‘They are.’
‘Remember how we always used to go sit up on the –’
‘Yeah, that was the best.’
He held the thin plastic folder out to me.
‘What is this?’ I asked, taking it.
‘It’s my feature. The one I entered into the competition. I wanted you to read it.’
‘Really? What is it about?’
‘Read it and see. I think you’ll like it.’
‘Thank you.’
‘No worries.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets.
‘Cal.’ I waited for his eyes to come up and meet mine. ‘Uh . . . I’m not just sorry about what I said at the party to Ethan Duke. I’m sorry for getting all wrapped up in going to the Christmas Ball and forgetting about . . . well, this. The article. Although, looks like you didn’t need me in the end anyway, so that’s . . . good.’
‘Thanks.’ He nodded and then gestured at the door. ‘I’d better get going. Enjoy the ball.’
I watched him leave and then pulled the article out of its folder.
The following evening, Sky met me on the first floor at the top of the staircase. I actually gasped when I saw her, that’s how beautiful she looked. She was wearing a strapless, slinky, figure-hugging gold gown with long diamond earrings and a diamond-studded clutch. Her dark wavy hair had been swept to one side, and pinned so that it tumbled over her left shoulder, and she’d really gone all out on the smoky-eye look, with thick black eyeliner and long full eyelashes.
‘You look incredible,’ she declared, as she held out my hands and looked me up and down. ‘Lewis has done it yet again.’
I had to agree that Lewis Blume had not done a bad job. All that measuring and poking me with pins on my shopping trip with Mum had totally been worth it. My dress was emerald green with a high neckline and a full skirt, so that when I twirled, it swished about very satisfactorily. It was the most beautiful dress I’d ever worn and when I had put it on, Mum’s eyes welled up – which NEVER happens – and she made an excuse about finding Fritz’s Santa hat so she could leave the room. My hair had been curled and pinned up, with some loose tendrils tumbling down around my face, sprayed perfectly into place. I looked a lot more grown up than I felt. The idea of having a date at the Christmas Ball this year, especially such a handsome one, was making my hands very clammy.
I really needed to buy that portable fan.
‘By the way,’ Sky said, as one of her assistants fiddled with the bottom of the dress, ‘I read the article. It’s amazing.’
I had left Cal’s feature on Sky’s bed for when she flew in late the night before, as I knew I’d be so busy helping Mum with last-minute preparations that I might not be able to talk to her about it.
‘He really captures the hotel, and all the history of it and the interviews with the staff were so interesting,’ she enthused. ‘And you get a very special mention right at the end.’
I blushed as I remembered the sentence she was referring to. I’d read it so many times, I’d memorised it.
The hard-working staff are full of passion and pride. The owner, Christine Royale, is the brains of the operation. And at the heart of it all is her daughter Flick – a sprinkle of fun who reminds us what Hotel Royale really is: a home. And, in the words of Dorothy, there’s no place like it.
‘Right, you’re ready to go,’ Sky’s assistant announced, straightening up.
‘One quick thing,’ Sky said to me, squeezing my hand. ‘I thought you said that the deal had been for him to write the article about me after he’d helped you out at the hotel.’
‘That’s right.’
‘Don’t you think it’s strange that he’d make that deal?’
‘What do you mean? It was an excellent deal.’
‘But when I saw Audrey this morning and mentioned the article, she said that the whole reason she’d suggested Cal teach you about the hotel was because she knew he had interviewed everyone here for the feature he was writing. That’s how he knew more than anyone else.’
‘So?’
‘Why would he then make a deal for an interview with me? He didn’t need it. He already had his entry for the competition. So why spend all that time helping you, for something he didn’t need in return?’
