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“In the hotel or in Florida?” she questioned. She was almost jumpy, yet she still stood in an elegant way. Before I could answer, she continued, “Because it’s my first time for both.”
“You’ve never been to this hotel, either?”
“I’d never even heard of this place before a week ago.”
Hmm. Interesting. Little Blonde didn’t know about the hotel. That was another red flag. She was tardy, and she was clueless. I wondered why Clair decided to hire her at all. She didn’t even look like the staff we usually hired. God, she seemed out of place even in this elevator.
“I don’t know what all the fuss is about this place,” she pointed out. “I’ve been to better, more beautiful hotels back in California. I mean, the lobby seemed too pretentious with all the flowers and the vases. You know what would make it stand out from the rest?”
“What?” I asked. I couldn’t find it in me to be mad at her remarks. It was amusing, though.
“A fountain. And paintings. Maybe even a complementary bowl of chocolates. That sounds fancy,” she giggled. I hated the fact that she was right, at least about the painting. A fountain was too much, and it would be inconvenient for the guests if we started renovating the lobby.
“And you know what else? The AC is too low. With the heat outside like this, they might as well just shut the thing off.”
Well, fuck me. I rapidly texted our facilities manager to crank up the AC in the lobby. I didn’t want to hear a single complaint from someone about how hot my hotel was. Even from an employee whose stay at my business was questionable.
“A bar in the lobby is a good idea, too. It could attract pedestrians even if they wouldn’t book a room for—You know it’s rude to be texting on your phone. I’m here talking.”
I looked up again just as I received a confirmation that the AC in the lobby was blasting.
“Do you ever shut up?” I snapped at the guest beside me. The elevator was finally close to the ninth floor.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s clear that I don’t care about what you’re saying, and yet you’re blabbing nonstop.”
It was a lie that I didn’t care. I cared so much I wanted to sit her down in my office so she could tell me what else I could improve. It was the reason why this hotel thrived even though it was new in the market.
Our guests were our priority. We listened to what they wanted and needed, and we made sure that these requests were met the next time they were here.
They wanted a pet-friendly hotel? I made sure all the rooms were pet-proofed and had pet-friendly amenities, and I even had pet foods on the menu.
They wanted live music? I bought a high-end piano for the banquet halls even though no one had played the thing for months.
The point was I listened to people. And even though I wanted to cut my ears off because of the chatty Cathy beside me, she still made valid points. I listed the points mentally so I could bring them up at our monthly staff meeting.
“You could shut me up politely, you know,” she complained with a frown. And even if she was in a tight spot, her sophisticated demeanor remained. It might just be the only thing helping her to get this job. I value people with good taste, and she clearly had it.
Yet, I couldn’t help but think again of all the red flags I had gathered about her just from our quick ride up in the elevator. She was tardy, which we had already established, and she didn’t give a single fuck that the other employees had risen at the butt crack of dawn to arrive here at least thirty minutes early.
She didn’t do her research about my hotel—who wouldn’t know Parker Villas? People in California, apparently. Then I’d make sure another Parker Villas would rise there before the year ended, even if it meant seeing Ryan St. James there. I’d make sure that bastard would see me thrive.
If this Malibu Barbie knew about the hotel, if she had done an ounce of research, she’d know that she was talking to the owner and wouldn’t be so nonchalant about her tardiness.
And lastly, her smart mouth was going to be her fatal flaw. She’d either annoy the guests or talk her way into getting fired.
The elevator came to a halt with a ping, and the double doors opened into the lobby.
“I’ll see you in there, Barbie,” I said before stepping out, leaving her behind with a disbelieving look on her face.
I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw who was going to interview her.
Chapter two
Reagan
I complained to myself when I walked out of the elevator, following Mr. Obnoxious out and to the interview venue.
