The Hotel

by Pamela Kelley

  “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

  She pressed a generous tip into his hand. “Thank you, Johnny. Enjoy your night.” She smiled big at him, the smile she was so famous for and it flustered him. He was adorable, like an enthusiastic puppy.

  “Th-Thank you!”

  Bella was still smiling as a bellman came rushing over to help with her luggage. She handed it off to him and stepped inside the lobby, stopping for a moment to admire its beauty. The cool, white marble and gorgeous flowers had an instant calming effect. And calm was good. Bella had been in the eye of the storm for so long, she welcomed the serenity. She made her way to the reception desk and a woman who looked to be about her age, thirty, smiled when Bella walked up.

  “Welcome to The Whitley. I’m Lucy. How can I assist?”

  “Bella Bryant. I’m checking in.”

  Lucy looked her up in the system and Bella saw the surprise flash across her face. Just for an instant. She could tell Lucy was far too professional to react more than that. Bella gave her credit card, the one with her real last name, and Lucy ran the card then handed it back, along with her room keys.

  “You’re in the Siasconset Rose suite. It’s on the second floor and is an end unit, so it’s extra quiet. I think you’ll love it. There are complimentary pastries and coffee in the lobby in the morning and you have a Nespresso machine in your room, and room service of course if you wish to order anything. Our restaurant is open until ten, as well.”

  “Thank you, Lucy.”

  Bella took the elevator up one floor, then walked down a long hallway and around a corner until she came to her room. She opened the door, stepped inside and breathed a sigh of relief. The room was perfect. It had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and a small deck with a stunning view of the ocean. She could drink her coffee there in the morning. The bedrooms were all white, with puffy comforters and bathrobes and matching slippers. She was tempted to fall into the bed. But she knew if she did, she’d fall fast asleep and wake in the middle of the night.

  So, she decided to take a hot shower to wash off the travel grime and maybe order some room service for dinner. The hot water felt wonderful, both relaxing and reviving her. A half hour later, she was dressed and sipping a cup of hot tea on her deck and enjoying the feel of the warm breeze across her face and the crisp, clean air tinged slightly with the salty scent of the sea. From where she sat, she could see two families below, playing croquet on the lawn with their children. In the distance, several small sailboats sailed together close to the shore. She knew that the hotel had several catboats available for the guests to use. She’d never sailed before, but it looked like fun.

  She was feeling relaxed, for the first time in weeks, until her phone rang, and she instantly tensed up when she saw her agent’s number on the caller ID. She thought about letting it go to voicemail but decided to just see what her agent wanted, and then hopefully not talk to her again for a good long while.

  “Hi, Jean, what’s up?” Jean McIntyre had been her agent since the beginning of Bella’s career. She liked her, most of the time. Jean was aggressive and a mover and shaker in the industry. She’d brokered some good deals for Bella. But she was also relentless when she thought Bella should do something. Even now. Bella knew she meant well, but she wasn’t sure that their goals were the same anymore. Jean wanted more, more, more for Bella and Bella wanted less, so much less. She’d almost walked away completely.

  “Just checking in. Wanted to make sure you made it there safely and to see if you’re settled in and feeling relaxed yet?”

  Bella laughed. “I’ve only been here for about an hour. But it’s lovely. I think it’s exactly what I need. I don’t want to think about anything for the next few months. I just want to read books and relax on the beach.”

  Jean was quiet for a moment. “Well, there’s another reason I’m calling, too. I know you said you don’t want to hear about anything new for a while, but something just came in that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I think you should take a look at it.”

  Bella instantly felt her chest tighten and a headache begin to form. The stress was already building at the mere mention of a new project.

  “Jean. I told you. I can’t do it right now. I can’t do anything. Any stress causes my Lyme to flare and the last flareup was the worst yet. I need to avoid all stress and just calm myself down. Just thinking about a new project has me feeling twitchy.”

  “Okay. I can probably put them off for a few weeks. You’re their top choice, though. I’ll keep you posted. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if you lost out on the chance to consider this one. It’s that good, Bella.”

  In spite of herself, and the creeping stress that was building, Bella was a little curious. “What is it?”

  “I really think it could launch you to the next level—Oscar contention. It’s an adaptation of a Peggy Marlow Book Club pick, and her production company, Blue Moon, is casting now. This was a breakout book by a debut author, and it stayed on the charts for over a year. It’s a strong woman’s story set in the south, with dark family secrets and a mystery that spans several generations. It’s big.”

  “Is there a script yet?”

  “No, it’s in development. I can overnight the book to you, though. You can read it on the beach.”

  Bella sighed. Jean had won this round. “Okay, I do need some beach reading. Go ahead and send it. I’m not committing to anything, though, until I’ve read it and even then, I’m not available for several months. I’m not cutting my stay here short. It’s too important to my recovery.” Bella had been working non-stop for five years, without a real break. Even between films, she had all kinds of pressure and demands on her time.

