Randa was pretty sure her father would eat Willodean alive when it came to negotiation.
When the waitress stopped to take their orders, Randa said, “Sweet tea. All Shook Up burger.” Then she smiled up at the waitress that she’d seen around but hadn’t met. It looked like Marcy was her name. “Please, Marcy.”
Marcy nodded. “You want your usual, Miss Willodean?”
Willodean handed her the menu. “Yes, ma’am! It’s good to see y’all. How’ve you been while I was out?”
“Oh, you know… pretty good. Thank you for asking.” Marcy took two steps back and headed for the kitchen, leaving a few yellow feather bits floating in the breeze she stirred up.
“Now, then, Tony told me we might have business to talk about. Care to share what that might be, Randa?” Her voice was molasses, slow and sticky sweet, but something about her face made Randa reconsider her position. The smile was gone. So was the twinkle. Now her eyes looked more like what Randa would expect to see in something higher up on the food chain. They were sharp, like some kind of predator that hadn’t quite decided whether to play with the food or scarf it down.
Randa cleared her throat. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Willodean pursed her lips. “The hard way, then. Okay.” She leaned back as Marcy set down tea and ginger ale on the table. “Whitmore. Seems like you might know a thing or two about hotels. What in the world are you doing in my little place? Tony thinks you might be planning a little stiff competition.” Willodean tilted her head to the side. “But you and I both know that your kind of hotels are not in the same class as my masterpiece. No, it’d be smarter business maybe to come after this actual hotel. My location’s excellent, my booking rates are solid, and you could be up and running pretty quick.”
Randa tried not to jerk in surprise. She wasn’t really shocked that Tony had done his research. Or even that he’d kept his suspicions to himself. What surprised her was that Willodean had jumped to exactly the right conclusion less than a day after she’d walked into the place.
Willodean Jackson was nobody’s little old lady. She wouldn’t be talked into selling with smooth patter and an offer that contained a lot of zeroes. She was shrewd. She knew exactly what she had with her prime location and established reputation. There was no way the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel would come at a bargain price. Randa thought about what it might look like to see Willodean and her father lock horns. Maybe the winner wasn’t as cut and dried as she thought.
And that was a lovely thought. She hadn’t met many people who even made her wonder if they could give her father a run for his money.
Willodean traced a finger around the rim of her glass. “Here’s why I’m thinking that. If I wanted a hotel in the Memphis area, maybe something I could get up and running fast, something close to one of the biggest draws in town and not too far from the airport for the business traveler, I might be looking to buy a smallish property with room to grow. One with an owner who was motivated to sell would be best. Second best would be an owner you could charm, cajole, or browbeat into a steal.”
When Randa didn’t answer, Willodean said, “Maybe there’s a property that I thought I might steal at a bargain from some silly lady who has no idea the way a hotel should be run. Then I could strip it down and make solid money.” She shrugged. “Well, I would never do that, but I think some people might give it a try.”
Willodean Jackson might not run her hotel according to Marcus Whitmore’s rules, but she had a fair understanding of the results.
Randa crossed her legs and considered her position. She might be able to distract a man and come up with a solid lie. Here she had only her wits, which she had a feeling were only evenly matched with Willodean, but outgunned in terms of experience and understanding. Still, she was her father’s daughter, had the best education money could buy, and she’d been remaking hotels for quite some time. If she was going to run her own place, she’d have to fight for it. She could do that. As soon as she figured out what to say. Willodean Jackson had surprised her, something that was definitely a problem.
Willodean laughed and patted Randa’s hand. “I’m about to give you the benefit of the doubt. You look like you got no idea what to say to that which tells me I’m too close to the truth for comfort and probably that you’re only following orders.” Willodean took a sip of her ginger ale. “Besides, I can afford to be generous. I’m way smarter than I look.”
Randa couldn’t help it. She had to laugh.
