24. Chapter 24
Iwas nervous as I waited for the Rhodes Hotel team to come to Savannah Lace for the project kick-off meeting.
Gabriel had a new executive assistant, Eldon Wu, and he”d worked with Nova and me to set up the agenda for the meeting as well as the participant list.
Gabriel Rhodes would be attending the meeting.
I”d met Gabriel”s previous EA, Kate, a couple of times when I”d waited for him in his outer office before we were going out. Just like all the other women in Gabriel”s life, she hadn”t liked me much either. I wondered what happened to her. From what I knew, she”d been with Gabriel for over a decade.
Eldon came an hour before the scheduled meeting to Savannah Lace so he could meet Nova and me in person. He was of Asian descent, in his late twenties, and very fashionable. He was also charming and professional. He was not from the South; definitely a Yank.
”Gabe is so excited about getting this project off the ground,” he told us as I went through the slide deck we”d be presenting at the meeting.
The project was taking an existing hotel and using the bones but renovating it to become a five-star resort on Miami Beach. Rhodes Hotels Resorts was known for its opulent and environmentally friendly design, high-end restaurants and bars, and distinctive Southern charm. I had all kinds of ideas for how we could make this a Rhodes flagship resort. I wanted Gabriel to be proud of what I would design for him. I was already selecting the team I wanted on board for the project. I couldn”t wait to get started. I also had to admit that seeing Gabriel again was giving me a few extra butterflies.
Since Sophia had apologized, she”d been texting me regularly—and I liked it. She was a good kid who was working hard to make amends. I hadn”t seen her father since our conversation at the bar when he told me he still loved me. I didn”t believe him, not really. I wanted to, but trust was such a fragile thing, and people had failed me all of my life, so much so that I mostly waited for people to disappoint me, and when they did, it was almost a relief to not wait any longer.
Normally, it took me a long while to trust someone, but with Gabriel, everything happened so quickly. I found myself head over heels before I could consider the risks.
And I”d paid for it. I had his words running through my head on a loop.
”Now I can see why your father and mother walked away from you. All this calm and quiet is an act, isn”t it? I can”t believe you”re so selfish.”
I”d always wondered what was wrong with me, why no one could love me, and I was afraid that Gabriel had spoken the truth. I was selfish and cold…which was why people left me.
”Well, be careful with this one; she didn”t grow up with parents, so she”s not particularly maternal.”
And there was some truth in what Gabriel had said. I wasn”t particularly maternal. I was, in fact, afraid of having children, scared that I”d do to them what my mother had done to me.
”Oh, please, Aurora, when you grow up and have children, trust me, you”ll be just like me,”my mother used to tell me.
I looked so much like my mother, and I sometimes could hear her intonations in how I spoke, which was why I”d never thought I”d have children.
Maybe that was another reason I was attracted to Gabriel. He already had a child, and if our relationship actually managed to get past me being unlovable, it would be fine if I didn”t have children. I hadn”t actually thought that far though. I”d felt fortunate and giddy that a man like Gabriel, successful, handsome, charming, and sophisticated, was interested in Aurora Turner, the girl who”d had to have two jobs in high school, one bagging groceries and the other cleaning toilets at the local gym to pay her way through living at her aunt”s house.
The Aurora Turner who looked like a mongrel, and everyone wanted to know, ”Where exactly are you from?” And when I”d say I”m from Savannah, they”d say, ”No, really, where are you from?”
My skin color was a mix of my heritage, and though it was clear I wasn”t white, the question always was, ”So, what are you?” I had no idea how to respond to that.
Gabriel hadn”t asked me that; he”d simply said that he thought I was one of the most beautiful women he”d ever seen. Like they say, beauty does lie in the eye of the beholder. But in the end, my beauty was only surface deep, and when he went a little beneath my skin, he found a cold, selfish, and unmaternal woman.
I wanted to be warm and sweet like Stella, passionate like Luna, and caring yet professional like Nina, but I knew I came off more like Ice Maiden than the girl next door. I couldn”t help it. It was my armor, and I”d been wearing it for so long that I didn”t quite know how to be without it. I was an introvert to boot and was more comfortable with silence than conversation, with listening than talking, with blending into the wallpaper, than standing out, being in focus.