  “It’s on the way. Will go out in the mail today. I’ll let you go rest now…”

  As soon as she put the phone down it rang again, but this time Bella was happy to talk to the caller. It was her sister, Julia. They spoke just about every day, even if it was just for a few minutes. And it had been Julia’s idea for Bella to insist on a several month break, and to spend it at The Whitley.

  “So, what do you think? Do you love it there?” Julia asked. She was just a year older than Bella. They were alike in so many ways, but Julia’s life was so different. She was a librarian in the small Vermont town they’d grown up in and was happily married to her high school sweetheart, Jim, who was a firefighter. They didn’t have any kids yet, but they were trying their best, and going through infertility treatments. In the meantime, they had a collection of pets, two dogs and two cats. Julia called it her menagerie.

  “I do love it, so far. It’s beautiful. When are you coming to visit?” Bella didn’t really need two bedrooms, but she wanted plenty of room for her sister to come and spend a week or two.

  “I can’t wait to get back there. It’s been ten years, but I still remember the weekend I spent at The Whitley for Candace’s wedding. I checked with work and I can’t take two weeks, but I can do a week, two weeks from now, if that works for you.”

  “Of course, anytime. Will Jim come with you?” Bella was a big fan of Julia’s husband. He was easy-going, and fun.

  “No, he can’t get the time off. So, it will just be me. We’ll have a girls’ week.”

  “That will be fun. We haven’t done that in forever.” It had been over a year since Bella had seen her sister. She was supposed to spend the holidays with them, but then the film she’d been shooting in Ireland ran into delays and she had to go right from that film set to another in Italy that had already started filming. It was a whirlwind and it was exhausting. She couldn’t wait to see her sister and just play tourists, like normal people.

  “How are you feeling?” Julia asked.

  “I’m good. It’s very calm here, and quiet. But then Jean called.”

  “What did she want?” Julia was not a fan of Bella’s agent. She thought she was pushy. And she wasn’t wrong about that.

  Bella told her about the conversation. And
Julia was not happy about it.

  “She couldn’t even give you a day. One day before she started bothering you.”

  Bella sighed. “I know. But she is the best and it is what I pay her for. I told her that’s it though. I’ll read the book, but no promises and I’m not leaving here early. If anything, I might want to stay longer.”

  Julia laughed. “You should. You’re not going to want to leave.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes until there was a knock on the door.

  “That must be room service.”

  “I’ll let you go. I’ll book my flights and touch base with you tomorrow.”

  Bella opened the door and let the room service attendant wheel in a tray with her dinner. She’d ordered a house special, day-boat fresh haddock, broiled with a lemon butter sauce, grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes. Pure comfort food. She ate on her deck, staring out at the ocean and felt the tension ease away. By the time she finished eating, she was already yawning. The bed was calling her name again.

  She crawled under the covers, with a romance novel she’d picked up at the airport and read for a bit. The bed was so soft and comfortable, and her eyes quickly grew heavy as she slipped into a dreamless sleep. Her last thought before she drifted off was that she couldn’t wait to go exploring the next day, as a normal person. It had been so long since she’d been able to do that.

  Chapter 5

  “You’re a Whitley and the general manager at your family’s resort, the top hotel on Nantucket. Why would you consider leaving?” The interview had been going so well, until the inevitable question.

  Andrea was in Boston at the Lennon Hotel, a luxurious boutique hotel in the Back Bay. It seemed like an ideal fit for her background. She had flown in the night before and stayed at the hotel. Elaine Humphrey, the hotel industry headhunter her grandfather had used for years, set up the meeting.

  Andrea walked down Boylston Street the night before and had a delicious dinner and a glass of really good red wine at Abe and Louie’s, her favorite Boston steakhouse. She’d gone to bed feeling full and relaxed and excited about the interview today. But now, she had a sudden, sinking feeling that it could easily slip away if she didn’t answer this well. She took a deep breath.

  “It’s been a wonderful experience working there. But, as you said, it is a family business and sometimes family dynamics can be, well, challenging. I thought it might be a good idea to spread my wings and broaden my experience by working at another property. And I’ve always loved Boston.”

  The interviewer, who was also the owner of the hotel, was an older gentleman about her grandfather’s age. He smiled. “That’s understandable. Everything about your background seems to line up very well with what we are looking for. We have a few other candidates we are considering, but we will have a decision this week. I’ll be in touch with Elaine as soon as we have an update.”

  Andrea flew home after the interview and spent the rest of the week anxiously waiting for word. Elaine had also set up two other interviews at Boston hotels but they’d both been canceled abruptly. She said they’d both moved forward hiring other candidates so didn’t need to see Andrea, but it made her wonder. They’d both been presented to her as being at the very early stages and then suddenly, both opportunities disappeared.

  She suspected that both places likely did backdoor references to gather information. It was a common thing, when companies asked around to see if anyone in their network knew anything about a candidate. Many employees over the years had gone to Boston hotels after working at The Whitley. And Andrea knew that some of those employees hadn’t liked working for her. She could be demanding, but she had always thought that was a good thing, to get the most out of people. But not everyone agreed.

