My Royal Billionaire Boss: A Peachtree Billionaires Novel

by Cate Remy

  She felt all eyes on her as she stood up to hand everyone a copy of the paper.

  Giraldo the head chef raised his hand to speak. “Is this a large function?”

  “I expect to bring in at least fifty of Atlanta’s business owners and philanthropists. Plan for them to have one or two guests.”

  “Then the kitchen staff needs to know what you want at least six weeks in advance.”

  Donovan nodded, though he looked a little perplexed. “Over the next several days, I’ll be meeting with each department to go over what we need to do. Are there more questions?”

  Shae got through the meeting. After the staff returned to their work, Donovan pulled her aside. “Is there a reason why the kitchen staff needs six weeks’ notice to prepare for the gala?”

  “They need to know what food to buy and if it’ll be in season when you have the event. If you want delicacy items, they have to be put on special order as soon as possible.”

  “I see. Thank you for helping me not look like a fool.”

  “Trust me, no one thinks you’re a fool. The staff is excited you’re here.”

  He gave Shae a grateful smile. “Do you think you can keep me looking like I know what I’m doing for the rest of the week?”

  “You seem fine to me.”

  “I have no problem getting up in front of a room or camera to talk to people. It’s the details of planning that often get me in trouble.”

  His humble admission caught her off guard. She wondered where his sudden loss of confidence came from. “We won’t let that happen. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.”

  “Thanks again, Shae. I’m glad I can trust you.” He gave her a pat on the shoulder and left the conference room. His security waited to escort him to the elevator.

  Shae stared after him. Granted, she didn’t know Donovan for long at all, but this was a new side of himself he revealed to her. He was uncertain about something, and carried an invisible weight on his shoulders.

  The ten-thirty alarm on her phone beeped. She didn’t have time to wonder about the workings of Donovan’s mind. She had to run to her next meeting.

  Shae spent the rest of the week running on caffeine and adrenaline to make it to her multiple meetings. She and Donovan talked with renovation contractors and internet service providers. Donovan shadowed her every day as she went about the usual business of managing the hotel’s daily operations. He wanted to learn how the hotel ran.

  By the time the weekend arrived, she was exhausted. Still, she had two days to complete her term paper. If she didn’t turn it in, she’d fail and have to retake the class during the fall. Not only did Shae not want to ruin her modest GPA with a big fat F, she didn’t have the extra time or tuition money to add an extra class to her schedule. She wanted to get her MBA and move on.

  She finished over half of the paper by Saturday night. She saved her work on her laptop and put on her pajamas. If she woke up early on Sunday, she’d be able to finish the rest after working all day.

  One of her cell phones rang, the secure one issued by Donovan’s security. Her heart beat a little faster when she put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Can you come to the hotel?”

  Caught off guard by Donovan’s question, she pulled the phone away from her ear to glance at the time. It was almost eleven. “Right now?”

  “Yes, I’m having a party.” When he said it, she heard laughter and chatter in the background. “I want you to assist.”

  What possessed Donovan to throw another party? She wished she could get out of it. This was her job, though, and she couldn’t simply say no. “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Glad I can count on you.”

  Shae dragged herself to the closet to find a spare set of uniform pants and blouse. They were a bit wrinkled from the wash and she had no time to iron. She reached in her dresser drawer for a trial size of some anti-static and wrinkle spray and hoped it would do what the commercials advertised.

  She came out of her room fifteen minutes later. “I’m going back to work,” she said to her roommate, who was practically passed out in front of the living room television with chips and a pint of ice cream.

  Chelsea dropped the spoon into the carton. “Work?” She gaped at Shae in her uniform. “It’s going on eleven thirty.”

  “I know. There’s a party and I have to help out.”

  “Oooh, party. Say hi to Prince Charming for me. Tell him I’m free tonight.”

  “You’re sick with an allergy cold.”

  “I’m still free.”

  Shae took a brisk walk to the rail station, passing Saturday night revelers in their club gear. She got a couple weird looks at her hotel uniform jacket and pants. Whatever party Donovan was up to, she hoped this one didn’t involve a swimming pool and wannabe frat boys again.

  She walked into the Kleghorn to see kitchen staff wheeling food carts and beverage trays in and out of the lobby. She stopped one of them before he could crash into her. “What’s all this for?”

  “Donovan ordered hors d’oeuvres for his guests. They’re in the lounge bar.”

  Shae followed another server carrying a tray into the lounge bar, where men in suits and women in cocktail dresses talked loud over music. She passed Giles near the entrance and Murphy by the bar. Both men did not look too happy to be on guard.

  She searched for Donovan. A woman nearly nailed her foot to the floor with a stiletto heel.

  “Excuse me.” The woman held her Cosmopolitan over Shae’s head as she passed.

  Shae felt two hands come down on her shoulders. She turned to see Donovan dressed in a white shirt, no tie, and dark pants. His hair was stylishly mussed.

  “Why aren’t you dressed for the party?”

  “I am dressed for it. I’m here to work.”

  He shook his head. “You misunderstood me over the phone. I put this together tonight so we could meet young investors in a relaxed setting.”

