Chapter 39
39
LINCOLN
I sneak into the ballroom and take a seat near the back, listening in for a moment to get an idea of what the meeting is about.
I didn’t read the email, so I’m unaware of the agenda.
My father is rambling on about plans for the new staff onboarding software, employee responsibility, vacation booking… yadda yadda.
I take a large sip of my strong coffee. I’ve had around ten of these today to keep me fueled. A large waft of that familiar scent hits me again. I’m losing my mind.
“So without further ado…” My father rounds up the meeting.
Oh great, meeting over. I get ready to stand, holding on to my coffee like it’s my life buoy.
“I would like to introduce you to our new operations manager.” My father looks around the room.
My ears prick up. Say what now?
When the hell did we interview for one of those? And I’m the operations director—how the hell was I not privy to this?
He must have interviewed them when I was away. We talked about it briefly, but we never firmed up the plans .
I pull out my phone and check my emails, quickly locate today’s meeting to check the agenda, and there it is. Special Announcement. That’s all it says.
My dad runs everything past me.
Although maybe he mentioned it to me and my head has been so far up my ass, I wasn’t paying attention.
My father continues. “This new role we have filled with a very special person. Someone who has vast experience in marketing, health and safety, policy, and procedure.”
Fuck, they’ll be after my job. I shuffle in my seat, moving left to right to get a better view over the sea of heads in front of me.
My dad continues, “They left a highly prestigious job to join our team, and I am delighted to say they are going to manage the new cliffside restaurant project we are planning to build on the east side of the hotel. It is going to be our biggest challenge yet. Having it suspended over the cliffs will be no mean feat, but we have the best person for the job. They have extensive experience in refurbishment, building, and managing contractors.”
Wow, he really is going to be after my job.
My dad rounds up his introduction. “I hope you all give her…”
Her?
“… a big warm welcome from us all here at The Sanctuary. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Violet West, our new operations manager.”
I spring onto my feet, spilling my remaining coffee all over my dress trousers. It makes me hiss, but I don’t care about the scalding liquid currently seeping through the fabric.
All I care about is the girl who’s now made her way to the front of the room, looking more gorgeous than I remember, and she’s wearing our uniform of fitted black blazer with our gold logo embroidered on the left breast pocket and black fitted dress, highlighting all of her curves. Although she looks as if she’s lost a lot of weight, which I don’t like at all.
With shoulders back and head held high, she looks confident, but she gives herself away when she nervously tucks a little tendril of dark wavy hair behind her ear. It’s something only I would notice.
Wait, what?
My heart is flipping out.
I am flipping out.
Why is she here?
“Because your father just said she was the new operations manager,” Fredrick, our spa manager, replies and low laughs ripple through the team.
I didn’t mean to ask that out loud.
My head bounces back and forth to my dad, then back to Violet, then back again at my dad. He winks at me.
Winks.
I’m being played.
And Violet has yet to look at me.
“She’s hot.” One of the managers in front of me makes his attraction to her known. If that was Adam, I’ll fucking fire him. He can fuck right off. She’s mine.
But she’s not anymore, Linc. You fucked up, remember?
My dad closes the meeting with a quick thank you and over ninety of our managers, deputy managers, and supervisors stand up at the same time. My attempts to get out of my aisle are futile as my happy chattering employees pass by on their way toward the exit. Out of politeness, I wait for them all to leave while standing on my toes to see over their heads, trying to get a glimpse of Violet.
I must surely be dreaming. It’s the only explanation for her being here .
As the last stragglers make their way up the aisle, I eye the front of the room, but there is no one there.
My dad is gone, as is Violet.
I run my hands through my freshly cut hair.
I don’t know who I am anymore.
I clench my eyes shut and open them again. I am definitely awake.
Pulling out my phone from my jacket pocket, I hit my dad’s name and call him.
But it just rings. I try again.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up.” My eyes dart around the empty space.
Still no answer, so I drop him a text while running to the back of the room.
Me
What is going on?
They must have gone through the hidden pocket doors we have scattered throughout the hotel.
Sliding one open, I poke my head into the hidden staff corridor, frantically looking left and right. Nothing.
“Shit,” I hiss.
I’m being played for a fool.
I check my phone. It glares back at me as my text message goes unanswered.
I pull up my dad’s calendar and it has a dinner date at Eva’s parents’ house tonight.
I dash to the hotel entrance, where the receptionists are of no help either. It’s official. I’m going mad and I’m seriously considering checking myself into an asylum.
Did it happen? She was here, wasn’t she?
I slap my phone against the palm of my hand over and over, questioning my sanity and contemplating what to do. I’m out of ideas, so I text Jacob and Owen.
Me
She’s here. I saw her.
Owen
Who?
Jacob
The Queen?
Owen
Please tell me it’s JLo.
Jacob
Beyoncé.
Owen
Adele?
Jacob
She is the Queen.
Me
No! Violet.
And they don’t reply to me either.
Me
Hello?
Nothing.
Where is everyone?
Figuring I’ll catch my dad back at his house before he goes out for dinner, I dash down the hotel corridor in the direction of the back exit to get my car.
I think my body has gone into emotional overload. It can’t cope and I’m most definitely having a breakdown. Fatigue, memory loss, hallucinations, mood swings, and the sensation that I am detached from my body, I tick all the boxes.