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“I have the plans for the hotel near the Kruger Park here,” Dale said and walked towards a big table in the middle of the office. “I thought we could start by looking at them first. The layout is slightly different to what we’ve done so far. Then, afterwards, I’ll show you around this hotel. If you have time, I would also like to show you the one near the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden today.”
He bent over the plans that were spread out on the table. “You can see on this plan that the hotel has been built around a big marula tree. We didn’t want to chop that down and it also brings the bush closer to the guests, we argued.”
“I remember seeing it, yes,” Zoe murmured and looked to where Dale’s tanned hand was pointing.
She tried to focus on the plans and not his hand, but it was such a struggle, and after a few minutes, she gave up.
“Can I take these with me?” she asked and put out a hand to pick them up.
“Certainly not.” Dale growled and quickly folded the plans. “If you want to look at them, we look at them together. I don’t trust anyone with my work.”
Confused, Zoe stared at him. “But how am I supposed to—”
“If you want to look at the plans, you come to me.”
This, she’d never had to deal with before. She’d try something else.
“Do you have something specific in mind?” she asked, trying her best to sound cool and collected. She touched her laptop. “Because I have some ideas I could—”
“Not before you’ve seen all the hotels,” he interrupted her. “I thought I made that clear. You can put your laptop back in your car.”
He turned to leave the room and for one moment Zoe considered sticking her tongue out. But she bit her lip and followed him. There was a contract; this was going to be good for her business. Maybe if she kept repeating these words, she might be able to concentrate on what she was supposed to do.
*
“And this isone of the bedrooms…” Dale said and opened the door.
Zoe entered the lovely room, trying not to look at the huge bed. Hopefully she could leave after this. They had spent most of the morning looking around in the first hotel before setting off for this one opposite the botanical gardens. She had insisted on driving herself here and couldn’t wait to leave.
Like the hotel she’d been in yesterday, this one also had glass all around, but it was a much smaller, more intimate hotel than the big one in the city. The interior reflected what she’d now come to realize was Dale’s preference—understated, quiet, with a splash of colour here and there.
Her shoulder muscles were stiff from trying to keep herself together. She hadn’t eaten this morning, had refused tea when he’d offered it earlier and now her blood sugar was low, her hormones driving her crazy, and she just wanted to go home.
“You’ll see—” Dale said again but his phone rang. He looked at the number and his face lit up. “Just a sec.” He turned his back on her.
Zoe walked towards the bathroom but could hear every word of Dale’s side of the conversation.
“Cybil, darling!” he gushed. “I’ve just been thinking about you this morning,” he said in his velvety voice.
Zoe walked into the spa-like bathroom but could still hear what Dale was saying. It was obvious he was talking to a woman and equally obvious he was very happy to hear from her.
“Tomorrow night? That sounds great. I’ll pick you up at seven?”
He finish the conversation and she walked back into the room, making notes and trying to ignore the sharp pain that had lodged itself close to her heart.
Irritated with herself and with him, she put her notebook back in her handbag. “I have to leave,” she said. “Thanks for showing me around. But surely you have enough to do and don’t have time for this? I could even visit the rest of the hotels on my own. I know now what you want me to look at.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve agreed to my terms, nothing changes that,” he said coolly.
“Fine,” she said and walked past him as quickly as she could. “According to the schedule I got from your secretary, we’re going to your hotel in Stellenbosch tomorrow, I’ll meet you there,” she said without stopping.
“I’ll pick you up—”
“No, thank you. I’ll meet you there,” she said and before he could say another word, she walked out of the door.
*
She was hungry,tired, and upset. She took the stairs, not wanting to be cooped up again in such a close space with Dale.
