Читать книгу A Bachelor At The Wedding - Kate Little - Страница 9

It all felt very dreamlike, Stephanie thought later. As if she and Matt were in a movie. The speeding ride to the airport in a long black limo. Their mad dash to the gate. The VIP treatment by the airline personnel.

She’d barely fastened her seat belt and caught her breath when the plane began to take off. She’d never sat in first class before. She had to admit, it wasn’t so bad. The leather seats were soft and roomy and tilted back for dozing. Like sitting in her Dad’s new deluxe La-Z-Boy recliner. She and her sisters had chipped in on Father’s Day and bought him the top-of-the-line model, complete with back massaging action at the touch of a button.

Of course, when you compared the two seating situations, you had to factor in proximity to Matt Harding. Though Stephanie wasn’t sure if that went in the plus or minus column.

She snuck a quick glance at her boss, who sat disturbingly close. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of gum, unwrapped a stick and stuck it in his mouth. Then turned and offered her some.

“Helps relieve the air pressure when you take off,” he promised.

She shook her head. “No thanks. I’m fine.”

He shrugged and stuck the gum back in his pocket. Staring straight ahead, he seemed to be thinking. Then he did the most amazing thing. The last thing she’d ever expect of him.

He blew a huge pink bubble.

Stephanie watched him, her mouth falling open. It grew and grew to an enormous, hypnotizing size. Then he somehow pulled the entire thing into his mouth and smashed it, with a loud pop.

He turned to her with a coaxing smile. “Sure you don’t want some? We could have a contest.”

“A contest?”

“See who can blow the biggest bubble,” he said, seeming surprised she didn’t understand.

She couldn’t tell from his tone if he was teasing her again. It seemed as if he might be. She’d rarely seen this playful side. She didn’t quite know how to react.

Retreat! Retreat! Run like…heck, a secret voice advised her. You don’t want to encourage this man, Stephanie. He’s out of your league, believe me. And bubble gum isn’t good for your teeth.

“I brought some files about the resort. I thought I’d look them over. Try to get some ideas of how to keep things going without a full staff….”

His playful expression took on a more serious cast. “Of course. Very efficient of you, Stephanie. As always.” He sighed and dug down into his briefcase. “I brought some, too.” He pulled out a wad of files and a laptop computer. “Maybe we can figure out some strategies.”

Stephanie agreed, relieved to see him switch back into “boss” mode again. She swallowed hard. She didn’t want to get personal with him. But traveling and working together all weekend like this was going to be a challenge.

But once she and Matt got down to work, the time passed quickly and the flight to Miami wasn’t nearly as difficult as she’d expected. She actually enjoyed brainstorming with him, and he always seemed very interested in her perspective. He knew so much and was very creative for a businessman, she thought. She learned a lot, just trading ideas with him.

He’s not just a pretty face, she thought with a secret smile.

When they reached Miami, they quickly found their connection, a small, local airline that flew between the mainland and many islands. The flight was not on the regular schedule, but since Matt was willing to pay handsomely for all sixteen seats, the pilot was willing to take him wherever he wanted to go.

Stephanie was not the greatest flyer and felt a little wary of the tiny, noisy aircraft. She took a seat and fastened her belt, forcing a calm expression.

Matt sat down beside her and patted her hand. “Nothing to worry about. We’ll be up and down before you even know it.’

She turned to him, feeling even more distressed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

He smiled, but in a way that didn’t make her foolish. More like her burgeoning hysteria was somehow…cute.

“Sure you don’t want some gum?” he asked in a kind voice. “It might distract you.”

He took out the pack again and held it out to her. This time she took a stick. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll let you warm up a little. Then we’ll let the games begin.”

She glanced at him, wondering if he was serious. He did look serious. She looked straight ahead, smiling a little. “I need to warn you. I grew up in Brooklyn. Four sisters. I’m tough.”

“Bring it on, babe.” He glanced at her, nearly laughing and she felt her smile growing even wider. Then she held her hand out for the pack of gum again.

“Two sticks each. Best three out of five.”

He looked surprised yet pleased at her challenging tone. “You’re on.”

Stephanie took the second stick of gum and started to chew. Then tried to remember how to blow a bubble. It had been a long time….

The rickety, noisy twin-engine plane rolled down the runway and slowly rose in the air without her barely noticing. When she looked out the window, they were flying smoothly over water and she could already see their destination, the small green island, nearby.

Matt won the bubble-blowing contest easily. His efforts were amazing. Her first two were laughable, but her last one was a real contender.

“You’re good,” she admitted as the plane taxied down the runway. “Who would have guessed this hidden talent?”

