Five Star Attraction

by Jacquelin Thomas

  Harold interrupted her by saying, “I’m not about to work for Malcolm Alexander. I don’t care what anybody says. That man is a not a DePaul.”

  “The DNA test says otherwise,” Natasha reminded him. “Harold, I know you hate facing the truth, but this man is a part of your family. He is Robert’s only son and heir.”

  Harold muttered a curse. “He’s going to ruin everything my uncle has built—his entire empire is going to just crumble down. Uncle Robert clearly wasn’t in his right mind.”

  “You know that’s not true.”

  “Really? Surely, you can’t believe my uncle did this with a sane thought in his head. Before his death, his mind became confused with his past and his present. I will testify to this in court, as will my entire family.”

  Natasha did not respond. She knew what Harold was saying wasn’t true, but it was useless to argue with the man.

  “We have to get those people out of my family’s business. The DePauls have worked too hard to walk away without a fight.”

  “Malcolm has asked me to stay on as a consultant,” she announced. “And Ari is here with me. He’s waiting in the reception area.”

  Harold smiled. “Great. We’ll have you working from the inside. I want you to get to know this man and his family. Use your charms if you have to.”

  She took a step backward. “Excuse me?”

  “I want you to tell me everything. I want to know about every decision, everything they make.”

  “I’m not your spy, Harold,” Natasha snapped.

  “I guess you forgot about our little deal.”

  “I haven’t forgotten anything, but I’m not going to sneak around the corridors, trying to listen to everything said behind closed doors.”

  “If you want my money for your son’s medical expenses, then you’ll do what I say.”

  They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

  Harold opened it to find Ari standing there.

  “We were just talking about you,” he said, stepping aside to let Ari enter. “I was just telling Natasha that I think it is only fair to let you know that we are not going to contest the will.”

  Ari shrugged. “If you did, you stand to lose your share of Robert’s estate. He made sure the will was irreversible.”

  “What my uncle did to us is wrong,” Harold argued.

  “I’m not here to discuss my father’s inheritance with you.”

  “Then what are you here for?” he demanded. “To fire me as managing director?”

  “You are welcome to stay on in some capacity, but not in your current position.”

  Harold stood toe-to-toe with Ari. “Who’s going to replace me? You?” He laughed harshly. “You don’t know a thing about managing a five-star luxury hotel.”

  Ari didn’t flinch at the man’s closeness. “You have no idea of my capabilities.”

  “I will have my office…this office cleaned out by tomorrow.” Harold folded his arms across his chest. “Just so that you know…half of management will be leaving with me. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

  “We are prepared to do whatever is necessary,” Ari responded. “If I don’t see you here tomorrow when I arrive, I want you to know that I wish you much success in your endeavors. We will be more than happy to provide you with a letter of reference.”

  “Go to hell,” Harold uttered. “I don’t need anything from you or your father.”

  “Well, that went well,” Ari stated as they made their way outside the building.

  “At least he’s not going to contest the will,” Natasha said.

  “Only because he knows that he and his family wouldn’t win, and they would risk losing their inheritance.”

  The chauffeur immediately got out of the car to open the door for them.

  Natasha climbed inside first, followed by Ari. She sat down and began checking her email.

  “I wonder what he’s up to,” he murmured.

  “Who?” Natasha asked, looking over at him.

  “Harold,” Ari answered. “I have a strong suspicion that he’s got something up his sleeve. He was acting much too cocky.”

  “Trust me…he’s always like that.”

  “Will you have dinner with me?” Ari blurted before he could stop himself.

  “Um, sure.” Natasha eyed him.

  He grinned. “Did I shock you?”

  “I wasn’t expecting a dinner invitation from you.”

  “We’re going to have to work together for the next year, so we might as well take this opportunity to get to know one another.”

  “I agree,” she responded. “I need to check in on my staff. When and where do you want to meet?”

  “I’m the new guy in town. Do you have any suggestions?”

  “Why don’t we eat at the Premiere Italiante in Hollywood? Your father owns the restaurant.”

  “Sounds good,” he told her.

  “Great. Is seven good enough for you?”

  “Sure.”

  They were headed to Robert’s oceanfront estate in Pacific Palisades.

  Ari couldn’t believe the size of the exquisite Tuscan home in the Palisades Riviera. His grandfather had spared no expense and overlooked no details.

  “Robert had this house custom-built a couple of years ago,” Natasha said. “There are three levels with nine bedrooms and one down. There are fifteen bathrooms.”

  “Wow.” Ari got out of the limo, followed by Natasha.

  “I had Franklin meet us here,” she told him. “No one has been in the house in weeks, as far as I know.”

  “I’m pretty sure Harold has been here,” Ari said.

  Inside the house, Natasha gave him a tour. “The master suite is located on the first floor. There is an office and library on the first floor.

  “As you can see, the gourmet kitchen opens up to the family room. There is a kids’ study area on the third floor.”

  “What did Robert want with such a big house?”

  “He never told me, but sometimes it seemed as if he were building the house for your family. Robert talked of inviting all of you out here, so that he could tell your family everything.”

