Page 11 of Luke

"Yeah. Just me. I only found out about it last night. I needed to get out of LA to clear my head, so I figured I'd come up here and see what was what. I sure didn't expect to find you here, Lizzie." He paused. "You said my dad gave you the job. How did that happen?"

"Your cousin Laurel. She and I have kept in touch over the years. We played for the same orchestra for a few months. Anyway, she told her mom that I needed a job and a place to live, and Claire talked to your father, and I ended up here."

He frowned as he gazed back at her. "That sounds like a very short version of a much longer story."

He was right, but she didn't really want to get into a longer explanation. "It's all that matters. I've been managing the place for the last six months, and bookings are up. I've done a good job, and I can keep doing a good job." She infused as much confidence into her statement as she could, but the idea of Luke being her boss was a little hard to stomach. How on earth could that work?

"I doubt I'll keep the property," he said. "I don't know anything about running a resort, and I'm not particularly interested in being an owner. I'll probably put everything up for sale."

Her heart sank at that piece of information. "You might want to think about that. The resort could bring in some good income." As soon as she finished speaking, she realized how stupid she'd just sounded. "But then you probably don't need cash. Your dad must have left you a lot more than this resort."

"Not exactly," he said cryptically.

"Well, you should still think about things. You may not know anything about running a resort, but I do. You could be a silent owner, much the way your father was. You could just let things run, not worry about the details."

He tapped his key against the counter, his brown-eyed gaze narrowing on her. "I don't get it, Liz. I don't understand why you're here, why you're running this lodge. It's the last job I'd expect to find you in."

Before she could explain, her reason for being here came sauntering into the lobby wearing a pair of white denim shorts that barely covered her ass and a skimpy top. Her brown hair was tinged with purple and pink, and she had a phone in her hand and headphones in her ears.

She'd been trying to get Kaitlyn downstairs for the past two hours. Of course, she would have to make her appearance now.

Kaitlyn stopped and gave Liz a bored look, although that look changed when her gaze moved to Luke.

She straightened a little, then pulled the headphones out of her ears and said, "Why are you blowing up my phone with a million texts?"

"Because I could use your help," she replied. "You're supposed to be helping Shari make cookies for the children's workshop at two."

"Why can't she do it herself? You pay her to cook."

"And I'll pay you, too, if you actually work."

Kaitlyn looked down at her phone and then started texting.

Lizzie sighed, knowing that the texting wasn't just to keep up with her friends, it was to annoy her.

"Kaitlyn," she said sharply. "Shari is waiting."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Kaitlyn looked at Luke. "Are you staying here?"

"I am," Luke replied.

"Do you need help with your bags?" she asked.

"No, he doesn't," she answered for Luke, seeing Kaitlyn's very inappropriate thirteen-year-old flirtatious smile. "This is Luke Brannigan. His father owns the resort."

"Actually, I own it now," Luke said.

Liz ignored that. "This is my niece, Kaitlyn Allen."

"So you're Aunt Lizzie's boss now?" Kaitlyn asked with interest. "Because I have a few complaints."

Luke smiled. "I have a feeling your aunt has some complaints, too."

Kaitlyn shrugged, stuck her headphones back in her ears and sauntered toward the kitchen.

"I can't believe Kaitlyn is a teenager," Luke murmured. "Last time I saw her, she was three. Are your sister and brother-in-law here, too?"

"No." Her stomach twisted with pain. "They're not here." She took a breath for strength. "They were killed in a car crash while they were vacationing in Hawaii six months ago. As you might remember, my mom has a lot of issues that make it impossible for her to take Kaitlyn in, so it was up to me to do it."

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