A Golden Tree

by Fern Michaels

  Holly’s gut told her to end the interview immediately, but her keen sense of professionalism dictated that she see it through to the end.

  “Of course. So . . .” Holly tried to gather herself. She hadn’t been expecting such a blunt response from Terri. “So, tell me, what about this position appeals to you?” Holly asked.

  “It’s a job,” Terri replied. “Put simply, I am in need of a job, and when I heard you were looking for an assistant, I applied immediately.”

  Holly wondered if Terri Anne was purposely trying to see how far she could go before Holly told her the interview was over. Curious, Holly asked another question. “How well did you get on with your previous manager and coworkers?”

  A shadow crossed Terri Anne’s clear blue eyes. In a carefully controlled tone, she said, “What does that have to do with anything?”

  Holly’s eyes widened; then she took a deep breath. “Ms. Phillips, I think we’re through here. I will keep your application on file, with your permission, of course, and if I foresee the need to have you come in for a second interview, I will call you.”

  Terri Anne stood up so quickly, she almost toppled over the heavy chair she’d been sitting in. “So, you’re telling me, thanks but no thanks, is that it?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I have other applicants to consider. When I make a decision, I will call you.” Holly stood, indicating that the interview was over. “One way or the other. Do you have a cell number?” She hadn’t seen one on her application.

  “It’s five-five-five-seven-eight-five-two, for whatever good it will do.” Terri turned around and headed for the door. “But I won’t hold my breath,” she tossed over her shoulder.

  Holly wanted to shout back at her, tell her not to, but her lifelong sense of professionalism prevented her. She did think about it, though.

  As soon as the door closed, she dropped into her chair. “What an angry woman,” she said out loud. She grabbed the last applicant’s file and skimmed through his qualifications. Looked good, but she totally disliked it when people had initials, or rather used initials in place of their given name.

  The last applicant’s name was G. W. Montgomery.

  Taking a deep breath, she called Marlene. “Is G. W. ready? If so, wait five minutes, and then escort him inside the office. And, Marlene, could you bring me a bottle of water and two aspirins? Terri Anne Phillips has given me a headache.”

  “Sure thing, sweetie.”

  A minute later, Marlene, all four feet ten of her, whirled into Holly’s office with an ice-cold bottle of spring water and a bottle of aspirins. Holly reached for the water, took the two aspirins Marlene held out for her, then chugged the water down. She laughed.

  “Sorry, but that woman had such an attitude, she gave me an instant headache.”

  “Yes, she didn’t appear to be very pleased when she stormed out of your office. I’m guessing she’s not going to be your new assistant?” Marlene observed, putting a question mark at the end of the sentence, her warm brown eyes suggesting she knew the answer but wanted to tease Holly a bit.

  “You would be guessing correctly. I wish Ava could work. I know she’s having twins, but lots of pregnant women work until they deliver their baby. Do you think there is something seriously wrong with her, and she’s not telling us?” Suddenly, Holly feared that Ava was suffering from some unknown pregnancy issue that she wasn’t telling her about.

  “Not at all. She’s simply following the doctor’s orders. Carrying twins is sometimes risky. We want her to deliver two healthy, full-term babies, so I am guessing this is why her doctor has asked that she devote the next three months to resting and letting those two little fellas grow plump and healthy.”

  “Of course you’re right. I just don’t know how I’m going to function without her help. She’s really an equal partner, not an assistant.”

  “We all know that, Holly, but I’m sure you’ll find someone to replace her. And who knows? You might like working with the new assistant even better. Now, sweet girl, are you ready for me to ask G. W. Montgomery to come in?”

  “Sure. I just hope there are no surprises from this applicant. He is the last one from Ava’s list of possibles.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find this applicant . . . Well, let me get out of here and ask him to come in for his interview.” Marlene flew out of the office before Holly had a chance to comment.

