flipped were. Usually, he relished his days off to try out some obstacles or do some hiking and exploring around the rest of Lake George. But he had no interest in giving the newly installed rope course behind the gym a spin. All he really wanted to do was have a cup of coffee in Nat’s office and tease her as she flipped through her color-coordinated notebooks in search of the perfect lunch appetizer.

  How many notebooks did that woman own? She seemed to have one for everything. Hudson was never a great gift giver, but at least he knew Natalie would always appreciate a new one of those.

  He was wondering if she would like a plain color or pattern for a new notebook when the owner of the gym, Ben, came out of the office. He made a beeline for Hudson, who pulled out his earbuds as he approached.

  “Hey there, you’re here later than usual for your day off,” Ben said as he sat on the weight bench beside him.

  “Yeah, I had a late night.”

  “Hot date?”

  Hudson took a long drink from his water bottle, debating on how much to reveal. “Something like that.”

  “So, you met someone? I guess I don’t have to send you an invite to the single’s mixer.”

  “To be honest, I’ve known her for a while.”

  Ben studied him, and then asked, “Is it that pretty brunette who lives in your building?”

  “No. Hannah is pretty, but I wasn’t really interested.”

  “Oh. Okay, then who is it? Do I know her?”

  Hudson considered how much to tell him. Ben didn’t know Nat and would probably never meet her, so there wasn’t much harm in telling him who we had spent his evening with. Still, he wasn’t exactly sure how to classify their evening together. He would like to call it a date, but was it really just a work function? Work functions never ended in a kiss, in his estimation.

  “It was with this woman, Natalie…Nat. We were working on a project together and had some dinner.”

  “If it was just a basic dinner, you shouldn’t be killing yourself right now.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be off training somebody or something?”

  “Lucky for you, they said they’re running late. I’m all yours. What did you do?”

  “We just had dinner and did some salsa dancing. Nothing exciting. I mean, the weather is terrible so we couldn’t go skydiving or anything too fun.”

  Ben grinned. “I didn’t know you could dance.”

  “I am a man of many talents, many skills, and two left feet. She was no pro either, so it ended up alright. I did get a kiss though, so she must not have hated my dancing that much.”

  “Look at you, nailing down a date for Valentine’s Day. Do you have anything special planned?”

  There was that word again. Date. The word itself was innocuous, but what it meant was something more. Dates meant relationships, relationships meant roots, roots meant being tied to one place. “Nothing as of yet.”

  “Come on, man, it’s only a week away.”

  “Yeah? Then what are you doing for Paula?”

  Ben had been dating Paula for nearly two years, and Hudson wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up tying the knot sooner rather than later.

  “I have it all planned out. Brunch at her favorite spot in the morning, then part of the day at her favorite museum, then home to get changed into something fancy, then dinner at this Michelin star restaurant. I’ve preordered two dozen pink roses, her favorite, and bought the classic teddy bear and chocolate combo.”

  Hudson was torn. He wasn’t doing that, but he and Nat weren’t dating. Though, he certainly didn’t kiss any of his other coworkers. He wasn’t sure if he should plan a night out, or give her chocolates and a bear, or maybe a notebook with chocolates and a bear printed on it.

  “Are my grand romantic gestures making you feel inadequate?” Ben asked with a laugh.

  “No way, there’s just a lot going on. The big boss of the lodge is sort of counting on me for something, and I
don’t want to mess it up. Besides, this girl isn’t a casual dater. She’s the bring home to Mom type. And we work together.” He leaned forward, draping his arms over his knees. “I don’t know, man. It just feels good, you know, when I’m with her and all. Then I leave and I’m doubting everything. Plus, I’m trying to get to California soon. What am I gonna do? Just leave her in the dust?”

  “You mean like you’ll be doing to all the people you’ve met here? All the friends and connections you’ve made at this gym?”

  Hudson swung his legs off the leg press and turned to look at Ben. It was true. He hadn’t really considered that all his California talk over the last few weeks was probably insensitive. He would be leaving his friends. Not just Ben, but several others. To him, it was normal, just part of his fear of being stuck somewhere for too long. He’d kept in touch with friends he’d made from the previous gyms he’d worked in. Even saw a lot of them at various obstacle course competitions. But it would never be like seeing them regularly at the gym. Training together really established bonds.