He grinned at her, looking pleased by the compliment. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Stephanie. You’d be surprised.”

His dark eyes flashed a silent challenge. She met his gaze a minute and looked away.

If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he’s flirting with me. Maybe Nana was right. Maybe I am getting whisked.

Stephanie turned her head and gave herself a mental shake. She was imagining this, right? Or maybe he was flirting, but it didn’t mean anything. He was bored and just flexing some cramped male flirting muscles. Just wants to make sure everything is in working order. Sort of like testing a fire alarm?

She wondered where she’d find his reset button. She really needed to turn it off.

Another sleek limo met them at Blue Cay’s tiny airport and they rode the short distance to the hotel without speaking much. The air-conditioned car sped down an empty, narrow road, and the dark and tropical night surrounded them. Palm trees on the roadside swayed gently and the deep-blue sky above was studded with white stars. She couldn’t see the water but sensed it all around, the scent of the sea in the heavy humid air like a strange perfume.

The limo turned down a long driveway that led to the resort. The columned entrance and portico was brightly lit and very impressive, everything white with blue tile. The surrounding landscape gave the impression of a lush rainforest, with giant Royal Palms and masses of tropical plants and colorful flowers,

She stepped out of the car and stared around, feeling very disoriented. And instantly sticky and overdressed, even in her spring weight suit. She could actually feel her hair curling in the humidity, springing loose from the pins that held it in place. She felt rumpled and tired and knew that she must look a dreadful mess.

Matt sprang out of the car, seeming energized and in total control. “Finally,” he said. He took her arm and began to lead her towards the lobby.

The hotel looked quiet, especially for a Friday night she thought. Then she realized, no bellmen, rushing forward to take their bags and help them check in. One lonely soul standing at the front desk.

The lone employee behind the desk spotted their approach and rushed toward them, flying through the automatic glass doors.

“Mr. Harding…. How was your trip? Here, let me take that for you.” Ben Drury, the hotel general manager, Stephanie guessed.

And I thought I’ve had a bad day. His was just beginning.

Ben Drury made a grab for Matt’s leather duffel bag, but Matt held on firmly.

“That’s all right, Ben. I can handle it.” He cast his employee a tight smile.

Ben backed off, still smiling, looking as if he might very well stumble over his own feet. He was that nervous.

“As you like. If you need a hand, just holler.”

“This is my assistant, Stephanie Rossi. She’s come down to help out.”

Matt stepped aside to make the introductions and Ben shook Stephanie’s hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Rossi. Welcome. If you need anything at all while you’re here—”

I’d better get it myself. Because there’s no one left working here, Stephanie silently finished for him. She glanced at Matt, sensing he knew what she was thinking and shared the joke. It was a struggle to keep a straight face as Ben completed his welcoming speech.

“—just let me know. I’d be delighted to help you in any way possible….”

Still, Stephanie felt awfully sorry for the guy. The disaster wasn’t exactly his fault. Though he might lose his job over it. She smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“You must be tired from the trip. Would you like to see your rooms? I’ve booked you both in the beachfront suites. I think you’ll be quite comfortable.”

That sounded like a plan, Stephanie thought. She was exhausted. She definitely wanted to see her room. Particularly, her pillow.

But Matt seemed to have some other plan in mind. She could tell from the way he frowned at the suggestion, before he’d even spoken a word.

“We didn’t come down here to sleep, Drury. I need a full update on the property. What kind of staff are we left with, what’s the occupancy? What’s going on with the union talks?”

Matt’s voice rose a notch on each point. Ben Drury seemed to flinch inside his dark blue suit.

Stephanie felt instantly jolted awake. She took a deep breath and glanced at Drury. He was in the hot seat and she felt sorry for him all over again.

She suddenly felt sorry for herself, too. It looked as if they were going to be up all night.

Up all night with Matthew Harding. Was her name going to be added to some long list in his diary, she joked to herself. With a footnote, of course.

How could hell look so much like paradise?

That was Stephanie’s first thought as she stepped through the glass doors and stared out at the magnificent view. The private patio, complete with a pool and hot tub, was set right on the beach, steps from the crystal blue bay. At half past six in the morning, the beach was totally empty, serene in the early light. The sand looked fine and white as sugar and the sea was a crystal shade of turquoise blue.

The private patio was beautifully landscaped, with scarlet and white hibiscus and hot-pink bougainvillea that bloomed wildly while tall palms provided corners of shade. A lattice-work wall, covered with a lush, flowering vine separated the space from the neighboring suite.

The suite where her boss was presumably still sleeping.

