The Desert Flowers--Rose, page 10
“How about you, Sarah? How long have you known Alec?”
She smiled. “Since I was a little girl. My father, George Goodrich, and Alec are friends—golf buddies, actually.”
Rose drew up in her chair. “I remember him. A very pleasant man.”
“Thanks,” said Sarah. “He is. Both my parents have been kind to me, and they adore Henry.”
“When is your husband due home?” asked Lily.
“Eric has another eleven months to go,” said Sarah, sighing softly. “You never get over it, having someone you love in danger.”
“I appreciate his service to our country,” said Rose. “You, too. It’s hard on spouses and families.”
“Yes. I try to talk to Henry about his father and show him pictures, but it isn’t the same. That’s one reason Eric is leaving the service after this tour.”
“When do we get to meet Henry?” Lily said. “My three-year-old niece is at such a darling age. I miss her like crazy.”
Sarah chuckled happily. “Don’t worry; I’ll introduce you to him. Then you’ll be begging me to leave him at home. He’s a terror and into everything.”
Seeing the pride that crossed Sarah’s face, Rose suffered a pang of remorse. At one time, she’d thought she wanted children of her own. But that hadn’t happened, and now she was too old.
“I hope you won’t mind,” Rose said, focusing back on business, “but I’d like to roam in your management territory tomorrow to see what else I can use for an advertising campaign.”
Sarah shrugged. “I’d love to see what you come up with. I’m off, but Tim will keep an eye out for any problems that might occur.”
“Okay. I want to have a lot of ideas ready for when the buyer’s transition team comes in for due diligence.” Rose winked. “I apparently have a tough adversary.”
“I can’t imagine that will be a problem,” said Lily sweetly.
Rose laughed good-naturedly.
“Just what is your job going to be?” Sarah asked her.
“I’ll be working with the man who’s going to head up the social media campaign for the transition to the new hotel brand. Alec doesn’t want to disappoint his regular guests by having the new management team destroy what he’s built by changing everything at once. That’s something they’d agreed to in their negotiations.”
“Frankly, I’m worried about it. A big, successful hotel company is going to want to do things their way. I’m afraid they won’t understand the atmosphere we’ve built for both staff and guests,” said Sarah. “I’ve only been with the Desert Sage Inn for less than a year, but I understand completely how important it is to keep the same sense of cooperation and service. It’s what has made the inn so special. I remember coming here as a little girl and loving it. I still think it’s a unique, extraordinary place.”
Rose tapped her hand against the arm of her chair. “I get it. That’s why I’ll be working hard on this.”
###
The next morning, Rose awoke with a new sense of purpose. Today she’d dress like one of the guests and remain a shadow among them, testing specific areas of service, studying the grounds for backdrops for ads, and gathering inside information for her blog followers.
She pulled on her jogging shorts and a T-shirt, added socks and sneakers to her outfit, and headed outside. Dan had shown her and the other Flowers how pleasant an early-morning walk could be.
Outside, she breathed in the cool air and let out a sigh of pleasure. The sun was rising in the east, casting a pretty pink glow to the clouds hovering close by the mountains. Birds were caroling on the branches of trees or flitting between the plantings outside Alec’s house.
She headed down the sidewalk at a brisk clip, taking in the sights and sounds around her.
A little deer mouse scurried across the path and headed into a desert honeysuckle whose orange blossoms were just beginning to emerge. She smiled at the sight of it. One creature she hoped to avoid was a rattlesnake. At the moment, it was probably too cold for them to be slithering about. Later, she thought, the sun’s warmth would tempt them into activity.
She walked quickly and then broke into a run for the return trip back to the house.
When she walked into the kitchen, Juanita was already there, fixing breakfast for Alec. An early riser, he still liked to have a cup of coffee upon awakening.
“This is for Alec?” Rose said.
Juanita nodded. “First of the day.” As she spoke, Rose noticed a sadness cross Juanita’s face.
“Mind if I take it into him?” Rose said.
Juanita shook her head. “I’m sure he’d love to see you. He always perks up when one of you women visit.”
“I’m glad we’re here for him,” Rose said.
“Me, too.” She handed Rose a mug of coffee for Alec. “Here’s his coffee, just how he likes it.”
Rose accepted the mug and walked to the far end of the house, where she gently knocked on the door. Hearing no response, she opened it and went to Alec’s bedroom.
Dressed in a terry robe with the hotel logo on it, he was sitting up in an overstuffed chair by the sliding glass door that led out to a private patio. He saw her and smiled. “Ah, a lovely way to start the day. Come sit with me. I’m enjoying the early morning glow in the sky.”
She handed him his coffee and kissed the top of his head. “I’ve just returned from a short walk and have been admiring it myself.” She took a seat opposite him. “This is a better day for you?”
He gave her a crooked smile with a touch of humor. “Well, I’m still here. I count every morning a blessing.”
“Me, too, for you,” she said. “Today, I’m going undercover at the hotel. I thought it would be a different way for me to get some ideas.”
He chuckled softly. “Leave it up to you to come up with that.”