  “I told you, I’d be a partner in a gym over there. Plus, my buddies want to start some Spartan races and really, I’d be able to design my own course. Set my name in the sport.”

  “I know, man. I get it. I’m just saying, we’ll miss you. I’m sure this girl will too. From the looks of you, I’d guess she’s not the only one who enjoyed the dancing and dinner.”

  “I just worry I’m not being fair to her, but then, I guess I don’t want to stay away from her either.”

  “It seems to me you have a couple options. You don’t have your bag packed for California yet, so why not see where things go with her? Or stop talking to her because something might happen.”

  “Was psychology a prerequisite for your kinesiology degree?” Hudson asked, trying to lighten up the conversation. It was getting too serious for him. All the discussions of moving and the job possibilities had him on edge. He hadn’t even been offered the job in California yet. He’d need it while the gym became profitable.

  “Yes. I can do mind and body training. I’m special that way.”

  Hudson shook his head and grabbed a pair of dumbbells and started curling. The forty-fives weren’t giving him the burn he wanted so he put them back down and upped the weight to fifty.

  “Bro, seriously, you need to slow down. This girl’s gonna give you an injury.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  *

  He returned to the lodge after his day off unsure exactly how to proceed with Nat. He hadn’t called or texted after he left. Hudson had started to a few times but never went through with it. Originally, he’d been worried what she’d think about dating a coworker. Now, he wasn’t sure what he thought about dating one. He really wasn’t sure of anything.

  So Hudson walked into the resort and headed straight for his office. He went over his schedule there, checked his email, and then sat in his chair ignoring the rumble in his stomach. If he went in the kitchen, he’d see Terry. She’d want to know all about the dinner, though, she’d probably already gotten all the details from Nat. Honestly, he’d be surprised if the chef wasn’t already planning the dinner options for their wedding…that is if Nat had spoken of their evening favorably. There was a chance she’d woken up the next day and vowed to never so much as look at him again. He needed to lay low and see what happened.

  But he couldn’t hide long. There was a knock on his open door. He spun his chair around and was face-to-face with Nat. She was dressed in a white blouse and a red pencil skirt that mimicked the color of her lipstick. Her hair was pulled back in some complicated knot that made her look like one of the sophisticated ladies at a country club. But her smile, it was her smile that nearly broke him. It wasn’t a courtesy smile, her standard, “hey, how are you doing this morning?” smile. She was happy to see specifically him. And, if he were honest, five minutes ago he’d been dreading seeing her. Now that she was here, he couldn’t imagine getting through the day without the scent of her floral perfume or hearing her ridiculous laugh that made her sound like both a Disney princess and an out-of-control child at the same time.

  “Nat, hey. Has anyone told you, red is a good color on you?”

  Her cheeks blushed, the pink clashing with her lipstick. “Has anyone told you flattery is the way to a girl’s heart?”

  “No, actually, I was told diamonds, but I’m glad to know I don’t have to worry about that with you.”

  “No, not diamonds. I’m an emerald girl. Unique but classic.”

  “Well, I’ll keep that in mind. Add it to my romantic dossier.”

  “You do that,” she said and then looked down at her clipboard. “Um, on another note for your romantic dossier. It’s for Operation Valentine,” she said. He chuckled a little. She’d used the code name. He loved it.

  “I thought about your little morning hike with the Johnsons and watching the sunrise and all that. I wondered, with the Kents, is there some place you could drive them to in order to watch the sunset? Mina mentioned to me that the hike was a little hard on Marvin’s knees, but I think they’d enjoy a peaceful moment like that alone. Maybe there’s some place you could drive them to?” She looked at him expectantly, as if he was supposed to produce a list right then and there.

  “Yeah, um, I’d have to scout a couple places. Did it need to be today?”

