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“I kept your usual room. It’s ready for you.”
“You’re a treasure.” She watches me bring up her booking, then glances at Eric. “I don’t remember you.”
“I’m new,” he says.
“He doesn’t work here,” I say quickly.
Eric gives her a solemn look. “Management hasn’t made me feel very welcome.”
Without looking down, I place the heel of my shoe on the toe of his and press. He pulls his foot away, but the amusement in his eyes only grows.
“There we are.” I hand Mrs. Ellis her key. “Enjoy your stay.”
She thanks me and heads toward the elevators. As soon as she’s gone, Eric turns to me.
“Why are you checking in guests?” he asks.
“I’m covering Anna’s lunch.”
“Does the CEO usually cover lunch breaks?”
“This one does.”
His gaze drops to the dust on my blouse before returning to my face. “Then you know the hotel’s daily schedule. We can arrange our deliveries around yours. The lane could work for both of us.”
Oh my God. The man never stops.
“The answer is no. It’s not my fault you approved plans that depend on land you don’t own. I’m still deciding whether that was arrogance or stupidity.”
His eyebrows lift. “People don’t often call me stupid, Rachel.”
“That may be how you got into this mess.”
For a few seconds, he says nothing, and I wonder if I’ve gone too far. Then a slow smile spreads across his face.
“You’re going to make a formidable neighbor.” He looks almost pleased. “I’ll enjoy seeing you aim some of that fight at someone else.”
“You’re assuming we’ll ever be on the same side.”
“If someone tries to build a third hotel on this street, they’ll have both of us to deal with.”
“Third?”
“I agree. Two is plenty.”
He sets his pen on the notepad and heads for the doors.
“I expect we’ll settle the service lane soon,” he calls back. “I’m looking forward to a long and productive Voss-Hartwell relationship.”
“We are not having a relationship—”
The doors close behind him before I can finish. At the same moment, the phone rings.
I reach for the pen he left behind and find ERIC VOSS engraved along the side. Of course his pen has his name on it.
I toss it onto the notepad. The man is arrogant, impossible, and far too impressed with himself.
Who put him in charge of a billion-dollar company?