“I want to be able to surprise Hank Bowers.”
Alec’s lips curved. He gave her a knowing look. “I think you’ll do just fine.”
Rose got to her feet. “I’d better get going. Juanita is in the kitchen waiting to prepare your breakfast, and I’ve got to take a shower before I head into the hotel.”
“Good luck, my dear,” Alec said, accepting her kiss on his cheek gracefully.
She left him, returned to the kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee for herself, and headed into her room to get ready for the day.
###
Later, dressed in one of the outfits she’d bought on sale at an upscale shop on El Paseo, Rose studied herself in the mirror. Wearing white jeans, a floral shirt with turquoise colors, and turquoise sandals, she looked the part of a tourist/guest. The addition of silver jewelry helped too.
She tied her hair back into a loose knot and, satisfied, went out to see what the other women were up to.
Rose found Lily in the kitchen in jogging clothes. Surprised, she said, “Are you taking Dan’s training seriously too?”
Lily laughed. “I decided to make a change in my life and be more active. Out here with all sunshine and warm air, it feels great.”
“Wait until summer,” said Rose.
“I know, I know, but right now, it’s perfect,” Lily said. “You look nice, like a guest, as you wanted. Have fun today at the hotel. I will stay right here and look over some documents Alec’s lawyer thought I should see. All to be prepared ahead of time.”
“Oh, dear! That sounds boring.” Rose was happy to work on the creative side. Reading documents sounded awful. But then, Lily was used to that kind of work. A natural detail person.
“It isn’t always fun, though usually, I discover something interesting,” Lily said, waving to Willow, who walked into the room wearing a tank top and short pajama bottoms.
“Why is everyone up so early?” Willow mumbled, going to the coffee maker and pouring herself a cup.
“Rose is doing her detective work, and I’m reading documents to prepare for the introduction to the transfer team by the end of the week,” said Lily.
“I’m meeting Tim, John’s assistant, later,” said Willow, “but I’m basically on my own today.”
“Relax and enjoy it while you can,” said Rose, knowing the stress Willow was about to face. She understood that Willow was addressing many personal issues, and it was about to get more complicated. Still, she couldn’t help teasing. “You can always go to the fitness center. Dan might be there.”
Color crept into Willow’s cheeks.
“Yes. A workout might be just what you need,” said Lily, playing along.
Willow shook a finger at them. “You thought he was hot too.”
Rose fanned herself with her hand. “Too hot for me!”
“Just right for someone a little younger than me,” Lily said, adding fuel to the tease.
Willow waved away their jabs at her. “He’s dating Tiffany. Fantasizing about him and me being together will get the two of you nowhere.”
Rose exchanged glances with Lily, sure now that Willow was attracted.
Willow joined Rose and Lily at the kitchen table. After chatting a few minutes, Rose got to her feet. “See you later. I’ve got to be on my way. I want to get there bright and early.”
As she hopped on the golf cart to get to the hotel, she thought about the incoming transition team. So far, for confidentiality, most of the paperwork shown to them identified the hotel company as Hotel XYZ. However, Alec had earlier told them it was The Blaise Hotel Group, a hotel investment and management company known for their success with what the company referred to in their advertising campaign as ordinary people as in, “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Places.” It was precisely this that concerned Rose. She wasn’t a snob, but she knew the Desert Sage Inn catered to people who enjoyed and expected the kind of service they gave. A person’s wealth or lack of it didn’t concern her or the hotel staff. Neither did race nor religion. Her concern was the new team might think they wouldn’t have to keep up the excellent service or that their guests didn’t deserve it.
She drove the cart to the staff entrance and climbed out, eager to see the property from a guest’s perspective. She hurried through the executive offices, past the employees’ cafeteria, and up the stairs to the main floor and lobby.
As she entered the lobby, she noticed an older gentleman holding the hand of one of the cutest little toddlers she’d ever seen. Wearing a pink sundress and a white hat that barely covered her red ringlets, the little girl babbled and pointed to several objects.
She drew closer.
“That? That?” the little girl said, pointing to a cactus.
“Cactus,” the man answered, smiling.
“That?” The little girl pointed to Rose.
The man glanced up and paused before saying, “A pretty woman.”
“Me pretty too,” the girl said, pointing a finger at her chest.
Rose and the gentleman laughed together.
“Hello,” said Rose. “Beautiful morning, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he quickly agreed. “I love sharing this time with my granddaughter, Leah. “I’m ...” he hesitated, “I’m Papa B.”
“Is there a Papa A?” Rose asked before she could stop herself.
He laughed. “Indeed, there is. But it doesn’t mean I’m second-best. Leah and I have a special friendship. That’s why I’m out of bed early so my daughter and son-in-law can sleep in.”
“A devoted grandfather. I love it.”
“You’re welcome to join us for a little walk outside. We’re probably going to end up studying the stones around some of the plantings, but you never know what you’ll discover.”
Rose smiled. “I’ll try to catch up with you later. Right now, I’m headed into the restaurant.”
“Enjoy.” After her grandfather spoke to her, Leah waved a hand at her, “’ Bye, ’bye!”