  She didn’t bother with applying more lip gloss or with running a comb through her hair. This was the last applicant from the six Ava had chosen, and she had to concentrate on the interview, not her appearance, though she had to admit to herself that she hoped G. W. wasn’t as pulled together as Terri Anne had been.

  Holly picked up the application, glanced over the places of employment, and was mildly surprised when she recognized that the applicant’s last place of employment was Draper’s Lodge, a locally owned, upscale inn and restaurant that was her biggest competitor. He had received his master’s in business from Trinity College in Dublin. Interesting, she thought.

  Why would someone leave such a thriving business, and right smack-dab at the beginning of the holiday season, which had always been the lodge’s busiest time of year? She was already suspicious of this applicant when she looked up to see an extremely handsome man smiling at her. Coal-black hair, clear blue eyes, and that ever so sexy five o’clock shadow, which very few could pull off. His face was chiseled in all the right places, with sharp angles, and his features were quite perfect, as they were all so symmetrical. He wore designer jeans, with a white button-down shirt loosely tucked in. No belt, she noticed. She felt her face turn beet red when she realized what she was doing.

  “You like?” came a sexy voice, with just a tinge of an Irish accent.

  Oh, crap, she thought. This is just a lovely way to start an interview. “Uh, sorry. I . . . uh . . . You’re G. W.?” she asked in a croaky voice. She cleared her throat and motioned for him to sit in the chair that Terri Anne had just vacated. “Please, have a seat. I’m Holly.”

  She needed a minute to gather herself, a minute to mentally kick herself for not reapplying her lip gloss or combing her hair. She always liked to keep things casual during an interview. She didn’t give her last name, because once it was out, people’s attitudes seemed to change as soon as they realized she was the owner’s daughter, but she felt certain this G. W. Montgomery already knew that, having worked at Draper’s Lodge.

  He eased down into the chair, making it appear small. He had to be at least six feet three, she guessed. Two hundred twenty pounds, maybe. Thin waist, shoulders as wide as a double-door frame. And he looked familiar to her, but right this second she couldn’t place where she’d seen him or determine if she knew him. Maybe Draper’s. She, Ava, and Stephen often went there for dinner. Maybe he was one of their out-of-work waiters. She’d hired a couple of them for the holidays last year. The inn paid a decent wage, and most of the time, the tips were outrageous.

  “So,” she started and had to clear her throat again. “So, I see you worked at Draper’s Lodge. Why did you leave?” Hopefully, it wasn’t for personal reasons that he wouldn’t discuss.

  “I needed a change of scenery. I wanted to move on, and when I heard that the inn’s manager was looking for an assistant, I decided it was time to get out of my comfort zone. Start anew. I gave my former employer a month’s notice,” he said and smiled.

  And suddenly she felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach, in a good way, if there was such a thing. Butterflies. She actually had butterflies in her stomach! Good grief. She hadn’t experienced this sort of giddiness since she had been in junior high. With Rob Hadley. Her first boyfriend. Her first kiss. That was so long ago. She smiled, remembering how flustered they’d been.

  “Something about me strike you as humorous?” came the sexy voice.

  She inhaled and released the air in her lungs slowly, a breathing exercise she’d learned in the weekly yoga class she attended here at the inn’s spa, Tra
nquility. It was supposed to help one relax, but all it did this time was make her light-headed and a bit dizzy. She laid both palms on top of her desk to steady herself.

  With as much grace as she could muster, she said, “No. I was just thinking about something that happened a long time ago.”

  He smiled, and she saw a dimple etched deeply in his right cheek. “Want to share?”

  This was not going as expected. She was the one who was supposed to be asking the questions. “No, I don’t. Now, you’re here because you’ve expressed an interest in the position as an assistant. You’re looking for something new, correct?” Good grief. She was stating the obvious. He probably thought she was as bright as a dark night. Something told her that Marlene had deliberately saved Mr. Montgomery for last. Sly little woman.

  “Not necessarily different as far as what the job entails, but as I said, a change of scenery. As you’ll note, I’m qualified in most areas of hotel management. I started at the bottom and worked my way up the ladder. Pretty quickly, I might add.”