  She’d left her reference sheet with Human Resources. All the names on it were family—her grandfather, her cousin Nick and sister Hallie. She did not include her cousin Paula. There was no way she was going to ask the person taking her job for a reference. She was worried though about what her grandfather would say. She knew Nick and Hallie would focus on her strengths. But her grandfather had told her he’d be brutally honest about both her strengths and her weaknesses.

  There was nothing available anywhere on Nantucket that was appropriate. General manager roles were few and far between and were usually filled internally, by referral or through a headhunter like Elaine. And she’d said there was nothing that she was aware of currently on the island. Boston was Andrea’s first choice after Nantucket as it was still close by and it was a very walkable city and much smaller than New York, which was just so big. Still, she told Elaine she’d consider something there too, but at the moment, Elaine had nothing.

  And in a little over a week, she would have to start in the concierge role. She was dreading it, sure that everyone would be whispering about her. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too awful, at least until she found something else. And she had no intention of going to those deadly boring weekly manager meetings.

  She couldn’t sit through that now, especially with Paula and her spreadsheets lording it over her in her new role. Andrea planned to have as little to do with Paula as possible. Hopefully they could stay out of each other’s way. She didn’t want to be continually reminded of the job her cousin stole from her by running into her all the time. She had no need for an office anymore and could just go right to work in the concierge kiosk.

  The call came Friday afternoon at five minutes of five. Elaine kept it brief, delivering the news succinctly. “I’m sorry, hon. They went with one of the other candidates. They said you were great though. Enjoyed meeting with you. Sounds like it was close. I’ll be in touch when something new comes in.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Elaine. Did they check references, do you know?”

  There was an uncomfortable silence on the other end. “I’m really not sure. I sent them over, in case they needed them.”

  “Okay. I appreciate it. Please do keep me in mind.”

  “You got it, hon. Have a great weekend.”

  Andrea ended the call and stared out the window in frustration. She’d thought she had a good shot at that role. She needed to blow off some steam. See if she could round up anyone to go have a drink with her. It was time for happy hour, even if she wasn’t feeling particularly happy.

  None of her friends were around, but she knew her sister Hallie would be just getting out of work.

  “Meet me at The Club Car for a cocktail? It’s been a crappy week and I could use a good, stiff margarita.”

  Hallie laughed. “I’m sorry you’ve had a rough week. It’s been crazy here too. I’m definitely up for happy hour. I should be able to meet you there by six.”

  “Great, I’m going to head over now and get a seat at the bar. I’ll try to save one for you, if I can.”

  Andrea changed into her favorite rose pink sweater and her jeans that were faded and distressed and fit her like a glove. She was down about five pounds due to stress, but as she twirled in the mirror, she saw that had its advantages. She was looking cute and for the first time all week, felt the beginning of a good mood. She hadn’t gone to The Club Car in ages. It would be fun to relax with her sister and share an appetizer and a drink or two.

  The bar was busy when she arrived as she knew it would be, but she lucked into an empty seat as two people were leaving as she walked up to the bar. She sat and put her purse on the other chair. She wouldn’t be able to hold it for long, but she could try. The bartender came right over, and she ordered her margarita.

  “I’d like it on the rocks please, with salt and a splash of Grand Marnier.”

  “That sounds good. Maybe I’ll get the same. Is anyone sitting here?”

  Andrea turned at the familiar voice. It was Marco, one of the many Brazilians that worked at the hotel. Marco had worked there for five years now and had his green card. He was a year or two younger than Andrea and also worked in concierge services. So, she would be his new boss. She wondered if he knew.

  “Yo
u are.” She lifted her purse and hung it on the back of her chair. “Hallie’s on her way.”

  Marco settled into the chair and grinned. “Okay, then I’ll keep it warm for her.”

  When the bartender delivered Andrea’s drink, Marco ordered one of the same.

  “How’s everything at the hotel?” she asked.

  “Good, busy. The new consultant started. Seems like a nice enough guy. He explained that you’re going to be my new boss.”

  Andrea smiled. She had to be positive. “Yes, though we probably won’t work together too often.” Usually there was just one concierge on at a time, except on weekends.

  “It’s all good. I usually do work weekends though, so we might work together some. It will be fun.” His easy smile made her relax. In her fury about everything, she’d forgotten that Marco worked in concierge services. He was a lot of fun, and always in a good mood. Sometimes when schedules aligned a bunch of them went for drinks and it was always a good time. But it had been a long while since they’d had a night out like that. Her cousin Nick was often the ringleader. The kitchen staff was always ready to go out after their shift. It was like they got a second wind after running around and needed to wind down and burn off some energy.

  She chatted easily with Marco, getting caught up on everyone they knew and then out of the corner of her eye, Andrea saw Hallie walk in and waved her over. Marco immediately stood and pulled the chair out so Hallie could sit.

  “Such a gentleman, thank you!” Hallie sat and ordered a margarita too.

  Andrea had been hoping to vent to her sister about her unsuccessful search efforts but couldn’t go there with Marco hanging out with them. She didn’t mind so much though. He had already been a good boost to her mood. He’d kept her laughing with funny stories about various guest requests. At least if she was going to be stuck in concierge services, it might be more fun with Marco around.