Stephanie hugged the hotel-issue, terry-cloth bathrobe around her slim form and padded back inside. She wasn’t even sure how she’d woken up so early. The alarm clock she’d found on the nightstand had helped. And she never could sleep late in a strange place.

But it was mostly sheer terror that had propelled her out of bed today, after little more than four hours’ sleep.

She pulled apart the little coffeemaker in the suite’s efficient kitchen. She set it up and turned it on. Coffee. She needed some. Bad. Real bad. Though she must have drunk at least a gallon of it last night.

They’d worked until nearly 2:00 a.m., Ben Drury, Matt, Stephanie and a few key executives, huddled together as they reviewed every facet of hotel operations. Hotel in-operations was more like it—as in totally inoperative, out of order, defunct.

This was not a surprise. The surprise was that Matt—bullheaded, optimistic, never say die—Harding expected to keep things up and running until the labor dispute was resolved. Which, at the current rate, looked like never.

Stephanie had to admire him. Another man would have closed the place down, booked the guests into other hotels, the Harding resort in the Florida Keys for instance. Or sent them home with rain checks or gift certificates. But not Matt Harding.

Pushed to the wall—and delirious from sleep deprivation and an overdose of caffeine—Stephanie had come up with a few innovative ideas last night that seemed to both impress and please her boss.

But it was one thing to come up with these crazy tactics to keep guests happy and fed and so full of blender drinks, they couldn’t budge off their lounge chairs, much less pack up and leave the place early.

It was another story entirely to actually pull the rabbit out of the hat. To pull off these crowd-pleasing tricks.

She’d left with the other executives, while Matt remained, going over the union contract with a bleary-eyed Drury.

Matt had hardly seemed tired, she recalled, while the rest of them were sitting with their chins on the table. He had stamina. Loads of it. The gossip about him was true. He could go all night. She smiled into her mug as the errant image raced through her mind.

The sound of splashing water broke into her thoughts. She returned to the glass doors again and glanced at the pool, expecting to see a seagull looking for a luxury bird bath. The pool was empty, without a ripple. Then she realized the sound was coming from next door. Matt’s territory.

She took a few quiet steps outside and peeked through the vine-covered divider. She could see his dark head cutting through the surface of the water, his long muscular arms and smooth broad back glistening as he made his way down the length of the pool with a powerful breaststroke.

He was…gorgeous. No question. He looked good in clothes, but this was something else altogether.

She felt guilty watching him in secret, a peeping Tom. Or the female equivalent. Still, she couldn’t force herself to look away. He was the very definition of total hunk. The masculine ideal. His torso rose as he reached forward in the water and her gaze slid down his sleek form….

What a pair of shoulders. Look at those arms. What a cute butt….

He twisted onto his back, floating a moment as he stared at the sky, then started a backstroke.

Her gaze scanned the flip side, from head to—

Stephanie blinked and dropped her mug. It crashed and broke into a million pieces. She jumped out of the way with a muffled curse, hot coffee burning her toes. She glanced through the screen just long enough to see that Matt had indeed heard the noise and knew she was standing there.

She heard the splashing stop and didn’t dare look again to see if he was coming out of the pool.

“Stephanie? Is that you?”

It’s my evil twin. I would never stand here, stalking you. Gawking at your naked anatomy…

Feeling totally mortified, her cheeks flaming as if she’d sat all day in the sun, she swiftly crept inside, not daring to make a sound.

Her only hope was to avoid Matt when he left his room, she decided.

She quickly dressed in her rinsed-out underwear and yesterday’s outfit. Then twisted up her hair and brushed her teeth with the corner of a washcloth and the complimentary toothpaste.

No makeup to hide the bags under her eyes. She could only find a tube of lipstick in her purse. The wrong color, but she put it on anyway, then checked herself out in the mirror.

She looked terrible. No question.

There are worse ways to start the day, Stephanie, she reminded herself. Like being caught checking out your boss in his birthday suit.

Stephanie arrived at the main building of the hotel feeling breathless. Luckily, there was a plan, outlined last night at the meeting. The first hurdle was getting through breakfast service. Stephanie found every able-bodied employee of the hotel assembled in the kitchen, with most not having the faintest idea of what to do.

She checked her notes and got them moving, somehow setting up a passable breakfast buffet in the outdoor dining space. Ben Drury, wearing a chef’s hat and apron, manned the omelet station.

The poor man was desperate to save his job, Stephanie realized. He’d do just about anything, short of posing on a platter with an apple in his mouth. He’d been trained in the food and beverage area of the hotel before his promotions, she’d learned, so this was a logical and the most helpful place for him to stay all day.

Out in the dining room, a man in a golf cap complained at the self-service concept. His grumbling was nearly as loud as the print on his Hawaiian shirt.