  “Oh, no, it could be tomorrow or the next day. I was just thinking of things for them.” And then she looked down at her clipboard again. “You know, if you’d like, I have a free afternoon. We could go together, if you wanted a woman’s opinion.”

  “Yeah, you should definitely come.” The words escaped from his mouth before his brain could catch up. Part of him wanted nothing more than to spend the afternoon with her. Just the two of them looking for a romantic sunset location. It’d be a no-brainer. But then again, all the worries from yesterday and his chat with Ben were screaming loudly in his ear. He couldn’t keep riding this line. Hudson needed to figure out what he wanted to do. Did he want to really try something with Nat? Did he want to say, not a good time, and end things before he moved, or things got too serious, or they broke up, causing tension at work?

  Well, maybe spending the afternoon together would help him make a decision. He’d use the short trip to figure out exactly what he wanted. With the two of them taking time alone, it was perfect.

  “Can you meet me out front at one?” he asked, glancing at his schedule to see when he’d be free.

  “Fantastic. I have an appointment in ten, so I have to go. See you later?”

  “Can’t wait.”

  *

  Nat

  Nat worked though lunch so that she’d be able to spend the afternoon alone with Hudson without too many calls from her staff or guests. Of course, she could end up not having service and the point would be moot, but she didn’t want to ignore her work just to have some fun. Rebecca insisted she could handle the lodge, and she was a great employee. It was time to loosen the reigns.

  In her head, she saw Hudson taking her down a tiny off-road path where they’d pull into a clearing surrounded by lavender plants. He’d help her out of the big Jeep he’d naturally be driving, lifting her out of the car and placing her delicately on the ground as if she weighed nothing. They’d hold hands and wander to the middle of the field with blossoms brushing against her legs and the tips of her fingers. Nat would have a picnic basket expertly packed by Terry, who, Nat was beginning to think deserved a raise.

  She stopped her fantasy briefly to make a note. She needed to tell Mr. Sutton how much help Terry had been with the Kents. Once she crossed her Ts on that bullet point, she went back to her daydream.

  Hudson would spread out a blanket and Nat would pass out the food. In this fantasy, it wasn’t terribly cold outside, so she was in her favorite blush sundress and Hudson had on a cream polo and jeans. They’d sip on glasses of champagne, nibble on some strawberries, and watch the sunset paint the purple flowers a deep violet. As it wen
t down, they’d make a wish on the first star that popped out, both unknowingly wishing for the same thing, that the night would never end.

  However, it was thirty-seven degrees outside, so she made a note to bring heated blankets with the Kents on their trip. And she made a note to take one for their scouting mission that afternoon, just in case.

  Nat was about to turn off her computer and head out to meet Hudson when her phone rang. She didn’t need any of her positive thoughts before she picked up the call. She felt as if she’d been smiling nonstop since Hudson had kissed her.

  “This is Natalie Keller, head concierge at Hazel Oaks Resort. How may I help you?”

  “Natalie, it’s George Sutton again.”

  “Hello, Mr. Sutton, what can I do for you? Are you looking for another report on the Kents?” She hoped not. Even though they were doing well for now, and they’d loved their couple’s spa day yesterday, it felt weird telling him about it. Like she was telling a parent about their child’s prom night.

  “Anything problematic?”

  “Not that I’ve seen so far.”

  “Excellent. Not that I’m surprised. While I’m glad to hear that, it’s not the only reason I called. I mentioned the wishing well to my wife and how the Kents are at Hazel Oaks, and she’s decided we will be spending Valentine’s Day there as well.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful, sir,” she said with as much excitement as she could muster. Truthfully, it made her panic a little. He didn’t really stay at Hazel Oaks. He usually just stopped by for a bit and then stayed at his place, The Monarch Hotel, in New York City. Well, this would certainly challenge her. And actually, she liked that idea. Let him be wowed by her excellent skills.

  “I think so. It’ll be a nice little romantic vacation for us. Maybe you can even book us one of those romantic type activities you’re setting up for the Kents. Really do it up for her. Money is no object.”

  “I can do that,” she said, scribbling furiously in her notebook. “And I can plan a brunch together for you and the Kents. What day are you all coming?”