  Ari and Natasha stepped outside to view the saltwater pool and spa, the outdoor kitchen with barbecue, patio dining area, cozy fireplace and mini sport court. He had to admit, it was the perfect place for their family gatherings.

  He counted at least twelve fireplaces total. Ari liked the state-of-the-art gym area, the game room and the home theater that seated fifty. “I can’t imagine how much this must have cost Robert.”

  “Thirty million dollars,” Natasha said. “Robert paid for it in cash. He said that he wanted to make sure that the house stayed in the family.”

  “What are those houses back there?”

  “Guesthouses,” Natasha explained. “There are four on the property. Each one of them has two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms.”

  Ari took pictures with his iPhone. “My parents are not going to believe this house.”

  Franklin was standing in the kitchen making notes.

  “I’ll have my parents fax you a shopping list so that you can stock the pantry with their favorites,” Ari said. “Everything else is at your discretion. My dad should be calling you with a household budget.”

  “We spoke fifteen minutes ago. He’s authorized a cleaning crew to come in. Mr. Alexander has also requested that I move into one of the villas here. He wants me to manage this property exclusively. Your parents are planning to make this their permanent home.”

  Ari scanned Franklin’s face. “How do you feel about this?”

  “I love the ocean.”

  “Great.”

  Natasha stood in the doorway of the kitchen. “We should head back, Ari.”

  He followed her out of the house and to the limo.

  “So, I’ll see you later,” Ari said when they returned to the corporate offices forty-five minutes later.

  Natasha slipped her purse on her right shoulder. �
��Seven o’clock, right?”

  He gave a slight nod.

  She waved and, with a springy bounce, walked over to her car. Natasha unlocked the door and quickly stepped inside.

  Ari watched her drive away, her car quickly disappearing into the heavy traffic.

  Natasha hated having to work long hours, but her job sometimes demanded that she do so. She didn’t classify having dinner with Ari as a job, however. She thoroughly enjoyed his company.

  At home, she spent some quality time with Joshua and saw if Monica could stay longer.

  “I should be back home by nine o’clock, Monica. I’m having dinner with the grandson of Robert DePaul.”

  “That’s fine,” the nurse replied. “If you want, I can just spend the night here. This way, you don’t have to worry if your meeting runs longer than expected.”

  Natasha smiled. “You don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.” Monica paused a moment before saying, “Oh, I heard about a new treatment for leukemia. I put the information on the counter for you.”

  “Thanks,” Natasha responded. “I’ll take it to Joshua’s doctor.” Her son had a rare form of leukemia, and the treatment cost thousands of dollars. She didn’t care about the expense as long as it kept her son’s condition in remission.

  She strode into the kitchen to make dinner for Monica and Joshua. The nurse came in to assist her.

  “Joshua’s teacher loved his story,” Monica announced.

  Natasha smiled. “He worked hard on it. I’m glad she liked it. All he ever wants to write about is football. She doesn’t seem to mind, though.”

  “She says as long as he’s writing, the subject matter doesn’t matter to her. Some of his classmates need writing prompts, but not Joshua.”

  “He’s doing so well in school,” Natasha said. “I was worried that Joshua wouldn’t be able to keep up.”

  Monica patted her on the arm. “Joshua is smart, caring and courageous. You should be very proud of how well you’ve raised him.”

  “I am proud of him, Monica. I just wish he had a strong male influence in his life. He needs that.”

  “He will have that, Natasha. One day you’re going to meet the right man.”

  She laughed. “Let’s just hope it happens while I’m young enough to appreciate him.”

  Chapter 10

  This was a mistake.

  Ari paced back and forth across the floor, wondering what he was thinking when he asked Natasha to have dinner with him.

  I only invited her because I don’t like eating alone.

  He knew it was more than that. He was curious about Natasha and since they would be working together, Ari wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to go over some business details, as well.

  Ari stood in the middle of the bedroom, trying to decide if he should wear the black suit or the navy blue one. He tried to imagine which one April would’ve picked.

  He smiled. April loved him in black, so she would most likely choose that one. But then again, she always said that navy blue represented honesty.

  Ari sighed. “I really miss you, April. I don’t know if I can ever love a woman as much as I loved you.”

  “Not so,” his heart whispered back.

  He thought of Natasha and considered canceling their dinner meeting. Ari looked at the clock on the nightstand. They were supposed to meet in forty-five minutes. It wouldn’t be fair to cancel on her this late.

  “Tonight, this is about business,” he said to himself. “I can do this.”

  He removed his shoes and padded barefoot to the bathroom. He would decide on which suit to wear after his shower.

  Ari eventually decided to go with the black suit. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. Uncertainty crept into his expression.

  He was treading into uncharted territory here. Ari had never felt so drawn to a woman outside of his late wife. How was he going to handle this situation?

  I’m definitely not going to allow myself to be sued for sexual harassment.

  Ari intended to keep a professional distance where Natasha was concerned. He turned away from the full-length mirror, wearied by indecision. His mind was congested with doubts and fears.

  He wished he had followed his decision to cancel out on dinner, but it was too late now.

  I can do this, he told himself.

  He glanced over at the clock on the nightstand, grabbed his wallet and keys. Ari headed to the door. He took the private elevator down to the lobby.