I gathered my thoughts as I heard Gabriel”s voice from the lobby. My hands were clammy. Luna walked into the meeting room and smiled at me. I simply nodded, telling her silently that I was ready for this meeting.
My first project as a lead architect would be kick-ass, I promised myself. I wouldn”t let Nina or Luna down. I wouldn”t let myself down.
Gabriel walked into the meeting room with a blond whose hair was ruffled, his tan was distinct, and he looked absolutely not corporate because he wore jeans that had rips in them, leather sandals, and a Hawaiian-style t-shirt. He, I assumed was Devon Parker, Rhodes” head of brand. He appeared to be the complete opposite of Gabriel, who was in a dark teal linen suit, ideal for the Savannah summer and the perfect foil for his tanned skin.
He introduced me to Devon, who shook hands with me. Gabriel didn”t touch me, just nodded.
”Aurora, I”ve heard great things about you from Gabe. You and I are going to become good friends working on this project.”
I smiled. He was friendly and not in a flirty kind of way. He immediately put me at ease.
”I can”t wait,” I told him as I inhaled Gabriel”s cologne when he walked past me.
He rattled me by just being there.
He sat across from me and listened intently as I went through the agenda and discussion points for the meeting.
Devon did most of the talking along with Eldon from Rhodes, while I was the point person as the lead architect and project manager from Savannah Lace. Luna was there to support, and Nova helped with the presentation.
I was nervous, though I knew it didn”t show. I wanted Rhodes Hotels Resorts to be happy with me as their lead architect. I wanted to seem competent and professional to Devon and Eldon. I wanted to impress Gabriel. I wanted him to think, wow, she”s something instead of she”s cold and selfish.
As the meeting progressed and I started to become comfortable, Gabriel leaned forward, interlocking his hands, and directed his first question at me.
Look away from his hands, Aurora, I told myself because I could remember how it felt to have those hands run over my body.
”Baby, you”re so responsive, so hot. I could just spend my day touching you, feeling you. Fucking hell, I need to be inside you. Let me in, open wide, now.”
My eyes heated, and I couldn”t stop myself from swallowing hard. Could he see, I wondered? Could he see that I was aroused? That I wanted him. Good god, what had happened to the nice Southern girl who hadn”t ever been passionate about a man? Now, all I needed was to look at him, and I was wet.
”Aurora,” he said my name, and I licked my lips.
”Baby, you suck me so good. Take me all the way to the back your throat. Fuck, Aurora! You”re gonna swallow everything I give you, aren’t you?”
I really, really needed to focus on the meeting and not wonder if my nipples were poking out of my bra, and everyone could see that I wanted this man.
His lips curved, and I again wondered if he could see how I felt. It took everything inside me to not let tears fill my eyes. I missed him.
I loved him, and he”d crushed me.
His eyes shuttered. The smile disappeared, and he looked almost angry. ”Considering the unique history and aesthetic of Miami Beach,” he continued, ”How do you plan to integrate the Rhodes Hotel”s signature Southern charm without clashing with the local vibe?”
I took a sip of water as an excuse to get my heartbeat down and tamp down the fever racing inside me.
”Miami Beach has a vibrant, Art Deco aesthetic that”s iconic.” I nodded to Nova, who pulled the right slides on the monitor, ones that showed the Art Deco buildings I was referring to. ”The Rhodes Hotel”s Southern charm offers a warmth and hospitality that”s equally distinctive. Our approach is to create a fusion that respects both.”
The designs I”d created were on the screen, and I held my breath. What if he hated them? What if he scorned them? Did they look cold?
”Wow,” Devon exclaimed. ”These are stunning, Aurora. How long have you been working on these?”
”Ah…not long,” I mumbled, not sure what he was asking.
Luna chuckled. ”She”s been on the project for exactly three days.”
”And you did this in three days?” Eldon muttered, impressed.