“A buffet? Give me a frigging break. I’m paying good money to have a waiter carry my food to the table. Didn’t the rest of you?”

A few guests averted their gaze, too polite to engage him. But some others started ranting, too.

Not even nine o’clock and she was facing a mutiny.

Drury rushed around, playing waiter in an attempt to placate them. Stephanie ran over and poured out coffee. Then talked up the freebies that would be available today in all parts of the hotel—free tennis lessons, sailboats, Jet Skis and down in the spa, massages, facials and aromatherapy.

The frowns soon turned to smiles while Stephanie made a mental note to have a huge sign posting the free services placed at the front desk—giving second thoughts to anyone trying to check out.

The rebellion had been quelled. Momentarily. Stephanie sighed, her body sagging with relief. Would she ever manage to last the day?

“How are you doing, Stephanie? Everything under control?”

Matt’s voice put her on instant alert. She felt as if he’d just materialized beside her out of thin air. Like a character on Star Trek.

She stood up tall and forced a smile. “So far, so good. We got the breakfast service going and the complimentary spa treatments and water sports vouchers seem to be working.”

“Yes, a great idea. That should help.” Matt was dressed in fresh clothes, she noticed. A blue shirt, black pants and a charcoal-gray linen jacket and silk tie. His crisp attire made her feel even more crumpled. She made a mental note to check out the resort shops at some point, if she could.

As good as he looked in his outfit, she couldn’t help but remember what was underneath….

“Up early?”

“Um…yes. I was. I got up early and headed right over here.”

Liar, liar. Pants on fire, she chided herself.

“Really? What a shame. It was a beautiful morning. You should have taken a few minutes out on your patio. To check out the view.”

Stephanie felt her cheeks flame, but forced herself to keep a calm expression.

He knew. He just enjoyed playing games, didn’t he?

She looked up and met his eye. “I was in a rush today. Maybe tomorrow morning,” she answered smoothly, “when I have more time to enjoy it.”

His bland expression changed suddenly, looking surprised at her comeback.

I grew up in Brooklyn, pal. I already warned you, she added silently.

“I have some good news,” he said, changing the subject. “Some reinforcements from our hotels in Boca Raton and the Keys are flying in this morning to help out. You’re in charge of figuring out how to use them. I don’t even trust Drury to make toast, quite frankly,” Matt added, glancing over his shoulder.

The assignment and authority he’d just given her was a great compliment. Stephanie felt honored…and overwhelmed, but tried to stay cool.

“The priority right now is housekeeping. I guess I’ll put most of the helpers to work there and see how it goes.”

“Good strategy. I’ll be in meetings with the union reps all day. If you need me, send a message and I’ll get back to you.” Matt smiled at her. “Good luck.”

She smiled back, feeling suddenly close to him. “Good luck to you, too. I hope it goes well.”

“Cross your fingers. The sooner we can sort this all out, the sooner we get to go back to New York.”

Which couldn’t be soon enough for me, Stephanie thought. She forced a smile as he nodded and walked over to chat with Ben Drury. She couldn’t help but notice the women in the dining room, forks poised midway to their mouths as they checked Matt out.

If the guests really get restless, we can always have Matt swim laps in the hotel pool. That will at least keep the ladies away from the checkout desk.

Somewhat cheered by the news of more employees on the way, Stephanie headed for the lobby, her pad of strategy notes tucked under one arm. The assistant manager of accounting was manning the front desk. Stephanie was almost sure that Shirley Conrad didn’t have the foggiest idea of what she was doing, but at least she had shown up for work this morning and was trying her best.

“How’s it going?” Stephanie asked her.

“Pretty quiet. A few couples asked me about flights off the island today, but so far, nobody’s checked out early.”

“I think they’re all still getting their fill of the free breakfast. Let’s hope all the carbs make them want to nap.”

“If the pancakes don’t work, try some piña coladas.”

“Excellent suggestion. Happy Hour may start a little early today. Like in about…fifteen minutes.”

Shirley giggled. “Rev up the blenders. Anything for the cause.”

“That’s the spirit.” Stephanie smiled as she slipped behind the desk to check the registration activity. The front desk had been quiet, just as Shirley reported. A good sign. Though it was still early yet.

She heard the sound of arguing, more like low-level hissing and looked up to see a man and woman loaded down with suitcases, golf clubs and tote bags as they stumbled across the lobby.

“Our first customers. Let’s see if we can get them to stay,” she whispered to Shirley.

The two women ran out from behind the desk and approached the couple. “Here, let us help you with those bags,” Stephanie said smoothly. She grabbed a suitcase in each hand and soon had it placed on the bell cart Shirley rolled over.

