Ortus: The LeRue Legacy, #1

By Garnet Davenport

Delve into love in southern Louisiana with a brand new series from Garnet Davenport.

There was a time when New Orleans was the heart of Louisiana and the gem of the south. Then tragedy struck in the form of a hurricane and that was when the entire state was evacuated. 

When it was safe to return the LeRues came home and started the process of renovating their luxury hotels. Ortus was the first hotel to re-open.

With Andrew LeRue, the first born of the devilishly handsome LeRue brothers, at the lead nothing could go wrong. They had the full backing of the city council and every member of the parish ready to lend a hand. The only thing that could go wrong was the one woman Drew couldn't get off of his mind, especially when his youngest brother had those same feelings. But Drew wasn't ready to let her go without a fight… for her affections, that is. 

Lillian Logan was an amazing, beautiful and sassy woman who had been keeping a secret about her past. The only one who knew, besides her family, was the youngest of the LeRue brothers, Lucas LeRue.

As the soft re-opening was in full swing, Lillian's brother's wedding right around the corner, and emotions running at full blast everyone was doing what they needed to get everything they've ever wanted.

One dance under the stars could change everything.

Mature themes and HEA always guaranteed. Must be 18+.

Trigger Warning: This book contains discussions about a fictitious assault in the form of a mugging, factors that could happen during or after a physical assault and reference with gun violence that happened to a peripheral character before the story began.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Foxtrot Publishing LLC
• Release date: Apr 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781540180872

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Drew LeRue stood in the magnificent lobby of the hundred-year-old hotel, looking up at the twenty-five-foot champagne ceilings and Corinthian style columns, with a frown on his face. Lillian Logan, his executive assistant, walked over to him with her phone in hand, already sending the email about what he was looking at. 

Got it, she said, still looking at her phone. Her Californian accent coming out when she wasn’t paying attention over the slightest southern accent she had acquired over the years she had been in Louisiana.

Drew loved hearing the southern Louisiana Cajun drawl on specific words she had developed over the three years he’d known her. Drew would purposely ask her questions to hear her adopted accent. The Cajun came from his parents, who had lived in New Orleans their entire lives and his family for generations. 

He crossed his arms over his chest as Lillian scouted the rest of the grandiose lobby. Jenny was at the reception desk with the newest member to Ortus, Hannah, by her side. Lillian said her resume showed she was overqualified for the position. Drew trusted Lillian with all business decisions. He’d known Lillian long enough to know she was always right, and she had impeccable taste. But as he eyed Hannah, he wondered if her tastes were correct. She’s young—too young. And she was pretty. Just his brother, Hunter’s, type, and he would be coming to stay at Ortus while the last finishing touches were finished on the renovations for Solis. It had been a long time coming for the historic Constellation Hotels, Ortus, Solis, Stellae, and Luna, to open since Hurricane Katrina made her mark on the South.

The hotel had just undergone a massive renovation after sitting for years after the hurricane destroyed everything in its path. The city was still rebuilding, and the economy needed the LeRues to reopen their hotel chain. The first of the four hotels to reopen was  located close enough to the city to walk to restaurants and tourist spots. The city council had pushed to get the hotels open to bring people back to New Orleans, one of the poorest cities in the lower forty-eight, and get funding to rebuild after nearly one hundred million dollars in damages, according to FEMA.

Drew looked at his watch. Hunter was going to be there in less than four hours. Drew looked at Lillian just as she made eye contact with him. He raised his eyebrow in question. She turned to Hannah and then back to Drew. 

She’s just out of school, ranked high in business management and… she said, turning back to meet Drew’s gaze, she’s experienced in hotel management. She’s very promising. 

Drew let out a sigh of relief. Maybe Hunter won’t proposition her—she seemed like she wouldn’t risk her position for a guy. There was too much riding on him to keep the drama far, far away from the family, since the last one turned out to be married and their mother all but tanned Hunter’s behind. 

She’s very professional, she said, and Drew smiled back, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

All right, Drew breathed out. 

Lillian hadn’t noticed Drew was relaxing because she was already on her phone, typing in more details that needed to be taken care of. Drew heard a chime from her phone and scowled.

I’m sorry, she said. I forgot to turn it to vibrate. She quickly switched it over and declined the call.

