Straightening her back and narrowing her eyes, Nora says, “I am the solution person. I solveallthe problems.”
“Not yet,” I quip.
Shooting knives at me with her glare, she says, “I have a conference room in this building you can use. Come with me.”
Carolina puts a hand on my forearm. “Listen, I’ll take care of the rooms. You go to your meeting.”
“Perfect, thank you.” I hurry to catch up with Nora, who doesn’t have to weave her way through a crowded lobby while pulling two over-sized suitcases and carrying a laptop bag.
She waves a card key in front of a set of double doors, which swing open. Pausing to look over her shoulder, she glowers again before trotting along, forcing me to run to make it through the doors before I’m locked out.
What a hag. She takes the paradise out of Paradise Bay, which, incidentally, is completely overrated. This place has nothing on The Bahamas, where I’ll be returning the second this idiotic contest is over,neverto return. And that’s a promise.
7
Horrible Humans in Nice Packaging
Nora
“Who was that?”Kat asks when I return to my desk after getting Mr. Arrogant set up in a conference room.
“Theo Rojas, president of Rojas Rum and all-around jackass,” I mutter, his words about me “clearly” not being the person who can provide solutions tohisproblems rolling through my brain again. He is the perfect example of why I hate rich people so much. If he were a meal, he’d be a heaping plate of rude with a massive side order of self-importance. Theo Rojas is the embodiment of why the world’s elite are the absolute worst humanity has to offer.
“Wow, he’s so young and hot,” she says with a wistful smile.
She’s not wrong. The man is a solid twelve out of ten—tall, dark, and built, not to mention dressed in what I’m sure is a $12,000 suit. Sadly, he has the personality of a goat with a yeast infection.
“He’s way too old for you,” I tell her. “Also, he’s off-limits, as are all the other men who are in any way connected with the competition.”
Kat gives me her teenage glare and pops her bubble gum at me. “I didn’t mean for me. I just would have expected the president of a huge company to be a gross old boomer.”
“Well, he’s not.” I retrieve a skeleton key from my desk drawer. “Come on, I’m going to need your help.”
“Really?” Her eyes light up.
“Yes, really.” I hurry down the hall towards the lobby. “I need to get His Highness’s room set up exactly how he wants it.”
When we reach the front desk, my palms go a little sweaty. Rosy is talking to the two people Mr. Rojas was with, which means they’ve gone over my head. Strike one for Nora. Plastering on a bright smile, I hurry over to them. “Rosy, hi, I was just getting Mr. Rojas set up for a meeting. Now that that’s done, I can sort out their hotel rooms.”
“You sure?” she asks. “Because according to Ms. Armas, you seem to be having trouble understanding what they need.”
Of course…
My cheeks flame. “There was a bit of a mix-up, but I have everything under control now.”
“Are you sure, dear?” Ms. Armas asks with a phony smile. “You seemed so flustered.”
“I’m fine, believe me,” I say, my voice dripping with Sucralose. Turning back to Rosy, I say, “I’m setting them up in 320 and 321. I’ll have housekeeping remove the couch and armchair from 320 for Mr. Rojas and replace them with a desk and an office chair. There’s already a round table there that seats four which should serve as a meeting space. Ms. Armas requested a suite, so she’ll be up on the fourth floor. I was thinking of the Princess Suite for her.” Looking up at Ms. Armas, I say, “It’s a lovely room with a large balcony and a beautiful view of the water. You should be quite comfortable there.”
“I want to stay up there with you,” the other Mr. Rojas says.
Ms. Armas puts a hand on his forearm. “I know it will be a sacrifice for you, but Theo is right about this, as usual.”
I spend the next couple of minutes fuming while Sandra, the front desk clerk, signs them in and gives the pair their card keys, then I get in a golf cart with Kat and zip over to building C to search for someone on the housekeeping staff to help me out.
It takes nearly an hour to remove the unneeded furniture, have the floor cleaned, source a desk and office chair suitable for his nibs, and have everything looking just so. Kat rushes in with a large bouquet of flowers to set on the table. When that final touch is in place, I take a deep breath and nod. It should do.
Just in time, too, because there’s a click of the lock and in walks Theo Rojas, dragging his suitcases behind him. Without looking at me, he glances around the room, then nods.
