She should have kept her promise to be honest with him. She should have asked him how he felt. She should never have left Memphis without telling Tony every mixed-up emotion she was experiencing.
She should have called him just to hear his voice.
Instead, she’d hatched an ingenious plan.
She hoped they agreed. She’d get herself an important job here and she’d apologize every day for as long as it took to convince Tony to take another chance on her. She might even scrub toilets again if it would help.
“Just a vacation. One week. Strictly enforced.” Tony looked more resigned than pleased.
“Oh.” Randa was a little disconcerted. The first step of the plan was to wow them with her business acumen, long-range planning, and creative thinking. Then she was going to try to do the same on a personal level with Tony. Over a burger and sweet tea because it had been entirely too long since she’d had one.
Or talked to Tony, of course.
“You’ll never guess where Tony’s headed,” Willodean trilled as they walked back to her office. She rolled up what looked like architectural drawings to clear her desk and settled in her chair. “One of your favorite places.”
Randa carefully placed her briefcase on the desk and opened it. She had no idea what her favorite places were anymore. This might be at the top of the list, but now that her favorite person was leaving and soon, judging by the duffel bag in the lobby, she wasn’t sure. “Oh, Hawaii, maybe?”
Tony tilted his head and threaded his fingers together to rest them on his amazing abdomen. “Chicago. I was headed to Chicago.”
At first, his answer did not compute. She pulled out three reports.
Then his answer hit her like a ton of bricks. “Chicago? Like… where I live, Chicago?”
Willodean pursed her lips and picked up the top report, opened it in front of her face and thumbed through the pages.
Randa turned to look at Tony just in time to see him roll his eyes.
He snatched up a report and muttered, “Exactly like where you live, Chicago.”
And Randa realized she had her plan all out of order. But she hadn’t known Tony would be standing in the lobby or be leaving on his way to see her. Her churning stomach quieted and she realized the Tony part of the equation mattered a whole lot more than the job part. She felt the sting of tears as she realized that she owed him another big apology. At some point, he was going to get tired of hearing her say “I’m sorry.” She hoped this wasn’t the time. Randa cleared her throat and flipped through the pages of her report as she tried to remember her well-rehearsed speech.
“Well, as you can see, I’m here to pitch my idea to you. A hotel like the Rock’n’Rolla has to stand out from the less expensive, business class hotels in this town to attract repeat visitors. You already do this very well. In order to strengthen your position as a destination hotel, I believe you should expand a bit. You do hotels very well, but you’ve probably never considered a day spa. I’ve created a proposal with a menu of services and market-average prices for the Taking Care of Business Salon and Day Spa.”
Willodean frowned. “Well, it is a good name.”
Randa flipped open her own report. “It’s you, me, and Elvis all at the same time. Plus, it leaves us plenty of room to operate. Not just haircuts and color or manicures or massage, you can provide any service you like. As long as you have the space for it. And the staff. And it’s profitable. And fits with the hotel’s goals.” Randa shrugged. “There are a lot of things to consider still but I think it could be done and pretty quickly.”
“Maybe by December?” Willodean raised an eyebrow. “Could it be done in four months or so?”
Randa had no idea if it could be done in time. She did know that if anyone could pull it off, it was her and Willodean. “I believe so. I know you’ll have the décor settled and I have some”—Randa coughed—“passing familiarity with spa services. Together we could do this. I was thinking maybe a little more low-key Elvis than the rest of the hotel. Something relaxing. Easy.”
“Low key.” Willodean said the words as if the taste was unfamiliar and not altogether pleasant before she winked. “Got a line on the staff we’d need? Maybe some top performers for Whitmore?”
Randa shook her head. “No, Whitmore hotels don’t feature amenities like this. It doesn’t fit the profit model, which depends on clean, basic accommodations and consistency across the country. Business travelers stay there because they know they’ll find one in Cleveland to be much the same as Miami.” Randa smiled. “But that’s not to say I don’t have some ideas, contacts who can help us find the talent we need. Of course, to be honest, I’ve never done anything like this before, built a new business or run a spa.”
She shot a look at Tony, who was definitely not looking at her. “I want to be totally honest at the very beginning. I don’t have a track record in spas but this is really important to me. I’m going to work hard to make you a lot of money.” Randa shrugged. “But that’s only important to me. What you need to know is that this will make guests happy. It’s just another way to ensure that guests enjoy their stay here and leave feeling better than when they walked through the doors.”
Willodean flipped through the pages. “What in the world’s a ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ massage?”
Randa took a deep breath. “Well, I figured you’d want to stick with the hotel’s theme. Sandwiches in Viva Las Vegas have names. Services in the spa should too. Maybe we’ll be giving the same haircuts and colors as other places, but here we’ll call it the ‘Change of Habit’ or something else if you like. That will be a Swedish massage, which is all about relaxation and soothing, as opposed to ‘All Shook Up,’ which is deep tissue massage.”