  Shae watched a man almost fall over tipsy. “This might be a little too relaxed.”

  The man found a seat in time before his legs gave out. His buddies gave him a high five.

  Shae wanted to make a face at the whole scene. She put on a calm, straight face for Donovan instead. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think your friends came here because they want to invest in your hotel. They want to party.”

  “Donovan, who’s this?” A guy in a rumpled suit and tie looked over Shae as though she were a new selection of produce at the grocery store. “Why is she wearing a costume?”

  “It’s not a costume. I work at this hotel.”

  The guy laughed as he walked away.

  Shae had enough. “I think you should end the party, Donovan. These people are getting drunk.”

  “Hey, old lady, don’t ruin it for us.” The woman who called her old lady had her hair dyed silver with a touch of blue on one side.

  Donovan gazed at the spectacle around him before agreeing. “I should’ve called a meeting with them during the daytime.”

  She wasn’t sure these were the kind of people with which he should do business. She decided to wait to tell him her full opinion. Shae angled her heel to turn when she bumped into a man carrying two shot glasses. He spilled brown liquid down the front of her jacket.

  “I am so sorry, ma’am. I didn’t see you standing there.”

  If he took off his beer goggles, maybe he would be able to see a person directly in his path. Shae held her tongue and went to the bar to grab a couple napkins. She wiped the excess bourbon off her hands. It was going to stain her uniform.

  “Everyone, it’s time to go.” Donovan announced, projecting his voice over the music. He signaled to the DJ to cut the sound.

  Disappointed moans rose up from the twenty or so people in the room. Giles and Murphy herded them out by twos. Donovan lent a hand.

  Shae addressed the bartender. “Tim, pass me a towel and a mop. I’ll help you clean.”

  Tim complied and resumed clea
ring the bar of empty glasses. “Housekeeping won’t be in until morning. At this rate, we’ll be here all night.”

  Shae slapped the towel over a puddle of melted ice on the counter and started wiping. The bartender was right. They would be pulling an all-nighter to straighten up this mess, and it was all Donovan’s fault.

  Chapter Seven

  Donovan realized Shae was right. His friends did only come to the hotel to party. By the time he called cabs to make sure each of them got home safely, it was three in the morning.

  He returned to the bar lounge to find the place clean and the bartender drying glasses and putting them away. “Looking for Shae, Your Highness?” the bartender asked. “She just finished up and went home.”

  How did he miss her? He thanked the bartender and returned to his security out in the lobby. “Take a rest,” he told Giles and Murphy. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m going up to the suite.”

  “You haven’t told us your schedule for tomorrow, er today.” Giles reminded him.

  Donovan tired of always having to plan out his days to the tee, but it was part of what his life entailed. “I’ll be downstairs this morning at nine to meet with another internet service provider.”

  His security went with him up the elevator and then parted ways once he got to his suite. He plopped down on the couch. He wanted to speak with Shae and apologize yet again. It would have to wait until later in the morning if she hadn’t already decided to quit her job overnight.

  Donovan looked for Shae the next morning before his meeting with a fixture company. He came downstairs to find her setting up the conference room for the meeting. She stifled a yawn. Faint circles resided below her eyes.

  “Shae, I should thank you again for helping me with the party last night. It didn’t go as planned.”

  “No, it didn’t.” She gave him a flat look.

  He saw the irritation in her eyes and recognized he needed to tread carefully. “I searched for you after the guests left. The bartender said you went home.”

  “I had a term paper to finish. It was due this morning.”

  “How did it go?”

  She set a water pitcher in the center of the table. “Not well. I only had half the paper done. I still had to turn it in.”

  He winced, remembering his days at university when he failed to make a couple deadlines. “This is my fault. If I hadn’t called you to come to the hotel, you would’ve been able to finish your assignment.”

  She didn’t say anything to confirm his statement, though he had a hunch he was right. She pulled out a chair then pushed it back in. “You know, Donovan, I don’t understand you. One minute you’re responsible and businesslike, and the next you’re throwing wild parties like this hotel is a college dorm. I just want to do my job, but you’re making it hard for me.”

  “I heard what you said last night. My old friends from university may have the money from trust funds and such, but they don’t have a real interest in helping me.”

  “Focus on serious investors only. Better yet, do it during banking hours.” She zipped towards the door, leaving him alone in the conference room. Giles and Murphy got out of her way.

  Donovan felt like a heel for causing her to miss her term paper deadline. She showed up for work every day and worked hard to help him accomplish his goals. She didn’t deserve to pay for his mistakes.

  Shae aided Donovan through his meetings with investors and contractors despite being irate at him. What else could she do? She couldn’t simply get mad and quit. She still needed her job at the hotel. It wasn’t exactly one hundred percent his fault that she turned in her paper incomplete. She was too slow of a writer.

  But what was she going to do? This paper was half her grade and it was enough to send all of her hard work crashing down.

  Two days went by. After work, she trudged to her evening class at the university. It wasn’t as though showing up would improve her grade after bombing the term paper. Maybe it would at least show the professor she was serious about retaking the class in the fall. How she was going to pay for it, she had no idea.