“Thing is, Tony didn’t run you off the minute he found out you might be up to something. And that’s saying something. Tony’s pretty protective of me and this place, so I have to ask myself why.”
Marcy set two plates on the table and scurried away.
Randa busied herself with her burger. She contained her groan at the first bite, so she heard Willodean say, “Imagine my surprise when I ask if you’re pretty. You know, just testing the waters. And Tony, a man who hasn’t dated a single woman in the two years he’s been working here, says you’re the prettiest woman he’s ever seen.”
Randa fought to contain the smile. Prettiest woman he’s ever seen? That was something. She’d think about that later. A lot.
She picked up her burger, took another bite, and managed not to make her normal face of ecstasy again. Not that she was fooling Willodean.
“That’s a good burger, right?”
Randa nodded and did her best to answer without confirming Willodean’s guess on why she was in Memphis. “The first time I had it, I decided two things. As soon as the menu’s redesigned, the price should double. And second, no matter what else happens with staff around here, that kitchen has to stay.”
Willodean took a bite of her Elvis sandwich before she answered. “Here’s a thing I’ve learned in business, not from some fancy degree at a fine school, but from watching my second husband maneuver some pretty tough waters and then doing my own thing in a competitive business.” She sipped her drink. “You need to know your adversary.”
She’d heard the same thing from her father a million times. On the list of Whitmore rules, that one was pretty high. She liked it better in Willodean’s voice.
Randa leaned back against her chair, wondering whether she should give Willodean some kind of heads-up about her father. Maybe Willodean was smart, but her father was ruthless.
“This place will make a great Whitmore property. My father will make you a good offer and I’ll make sure it runs with the same efficiency as the rest of the chain myself. Think of all the traveling you could do without this place to tie you down.” Randa hoped her voice sounded upbeat but not car salesman. She put on her most trustworthy smile.
Willodean held up two fingers. “Two more things you ought to know. One, I got more money’n God right now. And two, this is my home. You can’t put a price on it.”
Randa watched her, this tiny woman who looked like she ought to be baking chocolate chip cookies or maybe pouring shots behind the bar, and believed every word she was saying.
And she was relieved. The more she saw of the hotel, the less she wanted to change it. Her father could go as hard as he wanted but Willodean had plenty of resources to stand her ground. And if they failed to get the hotel, it wouldn’t be Randa’s fault. She hadn’t targeted it for acquisition. Her brother had. And he hadn’t done all the research he should have. Willodean didn’t want to sell and now it was clear she didn’t have to sell. Misty would keep her lobby. Tony would keep his job.
And Randa would move on to the next place. Maybe that would be her spot, the one she’d build to suit her. She hoped the kitchen was half as good as this one.
Randa forced herself to relax. Willodean patted her on the hand. “No worries, hon. I understand doing what your daddy tells you. I had a hard time following my daddy’s orders and Lord knows my son Charlie’s got his own selective hearing, but I understand why you’d want to keep your daddy happy. Tony might or might not have wanted to toss you out, but he was con
flicted too.”
Randa munched a sweet potato fry and tried not to imagine her father’s reaction to her revised report. The one she’d just sent to replace the one she’d sent last night. The one that said the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel was a no-go.
“He didn’t want to let me in at all. Why do you think he let me stay?”
Willodean snorted. “Come now. You’re a smart girl. Maybe not quite as smart as me, but bright.”
Randa laughed reluctantly. “He’s got a funny way of getting what he wants, Miss Willodean. I mean, I’ve offered. More than once. But he’s all…”
Willodean nodded. “Sure, honorable. That’s Tony. Now that the truth’s out, you better bar the door if you don’t want to get naked.” She shrugged. “I got a reputation.”
