“OK,” Julie said. “Anything else?”
“The restaurant,” Mattie said.
“Fine.”
They walked back down to reception. Rob stopped in his office and grabbed his coat then met them at the front desk.
“Maria, can you handle the invoices tonight on your own?” he asked. “I need to get going now.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Julie looked at the clock above the reception desk. “Do you work until six every day?”
“No, ma’am. It varies.”
“Depending on what?”
Rob blinked. “Well, the number of guests, the office duties. And the time of year – in high season, I work a bit more.”
“I see.” Julie looked at him. “And you’re the lead person in Sales, is that right?”
He nodded.
“I’ll want you in at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. I want to sit down with you and go over all the sales figures for the past twelve months. Can you prepare a short presentation for our meeting?”
Rob did a double-take. “A presentation, for first thing tomorrow morning?’
“Is that a problem? I mean, if you’re familiar with the sales numbers, then it shouldn’t be an issue to get ready quickly. All the information should be organized and at-hand; in fact, you should have it committed to memory.”
“I should?” Rob caught himself. “I mean, yes. Of course I do. And I’ll be ready, Ms. Everett.”
“Good. I’ll see you in your office at eight.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He watched Julie and Mattie walk in to the restaurant and he turned to Maria. Her beautiful face was bewildered as she stared after her new boss.
“What just happened?” she asked.
Rob took off his jacket and loosened his tie. “I just got told, in no uncertain terms, to pull an all-nighter.”
“What?”
Rob sighed. “I’ll be in the office, going through the sales figures and pulling everything together.”
“But you won’t be here all night!”
“I will,” he said. “I get the feeling that she’s going to want more than just an Excel file of straight numbers. I’d better include the budget and the monthly targets we set, and an analysis of expenses and annual patterns.”
Maria was dismayed. “But – it’s Gracie’s birthday tomorrow, and you need to get her a present.”
“I know.” Rob thought for a second. “Maybe I’ll run out tomorrow on my lunch hour and get her something then.”
“No way. Listen, I leave here in an hour, and Frida comes on. I’ll go to the mall in Colorado Springs and buy your niece a present, if you tell me what she wants for her birthday.”
Rob looked at her, gratitude flooding through him. “Would you really?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, God. Thank you.”
“It’s no problem. Anything to help.” Maria hesitated. “Why did she do this to you, though? Make you do this on no notice?”
Rob shrugged. “Because she’s the boss. Because she can.”
**
Julie sat across from Mattie, sipping coffee and looking around the restaurant. It was perfect, absolutely perfect. The interior designer in her was very pleased.
She had been so sure that the whole place would be decked out in some kind of awful cowboy theme. She’d braced herself for horseshoes and lassos hanging from the walls, and a menu heavy on the meat and grease. She was convinced that there would be cheap leather everywhere, and the bathrooms would have cutesy signs on the doors, like ‘Rodeo Gals’ and ‘The Little Cowboys Room’. She had been prepared to gag on the twee.
But this – this was stunning. It was, actually, what she’d have done if she’d been given this space to design. The restaurant was flooded with light from the massive windows, and had clean lines through the floor space. There were some smaller, more private tables mixed in with long, wooden booths scrubbed shiny. The décor was rustic but not hokey: it was warm and inviting, and felt fresh and open. It was charming and relaxed, but not to the point of feeling like you were in a canteen – you walked in and felt like the menu would have some class and elegance. It was perfect for a family with small kids, perfect for a group of friends on a girls’ getaway, perfect for a romantic weekend. It hit all the markers, with ease and style and confidence.
Mattie was watching her as she looked around. “So. What do you think, hon?”
“It’s quite lovely.”
“Isn’t it? You should be here for sunrise and sunset.” She nodded at the windows. “Those windows face east, and those west. No matter what time of day you’re in here, you get the best view.”
“Nice.”
“So, I imagine that Joe has your stuff all moved for you. What do you want to do now?”
Julie thought about it. What she really wanted to do was take a tour of the last four smaller cabins, and get some sense of their worth. But they were occupied, so that was a no-go. She’d take a look tomorrow, while the cleaning staff were in there. Maybe go to the stables? But the thought of staring at horses didn’t appeal much. And truthfully, she was pretty wiped out. The past five days had taken it out of her.
“I think I’ll unpack, clean up. Turn in early.”
“I think that’s a great idea.” Mattie beamed. “I’ll show you where your cabin is.”
They walked back through the reception area where Maria busied herself with the invoices and avoided Julie’s eye. Mattie escorted her across an open area, and to the cabin farthest from the stable.
Mattie pushed open the door. “Welcome.”
Julie walked in and looked around. She almost sighed with pleasure: the mood of the restaurant had somehow been captured in this much smaller space. It was warm and welcoming and appropriately rustic, to be sure, but it wasn’t basic. You walked in and you just knew that there was hot water and Wi-Fi and fresh towels and clean bedsheets. It was elegant but not formal; romantic but still kid-friendly; relaxed but not sloppy.
“What do you think?” Mattie said.
“It’s fine. Thank you.”
“OK. The bedroom’s over there, and that’s the bathroom. Totally functional kitchen – you can even bake a cake in here if you want. Small office space over there.”
