Michael considered it, then nodded. "As I said, three is actually better," Michael answered after a moment. "Two was tight. Three gives Martin and me an extra day with the books, and an extra day to come up with a basic plan to save the hotel.” He tapped the pen on his notepad thoughtfully before leaning forward. “Tell Martin to accept."
"I'll get him," Linda offered, sliding her chair back.
“Let’s just call,” Michael suggested and rang Martin’s office. “Martin, can you come to my office, please?”
“Sure,” Martin said, and it didn’t take too long before there was a knock on the door, and Martin stepped in.
“We got Mr. Wayne’s reply to your email,” Linda informed him.
“Good,” Martin said, nodding. “I’ve not checked the hotel email today.”
"Mr. Wayne has asked to move the meeting from two days from now to three," Michael explained. "As you’ve been the main correspondent with the Wayne Group, would you mind accepting their offer and choosing the 12 pm meeting time?”
"Of course," Martin agreed, already pulling his keyboard toward him. "Anything else?"
"Yes," Michael said. "We're going to use the next three days properly. I'd like you and me to walk through the books togetherthis afternoon, every line, so we both have the whole picture in our heads before the meeting. Then tomorrow I'd like to bring Maggie in to talk through her pavilion proposal in detail." He paused as another thought hit him. “What’s happening about the swimming pool renovation?”
"We’ve had another quote,” Martin informed him. “But this is an out-of-town company, so they are more expensive than the first quote. So I suggest we go with the first quote, as we need to get this project moving. It’s summer. The hotel has already got a thin booking register for the season. Having the pool out of action is not a good thing.”
“Agreed,” Michael said. “Let me have a look at the figures involved, and we’ll go from there.”
“Let me know when you’re ready to get together,” Martin told him. “I’m in the office here at the hotel the entire afternoon today.”
“Thank you, Martin,” Michael said as Martin nodded and left the room.
The office fell quiet with the only sound being Linda’s fingers moving across the keyboard.
"Linda," Michael ventured.
"Yes?" Linda looked up at her brother.
"I need to ask you something, and I'd like an honest answer." He stared at her.
Linda lifted her eyes. "Okay!” She gave him a curious look. “Are you about to tell me you’re seeing someone?”
“No!” Michael said a little too quickly, the first thought flashing through his head was. Oh no, does Linda know?No, dumbo, how could she?He gave himself a mental shake. “Why on earth would you say something like that?”
“You have that…” Linda’s eyes narrowed, and her head tilted side to side as she eyed him out. “That look you always get when you’re about to drop a bombshell, like the last time.” She mimicked his voice. “Do you remember Evelyn? The woman I met at college and brought home for Christmas? Well, we’re getting married.”
“Is that what you think I sound like?” Michael gave her a pained look. “And that’s not what happened.”
“It’s exactly what happened,” Linda assured him. “We can call Tom. He’ll verify it for me.”
“Okay!” Michael surrendered. “But this has now gone off topic.”
“Sorry,” Linda gave him a sheepish look. “What is it?”
"You know how I love working with you," Michael started
“But…” Linda prompted.
"But honestly, between the hotel and Maggie's divorce, I'm going to need to spread out, and I’m going to need quiet as well as privacy.”
“Are you kicking me out of Uncle George’s office?” Linda looked at him aghast.
“No…” Michael denied and then stopped. “I’m just saying we need another office.”
Linda watched him. “So what do you suggest?” She raised an eyebrow. “That I move into the storage room? Or the janitor’scloset.” Her eyes narrowed. “I guess I could work in the break room, as we don’t have many staff members left.”
