Page 58 of Sapphire Sunset

“Let’s have Gloria lead the tour.” Connor kept his back tohim. “Since she’s senior. You and I can discuss security issues separately.”

Senior? Really, dude?Logan thought, but what he saidwas, “Sure, makes sense. But before we leave the motor court, I wanted to pointout our strategy for managing the media. We’ve got—”

Connor turned, revealing an expression icier thanAntarctica. “You’re not managing the media. You’re containing the media.There’s a big difference. Getting a bunch of reporters to stand behind aproperty line isn’t going to do anything to control a story of this size. As Isaid, we can discuss security concerns separately.”

The man’s look was more angry, more focused, more determinedthan any look he’d given him outside Laguna Brew five years ago. And Logan’sonly thought was,Really? Five years and you’re still not over it? It wasone night. Grow up, Prince.

They filed into the lobby in awkward silence. Logan feltmatching aches on both sides of his jaw, a sign he was grinding his teeth. Asthey did their best to veer around the checkout melee without being noticed,Logan made a mental list of all the things he’d done on the hotel’s behalfthese past twenty-four hours that went way beyond the call of duty.

He did his best to memorize it, fully prepared to rattleover every item aloud if Connor Harcourt decided to make this as difficult ashumanly possible.

With Gloria in the lead, they passed throughthe lobby, which seemed far more vast and open than when Connor had lastvisited. “We’re demanding key card access from everyone, so it’s keeping outthe stealth reporters with camera phones.”

Maybe,Connor thought, but Gloria looked exhausted,so he didn’t want to question her.

Logan Murdoch, on the other hand, better be ready to answerfor the thoughts and deeds of every housefly that flew in through a cracked window.

“When did the renovation finish?” Connor asked.

“Beginning of this year,” she answered.

Connor found the changes to be a relief. Otherwise, theflood of memories would have overwhelmed him.

The corner of the restaurant where he’d sat for hours withGrandpa Dan was still there, but the booths were gone, replaced by spindlymetal chairs and glass tables. And the big puddling draperies around thehotel’s ocean-facing windows, behind which he’d hidden from his mother duringgames of hide and seek as a little boy, were also long gone, replaced byslender boxes that ran along the ceiling, concealing automatic window shades.Gone was the bright pink carpet that had covered most of the halls the night ofhis graduation party. Its replacement was muted, cream colored, with brightslashes and checks of pastel colors here and there that matched the sofacushions on the wicker furniture in the lobby.

Gloria did her best to rattle off the changes, but her voicewas strained and muted. Either her heart wasn’t in it or she needed rest.Besides, Connor could see the improvements, the fixes, and a few designmisfires without her pointing them out. Not because he was familiar with thehotel’s new guise. Because he’d been so familiar with the old one.

In the Dolphin Ballroom, Connor realized he was standing inabout the spot where he and Logan had first met. And Logan was glaring at himin a way that suggested Connor’s dressing down of him out front had sent itsintended message.

I don’t like that you’re here, and I’ll deal with youwhen I’m ready. Hope that doesn’t make youuncomfortable, StaffSergeant Murdoch.

The ballroom’s carpet was different, a similar, more mutedstyle to the guest room hallways. The old art nouveau smoked-glass wall sconceswere gone, replaced by flaring organic shapes in various shades of blue thatlooked like pieces of coral growing out of the walls. Also gone, the oldtraditional crystal chandeliers. They’d been replaced by a single giant one thatlooked like an inverted sapphire coral reef growing downward from the ceiling,its larger tubes stuffed with bulbs that glowed with such radiance it wasimpossible to see their individual shapes.

“My sea caves are still open, right?” his mother asked.

“Yes,” Logan answered.

Connor did his best not to look in Logan’s direction.

“Good,” his mother said brightly, then to Logan, “That was aspecial project of mine. All the placards and the boardwalk. I wanted there tobe something educational about the place. Never managed to sell Grandpa Dan onboat tours of the coast, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. You can take theteacher out of the classroom, but you can’t take the classroom out of theteacher.”

“I’ve heard,” Logan said. “And I think it’s a wonderful thingyou did, Mrs. Harcourt.”

“Well, aren’t you a nice young man,” his mother proclaimed.

“You go to the sea caves often, Mr. Murdoch?” Connor askedbefore he could stop himself.

“No.” Logan’s look was mostly blank, but his one raisedeyebrow gave off a flash of defiance. “I’ve only been inside them once. A verylong time ago.”

Connor smiled. “That’s a shame. It’s a good place to hideout from unwanted attention.”

“Sure, I guess. But I don’t do a lot of hiding on my job.Unless I’m scoping someone I think is trying to rob a guest room.”

The only way out of this awkwardness was to get back tobusiness, and for that he needed to focus on Gloria. But when he turned to her,he saw she’d raised one hand to her forehead and was staring down at the flooras if a strange message were written on it.

“Gloria?” Connor moved to her swiftly.

“I just…I need…”

---