  Holly skimmed the application where it read “Skills.” It seemed he had done a bit of everything. Like me, she thought and wondered why he hadn’t stayed at Draper’s. Possibly, a management position would have been in his future had he stuck it out. She didn’t say this to him, though. She was getting down to the wire. Ava was gone, the season was here, and she didn’t see anything on his application that set off any warning bells, but she knew not to appear too eager.

  “I’ll check your references this afternoon.” She scanned the application again, looking for a phone number. “I see you’ve listed a cell phone number. Are you okay using this as a contact number, should I need to call you later?” Dumb, dumb, dumb! Why wouldn’t he be okay with this? He’d listed the number on the application.

  “That’s what it’s there for,” he said, and when he grinned, those little butterflies started swirling for a second time.

  She stood, and he followed suit. She held out her hand, offering up a handshake across the large expanse of her desk. He took her hand in his, then placed his other hand over the top of hers, the gesture almost tender and certainly unexpected. Jolts of something she wasn’t even going to put a name to shot through her, unlike any she’d experienced from a casual handshake. Or if she had, they were nothing more than a distant memory. Not wanting him to know how his simple gesture affected her, she carefully removed her hand from his.

  “Thank you for coming in, Mr. Montgomery,” she said, then walked to the door. “Marlene will see you out.”

  “No. Thank you, Holly. This has been a pleasure.” With that, he turned, giving her an excellent view of a very well-defined ass.

  She returned to her desk and immediately dialed Ava’s home number. She answered on the first ring.

  “I was waiting for your call,” Ava said, her voice containing a hint of humor.

  “I’m sure you were. Now, spit it out. Somehow I just know you’ve already decided who’s going to replace you, but before I make my final decision, I want to hear it from you first.”

  “I narrowed thirty-four applicants down to six. It’s up to you, Holly,” Ava said in her most innocent, “I didn’t do anything wrong” tone. The one she used not necessarily when she was caught in a lie, but when there was something more she wasn’t telling.

  “Bull. I know you. Have known you for more than two decades. Now, either you spit it out, or I’m coming over. I can tell when you’re feeding me a line. So you’d best save me the trip. We’re busy. I’m busy.”

  She heard Ava’s deep sigh. “It isn’t that Terri Anne, that’s for sure, but she is qualified. Her résumé looked good, so I thought it only fair to include her.”

  “I have no intention of hiring her. Too snooty for me.”

  “I knew you would feel that way, but fair is fair,” Ava said, then added, “The inn hires only the best of the best.”

  “If you weren’t pregnant, I’d come over to your house and strangle you, but since you’re having those boys, and they will need their mother, I won’t. So, for the last time, who did you have in mind? Out of the six applicants.”

  “G. W. Montgomery, of course. Why do you think I put him last?”

  Chapter 3

  Gannon felt sure he’d aced the job interview, and was willing to bet that within the hour he would receive a call telling him the job was his. He knew he was the last applicant interviewed. Experience had shown him that if any of the other applicants had been worth hiring, the last candidate would be given an excuse and a promise of a phone call later in the week. He had practiced this himself. He checked his watch. It’d been exactly forty-five minutes since he left Ms. Simmons’s office.

  He returned to his Jeep and was digging in his hip pocket for the keys when his cell phone blasted his favorite holiday tune. “Jingle Bells.” Smiling, he slid his index finger across the face of the phone. “Hello? This is . . .” He almost said, “Mr. Montgomery,” out of habit but caught himself. “G. W. Uh . . . Gannon.”

  “Mr. Montgomery, this is Holly. From the inn.”

  He said nothing.

  “The Grove Place Inn,” she added.

  He jostled the keys in his hand before inserting one of them in the lock, then replied, “Yes, I remember.” No way would he tell her he was still in the parking lot.

  “I’ve called two of your four references. They’ve both given you glowing recommendations, so . . . if you’re still interested, the position is yours.”