  The concierge approached him, asking, “How can I be of service, Mr. Alexander?”

  “I need a taxi, please.”

  “The limo is available, Mr. Alexander.”

  He gave a polite smile. “I’d like something a little smaller.”

  She nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll order a taxi for you.”

  Five minutes later, Ari was on his way to meet Natasha.

  Ari arrived at his destination twenty minutes later.

  As soon as Natasha arrived, they were seated.

  She looked very fashionable in a silk black-and-pink tunic over a pair of black silk pants. Natasha had a flair with chunky jewelry, Ari observed.

  He sat at the table trying to come up with something intelligent to say. This isn’t a date, he kept telling himself. It’s just a business dinner.

  For some strange reason, it felt more like a date. He had been around scores of beautiful women since April’s death, but none had ever made him feel like this.

  Ari pulled at his shirt collar.

  Natasha quietly surveyed the man sitting across from her in the restaurant. This was the fourth time in ten minutes that he’d straightened the collar of his crisp, white shirt. He’s uncomfortable around me, she decided.

  “You look as if you’d rather be anywhere but here with me,” she said, sensing his disquiet. “I take it you haven’t spent much time with other women since your wife died. It’s either that, or I make you uncomfortable.”

  His eyes registered his surprise.

  Natasha pointed at his wedding band and chose her words carefully. “You have the look of a married man written all over you, Ari.”

  He played with the ring for a moment and then said, “You are the first woman I’ve had dinner with outside of family since she died. It’s…it feels a bit strange.”

  “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling after something like that, but you can relax. This dinner is just for us to get to know one another since we’re going to be working together. It’s not like we’re on a date.”

  Ari nodded. “You must think I’m being foolish.”

  “Actually, I don’t,” Natasha responded. “You must have loved her very much.”

  He smiled. “I do love her very much. April is the love of my life and she was my best friend.”

  Natasha glimpsed a momentary flash of pain in his eyes. She waited patiently to see if he would continue, but Ari remained silent. She chewed her bottom lip as she tried to think of something to say.

  “I didn’t mean to darken the mood of our dinner,” Ari said.

  “You haven’t,” she responded. “Sometimes talking helps the grieving process.”

  Ari reached for his glass of ice water and took a sip. “They tell you that you’ll eventually feel normal again, but for me, it hasn’t happened. I still feel like there’s a huge part of me missing.”

  The waitress delivered their food selections to the table.

  When she walked away, Natasha announced, “I lost my best friend in a car accident about three years ago. We had been friends since first grade, and when he died, I felt the same way you’re feeling. It eventually got better.”

  “Was he the Wharton alumnus?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Natasha.”

  She smiled. “Why don’t we change the subject?”

  Ari chuckled. “Yeah, let’s do that.” He pointed to his plate. “This is the best crab alfredo I’ve ever eaten.”

  “You will have to
try the blackened chicken alfredo next time.”

  His eyes traveled the dining area. “So my dad owns this place?”

  “He does. This was one of Robert’s favorite places to eat. When the previous owner was thinking of closing the restaurant, your grandfather purchased it. He asked the staff to stay and offered pay increases because he didn’t want the menu or the food to change. It paid off for him, because this is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Los Angeles.”

  The manager came over to say hello.

  “I hope you are enjoying your meal,” he told them.

  Ari smiled. “I was just telling Natasha that I’ve never eaten crab alfredo that tasted this good. It was superb.”

  “Thank you, sir. I am so glad you enjoyed it. The head chef makes the pasta every morning from scratch.”

  They talked for a few minutes before he moved on.

  “How did he know who I was?” Ari asked in a low voice.

  “Maybe it was because you’re with me, but I believe it’s more your resemblance to Robert.” Natasha leaned forward in her seat. “What do you think of the DePaul Beverly Hills property?” She paused a moment. “I’m sorry. It’s the Alexander-DePaul Beverly Hills Hotel.”

  “It’s exquisite,” Ari exclaimed. “I’ve been in some really nice hotels, but this particular piece of property is a sight to behold. I love the blend of old-style Hollywood and modern-day luxury.”

  Natasha took a sip of water. “Your grandfather had an eye for beauty.”

  “Tell me more about him. All I know of Robert DePaul is what I’ve read in magazine and newspaper articles.”

  “He was one of the nicest men I’ve ever met,” Natasha responded with a smile. “I learned a lot about this business from him. Ari, you are a lot like him.”

  He wiped his mouth, then Ari inquired, “How do you mean?”

  “He had worked in hotels since he was strong enough to carry luggage. His parents owned a small one in North Carolina. At the age of sixteen, Robert persuaded his parents to purchase a second hotel in a nearby town. By the time he was eighteen, Robert was managing a third hotel near the beach in Wilmington.”

  “That’s where he met my grandmother,” Ari interjected. “She worked as a maid in the Wilmington hotel. According to the letter DePaul wrote to my dad, they fell madly in love, but because of the racial barriers of that time, they kept their relationship a secret. When she found out that she was carrying his child, my grandmother returned to Georgia to avoid any hint of a scandal.”