Chapter 23 #2
Bronwyn kept her smile but extricated her hand. Beyond the outdated and cringey hand kiss, there was something she did not like about this man, but she couldn’t quite figure out what it was. She kept her face calm while her brain worked to nail down the cause of her discomfort.
Something about this man set off alarm bells. It was only years of etiquette training and experience that kept her from walking out the door. “Won’t you sit down?”
Peter Brown gestured toward a chair. “After you.”
She didn’t argue and took a seat. When she did, she spotted Mo standing in the doorway in an “at ease” position. His Army days were showing, and she didn’t mind at all.
Then she remembered the weapon tucked into his pants at his back. Standing the way he was, with his hands behind him, he could pull it out in the blink of an eye.
She didn’t mind that either.
She focused on Peter Brown and gave him her most professional smile. “How was your trip?”
They made small talk for longer than she wanted, and when the opportunity presented itself, she redirected the conversation to the interview. “I’m sure you’re eager to settle in and explore the property.”
“Well, I was,” he said, “but now that I’ve met you, I’m finding that I don’t feel any need to rush.”
Was it possible for words to make her want to take a shower? She fought to keep her tone even. “I happen to know that you have a dinner reservation at five thirty and, believe me, Mr. Brown, you don’t want to miss it. I’d say we need to move this along.”
“I’ll only agree if you promise to call me Peter.”
This guy got slimier every time he opened his mouth.
“I appreciate that, but we have a policy that requires a certain level of formality with our guests.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” She could tell he meant to pass it off like a joke, but something in his eyes told her he wasn’t kidding.
“We have exceedingly high standards at The Haven. Those standards apply to all staff at all levels of guest interaction. I would suggest you ask me the questions you have prepared so that we can both go on with our day.”
“What if you join me for dinner tonight? That would be a far more enjoyable way for us to get to know each other.” His smile was movie-star white and as fake as a flea market Rolex.
Bronwyn could sense Mo’s frustration. She didn’t think he’d moved a muscle, and she was very careful not to draw any attention to him, but knowing he was there helped her maintain her professionalism.
“I’m afraid my schedule is packed this week, so if you want to interview me, this is your time.
I have a prior engagement tonight.” She tried to keep her voice conciliatory.
“Tomorrow? I mean, you have to eat, right?” He leaned forward in his chair. “I’d really like to spend more time with you.”
There was something about his eyes. She almost had it, but the connection slipped away. “While I appreciate the flattery, I’m afraid I’m not available for anything more than a professional conversation.”
“Are you in a relationship?”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s a no.” His grin was smug. “Okay, I can see you’re playing hard to get.
I respect it. I can play too.” He pulled out a notebook and a recorder and before she had a chance to respond to his remark, he hit the record button.
“Peter Brown interviewing Bronwyn Pierce at The Haven.” He consulted his notes.
“How long have you been the CEO of The Haven?”
What kind of question was that? She wasn’t the one being interviewed here. Well, she was, but the interview was supposed to be about The Haven. Not her. “A few years now.”
“You’re young for a role like this, aren’t you?”
“Not really. I grew up here. I know this business better than anyone. I was the perfect candidate for the job.”
He winked at her. “Confident. I like that in a woman.”
Mo was growing increasingly tense in her periphery. She didn’t think her interviewer was aware of the predator watching him.
“You’ve had some family issues in the past few years. Some drugs. Attempted murder. That kind of thing?” He asked the question with a look that said, “You poor thing.”
“Mr. Brow—”
“Peter.”
“Mr. Brown,” she said with more force, “my family is like any other in America. We aren’t perfect. But we ensure that personal drama doesn’t affect the running of The Haven.”
“And how do you do that?”
“We have strict rules for everyone on staff, including family members. This ensures that everyone who interacts with our guests is above reproach.”
“I see. So how long did Steven—”
She let her exasperation bleed into her voice.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I won’t be taking any questions regarding specific family members or staff, past or present.
If you’d like to ask questions about The Haven, our facilities, and our amenities, I’m happy to talk to you about that.
If you want to talk about legal matters, I’ll gladly direct you to our attorneys. ”
Peter Brown leaned back in his seat. “Okay, how about this. Why do you feel the need to have an armed bodyguard with you?” He pointed his thumb toward Mo. “I interview a lot of folks and usually the armed guard stuff is for the celebrities, not the hotel managers.”
She didn’t bother to correct him about her position or Mo’s role.
“Again, these are inappropriate questions not germane to our discussion today.” She stood.
“I think it would be best if you and I table this interview. You can enjoy your time here for the next two days, and if you have further questions, I’m sure our marketing and publicity department will be able to answer them. ”
He stood and slid his notebook into the satchel he’d brought with him. “I’m sure I’ll see you around, Bronwyn.”
“I’ll see you out, Mr. Brown.” Mo’s tone didn’t give the man any wiggle room. Peter walked out the door Mo held open for him. She watched until they were both out of sight, then let her legs give out as she collapsed into her chair.
June walked in. “Is everything okay? Mr. Quinn looked ready to strangle that guy.”
Bronwyn shook her head. “That was the weirdest thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”
“Can I bring you anything?”
“No. Thanks,” she said as Mo returned.
“She needs some water, June. Would you mind?” Mo had his phone to his ear, and as soon as he’d spoken, he went back to his call. “Yes. That’s correct. Everything, and I mean everything. Thanks.”
He disconnected that call and dialed another number.
June returned with an unopened water bottle and handed it to her, eyes wide. “Ms. Pierce?”