“As a hardass?” Randa’s lips twitched as she watched Willodean laugh, coughing out her ginger ale. When she could breathe again, Willodean pointed a finger at Randa. “Don’t you go around spreading truth like that. No, my reputation is as a kind of fairy godmother. I take in the lost and the hurting, help ’em find their place.” Willodean leaned closer. “I think Laura might have had her suspicions you were one of those. Tony’s not sure he can identify ’em but I think he’s got the same instincts Laura and I do. We all needed a little help once upon a time. Ought to make it easier to recognize it in others, don’t you think?”
Randa snorted. “Right. I’m sure he thought I needed help, most likely of the swift kick to the pants variety. I’ve done plenty of complaining since I got here. Poor little rich girl, that’s me. But he’d probably be the best person to tell me to stop crying unless I want someone to give me something to cry about.”
Willodean shook her head. “You don’t know Tony at all, if you think that, hon. I never met a man with a wider protective streak. He’s just itchin’ to be a hero all the time.”
Randa squashed a fry between two fingers and tried not to think about how much she’d enjoyed this same meal with Tony’s company. “Spoiled rich girl who gets back at her daddy by buying expensive things. And then complains about it.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Tony is filled with pity for me. Tony, who has no family and who spent time in a war zone, feels sorry for me.”
Willodean reached over and patted Randa’s hand. “Tony, who has a job he loves and is damn good at. Tony, who has been adopted into a dysfunctional family that functions pretty well most days. Tony, who has a chivalrous streak a country mile wide. Tony, who thinks you’re the prettiest girl in the world. Whatever you said to him, he heard something that made him want something better for you.”
Randa shrugged. “And that makes me feel even worse.”
Willodean tilted her head. “For lying?”
“For not being completely honest.”
Willodean huffed out a laugh. “Now that’s just splittin’ hairs. You must be damn good at business. That’s a talent most people gotta build on.”
Randa laughed too and took a big bite of her hamburger. She savored it and twitched her foot along with the song playing in the background. She thought it was “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Even she knew that one.
Willodean looked down at her tapping foot. “Nice shoes. Lucky you haven’t broken your neck.”
Randa nodded. “Thanks. I brought my best with me, but I’ve been happier in cheap dollar store flip-flops lately.” She shook her head. “I really like your shirt. Green’s my favorite color.”
Willodean’s eyes widened and she clapped her hands. “Oh, me too! It’s my signature color. I wear something green every day.” She flapped her hand in front of Randa’s face. “I mean, something other than my big ol’ ring here.”
Randa captured her hand so she could get a better look at the emerald then let out her best whistle. “That’s nice. Is it real?”
Willodean pointed at her. “I appreciate a suspicious mind, but you better believe it’s real.”
Randa shook her head as she took a drink of her icy sweet tea. Now that the meeting was in full swing and she’d lined her stomach with premium cheeseburger, she was feeling a little more sure of herself. Fortunately or unfortunately, that didn’t have much impact on making this hotel deal work.
“It’s too bad we won’t be taking over the hotel. I’m going to miss this food.” She chomped a fry and added, “A lot.”
Willodean laughed. “Now, I did not expect you to give up so easily. You have the look of a shrewd businesswoman. Maybe it’s the shoes.”
“I’m not sure you’re out of the woods yet. My father doesn’t change courses easily and he wants a hotel here in Memphis. Because of your location and booking rates, you were top of the list.” She glanced around the slowly filling restaurant. “But it would be sad to wipe out something so… unique.”
Willodean folded her napkin beside her plate. “Couldn’t do it anyway, but I like the way you’re thinking. Too bad for your daddy I’m not some widower on a pension eating cat food to stay in business.” Her eyes twinkled. “I have very good taste in husbands. Most of the time.”
Randa sighed. “That would be another way you differ from my father.”
Willodean’s eyes shot up. “Picked a lot of husbands, has he?”
Randa laughed. “No, just two. For me.”
“Did you toss ’em back?” Willodean leaned her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her hands.
“Yep. And first I ended up in Fargo. But that’s how I got out of accounting and hit the road so I don’t have a lot of complaints about that one. This time, I ended up in Memphis. In August.”
