by Nikki Chase
It has been a strange day. In a way, I feel like we’ve had a very long first date.
Maybe that’s not an appropriate way of thinking about my boss, but I’m starting to believe he feels the same way.
He doesn’t have to spend the entire day with me, but he chooses to. He hasn’t left my side at all since we met at the airport in San Francisco this morning, except for when we went into our separate rooms to change our clothes before the conference.
And there’s also the way that he’s looking at me right now. He gazes deep into my eyes, concern reflected in his dark irises. He places one big, masculine hand on my cheek. He feels warm, safe. I feel like I can just melt into his touch.
“Your skin is hot,” he says. “Your cheeks are all flushed.”
I nuzzle my head into his palm and look up into his eyes, and that’s when I see it. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it in a man’s eyes, but I can still recognize it. I feel concern and tenderness in his touch, but there’s also hunger within him.
And right there and then, I forget about everything, all my reasons not to date Cole Foster. All I see is that flame in his eyes. At this moment, I just want it to consume me.
I smile, my gaze softening. He leans a little closer and I close my eyes.
This is it, I think to myself.
“Emily.” Cole breaks the tense silence. I blink my eyes open to see him looking at the floor. He pulls his hand away and says, “It’s late. And you’ve been drinking. Maybe you should go back to your room.”
What? You have got to be kidding me.
I frown at him, confusion and anger churning in my head.
“I’ll see you just before the presentation tomorrow, okay? Right by the conference room entrance,” he says without looking up from the floor. He sighs and turns toward me, his lips upturned but his eyes empty. “Just like we discussed, you’ll do the presentation and I’ll handle the questions. Don’t worry. You can do this.”
“Okay.” I place the champagne glass on the desk and walk toward the door. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. And if he doesn’t want to talk about it, that’s fine too. We haven’t done anything and he doesn’t owe me anything. I’m a big girl.
“Emily,” he says. “Do you need help getting to your room?”
“No. I said I’m okay.” I walk back to grab my bag from the desk. Damn drunk brain. I look straight at Cole and give him the politest, most formal, most business-like smile I can muster. “See you tomorrow.”
I march toward the door, eager to get out of Cole’s hotel room, which suddenly feels so constricting.
“See you, Emily,” he says softly as I close the door behind me.
What was that? What on earth was that?
He was definitely about to kiss me, right? It has been a while for me, but it hasn’t been that long. And yes, I’m tipsy, but not to the point where I can’t recognize a man who obviously wants to kiss me.
The beautifully decorated hallway, with its mood lighting and its textured wallpaper, passes in a blur. When I reach the elevator waiting area, I mash both the buttons to go up and down. I just need to get out of here before Cole sees me, not that I’d expect him to come chasing after me after that display of indifference in his room. But just in case. I don’t want him to catch me in distress, or worse — crying.
I don’t actually feel like crying right now, but I’m definitely in danger of doing just that. It was just so embarrassing, what just happened. And it happened with my boss, who I still have to work with. It’s not like I can just quit and find another job either, considering how long it took me to find this one.
I hurry inside when the elevator arrives. I feel suffocated, like the walls are closing in on me. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go to my room. I need some fresh air.
I press the button for the ground floor and head straight to the swimming pool.
It’s quiet, now that it’s late and all the conference attendees have gone home. There’s just one couple relaxing on the lounge chairs on the deck, three empty cocktail glasses resting on the small table between them. The swimming pool looks so inviting, the water glowing bright blue in the dark.
I drop my bag onto the wooden pool deck and sit down. I take my ballet flats off, then dip my feet into the pool. The cool water soothes my skin. It feels a little chilly out here, even though I’m wearing a cardigan. But a part of me is grateful for the cold. It wakes me up a little.
Maybe that was nothing? Could it have all been in my head? I have been drinking.
But then why would Cole suddenly act so aloof and distant? And why would he ask to meet just before our presentation? That’s right after lunch. Based on how things have been today, I was hoping to spend all day with him again.
But maybe he’s legitimately busy tomorrow morning? He is the CEO of a hotel chain, after all. Maybe there’s a secret CEO meeting that underlings like me aren’t invited to.
God. I can’t believe I almost kissed my boss. It’s just what Alice told me not to do. Well, she’s right. Again. I should’ve listened to her.
I take my phone out of my bag. Maybe chatting with Alice will make me feel better. I definitely don’t plan on telling her about almost kissing Cole, but it would be nice to just talk. I’ll decide how much to tell her when I’m sober. I’m not really in the mood for listening to one of her lectures.
When I open the messaging app, there’s already one message from Alice.
Alice Webb: How’s Seattle?
Emily Webb: Dunno
Emily Webb: Spent the whole day indoors at the conference
Alice Webb: Oh good you’re ok
Alice Webb: I haven’t heard from you since you landed
Alice Webb: Got a bit worried
Alice Webb: But there’s no plane accidents on the news
Alice Webb: So I know you should be fine
Alice Webb: :D
I smile to myself. Oh, Alice. She annoys me sometimes and I’ll never admit this to her, but there are times when it’s nice to know someone cares that much about me.
