by Natalie Ann
“How is Kayla doing?”
“Kayla Rivers? My new girl on the front desk? You’re asking about an entry-level position? Why?”
“Take that shocked look off your face,” he said. “I hired her so I’m curious how her first week went.”
He hoped that sounded plausible. He didn’t want Patrice to know how much he’d been thinking of Kayla lately. More than he had any other employee...more than any other woman in years. When he gave her directions on where to park she was twisting her necklace again. He figured she wasn’t even aware of that nervous habit.
He found it endearing. Vulnerable. He was usually attracted to strong independent women but those relationships never lasted.
With the stupid legacy of the island—strangers finding love at first sight—he figured he’d let all the women come to him. And how well was that working out?
For once his mind was going toward the opposite of his past and making him itch to take a step first and he wondered what the cause of it was. No matter how he tried to push her away, Kayla reappeared like a rainbow after a rainstorm.
Urgh, now he was thinking those romantic thoughts Eli told him he’d never had before. Was it possible what Kayla brought up about finding love on the island was opening up these thoughts?
“I suppose you want to make sure that I don’t skin you alive for sticking me with some deadbeat.”
Shit, was Kayla that bad of an employee? He didn’t think he was that horrible of a judge of character.
“So it’s not working out?” he asked as he gathered his papers. Might as well get ready for a fast exit so the tiny paring knife didn’t come out and start to peel his skin one layer of epidermis at a time.
“She’s working out great,” Patrice said. “Thanks again, by the way. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It seems like we have staff that either stay forever or turn over fast. There is no in between.”
“Maybe she’ll stay for a long time,” he said.
“I hope so. She’s friendly, on the ball, eager to learn, and on time. Everything I could hope for.”
“I’m glad. She goes on nights this week, right? Just in time for the big Johnson wedding. Hope she’s ready for this.”
Patrice laughed this time. “I’m sure she won’t be but might as well send her into the deep end headfirst with no life jacket. She won’t be alone at night ever. Most of the guests won’t be checking in until Thursday night or Friday. She is scheduled then, but she is off on Saturday. Or gets off Saturday morning, so she will miss the chaos of the wedding and the guests coming in for the day.”
“Maybe you should have her on as an extra hand,” he suggested.
“And pay OT? Talk about not wanting to be skinned alive. We know how much you hate doing that.”
Hunter stood up and knew he’d have to get back to his office soon or this could turn into a long conversation he wasn’t ready to have. “You know what you’re doing. If you need her or want her to get that experience, you can offer it, but I guess since she’d be getting off of work at six in the morning, she wouldn’t come back until the reception was even well underway.”
“How you can fill your brain with everyone’s job in addition to your own is beyond me. But yes, that is the case. Being new, it’s probably best she has the weekends off for now. Trust me, Friday is going to be busy enough for her.”
“This wedding could get a little bit crazy on top of it being Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “The ferries out of Romeo are adding two more runs like they always do starting Memorial Day weekend for the rest of the summer. The same with the ferries out of Juliet.”
Patrice started to walk out the door with Hunter following. “I love listening to you call them by their names rather than the North and South Port. It’s so romantic,” she said letting out a snort.
He ignored her sarcasm. “You wouldn’t call me the Tall Guy if I had a name, would you?”
“Tall?” Patrice asked. “No. Not that. But we’ve got other names for you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”
Patrice walked down the hall to go back to the elevator and the noise that would engulf the lobby. He loved that this was the time revenue went through the roof. And wasn’t that what he was aiming for? To prove he could handle the hotel on his own?
Once he was back to his section of the floor, Marcy said, “Your grandfather called for you.”
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and didn’t see any message there. “I don’t know why he doesn’t just call my cell or send me a text.”
“He’s old school,” Marcy said. “You know that. Plus he figures if you are busy you aren’t going to answer his call anyway.”
“I always answer his calls,” Hunter said. He wasn’t the only grandson of Steven Bond, but he was the only with the last name of Bond. Steven was an only son, just like he only had one son, Hunter’s father, Charles. The hotel would always stay with a Bond. That had not only been his great-great-grandfather’s wish—the sexist old man—but it had also been stipulated in his will and required in everyone else’s going forward.
“Not right away,” Marcy said. “Half the time you aren’t at your desk and he knows that and doesn’t want to bother you.”
“If you can get the notes from the meeting typed up and distributed this afternoon, that would be good,” he said and started to walk away.
“Almost done. This isn’t my first rodeo show, you know. Nor am I one of those clowns trying to pull the bull away. The bull being you. I run at you, not away,” she said, then let out a sarcastic laugh.
He shook his head, walked into his office, and called his grandfather. The things his staff said to him at times. He’d never be as serious as his father no matter how hard he tried and he wondered why he didn’t just give it up at this point and be himself.
“Hey, Grandpa. You called?”