When neither Tony nor Willodean responded, Randa said, “I thought we could offer packages too, especially tailored for hotel guests. ‘Beginner’s Luck’ is pretty much the basics, a facial, manicure, and pedicure. ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ could be a group manicure and pedicure, which would be perfect for bachelorette parties or reunions. ‘Love Me Tender’ for a pampering day-long package including massage and facial, mani, and pedi. ‘Do Not Disturb’ for couple’s massage.” When she realized that neither Tony nor Willodean was reading along with her, Randa stumbled to a stop. “But maybe you don’t like the idea.” And she just couldn’t believe it. Just saying the word “facial” made her skin feel tight and in need of deep relaxation.
Tony sighed. “Gonna show her or not?”
Randa looked from Tony to Willodean to see that they were silently communicating with their eyes, and finally Willodean reached for the drawings she’d moved before they sat down.
“Before I do, I gotta ask. Did you tell her about our plans? Maybe some pillow talk before she left?” Willodean didn’t look worried. She looked excited. When Tony slowly shook his head, her smile dimmed a little but she rolled the plans out with a flourish. “You didn’t even try, did you, kid? She’s perfect in every way for this. Thought you were smarter than that.”
Tony said, “Too bad you didn’t see that before she left.”
Willodean narrowed her eyes at him before she turned back to Randa. “I see you’ve been working hard, Randa. Now let me show you what we’ve been working on.”
Randa leaned over and tried to make sense of what she was seeing but Willodean stepped up to help. “Here’s the hotel. Here’s our expansion.” She pointed at a rendering of the front of a new building off to the side of the hotel, beside the pool area. “Top level’s meeting rooms and a small conference area. Bottom level’s going to house a small chapel and reception area for weddings on one side and a spa on the other. Hadn’t named either one yet, but I can’t argue you’ve done a fine job with the spa.” She plopped back down in her chair. “Now, what do you think of that?”
Randa sighed. “I should have known you were already planning this.”
She was deflated. Discouraged. This was going to be the place she made her mark. She’d thought her brainsto
rm would add something that would make her a valuable asset here. She should have known Willodean Jackson already had a handle on what was best for her home.
Willodean leaned forward. “How come you don’t look happier? I couldn’t have dreamed it would work out this well.”
Tony leaned forward too. He stacked his report on top of hers and said, “Randa doesn’t understand how much we needed her help, Willodean. She thinks we had a clue on how to build and staff a spa.”
Randa laughed. “Of course you did. It’s just… logistics and stuff. And if you didn’t you’d have figured it out. I mean, look at the success of the hotel.”
Tony nodded. “Turnover’s too high. I implemented both of your suggestions to offer an incentive for referrals and for service. We’ll see how that goes. Talked with Laura about pricing in Viva Las Vegas. She agrees with you and had suggested raising the menu prices across the board when she began managing the restaurant back in April, but we’d made zero headway with Willodean until your idea to offer different price points. That allows us to serve great food at higher prices and still serve families and budget travelers.”
Willodean nodded.
Randa shrugged. “Yeah, well, that’s nothing. I mean, it is but…”
She honestly didn’t know what to say.
“The point is, I’m listening, Randa. Tony and Laura are using your suggestions. And when it comes to this spa, I got no plans to do it any differently.” Willodean picked up the notepad she’d carried in from the front desk. “All right. That ain’t doing it. How about this?” She slid the pad over and Randa picked it up.
“Tony’s to-do list… advertise for spa manager.” She dropped the pad.
Willodean pointed at it. “After vacation, we were going to start the search for a manager who understood my vision and knew a thing or three about spas.” She shook her head. “Because Tony and I are like headless chickens here. My idea of a spa day is a bubble bath and a good whiskey. And Tony’d rather be boiled in oil than have a pedicure. We need a pro.” She smiled. “And I only want the best for my place. So, are you going to join us or not?”
Randa looked from Willodean to Tony and tried to figure out what she wanted. Did she believe them? She wasn’t going to go to another place where she was nothing more than a placeholder. She had enough faith in herself and her abilities that she could make something great here. “I want to talk salary. And I want the apartment I stayed in while I was here. And I need a contract.”
Willodean clapped her hands. “All right. I’ll get all that drafted up and we’ll talk again in a week or so, how’s that?”
Randa suddenly realized she really ought to talk to Tony before she took the job anyway. Maybe he didn’t want her here. And that mattered more than a salary. “Fine.”
Tony said, “Willodean, would you mind checking to see if the Westwind room is available for the next week? I know you said I can’t stay here, but we both know you won’t kick me out. You don’t have any security around this place.”
Willodean wagged her eyebrows at Randa. “Got a thing for boats, have you?”
Randa had no idea what they were talking about. She wiped her hands on her skirt and waited.
Tony sighed. “Please, just check for me.”
Willodean danced out of the room.
And then the silence was heavy in the small office.
“It’s the name of the sailboat. In Girls, Girls, Girls.” Tony stopped her compulsive wiping with one hand on hers. “You’re really going to have to spend some time learning everything there is to know about Elvis if you want to work here. Luckily, I can teach you everything I know in a week or so. In the sailboat room.”
Randa laughed softly. “You know how to drive a very hard bargain, Tony.”
“Good.”
Randa was even more nervous now. “I owe you another apology. You have every right to be mad at me and I’d say I wouldn’t blame you if you refused to accept it, because how many times am I going to get this wrong, but I think I know that no matter how many times I do, you’re just going to be all… amazing.” She forced herself to stop babbling when he squeezed her hand.
