Rebound, Boundless Series, Book 1

Chapter Seventeen

As the only clerk on shift at the inn, I had to answer questions, fulfill requests, clean, and perform light maintenance. Booked solid with guests attending the marathon, I spent time delivering extra pillows, blankets, and towels. The phones rang off the hook. When I tried to eat my dinner and snacks, I was inundated with so many questions and requests that I gave up eating.

I'd often told the owners we needed a second person during big events but was often rebuffed due to cost-cutting measures. I hadn't realized my shift was ending until Matt walked through the door at a quarter to eleven. My heart leaped, blood rushing to my cheeks. The heat rising within me caused me to inadvertently hang up on a guest.

"Hi," he said, showering me with his dimpled smile.

I hadn't heard from him all night, giving me space to think, but I hadn't had time to process anything we'd done or talked about earlier.

"Hi," I gushed as I watched him approach the counter.

"I just want you to know I'm here and I'll be waiting for you to finish your shift. I don't want to be in the way so I can wait in the car." His thumb motioned to the front door.

"No." I shook my head. "Don't be silly. You can stay here. We can—" The phone rang from one of the rooms. I answered and received a request for a wake-up call. The Liberty Inn hadn't automated its wake-up call systems. The owners believed that guests deserved a personal touch of receiving a live human response when they stayed at their small establishment.

"Sorry," I said as I annotated the request. "This place has been crazy tonight. I barely had time to breathe."

I looked at the time. "I'm just going to close down back here."

"I'll wait over here," He said with the sexiest smile, pointing to the couch by the lit fireplace, which I'd turned on earlier because of the night's chill.

"Great," I stated, incapable of removing the smile on my face.

I started cleaning and organizing so I could shut down for the night. I set up the night voicemail, which eliminated my need to answer any more calls. After eleven at night, there was no one working the shift. The owner was on call for emergencies. The front door locked automatically, but guests could use their metal room keys to exit and enter the inn.

Before I took off with Matt, a guest approached with questions about the area. I provided her with a map of where she wanted to stand to watch her sister finish the race. She had a few more questions about places to go out and celebrate. Despite my attempts at customer service, my patience was waning, wanting to be with Matt. I gave her a list of the best pubs in the area and bid her goodnight.

"I'm ready," I called out to Matt as he sat on the loveseat. "I'll be right out when I close this." When he arrived at the counter, I closed the accordion metal gate, enclosing the counter area. With my master key, I locked it in place. I exited through the self-locking door, ensuring it was firmly closed. Matt walked over to me, took my bags, then assisted me while I put on my jacket.

"Have you always been this chivalrous?" I asked when he took my hand to exit the building.

"Yes. My mother beat it into me." He sighed.

"Really? How?" I asked amused.

"She would often tell me I had to open the door for ladies, take them by the arm when we walked, pull their chair out, walk on the outside of the sidewalk so I could get hit by a car instead of my female companion. I even had to do these things for my sister, which was awful." He grimaced. I smiled, picturing him doing all these gentlemanly things as a teen. "As I got older, I actually wanted to do these things for a woman, especially the ones I really like." He smiled when we locked eyes, and I gave him a peck on the cheek.