Willodean nodded. “Ain’t it wonderful?”
Randa laughed again. “Until today, no. The heat, the humidity… I mean, I don’t know how you stand it here year round. But then I made it across the street to Graceland and I met some other guests and I walked back into that magical, icy cool lobby and I saw Misty and Tony…” Randa shrugged. “Yeah, it’s pretty damn wonderful.”
Willodean said, “My girl’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a prettier dog.” Randa shook her head. “I’m going to miss her. Crazy, right?”
Willodean sighed. “No, not crazy. I’m telling you, when you can be homesick on a beach in paradise because your dog’s not there, you understand.”
Their eyes locked and they both laughed.
Willodean tilted her head. “Tony tells me you have some crazy ideas for making the hotel better.”
Randa shook her head. “Not better. But more profitable. Maybe.”
“Ideas like raising the prices on the menu?” Willodean didn’t look sold on the idea but she did look interested.
Randa glanced around and leaned forward. “I think if you got out of here, went to some other Memphis hotels and maybe even some of the better restaurants, you’d see how low your prices are and how much better your food is. Since you don’t seem to be the kind of lady who’d lower your standards, you need to raise your prices.”
Willodean tapped a finger on her bottom lip. “But I want people to be comfortable and happy when they stay in my hotel and eat in my restaurant.”
Randa fiddled with the edge of her napkin as she thought about Willodean’s answer. Her father would have done both: lower quality and raise prices, looking for the perfect intersection of just good enough to get all the money he could. That’s why he had a lot of money. Willodean was more worried about the experience.
“You really love this place and the people who come in, don’t you?” Randa didn’t understand but she sort of wanted to. It was nice to believe there was a person in the world and a place where people mattered more than the bottom line. And Willodean was successful anyway. Randa had never really thought this form of business existed.
Willodean shrugged. “It’s my home. Has been for longer than I care to think about now.”
Randa licked her lips. Willodean’s philosophy wasn’t one she’d picked up in business school. Maybe she’d inherited enough money that she could ignore the rul
es. Rich people could afford to be eccentric. “So, did your family have money too? You’re used to having high standards for quality maybe.”
Willodean laughed. “Lord, no. My daddy was a preacher and it doesn’t get any poorer than an east Tennessee country preacher. And I got pregnant and ran away to marry my high school boyfriend so he didn’t have a thing to do with me anyway.”
Randa tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. It was like everybody she met had a story to shame her for being so damn unhappy where she was. All she had to do was make a change. She had every advantage yet still she whined about being stuck and didn’t do a damn thing.
“I guess if you’re good at picking husbands, you picked one who got rich.” Randa fiddled with her straw and hoped for a lottery win or something.
“The first one died entirely too young, but he was damn charming. Got a job working for Elvis and that’s a stroke of luck nobody can duplicate.” Willodean was serious as she watched Randa’s face. And no matter how Randa wanted to sink through the floor, she wanted to hear what happened next.
“So, you were young with a baby and no husband.” Randa felt the prickle of tears but cleared her throat noisily. “Then what happened?”
“I’m not gonna lie. My heart was broken and I was pretty sure nothing was ever going to be right again. I was waiting tables to support me and Charlie. And I decided that a wealthy man would save us. Love was out of the question, but safety would be good enough. Working in a hotel, I got to meet lots of businessmen from all over. I set my cap for one who was old enough but still not too old. And I caught him. And I married him. And loved him. And he only got richer.”
Randa couldn’t figure out what to say to that. Maybe it was mercenary, but she’d been doing her best to take care of her son. Finally, she asked, “What business was he in?”
Willodean smirked. “Video arcades. If you played Space Invaders in 1980 anywhere below the Mason-Dixon line, you helped build this hotel.” Willodean nodded once. “He always loved a good game. And he was smart enough to do a little investing of that money in a few crazy start-ups like Apple and Microsoft, just in case playing games on personal computers became something people did.”
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