Was it important? he asked. 

Drew wanted to know if it had been something personal. He had been trying to get Lillian off his mind for the last three years to no avail. Even still, Drew thought she was only on call for him and his hotel practically day and night. Plus, she’d been a friend of the family for a few years now, and his mawmaw would want to know if he was getting into a relationship with someone they hadn’t met.

No, she said quickly and sheepishly. She cleared her throat. Have you had a chance to consider my vacation time at the end of the month?

Drew turned back around to her and clasped his hands behind his back. Your brother’s wedding, right? he said, trying to read any tells on her to make sure that she was talking about the same thing he thought.

Yes, I will need six days, she said.

Drew moved his hands from behind his back to pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. Six days? I’m only taking the day off to be there myself, he said with a closed off, frustrated expression.

But I’m part of the wedding party. There are plenty of responsibilities for me that week, she snapped. Then with the hand that wasn’t busy with her phone, she parked it on her hip with quite a bit of sass. She’s pissed. But it was too hard for Drew to get through the whole week without her. She had his entire schedule—and well, let’s face it, his life was worked out on that little phone of hers. She knew what Drew needed before he did.

Let me get through Friday, and I’ll see if I can make it work, Drew pleaded.

I can live with that, for now, Lillian said, turning back to the reception desk, and snapped toward Jenny.

Yes, Miss Logan? Jenny responded, speed-walking toward them. 

I need a five-minute meeting with Hannah in one hour, and I need the window washers to see me before they get started. Text me the moment Mr. Williams comes through the door, Lillian said.

Yes, Miss Logan, Jenny agreed and walked back over to the reception desk. Drew saw her speak with Hannah. Jenny put her hand on Hannah’s shoulder to assure her it was nothing, and he saw the gentle blush that had appeared on her cheeks.

Miss Logan?

Yes, Mr. LeRue, Lillian asked, eyebrow raised. This time, she had no idea what Drew could possibly need from her.

Dress code. Was all he needed to say.

I will encourage a toned-down look, she said with a coy smile. 

Even Lilian was embarrassed by Drew’s request. She had thought with a flare of jealousy, had he been appraising Hannah in a sexual way? Lillian hadn’t figured Drew would be the one that caught Hannah’s attention. Hunter was the one everyone should have been worried about. He’d always been a playboy, which was why Lillian would be having a discussion with Hannah in about one hour. Giving Hunter one less skirt to watch would be for the best. Maybe even a more natural look when it comes to makeup.

Thank you, Drew said. Have you walked the grounds today?

Yes, first thing this morning. Did I miss something that requires attention? Lillian asked, looking back up from her phone.

I want to change the walkway flowers, Drew explained, looking toward the windows facing the gardens. Calla Lilies.

Color gradually changing through the walkway? she asked.

Yes, Drew replied. 

It was as if Lillian could read Drew’s mind. He wanted the color to change gradually as the guests walked through the path. It would give them something to keep them walking to the end. The view at the end is worth the walk, but most guests don’t finish the walk. It has been Lillian’s favorite spot on this property since the first time she saw it.

You’ve got a conference call in ten minutes. John Dapth, Lillian explained. I just sent you the info on the call. Drew felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but didn’t take it out. He only took his phone out when he was off the floor and out of view of any guests. Something he had learned from his father. 

Hunter’s room has had service this morning and is stocked for the week. Lillian continued down her list of things to talk with Drew about for the day.

Good, Drew said, taking another look back over at Hannah.

Lillian felt heat rise to her cheeks. She’d had a crush on Drew, now her boss, since she’d first met him. He’d only ever been professional with her, even when they were attending a LeRue family event. It was obviously her jealousy talking. 

I swear, if you look at her one more time, I’m going to have to let her go, she said with a hint of joking. 

Drew’s eyes went wide. Surprised she had the nerve to make such a crude comment to her boss. She’d never done anything like it in the past. But it also made his respect for her rise. He’d been trying to keep his own relationship with Lillian as professional as possible. He had gotten hard as a rock with her jealousy of another woman.

It was the first time she let her mouth speak before her mind. She instantly regretted it and knew she’d gone too far. Sorry, sir. She narrowed her eyes on Drew. 

