Epilogue
TEDDY
Three Months Later
“I still don’t understand why this meeting needs to be at The Sandpiper,” Preston says as we pull into the parking lot. “The main conference room downtown has better facilities.”
“And I spent weeks designing that space specifically for presentations,” adds Crystal from the back seat where she sits with her tablet, reviewing notes. Her HarmonyWorks shop has been thriving since partnering with Hollister Hotels on employee wellness initiatives—another positive outcome from the chaos of the holidays.
I exchange a knowing smile with Javi, who’s driving. “Trust me, cousin. There’s a method to my madness.”
Preston sighs with the long-suffering patience he’s developed over the three months since my undercover housekeeping adventure made headlines. “There usually is.”
The Sandpiper looks different in the early summer light—the spring break chaos long gone, replaced by the steadier rhythm of summer vacationers. Families with beach toys, couples holding hands, the occasional business traveler wheeling luggage toward the entrance.
As we walk through the lobby, I’m greeted by name from all directions. Not as Theresa Holden, housekeeper, but as Teddy Hollister, Director of Staff Development and Operational Improvements—the special project position that evolved from my eight days scrubbing toilets and catching thieves.
“Miss Hollister! The new carts arrived yesterday,” Carmen calls from the front desk, where she’s been promoted to assistant manager. “The housekeeping team loves them.”
“Excellent! I’ll check them out after the meeting,” I promise, feeling the familiar satisfaction of making tangible improvements.
The past three months have been a whirlwind of activity. What started as damage control after the media circus has transformed into a genuine initiative to improve working conditions across all Hollister properties, with The Sandpiper as our pilot location.
New equipment, revised schedules with better work-life balance, a career development program that creates advancement pathways for hourly employees—all implementations that Preston, initially skeptical, now proudly highlights in investor presentations.
“Teddy!” Miguel’s voice booms as we pass the staff room. He hurries out, clipboard in hand. “Perfect timing. The mentor program has twelve new applicants from our sister properties. The word is spreading.”
I smile, genuinely delighted. Miguel accepted the position as training coordinator without hesitation, his years of experience now being used to develop the next generation of hospitality professionals.
“That’s fantastic. Set up interviews for next week?” I suggest, making a mental note to adjust my calendar.
“Already on it,” he confirms with a wink before nodding respectfully to Preston, Crystal, and Javi.
We continue to the conference room, where Brogan is already waiting alongside his fiancée, Wilhelmina “Willy” Genaro. The acclaimed interior designer has her sustainable design plans spread across one end of the table, deep in conversation with Karina and several board members. Willy’s innovative approach to green building has transformed not just the aesthetic of the Hollister portfolio but its environmental footprint as well—something that pairs perfectly with my staff initiatives.
“About time,” Brogan says as we enter, though his usual gruffness is softened by the smile he exchanges with Preston. “Willy was just explaining how the new sustainability standards will integrate with the staff training programs.”
Willy looks up, her creative energy practically radiating from her. “Teddy! I’ve been dying to show you the revised layouts for the staff areas. They incorporate all the feedback from your focus groups.”
“Can’t wait to see them,” I say genuinely. Working with Willy has been one of the unexpected pleasures of my new role—her commitment to functional beauty and sustainable practices aligns perfectly with my vision for staff spaces that demonstrate real respect for employees.
Crystal moves to examine the designs. “The living plant walls in the break rooms are brilliant. They’ll improve air quality and staff well-being simultaneously.”
The presentation materials are prepared, the projector ready, everything in place for the quarterly review of what the press has dubbed “The Hollister Method”—our ground-up approach to hotel management that’s generating industry buzz.
“Can we get started?” Preston asks, checking his watch. “We have a lot to cover.”
“Not quite yet,” I say, glancing at my phone. “We’re still waiting for?—”
The door opens, and a group of hotel staff enters—housekeepers, maintenance workers, front desk personnel, all looking nervous but determined.
“What’s this?” one of the board members asks, clearly confused.
I move to the head of the table, confidence flowing through me that would have been unimaginable four months ago. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve invited representatives from every department to participate in today’s review. After all, they’re the ones implementing these changes daily. Their feedback is invaluable.”
Preston raises an eyebrow but doesn’t object as the staff take seats around the expanded table. In the subtle shift of his expression, I see grudging approval—and perhaps a touch of pride. Crystal gives me a subtle thumbs-up from her seat beside him, while Willy engages a maintenance worker in conversation about the new energy-efficient systems.
This is why the meeting had to be at The Sandpiper. Not for convenience or facilities, but for the symbolic importance of bringing leadership to where the work happens, rather than summoning workers to the executive ivory tower.
As the meeting begins, I feel Javi’s eyes on me from his position near the door. No longer my official bodyguard, he attends these sessions in his new role as Hollister Security’s Training Director. The program he’s developing parallels my own initiatives—creating advancement opportunities, implementing best practices, recognizing talent at all levels.
His smile—that rare, transformative smile that still makes my heart skip—carries a clear message—pride, support, and something deeper that’s grown steadily between us over these months.
We’ve found our rhythm, he and I. His bungalow has become as much my home as my townhouse is his. Weekends are spent on his secluded beach or entertaining his boisterous family when they visit from Miami.
