“Right now everything is sort of tied up together,” she shot back. “Which is why I’m leaning towardsnotsuggesting this property as our best option.”
Tension spread behind my eyes. “Emilia, please. Let’s be adults about this. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
She snorted out a laugh. “I can certainly see how it would be a win foryou. Everyone thinks that this place is cursed since the whole runaway wedding planner situation. Crazy that he stole the groom away the night before his wedding to that poor, unsuspecting bride. It’s the talk of the biz. You should see the memes.”
Yeah, that was exactly the problem. That was why the Ashford Carmel—the most elite wedding destination on the west coast fordecades—now couldn’t seem to book a wedding for love or money. No one wanted to touch us for anything romance related. Hell, we’d even had a couple cancel their twenty-fifth anniversary celebration last week, saying they didn’t want to give their marriage “bad vibes.”
I didn’t give a shit about superstition, but I hadallthe shits to give about our bottom line, and I wasnotgoing to let our wedding business vanish into the ether. We needed a high profile win, a celebrity wedding that would show the world that we still had what it took to deliver a picture-perfect happily-ever-after.
We needed Carter and Kristen—badly. And it was just my luck that this was the woman standing between me and making that happen.
I cut to the chase. “What are the other two properties in the running?”
“Océan Blu and Whispering Bay,” she answered. It was the reply I’d expected, whether it was true or not. She had to know they were our stiffest competition.
“Which has the best package?”
She contorted her adorable face as she considered it. “Financially, it’s Whispering but obviously money doesn’t matter to those two. I think they’re leaning towards Océan because they’re throwing in free spa packages for every guest. Massages, facials, the works. And you can’t beat that beach. Carter wants to have the ceremony by the water, which isn’t an option here.”
I ground my teeth together. Our beach was better but we’d never expanded it to events on the sand, mainly because of the logistical challenges. Staff had been asking us to reconsider for ages. Honestly, I didn’t love the optics of brides with their veils nearly being ripped off by the wind or dealing with predatory seagulls, but if they werewilling to take the risk, did I really want to tell them no? Maybe it was time for a change.
“We’ll do it for them,” I countered. “And match the spa package, and throw in hotel gift baskets with our signature robes and luxury toiletries,andoffer free breakfast for the duration of the event.”
“For the crew too?”
I sputtered at her presumption. “I’ll include a breakfast buffet for them, that’s it.”
“And you’ll match Whispering’s rates?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. It would cost us a fortune, but I could live with that. You had to spend money to make money, and I already felt like we were bleeding revenue with every wedding that got canceled or failed to get booked. The real issue was that I hated to let someone else dominate the negotiation like this. Still, she had me over a barrel, and she knew it. “What are they?”
She pulled her phone out of a hidden pocket – that damn phone – and tapped the screen. She moved closer and I was enveloped in a light and airy scent, like the beach with a hint of something sweet, like a creamsicle. I wanted to pause everything and lean closer to the nape of her neck to breathe her in.
“Here,” she said, a little more insistently since I’d neglected to look at the screen.
The numbers had to be manipulated, or not entirely transparent, but again, I had no choice. One little bit of sacrifice for a major reward. We could stand the hit.
“Fine.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
I smirked. “Not used to dealing directly with the CEO, are you? The buck stops here. If I say yes, it’s yes. Period.”
She blinked, a little taken aback, but she recovered quickly. “Well, okay then. Your offer is going to be tough to beat. I’ll go to bat for you but the final decision is up to them. Cross your piggies, bossman.”
I glared at her but kept my mouth shut. She walked out to the balcony and I stared at her ass as she left, because how could I not?
A few minutes later I heard a wall of sound headed our way, and then the couple of the hour burst into the meeting room.
“Oh my gosh, that suite,” Kristen exclaimed, her eyes shining. “I want to live there! Did Princess Diana really sleep in that room?”
“She did indeed, and so have Harry and Megan. It’s our most exclusive offering,” I replied.
I shot Emilia a look to remind her that she needed to push the property.
“We have to make a big decision,” she said in an overloud voice with a glance at the cameras. “Let’s go over the specifics.”
I kicked myself for not reminding her to keep the amount a secret. This was going to be broadcast to the whole world, and there was no way we’d offer the same rates again. I soon discovered that we were on the same wavelength. Emilia outlined the perks I’d just granted them, and then showed the pricing on her tablet, holding it so that the cameras couldn’t see.