Emily Webb: Don’t worry
Emily Webb: I’m still alive
Alice Webb: How was the presentation?
Emily Webb: That’s tomorrow
Alice Webb: Good luck!
Emily Webb: Pffttt
Emily Webb: Don’t need luck when you’re this good
Emily Webb: XD
Emily Webb: What are you up to?
Alice Webb: Just relaxing with a book
Alice Webb: In my pajamas
Alice Webb: Drinking camel toe tea
I read the last message twice, then throw my head back in laughter. Alice really needs to do something about the autocorrect on her phone. I know she means chamomile tea because that’s what she often drinks at night to help her sleep.
Camel toe tea. Ew.
Just as I’m about to type a reply to Alice, the pool lights shut off. It takes me by surprise, and my drunk brain forgets about the phone in my hand. Before I know it, it slips out of my grasp and plunges into the swimming pool with the faintest, least dramatic splash.
Damn.
I sit there by the dark pool for a few dazed seconds, knowing I can’t rescue that phone but at the same time feeling like I can’t just leave it there at the bottom of the pool.
Sighing in defeat, I finally decide to let it go and just go back to my hotel room.
It has been the strangest day ever. I flew First Class for the first time, I attended an industry conference for the first time, I almost kissed my boss for the first time… It almost makes perfect sense that I’d drop my phone into a swimming pool for the first time at the end of the day.
Maybe tomorrow will be more normal.
Emily
I hold the door open with one hand and use my free hand to rub my temple. I sigh. This is starting to look like the beginning of another freaky day.
Cole is standing right in front of me, holding a brown paper bag and a can of Diet Coke in
his hands. There’s a wide grin on his face and he’s already wearing a sharp business suit. He looks so perky and bright it’s annoying. It’s only seven in the morning. What is he doing here in front of my hotel room when he said to only meet him after lunch?
I’m still not sure how I feel about what didn’t-actually-happen-but-totally-almost-happened last night. I was hoping everything would seem clearer after I sleep on it, but that’s not working, not even with the five-hundred-count Egyptian cotton sheets on my bed.
“Breakfast?” He raises one eyebrow at me. I bet many girls have fallen for that look, but I don’t have any patience for it. Not this morning.
“Thanks,” I say curtly. I take the brown paper bag and the soda can off his hands. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll have to get ready now.”
I give him a sweet smile and, without waiting for a reply, I close the door in his face.
I don’t have time for drama this morning. I only have a few hours before the big presentation so I can’t afford to get distracted. I need to focus for the sake of my career.
On second thought, avoiding my own boss is probably not the best career move either. But I’ll worry about that later. For now, there’s the presentation to deal with. Everything else can wait.
When I get to the desk, I push away the note pad and the pen with the Trident Hotel logo on them, making space for what I assume is Cole’s peace offering.
I peer into the paper bag and find a glazed donut inside. Donut and Diet Coke. These are the same things I ordered at the airport yesterday. He remembers.
I take a bite of the glazed donut. This is good stuff. I have to admit it's a nice gesture. So nice, in fact, that I’m starting to feel bad about shutting the door in his face.
But then again, what happened last night was bullshit.
It did cross my mind that maybe he just didn't want to take advantage of me when I had obviously been drinking. But even if that were true, he didn't have to shoo me out like he did. And if he was really concerned about how drunk I really was, he could've at least taken me to my room.
But I really don't have time to worry about this right now. I need to focus on the presentation. Assuming what happened last night has damaged my professional relationship with Cole, I need to make a good impression. Who knows, there may be a job offer coming my way as a result.
Initially, I planned to spend the entire day at the conference, but that was before and this is now. I already visited most of the booths yesterday and I'm not interested in any of the morning speakers, so I should probably stay in my hotel room and work on my presentation instead.
That way I’ll also stay out of Cole’s way. I can't afford to have him ruffle my feathers today.
I take out my notes and printouts of the PowerPoint slides from my bag. I haven't had a chance to look at them again after leaving Cole's room last night. I’m going to miss having his laptop, but I don't miss having him around.
Just because he keeps popping up in my mind doesn't mean I miss him. We're traveling for work just the two of us, so he features in much of my itinerary — my professional itinerary that I use for professional purposes. It's only natural that he comes up a lot.
I plop down on the chair and arrange my stuff on the desk. I'm going to sit here for the next four hours at least, so I better get comfortable.
I take another big bite of the donut and pick up a pen with my free hand, ready to go through my notes with a fine-toothed comb.
I hold my presentation notes to the side and check my reflection in the mirror. I smooth out my emerald green sleeveless blouse and tuck it into my black pencil skirt. A French twist, red lips, and sensible heels make me look a little older — I’m about two decades younger than the average conference attendee and I feel like that's a disadvantage when it comes to my credibility.
I check my watch — lunch time is almost over — then take a deep, steadying breath.
Here we go.
The hotel hallways pass in a blur as the words from my presentation notes fill my mind. I don't even notice a black figure approaching me at an angle from behind. A hand grabs my wrist and I instinctively cry out in surprise.
