Page 16 of Forbidden Desires

Brody looks at me then to Emerson, a silent message passing between them. “Sure, we can give her a try. She can’t be any worse than the last girl,” he mutters dryly.

What the hell was that comment? Is that how he usually talks to his staff? Rude, if it is. I turn back to Emerson. “Thank you, Miss Alexander. I look forward to showing you how capable I am,” I say with more confidence than I feel. But she believes in me, so why not give it a try? I would have no idea what I was doing in front of house either. What could go wrong?

“Please, call me Emerson.” She turns her attention to her brother. “It’s settled then. Brody, can you catch Gisele up to speed on what’s expected, while I work with some of the other new recruits? With events this weekend, time is against us. I won’t take long, maybe two hours, then you can run any question you have past me.” She looks at him with a pleading smile before taking off back across the room. She sure looks like a busy woman, and I don’t envy her.

I plaster on my best fake smile and aim it toward Brody. My mother was all about faking it till you make it. And it got me every job I ever had until now. “Use that pretty smile you were blessed with, Gisele,”she would say for every audition I would go for. So, I did what I was told and got the job. Now I’m on my own, and I can’t afford to screw this up. Even if it does mean going against my basic instincts to run because I will be working for Brody. The sexiest man on the planet.

Chapter 8

Brody

Igawk back at my sister and her new events coordinator, trying not to give away how bothered Iam. What the hell is she doing here in my hometown, in my hotel?

When I left New York, I never thought I would see her again. I want to use my authority and insist Gisele’s not right for the job, that she doesn’t have the experience or some bullshit like that. But at this point, we’re not in a position to turn away someone who is willing to take it on. We’ve had a total of six girls start and leave since I took over operations. I need someone who’s capable of taking the lead and actually sticking around long enough to get us out of trouble.

Emerson is a top planner, but she’s busy with some of the other aspects of the business. And my instincts tell me my sister is right, Gisele would be perfect for the job. She has that contagious smile people around here are going to go mad for. And thinking back to the night I met her back in New York, I remember our conversation. She was looking for a change, something completely different for her life, and this place will be a polar opposite to her life as a theater star in New York.

She grins back at me, all wide-eyed and hopeful. I can hardly believe it’s her, the girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about for a month. Standing right here in front of me wearing a staff uniform like she belongs at The Alexander. My eyes keep running up and down her body because I just can’t wrap my head around it. Last time I saw her she was tangled in the sheets of my hotel bed sleeping soundly. I went out to grab us breakfast, and when I got back, she was gone. I hadn’t even asked for her number. Not that it would have done me any good, she lived 800 miles away. I knew when we hooked up that I wouldn’t see her again. It was supposed to be a one-night stand to help her getover her jerk ex and give me a little breather from the pressure I’m feeling here. That was all.

“Right, follow me,” I snip, pulling myself together and taking off for the door. I know I’m being rude, but this is how I handle my staff. I worked out very quickly that if you give them any leeway, they will think they can get away with slacking off on the job, and that’s not how I run this business. And now she’s going to be working for us. This is the version of me she gets. Brody Alexander, interim CEO of one of the biggest hotels in Georgia—or at least it will be when I’m finished re-shaping it.

I don’t have to look back to know she’s following along like the good girl she is. I can hear her heels clicking along the deck as we pass the pool. Fuck, I remember just how good she was for me. The thought makes my dick twitch, but he’s going to have to settle the fuck down, because one night with Gigi Kelley superstar was all he can ever have.

I push open the door to the offices and hold it open for her. As I watch her walk past, I rack my brain trying to work out how it’s possible I missed her application coming through. Emerson conducted the last interviews, but I handpicked the applicants for her to interview. Changing the vibe around here has been my number-one focus in taking over. Under my father’s management, the staff were allowed to get away with just about whatever they wanted, but I demand respect. And I need it. There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding my father’s last few weeks on this planet and why he was so worried that someone was after him. There has to be a reason. So I made sure when I took over that there was no room for uncertainty. There arerules and systems now in place to make sure all staff comply or are moved on.

“My office is the second on the right,” I tell her, then follow her through.

The way she sways her ass in that tight skirt is going to be a big problem. I close my office door behind us and flick the lock, not wanting other management to overhear any part of our conversation. Especially Victor, our general manager, who works right across the hall and who I know is keeping a sharp eye on me, just waiting for me to screw this all up.

“I guess this is the family business you run. Maybe you should have been more specific, and we could have avoided this awkwardness.” She laughs uncomfortably, and I don’t miss the hint of irritation in her tone. Her arms are folded over her chest protectively, the look in her eyes hinting that she’s already about to quit.

“Why don’t you take a seat, Gigi,” I suggest, motioning to the couch I have set up in my office.

She turns to look where I’m pointing. “It’s Gisele,” she corrects me, taking a seat on the navy-blue velvet sofa, crossing one ankle over the other.

My eyes travel up her body, from her heels right up to those captivating blue eyes. She looks different to the night I met her, with minimal makeup, her long hair pulled back in a braid and wearing her company uniform instead of that flashy pink number. But even deprived of all that, I can still tell she’s not like any of the girls around here. There is something about Gisele that’s different.

I take a second to compose myself then find the event coordinator file from my desk and hand it to her, taking the seat opposite. “This file will be your bible. It hasevery corporate event and wedding we have booked here for the next twelve months. Everything is also filed under the same title on your computer, but we have found, since there has been so much change around here lately, it’s easier to have the hard copies to go through when you first start.”

“Oh,” she says, opening the file and flicking through.

“The first page is your calendar so you don’t double book the room. We can only hold one function per day; we don’t have the restaurant capacity, staff, or space to do anything more than that.”

“It’s almost fully booked for weekends,” she stutters out, shocked. And I know she must be working herself into a tizzy right about now. I have seen that same look on every one of the last six coordinators’ faces as they looked over that file. This job can be overwhelming if you’re not organized.

“It is. Emerson has set this business up to be one of the most popular wedding venues in all of Georgia. She has worked diligently for the past six weeks to make sure we have a busy calendar for the next year. This part of the business is extremely important to the bottom line. So, you can see why it’s so imperative to have a coordinator who knows what’s she’s doing.”

She looks up at me, and I see the concern on her pretty face. She considers me. “I have no idea what I’m doing, you know that. Why did you agree to me doing this job?”

“You would have been by far the most suitable applicant in the room, even with no experience,” I say, matter-of-factly. This is not the time for buttering her up.

“I guess I will take that as a compliment then.” She rolls her eyes, returning her gaze back to the folder in front of her, studying her job description.

“You should. We will teach you what you need to know, it’s not a difficult job, but you will need to be organized, well-mannered, and knowledgeable when dealing with clients and couples. I suggest getting acquainted with the packages we offer and our facilities.” I watch the way her lashes flutter as she reads over the binder.

“Why do all the girls keep leaving?” Her voice is full of concern, and I can see she’s wondering what mess she has just walked into.

I let out a labored sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Look, this job isn’t for everyone. My sister Emerson had the position for the last six years and had it all set up diligently. You just need to follow her procedures. She never had a problem with the hours or the clients.” I pause, considering how honest I should be. I don’t want to set her up for disappointment. “Some of the girls we have had recently didn’t cope all that well under the pressure. And the hotel itself has recently had a management change and is now under construction, with renovations taking place in various areas of the hotel at any given time. Some people can’t handle all the chaos. Emerson can teach you everything you need to know, and she will always be around to support you. If not, my door is always open.” Not something I say to other staff, but I would be happy to answer Gisele’s questions. A little too pleased.

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