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СКАЧАТЬ echoed. “Thank you again for meeting with me.”

      “Of course.”

      The waiter approached, and Shane glanced at Isabel’s glass to see what she was having. The goblet held something clear and fizzy. Curious, but unwilling to ask, he ordered the same. When the drink arrived, he discovered it was plain club soda with a slice of lime.

      After ordering dinner, he flipped through the bound document. Her presentation was well organized and brilliantly illustrated with catchy phrases and evocative photographs of beautiful couples enjoying each other at various settings in and around the resort.

      “This looks quite thorough,” he declared. “But I don’t understand why you’ve come to me with this. Shouldn’t you’ve taken it to Tom?”

      “I did, but he wasn’t...” Isabel trailed off. For the first time since he’d sat down, she displayed uncertainty. Her brows came together as she collected her thoughts. “That is, he’s really good when it comes to the hotel’s operations...”

      Shane already knew that wasn’t completely accurate, but stayed silent while she struggled to make her point without throwing her boss under the bus. As unusual as it was, Shane intended to hear the staff’s opinions about the executive director and guessed Isabel would be more forthright than most.

      “Anything you say here will remain between us,” he assured her, before sitting back and letting her marshal her opinion without coaxing or interference.

      “He just doesn’t understand the heartbeat of the hotel. I thought maybe that would change as he grew more familiar with the staff and our clientele, but the direction he’s gone with the promotions hasn’t encouraged people to return.” She exhaled in a rush and then chuckled. “That didn’t explain things very well, did it?”

      She appeared unabashed by her stumble, and Shane found this intriguing. He’d never struggled to communicate his opinions. He simply stated his recommendations, confident that he’d thought the matter through and weighed all options.

      Shane decided to table all talk of Tom for the moment. “How do you think we should promote the hotel?”

      “As a romantic destination.” She flashed a grin that struck him like a fist to the gut.

      “What if I told you that Tom is focusing on corporate clients per my direction?”

      “Then I’d say I’m here to change your mind.”

      “How do you intend to do that?”

      The flickering candlelight revealed a sudden rush of color in her cheeks. “By showing you firsthand some of the most romantic places The Opulence has to offer.”

      Her suggestion filled him with mixed emotions. He was an executive of the company that employed her, and while he could justify tonight’s dinner as a business meeting, she intrigued him both as a woman he was attracted to and as an individual who challenged his perspective on the hotel.

      Retreating to the reason for tonight’s dinner meeting, he picked up her presentation and began flipping through it again. “What’s your vision for The Opulence?”

      “The theme is...” Like a Broadway producer of old, she swept her hand in an arc above her head. “Romance is the elixir of life.” She beamed at him, utterly convinced of her brilliance. “I think The Opulence is ideally suited as a romance destination, and the staff is ready to provide the perfect getaway experience. In fact, I’m gaining a reputation as a romance concierge.”

      “What does that mean?”

      “You might say I have a knack for giving couples the sort of memorable experiences that they rave about to their friends and family.”

      “What sort of experiences?”

      “Mostly over-the-top romance. I want the hotel to be known as the best destination for a special evening or a first kiss. The covered bridge has been the site of several engagements and wedding ceremonies. And I’ve lost count of how many people have done photo shoots on the lower trail with the waterfall behind them. We have a first-class spa offering all sorts of luxury treatments geared toward couples. We score big points with honeymooners and people who are celebrating anniversaries.”

      Isabel’s enthusiasm and pride washed over Shane, and he felt a stab of envy. When was the last time he’d felt that sort of passion for his work? He recoiled from the answer. Success was rewarding, but all too often he found himself in an ever-spinning circle of dissatisfaction. What did he have to show for all his hard work except more work and more responsibility? He certainly hadn’t made his father proud of him. Nothing would do that. So why did he drive himself so hard?

      “Romantic dinners in the Overlook.” She gestured around them. “Or private, personalized feasts at Quintessential Chef. Who wouldn’t want to come here for a small wedding or a lavish blowout affair?”

      Her youthful enthusiasm made him feel ancient and too serious by contrast. It came as a surprise that her liveliness appealed to him. Like a bracing breath of fresh air in the morning. Or a caffeine jolt from a double espresso coffee. Her idealistic smiles and fun-loving ideas invited him to play and dream along with her. The part of him that he’d shut down in order to focus on his career awakened, and he found himself enjoying their exchange. A little too much.

      Yet here he was, leaning in, ignoring common sense so he could focus on the woman across from him. Not the employee across from him, he noted as candlelight painted gold highlights in her lustrous red hair and added a mysterious bronze glint in her hazel eyes.

      The freckles dusted across her nose gave her a girl-next-door look. Her earnest manner and playful smile buffed smooth the rough edges of his impatience and mellowed him. She moved her hands as she talked, prompting him to wonder: if he grasped them, could she speak?

      The thought of touching her made his chest tighten. The sudden pain caused his cautious nature to flare. He shouldn’t be thinking about her like someone he wanted to get to know personally. Just like he shouldn’t have encouraged her to order the dessert she’d raved about. Even now her tongue flicked out to swipe a smear of chocolate off her lower lip, tempting him to pay the bill and hustle her up to his suite.

      Of course he couldn’t do that. This was a business dinner, a chance for her to pitch him her ideas. And they were all good ones. Her vision to promote the resort as Instagramable was exactly the sort of fresh idea he liked to see from his employees. He refused to jeopardize his professionalism or his career because she stirred his libido.

      But it was more than just lust that she’d aroused. Isabel intrigued him. He admired her business sense even as her fanciful imaginings confounded him. Despite their opposite views, he wanted to hear her opinions even if he disagreed with them.

      “I feel as if I’ve lost you,” she said, noticing that his attention had wandered. “You don’t believe that The Opulence is the perfect romantic destination.”

      “The hotel is successful because of its exceptional spa, first-class restaurants and outstanding reputation for events.”

      “But there’s magic here, as well.” She studied him for several seconds, her eyes narrowing in keen appraisal. “There’s a spot I highly recommend to our couples. I’ll just have to prove to you that it’s the perfect spot for a romantic first kiss.”

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