Buoyed by their praise, I went on. ”We”ll incorporate Art Deco elements in our design motifs and color schemes, blending them with the elegant, lush landscaping and interior design elements that evoke the welcoming, genteel atmosphere of the South. Think of it as marrying the glamour and vivacity of Miami Beach with the comfort and elegance of a Savannah estate. This way, the hotel doesn”t just exist in Miami Beach; it belongs there, adding a new layer to its rich cultural tapestry.”
Everyone was silent while Nova went through the designs that showed some of the elements I”d been thinking about for the exterior and the interior. I glanced at Gabriel, and his expression was blank as he looked at the screen. I knew that look. He was not happy.
Damn it! I so wanted him to be impressed.
I was about to ask him directly what he thought, when he spoke again.
”Let”s talk about sustainability. We”re known for our commitment to the environment. How do we ensure this project aligns with those values?”
Devon gave him a puzzled look, and Luna rolled her eyes. Nova was surprised that Gabriel had not said one nice thing about what I”d put together. I knew they were preliminary, and I wondered if I should”ve waited. Gabriel Rhodes was known for his high standards, and maybe I just didn”t measure up.
Well, I”d done my best, I consoled myself. If he wanted to talk to Nina about getting someone else on the Miami project, that would be his call, and I”d accept it. The client, after all, was always right, even if they had their head up their ass.
”Slide 25, Nova,” I told her, and she switched to what I wanted to show. ”Sustainability is at the core of our design philosophy for this project. We”re incorporating green roofs, solar panels, and energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems to reduce the hotel”s carbon footprint. Here are some of the calculations that I have put together. Please note, these are preliminary and will be refined once we have an approved building design.”
Again, Devon and Eldon were pleased with what the numbers told them, Gabriel didn”t say anything.
Panicked, I spoke hurriedly, hoping to answer all his unasked questions. ”Our landscape design will use native plants to reduce water consumption and support local wildlife. We”re also exploring innovative materials and construction techniques that minimize waste and environmental impact. Our goal is to achieve LEED certification for the hotel, making it a beacon of sustainability in Miami Beach.”
That was the end of the presentation, and I nodded to Nova, who turned the monitor off and made the lights in the meeting room brighter. I poured some more water into my glass from the carafe, aware that I was expending energy to make sure my hands didn”t shake. I was nervous as hell.
”I have to say, Aurora, you”ve given us a lot to think about and start to work with,” Devon grinned. ”I can see why you”re so impressed with her, Gabe.”
Gabriel looked at me, and his eyes softened, but he didn”t say anything. His jaw was still tight. He was still annoyed about something. I wish Nina had checked with him before putting me on his project. Maybe he didn”t think highly of me as an architect.
All my insecurities were clamoring for attention, and my inner critics were so loud I couldn”t hear anything besides the jabs and taunts that I was not good enough.
”Let”s talk next steps,” Gabriel prompted sternly.
The meeting went on for another half hour, and again, Gabriel was silent while Devon, Luna, Eldon, and I started to put together a preliminary project plan.
At the end of the meeting, everyone was amazed at how much we”d gotten done in such a short time.
”I think you may be the best-prepared architect and project manager I”ve ever worked with,” Devon remarked. He looked at Gabe, ”Anything from your end?”
”I”d like to see a firmed-up project plan by the end of the day tomorrow.” He rose then. ”Thanks, team.”
He looked at his watch. ”Can you guys find your own way back to Rhodes HQ? I have an appointment I”m late for.”
”Sure, boss,” Eldon said puzzled.
Gabriel all but stormed out of the meeting room.
”Don”t know what bug he”s got going up his ass,” Devon muttered and then looked around the room and winced, ”Sorry, I keep forgetting I”m in Savannah now. Excuse my language.”
”I personally think he has a stick up his ass,” Luna dead-panned.
Devon laughed. ”And here I thought I had to be careful with the genteel Southern lady.”
”Hey, watch out who you insult by calling genteel.” Luna cocked an eyebrow. ”Aurora, amazing work. I can”t believe you pulled this together in three days. Bravo.”
”I agree,” Eldon added. ”I”ve been working on hotel projects for many years as Devon”s EA before Gabriel stole me, and I have to say…wow. I think this is going to be one hell of a hotel.”