  After class, the professor stopped her from walking out of the room with the other students. “Shae, can I have a moment to speak with you?”

  All her insides cringed. The professor was going to rail at her for turning in an incomplete paper. She hung back from the other students who filtered outside.

  The professor folded his arms. “You work at the Kleghorn Hotel downtown, don’t you?”

  She nodded once. Why was he asking her about work?

  “I heard on the news that a member of one of the European royal families is there visiting. Caldwell, is it?”

  “Yes, Prince Donovan.” Shae hoped the professor wasn’t about to ask her for a chance to meet the prince like her roommate did.

  He chuckled, adjusting his glasses. “The news showed his social media post. You have had your hands full these past couple weeks, I bet.”

  Not expecting his lighthearted reaction, it took her a moment to respond. “It’s been an experience, I’ll say that.”

  “Tell you what. I’m going to give you a four-day extension on your term paper.”

  She thought he was playing a very late April Fool’s day joke. “Really?”

  “It’s only fair. I’m guessing you’ve had to deal with extensive security and scheduling during the prince’s stay.”

  “I have, Professor, but I don’t want special treatment.”

  “I don’t give extensions without a good excuse. I can’t think of too many that top having to work for a demanding royal.”

  Shae couldn’t believe her ears. She was getting a second chance. “Thank you. I promise to have the paper in your inbox in four days.”

  “I’ll be looking for it.” The professor nodded. “You should’ve told me earlier you were working for a prince. That’s a slightly better excuse than the dog eating your homework.”

  Shae left the room with the weight gone from her shoulders. Donovan came in like a Texas twister and sent her schedule and schoolwork into chaos over the past two weeks, but her professor granted her mercy. The rest depended on her efforts. She headed for home, renewed and relieved that she was given another chance to pass the class.

  Her secure phone rang right as she left campus. Shae groaned. She didn’t know if she could last past the hour if Donovan wanted her to come back to the hotel to work. “Hello, Your Highness.”

  “It’s Donovan. I thought about this, and I hope you don’t think I’m overstepping. I can have a word with your college professors to let them know why you couldn’t make your paper deadline.”

  He was trying to help. She felt bad for thinking snarky thoughts about him moments before. “You don’t have to.”

  “I caused you to fall behind in your studies. I want to fix it.”

  “My professor gave me a four-day extension on my paper. It’s alright.”

  “Oh. I’m glad to hear things worked out.”

  “Me, too.” She talked while waiting to catch the bus.

  “Shae.” His voice sounded gentle in her ear. “I’m not going to ask you to do anything for the hotel project until your paper is complete. When you leave work tomorrow, go home and get writing. That’s a royal decree.”

  “Yes, sir.” She found herself amused by his humor.

  She heard laughter in his voice. “Goodnight, Shae.”

  “Good night.” She put the phone in her backpack. The bus pulled up to the stop. She paid her fare and took a seat in front. The scenery rolled by in the night as she thought about Donovan’s offer to help. Beneath the partying nature, she sensed another part of him trying to get out.

  Shae did what she promised both her professor and Donovan. Over the next four days, she spent her free time working on the term paper. She didn’t see Donovan at the hotel. He didn’t call her or send his security to find her. Shae was almost convinced he checked out of the hotel until she caught a glimpse of him in an investor meeting in the c
onference room.

  After work, she opted to take advantage of the school library’s late hours so she could focus. On Friday night, Her roommate made an unsuccessful attempt to get her to go to open mic night at a poetry cafe on Peachtree Street.

  “I’ll go when I’m done with my paper this Monday.”

  “Good.” Chelsea approved. “Because my date is giving a reading there that night. Hope to see you in the audience.”

  Shae finished the paper on Sunday afternoon and did her edits that night. Morning morning arrived, and after hours spent agonizing on her final assignment for the class, she hit send to deliver it to the professor. There. All done.

  She arrived at the Kleghorn hotel afterward, happy to be free of late night classes and eye strain, at least for the rest of the summer. She didn’t see Mr. Hightower in his office. She checked the messages that stated he’d be in later in the afternoon. She looked forward to handing him the reins back to the hotel operations.

  At ten in the morning, she took the elevator to deliver concert tickets to a guest on the tenth floor. When she went to the elevator to go to another floor, it opened to reveal Donovan dressed in sweats. “Making use of the treadmills in the gym?”

  “No, actually.” He held the door open. “I went out for a jog. I left Giles and Murphy to catch their breath in the lobby.”

  “I’m sure they loved keeping up with you.” She stepped inside and hit the button for the twenty-eighth floor.

  “Checking on other guests?”

  “There’s a Taylor Swift concert tonight. Some of the guests bought last-minute VIP tickets.” She indicated to the yellow envelope in her hand. “I’m delivering them.”

  “How did your term paper go?”

  “We’ll see. I sent it to my professor this morning.”

  Donovan watched the numbers light up above the elevator door as it climbed. “You were right to confront me last week. It was a dumb idea to throw an impromptu party in the lounge. I need to attract more responsible investors.”