“Just wanted to check in and see how you were doing, Hunter. Nothing important.”
“Things are good and starting to get busy. Big wedding this weekend on top of it.”
“A wedding to kick off the start of our busiest season. You know your grandmother always said it was good luck on more than just the revenue side. Love might be coming someone’s way too.”
He missed his grandmother almost as much as his grandfather did. She’d died five years ago and he wondered if he’d ever get over the loss. The summers spent at their place, the holidays, you name it, he was with his grandparents—mostly his grandmother—until he started working full time.
“That might be the bride and groom,” he said. “But big revenue makes me smile.”
“You always were driven like your father. Good thing you’ve got my personality. At least your father was settled down by your age. What are you waiting for?”
“Guess I haven’t found the right woman yet.” Not that he was really looking either anymore. Why bother at this point when it seemed everyone wanted him for his name, his money, or his body. Was it wrong to be wanted for his heart?
What the hell? Damn Eli on those stupid romantic thoughts he never wanted to have that were shoved down most of the family’s throat for years.
“Get looking at the ladies and not the ledger books like your father. Charlie just liked to sit in his office and count his gold. I should have named him Ebenezer.”
“Jesus, Grandpa. That’s crude. Right on point but crude.”
His grandfather laughed. “I’ve called him that plenty of times behind closed doors. Have you talked to your parents lately?”
“A few days ago. This trip was much needed. Maybe not so much for Dad but definitely Mom.”
His parents were currently traveling the world on a four-month adventure that his father had promised his mother for twenty years. She’d been reminding him that for the past ten and he finally caved after he semi-retired last year.
“Your mom is a good woman putting up with Charlie. A great wife and partner to him.”
“A great mom,” Hunte
r said.
His father wasn’t an easy man to live with, but he wasn’t a hard one most times either. He was just driven and boring. Not a good combination in some women’s eyes. But his mother made up for it or at least pushed his father to loosen up over the years. Two opposites making it work. Just like most of the Bond family when they find their true love. Nothing stands in their way.
Maybe that is why it was taking so long for him to commit to someone. To even find someone. He took commitments seriously.
“When are they due back?” his grandfather asked.
“They aren’t sure, but Dad said he’d be back before the first of July. He wasn’t going to miss when things really picked up here.”
“I’m just glad he took off as much time as he did. With him returning to the office you can go back to mingling with the staff and guests like we know you love so much. Maybe get out and have a bit of a personal life and meet someone special?”
He couldn’t figure out why his grandfather was pushing so much on his dating life—or lack of it—when he hadn’t before.
He ignored the personal life comment for now. “Speaking of which, I just finished a staff meeting with the heads and I’ve got a bunch of things I need to do. When are you coming to the island next?”
“Not this weekend. Too crazy. Maybe next week I’ll come out and we can get some lunch.”
“Sounds good. Talk to you later, Grandpa.”
He hung up the phone and realized he had a smile as wide as the distance between the island and Boston. He always did when he talked to his grandfather.
Someone finding love? Geez, it’s like the universe was slamming that in his face for some reason. Was it a sign combined with the fact he couldn’t get Kayla out of his mind?
Nah. He’d spent too long looking to be the next in line to follow in the Bond footsteps and find his soulmate, so long that he figured he’d never find it.
5
Think Big
Kayla felt she was getting the hang of her job. It was the second night on her new shift, and though she thought she’d have trouble staying awake, she really didn’t.
She’d worked third shift before and since two of her roommates were gone during the day and the other worked nights too, the house was pretty quiet. She was able to nap before she started yesterday, then could sleep again when she got out of work at six a.m., drove home and crashed into bed.
The days were busy and though she liked that shift and hoped to be on it at some point in the future, she knew that might not happen.
She was just turning the corner with towels in her hand to bring to a guest on the fourth floor when she ran into someone. “I’m sorry,” she said, then looked up and met the blue-eyed stare of Hunter Bond.
His hands reached out to steady her. “No, I’m sorry. My fault. I should have been paying attention rather than reading my phone.”
“It’s a little late for you to be working, isn’t it?” she asked and wondered why she did when he probably worked when and where he wanted since he pretty much owned the place.
“I came down for something to eat. I lost track of time and didn’t have much food in my place and thought I’d make a sandwich.”
“Then you do live here?” she asked. She’d heard he did but hadn’t wanted to ask anyone about it.
“I do. In the penthouse on the eleventh floor.”
“I didn’t know there was an eleventh floor.” She had to figure out where everything was in this place.
“It’s in the back and only seen from the beach. It doesn’t span the whole building and the only elevator for it is on the tenth floor by the offices.”
“That makes me feel better. I’m trying to find my way around as best as I can. This main level is kind of nuts.”
He grinned at her and she felt her face flush. Maybe even another part of her body heat up down below. Good Lord, she was losing it.
