Page 47 of Sea Breezes at The Beach House Hotel

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The next morning, I got up early and silently made my way out of the house. It had been too long since I’d strolled the beach, and I needed to inhale the salty air and feel the sand between my toes in order to settle into my usual cheerful self.

I parked behind the hotel and waved to the security guard. Crossing the parking lot, I hurried to the sand, where I took off my sandals and set them aside.

Feeling the cool surface beneath my feet, I walked to the water’s edge and stepped into its lacy pattern. The waves rolled onto shore, allowing water to play around my ankles. I was absorbed in watching the rhythmic movement when I felt someone’s presence nearby and whipped around.

“ ’Morning. What are you doing here?” I asked Claudine.

“I like to walk on the beach when only a few people are around,” she said. “I met one of your neighbors earlier, and he mentioned you might be here.”

“Are you talking about Brock Goodwin?” I asked her.

“Why, yes, that was his name. He said he was president of the Neighborhood Association and if I needed anything, I should talk to him.”

I decided not to comment.

“Do you come here often?” Claudine asked me.

“Yes. It’s a relaxing place to think.”

Claudine kicked at the sand with a sneakered foot. “I know you don’t like the thought of Clint and me being together, but we’re good for one another.”

“I think you’re wrong about that. Nell and Clint are happily married. Has he told you otherwise?” I asked.

“Not in so many words, but I can tell,” Claudine said. “We work together very well and have a lot of fun doing it. He likes the same kind of lifestyle as I do. Together, we can make an impact in the business world.”

“You’ll have to excuse me. I need to get back to the hotel,” I said abruptly. “I have commitments there.”

“You’ll see I’m right,” said Claudine, giving me a steady look.

As I left her, my mind spun. Why in the world would this woman believe I would think she and Clint were good for one another if it meant breaking up his marriage? Had Clint said something to Claudine to make her believe that, or was the woman totally deranged and delusional?

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I’d just finished seeing the last of the wedding guests escorted out of the library, where a breakfast buffet had been set up, when I saw Clint come into the hotel with Nell.

I walked over to greet them.

“You’re here for your meeting with Claudine?” I asked Clint.

“Yes. We’re meeting in one of the small conference rooms. I’ve resigned from the company, but felt it was only fair to tell Claudine in person,” said Clint.

“I’ll be working in the hospitality department,” Nell told him, giving him a kiss. “Let me know when you’re ready to go home.”

After Nell left, I turned to Clint. “Claudine thinks you and she are going to be together. Why would she believe that unless you said something to her about it?”

Clint grimaced. “Believe me, I’ve never discussed a future together. She overheard an argument I had with Nell on the phone in my office. That’s all. She has this insane desire to think of herself as irresistible when, in truth, she can be quite annoying. I’m not the first man in the company chased away by her weird behavior, claiming it was harassment. Now that the project we were working on has changed, I want no part of it. I emailed my resignation letter to HR and left messages for a few other people at the company.”

“Thanks for clarifying. I’ll show you to the conference rooms,” I said, leading him from the lobby to a group of rooms at the end of a long hallway.

“Call me if you need anything,” I said. “You have my number on your cell.”

The door to the conference room was closed when we arrived. I opened the door for him and stepped back.

Claudine was sitting at the table inside wearing a low-cut sundress that showed off her cleavage. She patted the chair next to her. “Come sit down with me. I’ve been waiting for you. To celebrate, I’ve ordered coffee for us and a treat besides.”

Clint remained standing. “I’m here to tell you in person that I’ve resigned from the company. I told you the other day that I wouldn’t accept what the new numbers would mean for the people who worked at the company we were trying to buy.”