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“I’m here because when my brother was in jail, and my father thought I was the best candidate to take over his business. So I left because I didn’t want my father to control me. I left and I didn’t have a single clue how I was going to survive on my own. I went from having Starbucks every day to not being able to afford a cheap-ass coffee from McDonald’s. Trust me, Matthew, I am trying.”
It was very petty to hear about her coffee situation but it was still a big deal that she had to leave home, partly because of me. I had pushed my lawyer to make everything public so that Ryan’s reputation would be forever stained, and that whatever business he decided to build would crumble.
I didn’t think about the collateral—Reagan. She was suffering the aftermath of it all. And it was like a punch in the gut for me to know that she went from being able to afford everything she needed to struggle to wipe shit from toilets to afford to live.
“I walked away, Matthew,” she said. “When I knew she was pushing my buttons, I walked away. But she jumped me. She pulled my hair, and the only way I saw that could get me out of her hands was if I jumped on the pool.”
“Thank you for telling me. And I’m sorry to hear about what happened with your father,” I said. “But I can’t let this one slide. Not with who that guest is, not when she has connections. I will apologize to her on your behalf, but next week you start at seven a.m.”
“But you—”
“Ah, ah.” I held up a hand to stop her from saying anything else to persuade me not to go through with my decision. “My mind’s made up. I let this slide once, but I’m not going to allow you to keep doing this kind of thing. Next time, I’m suspending you.”
“I was going to say that you don’t have to apologize on my behalf. Eloise is not a nice person. She’s conniving and vindictive. Besides, she wouldn’t believe in an apology.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. I didn’t like being caught in the middle of this high school fight, but I was going to take her word for it. Still, I needed to see to it that Eloise wouldn’t press charges and that the hotel’s reputation wouldn’t get dragged down by this. I could only pray that my PR team was already brainstorming about a solution for all of this.
I nodded at Reagan, the woman who was turning this hotel upside down. The goddess, and also the chaos, all in one beautiful package. And still, even with all my hard work on the line, it was my instinct to let Reagan stay. I wouldn’t hear the end of this from Clair later.
When she turned to leave, I called to stop her. “Reagan.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t let there be a next time. Because it’ll be hard for me to let you go.”
Her stare lingered for a moment, and she nodded her head.
When she left, I contacted Susana to shadow Reagan for a week to make sure she knew everything there was to know about housekeeping. And it was when I hit send that I realized Reagan had taken my handkerchief with her.
Chapter ten
Reagan
It had been a month since I started at Parker Villas and another since Eloise and I fought by the pool. My second month in the hotel felt like the longest month of my life. In four weeks, I had developed a sense of respect for hotel staff, an intense fear of getting shit on me, and mixed feelings for my boss.
I didn’t know what Matthew had done to shut Eloise up after the incident, but knowing her, she’d do anything to have her name up in any news or media. I’d give the PR team a much-needed raise if I were Matthew.
My relationship with my boss hadn’t changed. We were still fooling around on the side when we had time. He’d come over to my place to spend the night, and like the first time, I’d wake up without him. We barely cuddled, barely even kissed when we were fucking. He was wild, assertive, and dominant in the bedroom. Once in a while, he’d give up his control, but he’d always end up reminding me who was the boss.
Honestly, I wouldn’t complain about being put in my place as long as we were tangled up in the sheets.
But regardless of the nasty things we did with each other, Matthew had remained professional at work. The staff didn’t have a single clue about us. Matthew had made sure that we wouldn’t be awkward in the halls, and that no unnecessary promotions and increased pay were on the calendar for me anytime soon.
Trust me, if I had the power to sway Matthew because of the fact that I was sleeping with him, I’d tell him not to put me on bathroom duty forever. Yet here I was with my face in the toilet bowl at least twice a week.
This morning, when I got to work, the hotel was buzzing with energy and it seemed like the staff had doubled. The housekeeping staff usually weren’t included in event meetings except on days if there would be VIPs staying over.
“Someone booked the banquet hall last minute,” one of the housekeepers, Daisy, said when I asked what was going on as we quickly changed into our uniforms.
“How last minute?” I asked as I tied my hair up for the first time in years because the humidity was going to be the death of me.
“They booked late last night and their event is tonight.”
“And someone allowed that?”
“Parker Villas never say no to guests until they’re fully booked.”
As we walked out of the room and towards the banquet hall where every staff member was called for a meeting, I was in awe at what Daisy had said. The way this hotel valued its guests was like no other. Matthew would move mountains just for them to be satisfied.