“It can be. I’ve been running around this place since I was in diapers. It’s changed a lot over the years, but I know it like the back of my hand.”
“It had to be fun growing up here,” she said.
“It had its moments. Do you need to deliver those towels to someone?”
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. What must you think of me? Yes,” she said, starting to move away. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”
He started to laugh. “Not a problem. Most people don’t want towels at eleven at night.”
“That’s good to know,” she said as she rushed away.
She was such an idiot. Here she was thinking that she was doing so well at her new job and then she gets sidetracked and starts a conversation with her gorgeous new boss.
Well, he wasn’t really her boss. Patrice was. And Carol. Hunter was way up there on the food chain, someone that she would never report to directly.
Kayla had to keep reminding herself of that too. She could have some body gushing dreams about him if she wanted, but that had to stay hidden. She wondered if the myth of this island was playing havoc in her head. She’d never had thoughts like this over a man she’d just met before.
Least of all someone who had so much control over her employment.
There was no way she was jeopardizing her job. Her career, she reminded herself. Think big. She had to. If she didn’t, she’d end up in a rut and ruts were where dead animals ended up once they’d been run over by cars at night. She wasn’t going to be a dead animal on the side of the road. She wasn’t going to be discarded again in her life.
She was going to work hard and fight to stay alive.
Man, she was morbid. What the heck was wrong with her? Though those thoughts were more in line with the life she’d had so far than love and gorgeous guys.
She got in the elevator and hit the button for the fourth floor, stepped off when it stopped, then made her way to the room and knocked.
A man opened the door with his shirt off and a big grin on his face. “Thanks, sweetie. If I didn’t have company, I might ask you to come in and wash my back for me.”
She’d been warned that some of the guests might hit on her, but they said she just needed to be polite or let someone know if it ever got uncomfortable or out of hand.
This was probably the definition of uncomfortable, but she did what came naturally to her. She smiled and said, “I’m sure your company would have an issue with that.” She heard the giggling behind him.
“She sure would. You have a nice night, sweetie.”
Kayla figured the guy was just joking and knew she handled it well. She walked back to the elevator and waited and when it opened Hunter was standing there. There was no getting away from him. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
Good for her eyesight because he was such a treat, especially standing there in jeans and a T-shirt. He was sexier dressed like this than when he was more formal during the interview. Though that was a nice sight too.
Bad, because the more she saw him the more she was going to act like a fool, she was sure.
“So we meet again,” he said.
“I guess so. You’re probably going up, so I’ll wait for another one.”
“Or you can ride up with me and I’ll show you where the elevator is to the penthouse. You should know it anyway.”
“Why is that?” she asked.
“Because after midnight I’m the only one around if there are issues needing management. There are some other department heads here now, but the last is Grace in the restaurant or her assistant, Nate. After that, it’s me. Of course you can call me if you need to. They told you that when they trained you, right?”
“I’m still training,” she said, walking into the elevator. “It’s only my second night and things are a bit different than during the day.”
“They sure are. Anyway, my number is down there. They should show you where it is.”
“I’ll ask Tiffany when I get back. She might think I’m lost or taking a break if I’m gone too long.”
“Just tell he
r the truth,” he said. “You ran into me and I’m showing you where the elevator is. She’ll understand. She’s been up here before.”
She wasn’t sure what to make of that statement. Tiffany was older, probably in her mid-thirties and married. She lived on the island. Kayla only knew this because Tiffany was spending more time gabbing about her personal life than work, but she was nice enough too. She was one of the part-timers that worked a few night shifts a week or filled in full-time shifts if needed.
But just because she was married with kids at home didn’t mean she might not have been in the penthouse for a more personal reason with Hunter.
And it was none of her business either. She shouldn’t be thinking that as long as no one thought it of her.
“Okay,” Kayla said, knowing she couldn’t argue.
When they reached the tenth floor, she followed Hunter out, down another hall, and to the right where there was an elevator. “No one can get into the offices after the last person leaves. They can just get to this hallway. You need a keycard or the passcode to get on this elevator too.”
“That’s good to know. I’m sure you don’t want guests getting into the offices up here.”
“No. Even during the day I’m sure you figured you can’t get in without a card or being let in by a staff member behind the door.”
She remembered that. That Marcy had come down to get her and then swiped a card to get behind a steel door that had no windows on it. She’d been shocked to see how nice the offices were behind the door since the hallway was so sterile.
“I remember,” she said. “And now I know where you are if I need you for something.”
“You do,” he said. “I’ll go up and eat now.”
She’d been so distracted by him that she just noticed the container in his hands. “Did you get your late night sandwich?”
He laughed and opened the container up to show her a nice big steak and mashed potatoes. “No. I go down to see what looks good and what might be left over if I lose track of time. I need to get more food in my place, but I don’t cook often.”