Page 71 of Sapphire Sunset

“Yeah, well, I was a jerk, and I overshot the mark, and I’mtrying to dial it back and let you do your job.”

“I appreciate that,” Connor said. “But it doesn’t explainwhy you’re opposed to the idea of a press conference.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Logan flinched, as if he hadn’t meant the words to sound sounguarded and emotional, so full of need. And it was the second time in a fewhours Logan had mentioned the prospect of Connor being hurt as something thatmight hurt him as well.

“Hurt?” Connor asked.

“They’re aggressive. And kind of nuts. And when they firstshowed up yesterday they were shouting insulting questions at everybody.”

“Yeah, I know. They did it at the airport last night when welanded.”

“I’m sure, but it’s your first day, Connor, and it’s been ahell of a day already, and you’re doing great, and I don’t want you to get tornapart by a bunch of bloodthirsty reporters before you get a breath.”

Connor felt like wilting into Logan’s arms over these words,but he stayed standing. As straight as someone as gay as him could be expectedto stand.

“I appreciate your protectiveness,” he said. “And if ithelps you feel better, I’d like you to stand next to me during it.”

“During the press conference?” Logan asked quietly.

“Yes. I’ll be the new face of the hotel. You’ll be the newface of the security department. That should send a message to any of the otherstaff who might have the nerve to doubt my choice given I didn’t fire any ofthem. Are you comfortable with that?”

“Of course I am,” Logan whispered. But he was studying the floor,and his Adam’s apple bobbed a few times, and goddammit if he didn’t look likehe was about to cry.

Connor waited and waited. But no tears came.

“Great, then,” Connor said. “Let’s start making some phonecalls.”

“Yeah. I just…let me take a minute. Igottarun to the restroom.”

“Logan…”

“I’ll be right back,” he called.

But Logan was already gone.

He totally went to the bathroom to cry. Which leftConnor feeling better about all the choices he’d made in the past half hour.They were all steps in the right direction, each one the best choice for thehotel, even if each one was sure to leave him so sexually frustrated hisfingernails would be chewed down to nubs by nightfall.

The media outside had assembled in an orderlyfashion for the first time since Connor’s arrival, a few paces away from thepodium the hotel had wheeled out about twenty minutes ago. When Logan saw thenest of microphones clipped to it, some bearing logos of news stations familiarto him since childhood, his heart vaulted up into his throat.

The sight was almost as nerve-wracking as the one that hadgreeted him and Connor as they passed through the lobby—most of the staffmembers had been retreating into corners of the lobby, huddling around theirsmartphones as they prepared to watch live feeds of whatever Connor was aboutto say to the world.

When he saw the several feet of asphalt between his feet andthe podium, Connor seemed to freeze up like a dog next to a glass floor. Beforehe could think twice, Logan reached out and gripped Connor’s shoulder briefly.“You got this, Prince.” It was a low and commanding whisper that left littleroom for doubt.

And it worked.

The next thing Logan knew, Connor was at the microphones, staringinto the blinding glare of the cameras, Logan beside him, trying to look impassiveand cold, but his heart racing until the first nervous shake left Connor’svoice and his remarks hit their stride. They were professional and articulateand scripted in concert with the hotel’s attorneys.

The talking points were predictable. The hotel was fullycooperating with the FBI’s investigation. Rodney Harcourt had been terminated.And so on and so on. In fact, the remarks were so predictable, some of thereporters were starting to look bored, even making phone calls. Logan assumedthey were talking with their control rooms about whether or not they should cutaway from their live shots.

Then came the big announcement.

“As many of you are aware, the Palm Wildfire tripled in sizeovernight and concurrently, the evacuation zones were significantly widenedearly this afternoon. We will be providing accommodations to the first wave ofevacuees until they are cleared to return to their homes.”

New currents of energy had shot through the crowd beforehim. Connor had their full attention.

“We will be prioritizing the elderly, single women, andfamilies with small children, all groups which face elevated risk in publicshelters. At no time will Sapphire Cove seek any form of compensation from anyindividual evacuee or any state or local agency. Furthermore, we will notsimply be sheltering them. We will be providing them with all the services ofthe hotel, including three regular meals a day. In essence, during one of the mostdifficult times in their lives, we will be making the full extent of our servicesand the skills of our incredible staff fully available to them until their nightmarecomes to an end. This is, at its core, the job of a resort like SapphireCove—to remove its guests from the trouble of their daily lives, to offer thema mental and spiritual rest. For those forced from their homes by this terriblefire, it is our humble honor to do this free of charge.”

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