Page 159 of Sapphire Sunset

Maybe it was the power of the microphone, or maybe it wasthe power that always seemed to live in Logan’s voice, but he barely had tospeak up for his voice to fill the vast ballroom. “Thank you for comingtogether on such short notice. I want to say, I’ll understand whatever decisionyou make. But make it based on your future, your families, your savings. Makeit knowing I’ll have nothing but respect in my heart for each and every one ofus who fought through this time together. Like Connor said, in these past fewweeks alone, you’ve all given this place more than it deserves. I don’t know.Maybe that’s up for debate, I guess. But what isn’t up for debate is that eachone of you have earned the right to cast this vote and decide what comes next.For you and for this place.”

When Logan handed the microphone back to Connor, there wereexpressions of shock over Logan’s brevity.

“Wait!” a voice said. It was Gloria’s. She’d risen to herfeet, and the tissue she’d been holding to her face was damp with tears. “Wait.I have something to say. And as someone who’s been here longer thanprobably everyone, I think I’ve earned the right to say it.”

“Of course.” Connor gestured for her to come forward andtake the mic.

Once she had it, she gulped a few breaths before her tearsstopped. “I’ve been here forty-five years. I started at the front desk while Iwas in night school. I’ve worked in almost every department. Exceptlifeguarding, because you all know I hate the ocean. It’s where sharks live,and don’t tell me otherwise.” A ripple of tension-easing laughter swept theroom. But Gloria’s eyes were on Logan. “And I can say, without a doubt, I havenever in all of my time here seen an employee like Logan Murdoch. And so Iunderstand, Logan, why you’re not pleading your case right now, given thestakes for us all. ButIwill plead your case. I will remind everyonethat in the long history of this place, you are the only employee who has eversaved a child’s life on the grounds of this resort. That on the night the FBIshowed up and we thought the death threat calls would never stop, you sat withour operators until two a.m. just to make them feel safer. And you’d spent allday chasing reporters out who’d tried to sneak in. You are a fine man. A manwho fought for this country and fought for this hotel.

“I don’t know what happens to me if this place sells. But Iknow I’m not broke, and I can get other jobs. And telling me the only way I canhold on to this one is if we fire one of the best people who’s worked herebecause of something other people, bad people, did… Well, I’m sorry. We’ve donea lot for this place, but that’s a bridge too far for me. I’ll be voting toreject.”

There was a vigorous burst of applause, but not enough tosuggest Logan was saved. Most people still looked shocked and overwhelmed bythe revelations.

Gloria took Logan’s face in her hands, stood on her tiptoes,and gave him a firm kiss on the forehead. Because Connor knew it was onlyseconds before he and Logan would lose their bid to stay dry-eyed, he took themicrophone from Gloria and cleared his throat once, then twice. “And now I’veasked Lois Penry from Pacific Crest Bank to come forward and explain some more abouthow the voting process will work.”

Connor gave Gloria a quick hug, feeling Lois gently tug themicrophone out of his hand where he held it against Logan’s back. Then the nextthing he knew, he and Logan were in the hallway outside. His mother was there,throwing her arms around him.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered in his ear. “And yourfather would be too.”

He kissed her on the cheek. She turned to Logan and threwher arms around him. He returned her embrace, bowing his head over her shoulderand pursing his lips in a way that said he might be in danger of unleashing thetears Connor had already set loose. Knowing briefly, Connor hoped, what it feltlike to have a mom. She told them she was going to head outside to the pooldeck if they needed her. Then the two of them were alone in the large, emptycorridor, listening to the sound of Lois Penry’s more official-sounding voiceechoing through the ballroom next to them as she explained how the voting wouldtake place in three of the nearby conference rooms, how the groups of voterswould be organized by the first letter in their last names.

“So,” Logan said as he took one of Connor’s hands, “I heardthere are sea caves here. You want to show me?”

But they didn’t make it to the sea caves.

The sea caves had given rise to their fair share ofpassions. They were also a place of secrecy and shadows. And now, witheverything out in the open, Connor steered them to one of the beach loungers instead,where a bright blue umbrella flapped in the ocean breeze.

For a while, they lay in each other’s arms. The sea wasroiled that day and the surf sounds were steady. Connor’s ear rested on Logan’sbroad chest.

“What are you going to do, Logan, if they vote to accept?”

“Well, if my dad and I come close to killing each otheragain, which is a distinct possibility, I’ve got a buddy down in San Diegoputting together a private security firm. He said he’d want to take me on. Buthonestly, even if they vote to reject, I might have to do the same. Not sure anew buyer’s going to be any more excited about me than Sylvia Milton is.”

“We’ll see,” Connor whispered.

At the very least, engaging with new buyers would presentnew unknowns, new risks, but also new opportunities to preserve what was valuableabout Sapphire Cove. Before yesterday, those unknowns had seemed unacceptable.But now, with a single conference client trying to force an unreasonable demandon the hotel, they seemed worth exploring.

“San Diego,” Connor said. “That’s a commute.”

“He said the jobs would be all over Southern California.”Logan tightened his embrace around Connor. “I’d stay right here.”

“Good.” Connor straightened and turned. “I want to show yousomething.” He reached inside the pocket of his blazer and pulled out a smallbrown envelope. “Open your hand.”

Logan complied, and out spilled the big bronze room keyConnor’s father had sealed away as a special gift years before.

“Oh my God,” Logan said. “Is this an original room key?”

“Yep. It was in a letter from my dad. And now…”

“Are you going to cry again?” Logan asked.

“Probably.”

“That’s okay, baby. But try to get more than three words outso I can know why you’re crying.”

“Like it’s any mystery why I’d be crying today. What Iwanted to say is that this key is yours now. Because no matter what happens, nomatter how the vote turns out, as far as I’m concerned, a part of this placewill always be yours.”

“Well, you should hold on to it then,” he said.

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