Mo spoke into his phone again. “Hey, I’m going to escort Bronwyn home so she can go to her massage, which she needed before, and now she really needs. What kind of security do we have in the spa?”
He listened, and Bronwyn motioned for June to sit. She sipped her water and fought to keep from trembling as the adrenaline left her system.
It hadn’t been her imagination. That whole situation had been beyond weird. Mo was clearly cool and calm as he gave orders, but she knew he was masking his fury. He was probably fighting the need to run Peter Brown out of town.
And what was with her reaction to the man? She was in the hospitality industry. She handled come-ons and put-downs without giving them a second thought. But Peter Brown’s very presence made her skin crawl.
“Okay.” A pause. “Good.” A longer pause. “Well, that’s the problem, isn’t it?”
Bronwyn took another drink. Mo looked at her, then at June. He put his hand over the phone. “Do you have anything sweet around here? A candy bar? A Coke? Something with a little sugar?”
June jumped to her feet. “On it.” Mo returned to his phone call and when June came back thirty seconds later with a tub of salted caramels and two Cokes, he gave her a thumbs-up.
Bronwyn didn’t bother to argue. She had no idea if chocolate and Coke would settle her nerves, but they couldn’t make things worse.
Mo continued to talk to someone, but his side of the conversation was mostly grunts and hmms and, once, a “we have to do better than that.” Then he looked at his watch. “Gotta go. Yeah. Thanks.”
He turned to June. “Thank you for getting those things for Bronwyn. I apologize if I was abrupt.”
“No, sir. You weren’t.”
“I don’t want to overstep, but you need to be on your guard around that man,” he said, his eyes on June.
“He’ll be on-site for the next two days.
I don’t know what his game is, but I’d bet a year’s salary that he’s not who he claims to be.
I suggest you wrap up and go home. Marcus will follow you to your car and make sure you make it out of the gates.
Then he’s coming back to escort us to Bronwyn’s house and then to the spa. ”
Marcus had been part of the security team here for most of Bronwyn’s life. She trusted him. Apparently Mo did too.
“June, there’s a chance Bronwyn won’t be in the office at all tomorrow. Can you hold down the fort if she’s not in?”
“What?” Bronwyn tried to protest but June and Mo ignored her.
“Of course.”
“Marcus will be here, and he’ll have everything locked down. But if I can figure out how to keep Bronwyn off-site the entire time Peter Brown is here, I will.”
“I think that would be a good idea.” June would agree with anything Mo said. That was plain to see.
“Maybe you can talk her into it for me?” Mo held his hands in a praying position.
“Ms. Pierce is too smart to be manipulated.”
Bronwyn wished that were true.
“She has incredibly good instincts.” Mo seemed to be agreeing with June.
What? “Which is what had me on alert. She didn’t like that guy from the moment she laid eyes on him.
If she ever reacts that way to someone, pay attention.
She’s almost never wrong. And that”—Mo pinched his lips together—“is why I think we’ll be able to convince her to stay off-site.
Maybe by the time her massage is over, she’ll come around. ”
June didn’t look convinced. “Good luck with that.”
“Oh, I’ve stacked the deck in my favor. She might be able to ignore me, but when her favorite niece asks her to come spend the night tonight—”
“That’s brilliantly diabolical.”
Marcus knocked on the door. “Ms. June, you almost ready?”
“Do you need me for anything else?”
Bronwyn noted that June’s question was directed at her but also at Mo. When Mo didn’t answer, she said, “No, thank you. I’ll touch base tomorrow.”
Before Marcus followed June, he looked from Bronwyn to Mo. “Don’t like this, ma’am. Don’t like it one bit.”
“I don’t either. I still can’t figure out what happened. It was so . . . odd.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of it. You gather your things while I see Ms. June out. Then I’ll be back.”
“Marcus—”
“Bronwyn.” Marcus said her name in the same whiny tone she’d used. He almost never called her Bronwyn anymore. He must be really worried.
She gave up the argument before it even began. “Fine.”
“I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
When Marcus and June left, she stared at Mo for a long moment. Then she got up and went to her temporary office. She packed her laptop, a few files, and her planner. Her phone rang and she answered it while she worked. “Hey, Landry.”
“Hey, Eliza wants to ask you something.”
Before she could respond, Eliza’s little voice came through the phone. “Aunt Bronwyn, could you come do a firepit tonight? Please? Uncle Mo always has stuff for s’mores, and Aunt Meredith said she also had stuff for mountain pies. Please? Can you come?”
As if she could say no to that. “Of course, sweetie. It will probably be a little while before I can be there.”
“That’s okay. Mom says I can eat before you get here, but there will be plenty left over for you and Uncle Mo.”
“Okay. Will you let me talk to your mom again?”
“See you soon!” Eliza’s cheery voice disappeared, followed by Landry’s cool, “Hey.”
“What has the world come to when you use your child to do your dirty work?” Bronwyn asked.
“She wasn’t doing my dirty work.” Landry laughed as she protested, making Bronwyn think she wasn’t taking this nearly as seriously as she should have. “She’s doing Mo’s dirty work.”
“You’re going to blame this on Mo?”
“Oh yeah,” Landry continued, “he cleared it with us first, of course, but then he talked to her and said something about how it’d be nice to have Aunt Bronwyn over for a firepit tonight.
And then he said he might have a hard time convincing you, but that she would be able to do it for sure. And here we are.”
“I’m surrounded by conspirators.” Bronwyn shook her head.
“We love you. Go get relaxed and then come eat campfire food. You know you’ll feel better if you do.”