“OK, good.” Julie looked at her. “What time are the cabins going to be cleaned tomorrow?”
“Around noon, I imagine.”
“Great. I’ll have my meeting with Rob, and then I’ll meet you at cabin one at noon. I’d like to start seeing the others cabins right away.”
“And breakfast?”
Julie looked around at the compact kitchen space. “Surely I can make my own breakfast here? You did tell Joe to bring me some food?”
“Well, sure. But just the basics.”
“What are the basics?”
“Fruit and some vegetables, bread and butter and jam. Some yogurt and chicken and cheese and ham. Eggs. Coffee and tea. Water, some soda.” She grinned. “A bottle of wine.”
“That’s more than enough,” Julie said. “I’ll manage.”
“Are you sure, hon? Manny does a mean breakfast… bacon and eggs and pancakes and French toast. He feeds all the on-site staff every morning, so it’s not like he’d be going out of his way. The buffet’ll be set up for the guests and the live-ins, no matter what.”
“Actually… where do the on-site staff live?”
“We have quarters in the back of the reception building, and there’s also a small stand-alone cabin behind the stables.”
“I see.”
“Most of us commute in, but five of us live here.”
“Do you live here?”
“Oh, yes, hon. I love living here. It’s my home.”
“That’s nice. Oh, and could you please spread the word among the staff that I’d like them all to gather in the restaurant at ten o’clock? I’ll introduce myself properly and meet them all then.”
“Sure. I’ll make sure everyone knows.”
>
“Thank you. Well, goodnight, Mattie.”
“Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning.”
After Mattie had gone, Julie sat down in an armchair and looked out the window at the mountains. OK, so that hadn’t gone so badly, she figured. She’d get some important and much-needed information first thing tomorrow, meet the staff and get some sense of who did what, and get the lay of the land after she toured the cabins, the stables, and the grounds. By this time tomorrow, she’d know exactly what she owned, and what she had to sell.
That cabin, though. The Big House, as Mattie called it. That place where her biological father had lived, and maybe died. Now that she thought about it, actually, she hadn’t ever asked Hawkins how the bastard had kicked the bucket. Heart attack? Car crash? Trampled by a rampaging horse? She made a mental note to put in a call to New York one day soon and ask Hawkins for that small detail.
Anyway. She’d have to go and check it out at some point, she knew. It was a major asset in the sale of the property, and it had massive potential as a luxury cabin rental. Maybe for company employees on a retreat, or an integration weekend? She knew companies back in New York that paid big bucks to rent out hotels space for employee training sessions, and team-building seminars. Maybe she could check out if Open Skies offered such a service to companies in Denver and Colorado Springs?
A wave of tiredness crashed over her, so she got to her feet and headed in to the bedroom. She’d unpack a few basics, then jump in to the shower. She couldn’t wait to scrub off the layer of grime that travel always seemed to leave on her skin and in her hair. She’d go to bed early, and set her alarm for six o’clock. She wanted to show up to her first financial meeting looking perfect. Looking like the boss. Looking like the damn person in charge here.
Everything was going to be just fine. It was all under control. There was nothing at Open Skies Ranch that she couldn’t handle.
Chapter Three
Jake Weston’s steel-gray eyes were narrowed in shock and anger. He stared at Rosie, then at Joe, then back again.
“She what?” he demanded.
“And after she refused to stay at the Big House and snubbed the chance to see Dave’s office, she told Rob to get a sales presentation done for tomorrow at eight. Maria says he’ll be here all night. She’s gone now to get Gracie’s birthday present, ‘cause Rob can’t go.”
Jake pushed his black hair back from his eyes with both hands, a sure sign of frustration. He just couldn’t believe that this spoiled little bitch had swanned on to the ranch and treated the people he cared about like shit. Just who the hell did she think she was, anyway?
Mattie appeared at the stable door. “Hey, guys. Julie’s asked us all to be in the restaurant tomorrow at ten. She wants a staff meeting. OK?”
“On Saturday morning?” Joe asked.
“Yeah. Well, it’s her first day here. She wants to get a jump on stuff, I guess. And most of us are here, anyway.”
They all nodded, but she sensed the tension in the air. “Hey, what’s up?”
Nobody said anything for a minute then Rosie said, “Well, did you find her very friendly?”
Mattie leaned against the wall and loosely crossed her arms. “Not so much. But I think the poor little thing was just overwhelmed. I mean, she isn’t in an easy position.”
“Poor little thing?” Jake snapped. “Seriously?”
“She isn’t in an easy position?” Joe echoed. “And what about all of us?”
“Well, I know. Change is never easy and not always welcome. But it happens. You all didn’t think that Dave would be around forever, did you? And what did you expect to happen when he left?”
“That’s not the point, Mattie,” Jake said in his deep voice. “The point is how she treats us. Dave was the boss, but didn’t act like some goddamned King of the Castle. I don’t mind a new owner and boss, but I’d like to think that she could treat us all with a bit of respect.”
“Give the girl some time,” Mattie said. “Let her settle in. Not everyone can make a good first impression. And remember – we can’t believe every single thing we’ve heard about her. Consider the source.”