Cole levels his gaze at me. His eyebrows raised, he says,”You really need to get the screaming under control.”
“I don't have to do anything.” I look around me and give a polite smile to our little audience, hospitality professionals in their business suits streaming into the conference hall. He may be my boss, but he doesn't get to dictate my reflexes.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Cole says as he follows me.
“You said to meet you just before the presentation.” I flash the conference pass hanging by a lanyard around my neck to the guy standing at the door wearing a black T-shirt that says “Seattle Hospitality Summit,” then step through the doorway.
Wow, this hall looks even bigger than it did yesterday. Have the ceilings always been that high? And is it just me or are there more people as well?
“I’ve been texting and calling you. I figured you wanted to stay in your room this morning and work on the presentation again, but you couldn't even text me back?”
“Oh, right.” I keep looking straight ahead, afraid the sight of Cole would just make me feel even more anxious. “I lost my phone.”
“You lost your—” Cole rakes his hair with his fingers, not bothering to finish his sentence. “When? Didn't you go straight back to your room last night? Could it still be in my room?”
“No, I lost it somewhere else, okay?” I look around nervously, worried someone in the crowd may hear about me being in his room at night and make the wrong conclusions about us. I wouldn't blame them, though. Hell, I almost made the wrong conclusions about us last night.
“Where?”
I reach the stairs leading up to the stage and turn around. Obviously not expecting that, Cole jerks to a stop just inches away from me. For a second, I can detect the scent of musky fragrance from his body.
“Look, can we just focus on the presentation?” I can't tell him that I was so drunk I dropped the phone in the swimming pool, or that I was so distressed by the way he acted last night that I had to go outside in the first place.
“Of course.” He finally seems to realize how big of a deal this presentation is for me. “Still nervous?”
“Definitely.” I scan the room, watching with horror as more and more people fill the seats before us.
There are a few concurrent talks and this isn't even the main one, so my audience is limited to...maybe two hundred people? It's not like all eyes in the conference hall are going to be on me, but it sure feels that way.
“Listen.” Cole puts his hands on my shoulders and levels his gaze at me, demanding my full attention. “You're going to do great. I watched you last night and you were killing it. You had more practice this morning too so you're probably even better now. You know your stuff and you know how to make your points. You’ve got this.”
I nod as I listen to Cole, but my breaths keep coming in shallow hitches.
“I…” To my surprise, my voice comes out as a squeak. I clear my throat. “I’m just a junior marketer. What do I know? I didn't even go to college.”
I feel like I'm watching myself from outside my body, trying and failing to stop myself from blurting out more stupidity. I’ve been dealing with a lot of pressure and now I feel like there's a hole in the dam and I can't plug it up once it's open.
“What if they can tell that I didn't go to college? Nobody's going to listen to what I have to say, which is probably stupid anyway because I didn't even go to college.”
“Emily, hey, look at me.” Cole traps my gaze with his brown eyes. “I promise you nobody is going to even think about your level of education. Nobody’s going to care about that. And I’ve seen a lot of presentations so believe me when I say you’ll do great if you can just do the exact same thing you did last night and all morning today.”
I nod and take a deep breath.
�
��You just have to fake it ‘til you make it.” Cole smiles at me. “Everybody does it. I do it too. I don't always feel like the CEO of a hotel chain.”
I look up at him, raising my eyebrows in disbelief. It's hard to imagine Cole Foster being out of his element.
He was born into the inner circles of wealthy business people. He's in his natural habitat here, more than at any other place. He has received the best education and training money can buy. Why would he feel any need to fake anything when he's the real thing?
He's nice to say all those things to make me feel better, but he doesn't understand the deep-seated feeling of inferiority in someone who has grown up poor.
“Thanks, Cole.” Even if he can't fully comprehend my trepidation, I guess I can believe what he says about me knowing my stuff.
“Any time.” Cole smiles and rubs my shoulders before awkwardly letting his arms hang straight down. Strangely, I find myself missing the weight and warmth of his hands.
“Are you ready?” A pretty brunette touches Cole’s arm with her delicate hand, her fingernails perfectly manicured. I force myself to look away.
The next thing I know, the brunette announces my presentation and my legs carry me up the stage. As I look down at the audience, I feel blood rushing to my head. And then I spot Marco in the front row, grinning at me and holding both thumbs up. I suppress a smile at the sight.
“Good afternoon,” I say into the mic. “Thank you for being here. I’m Emily Webb from Foster Hotels. I'm here with the CEO of Foster Hotels, Cole Foster.” I gesture toward Cole, who nods and smiles at the audience. “I’m going to discuss trends in luxury accommodation and how to meet the changing needs of the luxury traveler. After that, Cole will be available to answer questions about how we at Foster Hotels remain relevant to our target market.”
Once I get started, it turns out to be quite easy. I’ve practically memorized my lines thanks to much repetition, so I’m just running on autopilot. Before I know it, I’ve finished going through the presentation material. When it’s Cole's turn to take the stage, he shoots me a big, charming smile.
