“Yes—I think I can. Give me a day or two to look into it.”
“Good. The comedian as well.”
“But you just said your father—”
“Would have hated it. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea. Set up entertainment every night of the week. I’ll speak to Bran about catering for the parties, but I want you to be the point person for arranging everything and hiring any extra employees we may need while Shin Electronics and their associates are in town. There will be seventy-five of them if we include their clients.”
Emily swallowed. “Seventy-five? I calculated thirty.”
“Seventy-five. I just confirmed this morning. Which means we’ll have our hands full.” He gave her a look of worry and determination—one that mimicked her own emotions.
* * *
Thank God for Emily. Her ideas were brilliant and nothing Levi would have come up with on his own. What did he know about entertaining foreign businessmen? He put out fires and resuscitated people.
Bran had been correct on every point the other night, not that Levi would have ever admitted to it. Hewasunqualified to run Club Tahoe, but he could make sure his employees were on top of things or heads would roll.
The grunt to his assistant’s clever ideas.
Someone like Emily should be running this place, but his father had made Levi the point person and he would do his best.
“That’s all for now.” He stood and went to the window. When he didn’t sense her leave immediately, he glanced back. And caught her looking at his…butt? “Emily?”
“Oh, um, yes.” She hastily stood, balancing files and her tablet in her arms. “I’ll be in touch later this afternoon to give you a rundown of how things are going.”
“Good. We’ll talk then.” She left, and he shook off the look he thought he’d caught. She’d been zoning out, not staring at his ass. Emily was Lisa’s sister…Lisa.
Levi hadn’t thought of Lisa this much since she’d cheated on him with Hunt. He’d never loved any woman except her. The one short-lived relationship he’d had afterward ended in different, albeit equal, disaster, and that was when he stopped having relationships altogether. He kept things casual, and that was the way they needed to remain for the foreseeable future. He had too many responsibilities.
Chapter 6
Levi saidhe’d be around late, but Emily searched the offices and couldn’t find him anywhere.
Employees worked hard at Club Tahoe, something Emily could appreciate. As long as she was moving and pushing her career forward, she didn’t feel so alone. Working late came with the territory, but it seemed most of the executive employees at Club Tahoe were gone by five or five thirty.
How healthy of them.
The sun had set hours ago, and Esther was the only one still here. She pulled her Coach purse on her shoulder and tucked in her desk chair, preparing to leave.
“Have you seen Mr. Cade?” Emily asked.
He’d told her to call him Levi, but Emily couldn’t do it in mixed company. Not yet, anyway. She’d like to continue calling him Mr. Cade in person as well, to keep things from getting too personal. He had no idea the thoughts that filled her mind when she was around him.
“Oh, honey,” Esther said, “he’s probably down by the dock. That’s where he goes when… Well, you’ll figure it out. I can’t say he’ll be much use to you down there, but you can try.”
Emily had told Levi she’d give him an update. He wanted to know what she’d managed to arrange. She’d make a quick stop at the dock then head home. “Thank you, Esther. Have a good night.”
Emily returned to her office and grabbed her things for the evening. She headed out through the grand lobby that never failed to steal her breath. Velvet couches adorned with silk throw pillows and worn leather ottomans strategically placed filled nearly five thousand square feet of lobby and lounge area. Club Tahoe offered a luxury lodge-like retreat for its guests, with dark, knotty wood and stone accents on the walls, and crystal and wrought-iron chandeliers on the ceilings.
At the back of the lobby, Emily passed through the massive stone arch and crossed the bridge over the indoor lazy river that guests floated on during the day. In the evenings, they gathered to roast s’mores on the center island in campfire-like fire pits. To the left of the lazy river were high-end shops and restaurants that ran along the lower level of the hotel’s building, and on the right was the stunning Timber Casino.
Emily passed the pool area and headed to the beach and across the sand, her heels sinking with each step. She reached the dock that rested on one of South Lake Tahoe’s most active exclusive beaches.
Only it wasn’t very active tonight.
It was dark, the sky filled with milky stars, and there was a light nip in the air. A few guests lingered on the beach, but most filled the restaurants or busily thrust money down slot machines and tossed chips at the gaming tables.
Emily scanned the people outside, but none of them fit Levi’s imposing height and build.