His normal dick-move, Lillian knew, was for him to turn from her and walk away. Once upon a time, they’d had it out, and because of that, Drew knew she could get angry quickly. Drew thought it was pretty amazing when she got sassy and stuck her little pointer finger in his face. But right now, in the lobby, was not the time or place. He felt like he was tip-toeing the edge of some sort of friendlier-friendship. Was that a thing? Drew inwardly groaned. Lillian was beautiful. She was young too. What’s that rule? You take your age and divide it by two then add seven? Drew started to do the math in his head. So, thirty-six divided by two… eighteen… plus seven… twenty-five. She’s twenty-four. That’s not too bad.

She cleared her throat.

Thank you, Miss Logan, he said.

Drew walked toward the elevator to go up to his office. Once he got inside the elevator with the doors closed, he took a breath and pulled his phone from his left pants pocket. Lillian sent three emails and a text reminder for the time off request. Two of the emails are Cc’d with the ceiling and columns maintenance and landscaping. Then, the last one was a recap on the personnel dress code requests. This way, the day is marked with his request, and she will respond after the meeting with Hannah. Just in case Hunter decided to be his normal flirtatious self with her. Lord only knows Drew didn’t need that kind of drama. Not when they needed the grand reopening to go smoothly. Drew could only imagine the possible lawsuit. That’s all he needed.

Drew slid his phone back into his pocket and got his keycard out of his billfold. Drew had a keycard with unlimited access. The light turned from red to green, and he opened the door to his office. He had the lights set up to come on as he entered and moved throughout the rooms. There was a small hall before it turned to a mini kitchen and entertaining room with full floor to ceiling windows that overlook the cityscape. To the left of the room was a large bathroom, and to the right was his office door. There was a secondary keycard entrance to his office from the hall. He stood in the kitchen and poured two fingers of his favorite whiskey and took it to his office. Drew unlocked the door with a simple swipe of the keycard and sat at the large dark wood desk. He dialed the landline and picked up the receiver.

Quest Management, how may I direct your call? A woman’s voice came through the line.

John Dapth, please.

One moment please, she said.

Drew waited and heard the ridiculous elevator music come over the receiver as hold music. John Dapth kept him on hold for two minutes before he picked up his line.

LeRue? John Dapth answered.

Dapth, Drew replied.

I’m looking for a deal for a company retreat, he said.

Then how can I help?

I need twenty-four rooms, four days, three nights, he practically demands, private.

Drew opened the reservations on his laptop. When? he asked sharply. He knew John Dapth had already settled on Ortus, and he was grateful for his business, but he knew Dapth would want something more, so Drew knew he could get down to business with him, and he wouldn’t mind the sharpness.

Weekend of the fifteenth, Dapth answered and cleared his throat with a hefty cough.

I’ve got enough rooms open. I can offer the full floor. If you want the floor, I will reserve the twenty rooms at a ten percent discount, Drew offered.

Fifteen percent, he countered.

With ten bookings in the spa at half price, Drew countered to get a better arrangement for Ortus.

Deal, Dapth said.

I’ll send you an email with the contract and detailed summary. I expect a card on file within the next three days and a fifty percent deposit on the rooms.

I’ll be looking for it, Dapth said.

Drew hung up the phone and sent an email to Lillian to send over the contract details he had spoken about to Dapth and for him to get a copy for his files. Lillian would have the corporate contract drawn up for Quest Management and have it booked within no time at all. 

Dapth received an email with details for Quest Management and a second one with the details from the brief meeting with Hannah within the hour. Apparently, Hannah was confused about the new dress code he had been insistent upon. But in the end, she agreed to the dress code. There was an attachment with Hannah’s signature. 

 Drew smiled. Only Lillian could get a signed dress code that said she would wear pants without it sounding like he was the sexual deviant. Drew shook his head in amusement.

CHAPTER 2

That motherfucker. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job, Lillian shouted from her office after her dress code discussion with Hannah. Can’t they just keep their dicks in their pants? Lillian growled and slammed her palms on her desk. She checked her email right after and found a request for the Quest Management reservation package. She read through all the details and wrote it up, sending it over directly to John Dapth. This would make a great profit for their opening month. Then, she opened a secondary email and sent the dress code signed by Hannah. 

