Page 44 of Santa Maybe
“Like a discounted rate?”
That wouldn’t be too hard to manage. Laurel would have to work with her marketing team to update the website, send out a round of emails, and put out some social media blasts, but it was totally doable.
“Not just that. We need to offer more incentives. Like, an early-bird breakfast—starting at six instead of seven—for shoppers. Discount coupons for stores at the Bay Centre mall. Anything else you can think of.”
Seriously?This was something they should have been planning months ago, not on December tenth. She tried to keep her smile in place. “That sounds great, but we don’t want to get overbooked. We’re projecting a ninety percent occupancy rate over the next two weeks.”
Part of their success was due to the Grand Duke’s misfortune, but the Duchess had also received more bookings after word had spread about their first family Saturday.
“I’d like to see it at one hundred percent, if possible,” Preston said. “When I managed the Devonshire, that’s the goal I set for myself. And did I succeed? Absolutely. You just need to get in the right mindset and make it your highest priority.”
Rosie couldn’t hide her dismay. In all the years she’d worked at the Duchess, that feat had never been accomplished. “We’ll do our best, sir.”
Even as she said it, she could envision the extra work a Boxing Week blitz would entail. Just the thought of it was exhausting.
“Excellent. I’ll be out of town over the next few days, so I expect you to run the ship.”
“Of course.” She gnawed on her lip, not wanting to appear too demanding but tired of feeling like the world’s biggest doormat. “Before you go, do you know when you’ll decide whether you’ll be keeping me on? Not just me, but all the senior staff? It would be nice to have some reassurance.”
When he frowned, her heart sank. She’d pushed him too hard. Then again, she’d been busting her ass for weeks without knowing if she’d still be employed in January.
“It’s a little too soon to tell, isn’t it?” he said. “I’ll have to wait until we get December’s final numbers. Then I can give you an answer.”
Feeling firmly chastised, she fixed her bright smile in place. “I understand. Thank you, sir. Have a good trip. I’ll keep this ship afloat.”
“Of course you will.” He gave her a quick nod, then stood and left the breakfast room.
She couldn’t help but remember her discussion with Drew on Sunday. He’d thought Preston was taking advantage of her, and she was inclined to agree. Even so, she didn’t have any recourse.
True, she could look for another job in hotel management, but she didn’t want to leave the Duchess. She wanted to keep working with the Damsels, keep her coveted position as assistant general manager, and keep doing her best to make her beloved hotel shine.
Besides, if she worked for one of the larger chains, she’d probably start at a lower level of management. She might even get sent to one of their other properties, like a hotel in Edmonton or Toronto. She’d seen it happen to the hoteliers she’d met at hospitality conventions. That wasn’t what she wanted.
For now, all she could do was keep plugging away and pray the Duke didn’t finish repairing their damaged rooms until January. Otherwise, the Duchess didn’t have a hope in hell of reaching full capacity.
Nineteen
12 Days UntilChristmas
Having formally accepted Bones’ offer, Drew was eager to take over the role of fitness manager in January. Good thing since Jared was completely focused on his wedding and upcoming move to Nanaimo. While the wedding was a popular topic among the trainers at the gym, Drew no longer flinched every time someone mentioned it. Instead, he was looking forward to showing up at the event with Rosie, enjoying her company, and taking her to bed at the end of the night.
In the four days that had passed since he and Rosie had indulged in their Santa-elf role-play, they’d squeezed in two more dates, which consisted of hanging out at her place after work, sharing dinner, and having sex. While he would have preferred to treat her to a night out, her overloaded schedule didn’t allow for it. Plus, she was usually exhausted by the time she came home from the Duchess. She was now clocking so many hours at the hotel that Drew wished she would set firmer boundaries. But she was dealing with enough emotional strain that she didn’t need him nagging her.
Besides, he had no right to tell her how to live her life. Not when their arrangement would be ending next month.
And yet…last night, when he’d held her in his arms, he’d started thinking about the future. The more time he spent with her, the more he could imagine taking the next step. Embarking on arealrelationship, with all the highs and lows it entailed.
But then he remembered how Evelyn had upended his world. How the passion they’d shared had gone cold, only to be replaced by indifference and outright hostility. How her constant criticism had brought back memories of his teenage years, when he’d been at the mercy of his parents’ toxic behavior. He didn’t want to experience that pain again.
For that reason, it was best to keep things with Rosie as they were.
After leading an intense boot camp session at the gym, he needed to cool down before his next client. He grabbed his fleece jacket and told the receptionist he was going for a walk.
Outside, the air was brisk, the breeze off the ocean whipping at his ears. He paused at the crosswalk, waiting until a red double-decker bus loaded with tourists drove by. Given the chilly weather, he couldn’t believe how many people were out sightseeing. After crossing the street, he put on his hood to block out the wind and walked down to the causeway beside the harbor.
Though he normally got his coffee from Alma’s, he ducked into the nearby Starbucks. Since no one was waiting in line, he ordered a coffee for himself, then decided to grab a latte for Rosie. Even if she was too busy to chat, he could drop it off with her. The thought of seeing her immediately brightened his day.
He hustled over to the Duchess and went inside, once again appreciating how festive it looked. But he paused at the sight of a tall, slim, unnaturally tanned woman who was haranguing the front desk clerk.
