Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 93942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
I pressed my lips together and nodded.
She went back to writing on her notepad, taking her time. My impatience crawled under my skin like ants, but I forced myself to stay quiet. To wait. This was a test, and I wasn’t going to fail it.
Finally—finally—she tore off the top sheet and held it out to me.
“Three tasks,” she said. “First, ask the concierge supervisor to show you the VIP arrival packet. Not so you can make suggestions,” she added, her tone sharp. “So you can familiarize yourself with our standards.”
I nodded, taking the paper.
“Second, go to the spa and verify that all service rooms have fresh robes and towels.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Third, check with the Executive Chef to see if the New Year’s Eve menu has been finalized.”
I glanced at the list in my hand. Most of these things could have been handled with an email. But at least she was finally letting me do something.
“I’ll get on this right away,” I said.
She’d already gone back to her paperwork, dismissing me without another word.
I left her office and decided to save the kitchen for last. I wasn’t in any hurry to see Asher. Well—seeing him wasn’t the problem. He was frustratingly attractive. But every time he opened his mouth, it was a huge turnoff.
The concierge supervisor, a polished woman in her forties named Vivian, was more than happy to walk me through the VIP arrival process. I’d worked at hotels before including a very expensive one back in Haverford, but nothing anywhere near as luxurious and as exclusive as The Fraser.
Each VIP guest got a personalized welcome letter on cream-colored cardstock with their name embossed in gold. Their favorite beverages were stocked in their suite before arrival. If they had dietary restrictions, the kitchen was notified weeks in advance. One returning guest always requested white roses in her room. Another insisted on a specific brand of bottled water that had to be shipped from Iceland.
“We anticipate their needs before they know they have them,” Vivian explained, her tone almost reverent.
I took notes, my mind spinning. This was hospitality on a completely different level.
The spa check was straightforward. I walked through each treatment room, verifying that the robes were pristine, the towels were thick and perfectly folded, and the essential oil diffusers were filled. I noted the various offerings—massages, facials, body wraps, and the sauna that Kai had mentioned yesterday. Everything had to be flawless. One wrinkled robe, one forgotten towel, and a guest paying thousands of dollars for their stay would notice.
I finished quickly and headed back to the main level. I still had to deal with the third task—the kitchen. Which meant I’d likely see Asher.
I walked through the lobby, noting that more fireplaces were lit today than yesterday. The resort was filling up—I’d seen a porter hauling in ski bags earlier, and there was a low hum of activity that hadn’t been there before.
The skis made me think of yesterday. Of Kai and of that kiss.
I still didn’t know what had gotten into me. I didn’t behave that way with men. I didn’t lose control. And this was the most important opportunity of my entire senior year. If I didn’t return from this internship with a glowing report from Mrs. Greer, I wouldn’t be able to graduate on time, let alone get decent job prospects. And even with my scholarship, I couldn’t afford an extra semester at Langley.
So I needed to focus. To stay professional. To stop thinking about how Kai’s hands had felt on my—
No. Not going there.
In fact, I knew just where to go in order to delay having to go down to the kitchen. Pam at the front desk had told me that the upper part of the lobby was her favorite spot in the entire resort, so I headed toward the grand staircase to check it out. The stairs swept upward in a graceful curve, the banister polished to a mirror shine. At the top was an open loft area—part lounge, part observation deck. Plush seating was arranged in intimate clusters, and a grand piano sat near the windows, its black lacquer gleaming. From up here, you could see everything happening in the lobby below: guests checking in, staff gliding between tasks, the massive Christmas tree sparkling with golden lights.
It was breathtaking. Luxurious in a way that felt almost obscene.
And then I saw him.
Kai.
He was walking toward me, wearing a blue sweater today that made his eyes even more striking. My body reacted before my brain could catch up—pulse quickening, breath hitching. Like he was a magnet and I was made of metal.
I took a step toward him, almost involuntarily. I hadn’t seen him last night after I stormed off. I’d taken refuge in my room all evening. At one point, I’d heard male voices, but I hadn’t seen him or Asher.