Lillian had to explain a simple request of wearing pants was necessary working at the reception desk. She had to do it without telling her that Hunter LeRue would fuck her the second he made eye contact if she didn’t. Maybe even before. He would eye fuck her from across the room. Lillian had a momentary thought of ocular penetration then smacked her head against the palm of her hand. She rolled her eyes. Why, Lord? This was just another reason for enforcing pants. She raised her fists into the air and took a deep breath, trying to relax. Lillian couldn’t believe she just thought this pretty girl would let Hunter screw her, even though she was involved and, yeah, that she would do it when she just met him. She slammed the palm of her hand onto her forehead again and groaned.

There was a notification on her phone. She got a text from Jenny. 

Jenny: Williams is here.

Lillian stood and rushed for her door and then slowed so she could walk through the lobby. She found Mr. Williams at the reception desk. He had on charcoal slacks and a white button-up shirt. As Lillian got closer, she saw that the top two buttons were undone. Very unprofessional. But she reached out with her hand and greeted him. Her eyes left his and looked at their handshake. His grip was weak. That made her think of a limp noodle. She could never tell if the man was giving her a weak handshake because she was a woman or because he had a weak handshake even with other men. Note to self she thought— she should ask this one day.

Mr. Williams, it’s nice to see you again, she said.

He searched Lillian’s face. He couldn’t remember meeting her before. She absolutely loved that she wasn’t memorable. She didn’t mind being a woman who could easily blend into the background.

It is. What can I help you with? he asked.

The second floor was not completed last week, she explained.

I assure you it was completed, he said, giving her a flirtatious smile.

Lillian opened the gallery on her phone and brought up the first photo. These are photos of the windows of other areas of the hotel, and then this… she explained, is the second floor. There was a three-foot streak across the penthouse window. She cleared her throat. Everything is timestamped and dated.

I am sorry about the misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding? Lillian scoffed. A misunderstanding would be if your crew showed up a day late. This was a failure to complete. I expect full service this week without an invoice for the inconvenience. 

No invoice? You’re kidding, right? Mr. Williams responded.

No, I’m not kidding. We had a VIP in the penthouse, and they complained. They asked for a discount. If you would like to see their final bill and reimburse us for the discount, which I can assure you is in fact more than one week’s full service, she explained.

He sighed. Fine, no invoice, he agreed.

Wonderful. I look forward to our continued business, she said, reaching out and shaking his hand one more time. However, she regretted shaking his limp hand and walked away from him in a strut. 

Jenny was doing her job to make sure Mr. Williams watched Lillian walk away. It’s part of the way she worked. She gets what she wants and needs through vicious vernacular and swaying hips. Jenny sent her a text. 

Jenny: He watched you walk all the way back to your office. I think he drooled on the floor. Clean up in the lobby. 

Lillian: Good.

Lillian didn’t mind being cunning when push came to shove.

She went back to her office on the ground floor behind the reception desk and pulled up Drew’s schedule for the day. She’d called him Mr. LeRue while in front of other staff for as long as she could remember. It’s more professional to address your boss by his last name. But whenever they were around each other in private or at one of his family things, she’d always called him Drew. 

Lillian sent Drew a reminder for his late lunch with his brother and rubbed her palms over her eyes. She could feel the makings of a migraine starting. She opened her desk and pulled out her prescription for migraine prevention. Today wasn’t the day she would be taken down by a migraine. She went out to the vending machine just outside the hall by her office and grabbed a bottled water.

Hey. 

She heard a deep familiar voice right on the back of her neck. His hot breath brushed the hairs over her skin.

Her back went stiff. Hunter? she whispered.

That’s right. 

Lillian could almost feel his smile just inches away from her neck.

She turned around to find his flirty smile he was flashing at her. He was bent down to her level, since he was a good six-two and Lillian always had to look straight up at him. She blinked a few times before he backed away. His eyes were the deepest blue topaz she had seen on a man. He looked like he had two or three days of facial hair growth, which made him have the sexy, scruffy male thing going on.

You’re early. She squeaked in surprise.

Hunter chuckled. Well, that’s something no guy ever wants to hear from a girl.