Tony snorted. “I was madder at myself, but I’ve been a little annoyed since you left. I’m pretty sure Willodean would have strapped me to the plane if I’d put up any protest about leaving.”
“Were you really coming to Chicago?” She didn’t understand why she asked, but the idea that he would pursue her… it mattered.
He glanced at his watch. “Should probably be at the gate right about now.”
“What were you going to do when you got there?”
Tony leaned forward until his knee touched hers. “First, I was going to visit the W Group to see if you were at work. Then I was going to try your house.”
“What were you going to say?”
Tony rolled his eyes. “Well, I had planned to tell you just exactly what I thought about sneaking out and leaving me a Miss Manners thank-you note.”
“But not anymore?” Randa could feel the sting of tears.
“Tell me why. Why would leave like that? I thought… didn’t you…” Tony rubbed his forehead. “That wasn’t what I expected, not after everything we’ve talked through and that night.”
Randa sniffed. “Well, it was going to be messy. And I thought, for me to be the new Randa, I needed to… I don’t know, maybe be stronger than that. A kiss goodbye would have wrecked me.” She hated these tears, but she couldn’t stop them.
“I was wrecked either way, Randa. I’d have much rather said goodbye, no matter how messy it got. I deserved that chance.” Tony reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I’m glad you’re back, don’t get me wrong. But I need to know that I can trust you to stick. When you’re mad, you say so. When you’re afraid, tell me. Don’t try to work me and for God’s sake, don’t leave me. Not without giving me a chance.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I keep saying that, don’t I?” She shrugged a shoulder. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ve wanted to kick my own ass for leaving that way. Even if I thought it was better for you and for me and it would have been ugly and hurt like hell, I wanted that last kiss.”
She’d been so dumb. She was lucky Tony was the kind of man he was. Unflappable. He might be annoyed or irritated, but he wasn’t going to punish her for making the wrong decision.
He shook his head. “When I saw you walking across that lobby, I realized I didn’t give a damn about that. Not now. Here you are. Now is so much better than two weeks ago because now you’re here.”
Randa sighed. “I can’t believe you were going to come after me. I’ve spent my whole life afraid to make one misstep because I wasn’t sure anyone would…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “But you, who have every right to be mad or at least prepared to find someone who’ll be a lot less trouble… you were coming for me. That means… everything, Tony.”
“I told you, I know a keeper when I see one. Besides, Willodean can be a nightmare negotiator when she wants to be. Failure was not an option. She would have been headed up there next and Chicago would have never been the same.”
She shook her head. “I felt like I needed to try something on my own, not go from my dad’s money to leaning on Willodean or you, but… I don’t want to let you go. I was so excited when I thought I had the idea, the one thing that would build me a place here.”
Tony traced a thumb over the back of her hand. “Maybe you’re thinking about it the wrong way. Maybe the place was always here, waiting for the right person to fill it. And here you are.”
Randa blinked back tears and rubbed her nose. “I used to think you were the strong silent type.”
He frowned. “I am the strong silent type. And you better not tell anyone any different.”
Randa laughed. “Okay, you are, but it’s like… you always know the right thing to say to me. How do you do that?”
He laughed. “That may be another one of those places that was just waiting for the right person
to fill it. I’ve certainly never had exactly the right words for anyone else.”
Randa squeezed her eyes shut. “Do you really think I can do this? I can’t cook. What if I starve to death? And you saw the bag I brought. No money, no clothes, hardly any shoes… and books… what am I going to do?”
Tony laughed. “Bargain hard. You’ll be fine. Wait and see. Besides, I’ll keep you supplied in grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly. You won’t starve.”
“I’ve got a bad shoe habit. How many pairs of flip-flops do you think I’ll end up with?”
Tony shook his head. “Hard to say. But you’ll make every damn pair look good.”
“Silver-tongued devil.” Randa leaned forward to press a kiss against his lips.
He leaned back. “I thought I wasn’t ready for you. I thought I needed more time to get myself together before I found the girl that I was going to build the life I wanted with.” He traced his thumb over her cheek. “I didn’t think she could possibly be you because you’re so… damn beautiful. And smart. And good. And even after a year of therapy, I still have so much growing to do, healing, and just… adjusting. I thought the answer was time but here you are. And whether I’m ready for you or not, I want you. And I’m going to make sure you never regret coming home to the Rock’n’Rolla. If you give me a chance.”
“Maybe you could give me the name of your therapist. I am still a Whitmore, you know. I have my own expensive set of baggage.” Randa wiped away the first tear that fell. “If you’d said that to me two weeks ago, I would have… I don’t know. Maybe nothing would have changed. I think I’ve just spent my whole life trying to do better, be more… I didn’t know what to do with you. You made me feel exactly right.”
He pulled her out of the chair and across his lap. When his hand landed on her bare thigh, she gasped and he took full advantage, tangling his tongue with hers and stealing her breath.
Randa pulled back. “Do you think I’d make a good soccer mom?” She said it as a joke but she really wanted to know his answer.
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