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I grinned. “Hell yeah.”

6

Kaitlyn

I flipped through the reservation book in the Dune Scape office. Cole had told me there were a few customers booked into the fall, but not many.

The goal was to turn the Dunes into a year-round destination for families and couples, not a only a spring break and graduation hangout for college kids. Graduation was an incredible way to make money, but Cole needed steady income he could count on when the students weren’t in town. Now that I was on the payroll, I needed that consistent cash flow too.

The agreement I made with Cole was that I wouldn’t start accepting a paycheck until the motel had a fifty percent reservation rate for three straight months. It wouldn’t be much, but I’d be able to pay myself a small salary if the motel could bring in that kind of income. I had a savings account I could use in the meantime, but it made me nervous to live off it for too long. When it ran out, I didn’t have anything else to fall back on.

I had convinced myself that my business degree had prepared me for this. I had marketing classes and economic training under my belt. If I could make an A in class, I could definitely make an A for the Dunes.

The little window unit hummed along as I scanned the calendar. It was

hard to believe I had already been in South Padre for a week. I had managed to unpack the rest of the boxes, and set up the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom with all my things. Cole promised we could start hunting for living room furniture over the weekend.

He and Grayson had a few things, but it looked like something I bachelor would throw together and he wanted Grayson to feel like it was a real home.

I think Cole and I were finally starting to get the hang of living together. It wasn’t the same as sharing an apartment with Mary Ellen. Whenever she and I lived together, there was a more clearly defined barrier of personal space. Living with Cole, all the personal space boundaries were blurred. We slept in the same bed, shared the same bathroom, and cooked meals together in the kitchen.

I didn’t realize he had a night routine that lasted almost as long as mine. I tried to give him his space to shave and brush his teeth. It seemed weird to hover over him in the bathroom.

We were navigating through it one day at a time. So far, I was proud of us for making it this far without any major blowups or arguments.

I looked up as he walked into the office.

“Hey, I have to run to the mainland to pick up some things for the other rental properties. Want to ride with me?”

“Actually, I just started digging into the reservations. Is it ok if I stay?” I wasn’t sure how long he would be gone and I felt guilty for neglecting my new job’s duties.

“Sure. I’m picking up a new door and some shingles. It shouldn’t take me long.” He strolled over and kissed me long and hard, before retracing his steps to the door.

For that, I would have ridden over the bridge with him. I sighed.

“Thanks for dropping Grayson off this morning.”

“Of course. He was so cute running into preschool. He’s very proud of his Batman backpack.”

Cole had found a small school for Grayson. It was one more thing Amber had never even thought of. I had been added to the list of emergency contacts. It was scary and normal at the same time. I had a car seat in my car. Cole made sure that Grayson had everything he needed. He was an incredible dad.

“I’ll be back soon.” He stepped out of the office.

I logged on to my laptop, ready to start work on my social media campaign. I had made a list of all the places we could start posting and advertising the Dune Scape that might attract an older clientele.

All we needed was one good pipeline, and I knew we could have the place full throughout the year. I had fallen in love with the rundown rooms and the retro accents on my first trip. With a little more upkeep, I wouldn’t be the only one.

I dove into my marketing plan, and before I knew it, it was past lunch. My stomach started to growl.

I didn’t feel like walking back to the house to make lunch. I realized I hadn’t stopped by to see Hank yet. I grabbed my purse, locked the office, and headed over to Peabody’s for a turkey sandwich.

“Look who’s here.” Hank’s smile lit up the bar when I walked in.

“Hey, Hank.” I tossed myself over the bar so I could give him a hug. It was good to see him after so many months.

“How do you like the new place?” he asked.

“The fact that it’s right next door to the Dunes is perfect.”