Preston and Brogan have adjusted to our relationship with minimal drama. As Brogan put it dryly during a family dinner, “Anyone who can handle Teddy during a hotel theft investigation has earned hazard pay, not disapproval.” That made even Preston laugh, earning a surprised look from Crystal who was unaccustomed to hearing her serious boyfriend enjoy a joke at his family’s expense. Even Aunt Elaine chuckled.
The meeting proceeds smoothly, the staff gradually relaxing enough to contribute valuable insights. Seeing housekeepers and board members discussing linen inventory systems as equals fills me with a satisfaction deeper than any social media validation ever provided.
When we break for lunch, I slip away from the group temporarily, needing a moment to collect my thoughts before the afternoon session. Without consciously choosing a destination, I find myself on the third floor, standing in the familiar hallway where I once pushed Marilyn the cleaning cart.
“Feeling nostalgic?” Javi’s voice comes from behind me, warm with understanding.
I turn, finding him leaning against the wall in a stance that echoes our first days here—except the uniform is gone, replaced by the business casual attire of his new position, professional distance gone.
“A little,” I admit. “Everything changed in this hallway.”
He pushes off from the wall, moving to stand beside me. “Any regrets?”
I shake my head, smiling up at him. “Not a single one. Though I sometimes miss Marilyn.”
“The cart?” Javi laughs, the sound still rare enough to delight me every time. “I’m sure Carmen would let you take her for a spin, for old times’ sake.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I warn, bumping my shoulder against his. “I might just show up in disguise again, see if anyone recognizes me.”
His arm slips around my waist, drawing me closer. “I’d recognize you anywhere, Teddy Hollister. Glasses, uniform, whatever disguise you choose. I know you now.”
The simple truth of his words warms me from within. He does know me—not the socialite, not the heiress, not even Director of Staff Development Teddy, but the real me underneath all those roles.
“Lucky me,” I murmur, rising on tiptoes to brush a kiss across his lips.
He catches me before I can pull away, his hand gently cupping my face. The playfulness in his expression shifts to something more serious, more tender.
“I’ve been wanting to tell you something,” he says, his voice low and private in the empty hallway. “Something I’ve known for a while now, but I wanted to be sure.”
My heart beats faster as I recognize the intensity in his gaze. “Always the careful planner,” I tease gently, though my voice trembles.
“Not with you,” he says with a small smile. “With you, I’ve broken every rule, abandoned every protocol. And it’s been the best decision of my life.”
His thumb traces my cheekbone as he takes a breath. “I love you, Teddy. Not the socialite, not the housekeeper—just you. The woman who’s brave enough to scrub toilets to prove a point and smart enough to turn a PR disaster into an industry revolution.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as happiness blooms in my chest. In my previous life, those words had been exchanged too easily, thrown around as casually as air kisses at society events. But from Javi, a man who weighs every word with military precision, they carry a weight that leaves me breathless.
His words carry the truth.
“I love you, too,” I whisper, my hands coming up to frame his face. “More than I thought possible when we started this crazy adventure.”
The smile that spreads across his face—unreserved, genuine, transformative—is worth every moment of uncertainty, every ache and pain, every challenge we’ve faced to get here.
“I think we’re both lucky,” he says, capturing my hand in his and pressing a kiss to my palm. “Now come on. Your adoring public awaits, and Preston will send out a search party if we’re gone too long.”
As we walk back toward the conference room, his hand warm and solid around mine, I reflect on the strange, wonderful journey that brought us here. Eight chaotic days of spring break housekeeping that transformed into something neither of us could have anticipated.
“You know,” I say as we reach the conference room door, “I should really send Roberts a thank-you note.”
Javi raises an eyebrow. “The man who tried to frame you for theft and attempted to humiliate you in the press?”
“Exactly,” I confirm with a grin. “If not for his scheming, who knows how long it would have taken us to find each other? Sometimes the worst moments lead to the best outcomes.”
“Philosophy from a former housekeeper,” Javi teases. “What would your social media followers think?”
“They’d probably be surprised by a lot of things,” I reply, thinking of the genuine, unfiltered life I’ve built these past months. “But their opinion doesn’t matter much anymore. I know my worth—both as a Hollister and as Theresa Holden, housekeeper extraordinaire.”
Javi’s expression softens into that special look reserved only for me. “And I value both equally. I love all of who you are.”
With one last squeeze of his hand and a whispered “I love you” in return, I push open the door, ready to continue the work that’s become my passion.
The room buzzes with conversation—executives and housekeepers finding common ground, maintenance staff explaining equipment needs to attentive board members. Crystal and Willy are huddled with two housekeepers, discussing ergonomic design improvements for the cleaning stations.
This, I think as I take my place at the table, is the real legacy of my hairbrained idea of starting from the bottom of the ladder. Not just finding love with an unlikely bodyguard, but finding purpose, connection, and a way to use my privilege to create meaningful change.
“Ready for the next session?” Preston asks, sliding the presentation materials toward me.
I smile as I feel Javi’s supportive presence behind me and the anticipation of continuing the work we’ve begun. “Absolutely. I’m just getting started.”
* * *
Thank you so much for reading Spring Break with a Bodyguard. I hope you enjoyed Javi and Teddy’s story!