  Yes! Everything was going perfectly, just as planned. He’d instructed his general manager and his assistant to respond positively when and if they were called as references.

  “Of course I’m still interested.” He wanted to add more but decided against it. Her interviewing technique needed improvement, but that wasn’t his end goal. Maybe she wasn’t the person who usually conducted interviews. “When do I start?”

  “Well . . .” He heard the hesitation in her voice. “Is tomorrow too soon?”

  Not soon enough, but again, he’d keep that thought to himself. “Just tell me what time to report in, and I’m there.”

  “I’m usually in my office by seven. Is eight o’clock too early?”

  Definitely needed to improve her interviewing skills. “I’ll be there. Is there a particular dress code you adhere to?” At Draper’s, he usually wore dress slacks and a jacket on ordinary days. On special occasions, he’d add a tie.

  “Casual dressy,” she replied, and he could swear he heard a bit of laughter in her voice.

  For some strange reason, he wanted to keep her on the phone, so he asked, “What is your definition of ‘casual dressy’?”

  She exhaled, the sound forcing him to hold the cell phone away from his ear. He grinned. “Khakis and a chambray shirt?” he tossed out, knowing with certainty that this wasn’t the type of dress she required.

  He heard her clear her throat again. She seemed to do that a lot. “When you’re in the office, and not dealing with the guests, I suppose that’s acceptable. During the holiday season, I would prefer that you wear dress slacks and a jacket. And, of course, on special occasions, a tie. It just so happens the governor is hosting his annual family Christmas gathering here again this year, so I would suggest the dress slacks and tie.”

  Finally, he thought, a show of authority.

  “Of course,” he replied.

  Right after Labor Day, there had been a rumor floating around that the governor was considering hosting his party at Draper’s this year. Apparently, it had been just that. A rumor. And a major loss of potential revenue for the lodge.

  “Then I will see you tomorrow morning, at eight o’clock,” she said, and again, he could hear a trace of authority in her voice. Maybe he had underestimated her. No matter, he decided. He had to do what was best for his future.

  “Until tomorrow,” he replied in his best authoritative Mr. Montgomery voice, then disconnected the call. It was his practice in all business dealings always to have the last word.
He saw no reason to stop now. This was all nothing more than another business venture for him.

  Before he could think too hard about what he’d committed to, he backed out of his parking space and headed home. A pang of guilt gave him a moment of regret, but he couldn’t stop now. The wheels were in motion. If he was successful, Draper’s would knock the Grove Place Inn into second place next holiday season. Or maybe this season, if he played his cards right.

  He frowned at the thought. His father, were he alive, would be doing the same thing. And his grandfather Monty, who’d just recently given up living on his own, having relocated to the Haven, a fancy assisted-living community for those who wanted to continue to live independently while having any special needs met and enjoying certain conveniences, would be proud to know he cared so much about the family business. They were getting deeper in debt, their old guests seemed to prefer the inn to the lodge, and right now he wasn’t sure he’d be able to make the monthly payroll without dipping into his personal funds. He desperately needed to know what the inn had that Draper’s didn’t.

  He tried to rationalize his actions by telling himself that he was doing what any smart businessman would do.

  He would learn his competitor’s best-kept secrets.

  And then he would apply what he had learned to Draper’s and would blow his competition out of the water, or over the mountains, or whatever.

  Satisfied that he was on the right track, he parked his Jeep in the five-car garage and spent the next hour going over the lodge’s books.

  “Not good,” he said out loud when he was finished.

  They had just one Christmas party booked for the evening, and it consisted of only twelve people. Not giving up, he showered, shaved, and changed into his best Brooks Brothers suit. He’d make this small party the best his guests had ever attended.

  Yes. He smiled in the mirror as he adjusted his bright red tie. He was going to turn things around.

  And very quickly.

  Chapter 4

  “And they’re arriving when?” Holly asked absently, her thoughts focused more on Mr. Montgomery’s paperwork than on Marlene’s updated guest list.