“Fine,” Rosie sighed. “I’ll try.”
“Yeah, OK,” Joe agreed.
They went off to get the horses ready for an evening ride with some of the hotel guests, leaving Jake alone with Mattie.
“Look, Jake. I know you’re the most unhappy about all of this, but it is what it is. Just give her a chance, OK?”
“OK,” he said. “She gets one shot tomorrow at the meeting.” He scowled. “After that, I’ll treat her the same way she treats me. How that’ll be is up to her.”
**
Julie was up long before her alarm the next morning. After a night of fitful sleep punctuated by bad dreams, at about 5:00 a.m., she admitted defeat and gave up trying to rest.
She went in to the kitchen and looked through the cupboards, on the hunt for coffee. Mattie had stocked her with instant (bleuch), and a pretty nice selection of ground coffees. Julie lined them all up on the counter and read through the hand-written labels: French Vanilla, Tiramisu, Ginger & Orange, Cinnamon. Hmmm. Tough call, this one. In the end, she decided to have the ginger first, and then follow it up with a cup of the vanilla.
As she waited for the brand-new espresso maker to boil on the stove, she stared out of the living room window. The mountains were still mostly in darkness, but a few tentative rays of sun were touching the tips. She watched in amazement as the mountains were streaked with purple, then rose, then gold. She got the feeling that they were being gently stroked awake, coaxed to come alive. She’d never seen anything like it in her life.
The espresso maker hissed behind her as the coffee bubbled up and in to the collecting chamber, and she inhaled the aroma gratefully. She poured the coffee in to a cute mug with black and white stripes and wandered back over to the window. She stood sipping her coffee and watching the mountains again and thinking about her day.
The meeting with Rob was sure to be interesting. Julie’s nine months as the Head of the New Business Development Department had taught her a staggering amount about sales and projections and budgets and strategy. She could now read a spreadsheet fluently, and terms which had confounded her at the beginning (such as ‘COGS’ and ‘GM’ and ‘Supplier Rebates’) now just rolled off her tongue. She hoped that Rob was at least semi-competent at his job and would be able to answer her questions.
The staff meeting at ten o’clock, though, that was a whole different story. She knew she’d have to stand up and say something, but public speaking and making ad hoc speeches or presentations had never been easy for her. She was great with negotiations and defending her decisions to a Board, but off-the-cuff casual and social stuff was beyond her. How to handle having two-dozen pairs of eyes all staring at her as she fumbled her way through a meeting? What to do if they asked her about her plans for the ranch? Should she be honest? Or lie? When she lied she flushed bright red, though. Best not to do that.
All things considered, it was probably a good idea to just not say too much. Short and sweet and simple: that was the ticket. She wasn’t here to keep anybody happy, and she didn’t need to get to know anyone. In six months, they’d all be going in their separate directions. So why bother getting to know – and maybe even like – these people?
She sat down at the table nearest the massive window and pulled out a pen and her notebook. She took a sip of her coffee, then opened the book. At the top of a clean page she wrote ‘To Do – Day 1 at Horse Hotel from Hell’. And – like every morning of her life for the past twenty-six years – she wrote her list of things to do that day.
**
Julie sat in the ten o’clock staff meeting feeling very pleased.
Rob Cathay had taken her aback this morning. She’d asked him for the sales figures for the past year, expecting an Excel file presentation of projected figures versus achieved figures broken down by month – the whole ‘budgeted vs actual�
�� side of business that can so often be either a disappointment or a glorious surprise. She’d imagined a presentation with two columns, one for budgeted and one for achieved, and maybe some percentages to show the discrepancy between target and actual, either positive or negative.
Instead, he’d turned up with a full presentation of set budget, achieved numbers, expenses, and some annual patterns which had been noticed over the decade that the ranch and hotel had been in operation. He’d also shown her room occupancy rate by season, year on year, to show how steadily the business had grown over the past decade. Two guest cabins became three, then four, now five.
Rob also suggested that she consider building another two cabins; he had prepared all expenses she could expect to incur by making such a move, and then projected the return on investment over the next two years. It was completely impressive: it was almost forty pages of tight, careful research, strong analysis and balanced, logical conclusions. She’d also appreciated his creativity in suggesting the two new cabins, the looking-forward and ideas for growth. It must have taken him hours.
What she had learned from Rob was that Open Skies Ranch was an amazingly successful business: expenses were high, to be sure, but with horses and hotels, they had to be. Staff were well-paid, so that had made them loyal and kept them motivated. Rob had also included a few slides about guest loyalty, and he had shown her that more than seventy percent of guests had returned to Open Skies more than four times in the past five years. That was an astounding client base, one which partially explained the business’ success. It was clear to Julie that the group she now sat in the restaurant staring at – all casually sipping coffee and eating croissants - was a group of people who knew what they were doing, and who did their jobs well.
More and more it was looking like selling the entire business as-is was the best option: the thought of ripping everything down to sell the land seemed silly. Also, if the attraction of this place, from the point of view of a buyer, was the customer-base, then removing the services offered and staff made no sense.
Open Skies Page 6