“We’re checking out. The reservation is under the name Ames, Harold and Alice. We were supposed to stay to Tuesday, but we’re checking out,” the man said belligerently. He dumped his golf clubs on the cart with a deafening rattle. “I have a good mind to ask for my money back on the days we spent here, too.”

“Harold…please.” The woman tugged his sleeve. “It wasn’t that bad….”

“Now you just let me handle this, Alice. I’m not paying for ‘not that bad.’ I’m paying for deluxe. And I certainly didn’t get it. Not once the help walked off.”

“We came here for our anniversary. Thirty years,” the wife explained. Stephanie thought she saw the woman glance at her spouse and roll her eyes, which Stephanie read as the universal sign of disbelief that she’d lasted so long in her marriage.

“Thirty years? Congratulations,” Stephanie crooned. “That’s really an achievement. If only we’d known you were celebrating such a big event, Mr. Ames. I would have been happy to upgrade you to one of our VIP suites. Very lovely. A private pool and Jacuzzi. Private beachfront, too. Did you get the champagne dinner or the his and hers massages at the spa?”

She knew very well that Harold and Alice had not been given any of these perks and upgrades, and watched as Alice turned to her husband with a shocked expression.

“Harold…a beachfront suite. Free massages…”

“I heard. I heard.” He frowned, looking uncomfortable as he considered how foolish he might look, giving up his belligerent stance. “You’d do all that for us? Gratis, I mean?”

Stephanie shrugged. “Our gift to you. In honor of your anniversary.”

Harold glanced at Alice, who gave her husband a mournful look. “All right,” he said finally. “My wife wants to stay longer, so I guess we’ll stick it out.”

Stephanie nearly laughed at his self-sacrificing tone. She’d just agreed to hundreds of dollars of complimentary charges. It was a lot for free. But Stephanie knew that if one guest had a bad time at the hotel, they would go back home and tell ten others, and that would be thousands of dollars in business lost. But if they were pleased with their stay, that would translate to more new business.

“I think you’ll be very comfortable in your suite and if you need anything at all to make your stay more enjoyable, just let me know,” Stephanie added.

Shirley had already gone behind the desk and scanned the computer for an unoccupied suite that was ready for a check-in.

“We can put you in room 505. Just give me a minute and I’ll make the keys.”

“Don’t worry about the luggage,” Stephanie added. “I’ll find someone to bring it down to the room for you.”

Probably yours truly, she added silently.

“And don’t forget to check out all the complimentary services the hotel is offering this weekend—water sports, golf, tennis and spa treatments.”

“Golf? That sounds good to me,” Harold chuckled.

“I always wanted to try a seaweed wrap. They say it’s marvelous for your skin. I’m going to run down there right now, before the rush.” Alice kissed her husband on the cheek and trotted off toward the spa.

Harold collected his new key and pulled his golf clubs off the luggage cart. “Thanks for your help, miss,” he said to Stephanie. “See you around.”

With a cheerful, jaunty walk, he was off to the greens. Stephanie turned to Shirley and they joined in a long, relieved sigh. Shirley stuck out her hand and Stephanie shook it.

“Nice work.”

“Thanks, you too,” Stephanie replied.

“Yes, very nice work, ladies.” Matt appeared, coming out from an office door behind the reception desk.

Stephanie realized he must have been there all along, listening in to the exchange. Shirley looked surprised, then terrified, suddenly bowing her head and tapping away like mad on the computer keyboard.

Stephanie faced him. “It’s not nice to spy on people.”

“I wasn’t spying…and look who’s talking,” he replied, his eyebrows jumping up a notch.

She knew he was talking about his morning swim again.

She felt a blush creep up her neck and took a steadying breath.

Before she could frame a proper answer, Matt brushed by her and headed for the luggage cart.

“Are you taking that to the storage room?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m taking it to room 505,” he answered, pushing the cart with both hands. “Your talents are obviously needed here, on the battlefront.”

Stephanie was surprised to see him pitch in in such hands-on style. But he did seem like a hands-on type of guy, she noted. A good thing…and a bad thing. Though he’d so far never tried to get his hands on her, she was starting to have the oddest feeling it was just a matter of time.

She watched him push the cart away, putting his strong back and long legs into the job. She wondered how he’d ever gotten started in the hotel business and decided to ask him someday. She had a feeling it was an interesting story.

He was an interesting man. An unusual man. A dynamic personality and yet, with a gentle, charming side, too.

She respected him, she realized. Otherwise, she’d never be able to take all his guff.

But I’m not going to get involved with him, she added firmly, catching herself. No matter how much he flirts with me. Really…I’m just not.