Still smiling, Rose entered the restaurant to see how things were going there. Though it was crowded and people were lined up at the breakfast buffet, everything was in order. She wasn’t surprised. Martin Schnabel did a great job heading the food and beverage department.
After checking the restaurant, Rose entered the lobby, which was quiet. She walked through it and out the sliding glass doors to the patio overlooking a putting green. She noticed Papa B and Leah standing just beyond the patio, studying the flowers. Observing them, Rose assessed the man who was so devoted as a grandfather. He was a tall, well-built man who was still muscular and erect. She wondered if he was a retired sports figure. Her gaze traveled to his face. His baseball cap and large sunglasses hid most of it, but she could see enough of his features to know he was a nice-looking man. In fact, there was something familiar about him. She guessed he was someone famous, not unusual at the inn.
He noticed her and waved her over.
Thinking she might ask him a few questions about his stay, she went to him.
“Thought you might like to share in a few discoveries. It seems we’ve found some special stones.” He smiled at her. “At this age, everything is a bit of a miracle. That’s why I like being around Leah. It makes me think about the important things in life, like finding a colorful stone or one that is perfect to hold in my hand.”
“A lovely thought. We all need reminders like that.”
“So, what are you doing here? Just a vacation, or what?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Rose Macklin. I’m here to rest and relax.” She couldn’t let him or anyone else know her real job was to spy on the hotel, to look for flaws.
“Nice to meet you, Rose.” He handed her a stone. “Isn’t this a beauty?”
She looked at the small yellow stone in her palm. It shimmered with an orange streak. “It’s lovely.”
“Just a simple piece of washed gravel, but unique in its own way. Sort of like looking at grains of sand under a microscope. It’s amazing what you see.”
Rose smiled at him, and a wave of longing washed over her. At one time, she’d thought she and Alec would be together, maybe even share children and grandchildren.
Leah looked up at her and smiled, holding a stone out to her.
“Oh, that’s a pretty one,” said Rose, kneeling beside her. The little girl’s blue eyes rested on her. Then she reached out and patted Rose’s hair. “Pretty.”
“My hair is red like yours. Right?”
Leah nodded and tapped her head several times.
Laughing, Rose came to her feet and rocked back off balance as the heel of her sandal slid on the loose stones.
“Steady there,” said Leah’s grandfather. He grabbed her elbow to keep her from falling.
Her flesh burned where he’d made contact. Fighting to hide her reaction, she quickly pulled away. “Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your morning. I’m off to check out the fitness center.”
His eyebrows rose, but he simply nodded. “Nice to meet you. Have a good day.”
She lifted her hand in response and hurried inside. She felt like a teen with a huge crush. What was that all about?
When she got to the fitness center, Dan was doing a private session with someone while two other people were using the facilities. She watched a moment, thinking that Willow and he would make a cute couple.
She checked the golf and tennis pro shops and then headed back to the pool. Things should be picking up there.
As she approached the pool, the sound of tropical music met her ears. The poolside snack bar was open, and a couple of staff members were placing chairs around the pool, even as a few guests had already staked a claim on some of them.
She looked for Leah and her grandfather but saw no trace of them. But later, when she saw them sitting by the fountain out front, she joined them, drawn to the grandfather in a way she’d never felt before. His kindness, his view of his granddaughter’s world had touched something inside her. And there was no denying how attractive he was, how his smile had warmed her.
“Now you’re discovering the joy of water,” she said, smiling at him.
He nodded and patted the empty space on the bench near him. “Have a seat. Leah loves watching the water fountain. If you look carefully, you can see tiny rainbows in the spray from it.”
She peered at the fountain. “Oh, yes, I see them!” she cried, then laughed at herself. He was making her feel like a kid again.
Leah pointed at the water. “Pretty.”
“Yes, the droplets look like diamonds in the sunlight.”
He turned to her with a teasing grin. “You like diamonds?”
“I enjoy the sparkle. What woman doesn’t? But things like that are not that important to me.”
His smile grew wider. “I’ll be through babysitting duty later. Perhaps you could join me for a drink.”
“Thanks,” she said, “but I can’t this evening. But if you’re going to be here for the next several days, perhaps we can try to do that then.”
“Fair enough,” he said, then turned to Leah, who was pointing something out to him.
Walking away, Rose was surprised by her willingness to try to meet him. It wasn’t like her to be so open to dating a stranger, but he was someone special.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ROSE
Rose straightened her skirt and brushed an imaginary piece of lint off her blazer jacket. She wanted to look perfect for today’s series of meetings. She checked herself in the mirror once more and went to join Willow and Lily. The three of them were going to meet Alec in his room for what he called a pep talk.
In the kitchen, she grabbed a second cup of coffee, wanting that little bit of energy to keep her spirits high. So much about what they were going to do was attitude.
When Willow and Lily walked into the kitchen, unexpected tears stung Rose’s eyes. They both looked lovely—professional and beautiful at the same time. In the short weeks they’d been together, she’d grown fond of them. But then, that’s what Alec had planned all along with his teambuilding program.
