by Livia Grant
Traci didn't answer immediately. "Losing your mom at thirteen is cruel. I'm sure she was so worried about leaving you too." Ashley nodded quietly. "I know you're worried about forgetting her, but you won't. At least not if you don't want to. I have a ton of memories from when I was thirteen. The good ones. The ones you think about often will stick with you. Do you have pictures?"
"Yes. And lots of videos from when I was a baby."
"That's great. Watch them. Often. It will keep her close."
"I've tried. They just make me cry."
"That's understandable, but over time, it will keep her memory close and bring you peace."
"How do you know so much about all of this? Are you some kind of a doctor or something?"
Traci smiled. "Or something. Not a doctor. Just a woman who lost her own parents when she was eighteen. I was five years older, yes, but I still know how it feels to lose someone you love. It takes a while for that feeling of being deserted to fade away."
Ashley's eyes widened. She looked like she wanted to say something, but held back.
"You have felt like she deserted you, haven't you? It's completely normal to feel that way, you know."
The tears were coming faster. Ashley suddenly jumped up and rushed to the door. Traci chased after her.
"Don't run away, Ashley. Please, stay and talk with me some more. We'll change the subject if you want."
For a second, Traci thought she was going to bolt, but Ashley surprised her by turning and throwing herself into Traci's arms, sobs wracking her young body. She held on tight and Traci returned the hug, stroking her long sandy brown hair and adding soothing words.
"That's it. Sometimes, nothing makes me feel better than a good hard cry."
Traci was relieved for their continued privacy as Ashley's cries waned. She led her to the mirror where she helped dab away the remnants of the teen's tears, bringing a small smile.
"Feel better now?"
She was met with a nod and a quiet "Thank you."
"Don't thank me. You were helping me, remember?"
"I should probably go. I'm really glad I got to meet you, though, Traci. You're pretty cool."
"You're pretty cool yourself. If you'll let me give you one more piece of advice?"
"I know. I know. I shouldn't smoke."
"That's not what I was going to say. I know you're smart enough to come to that conclusion all by yourself when you're ready. No, I was going to suggest that you give the adults in your life a chance. They might be missing your mom too, you know, and I'm sure if they are smothering you with rules, it's just because they don't want to lose you too."
Ashley considered Traci's words carefully. "You're a smart lady, Traci. I think you might be right about that."
"Miracles never cease. I can be right once in a while."
After a brief hug, Ashley rushed out. The room felt empty after she was gone, yet a sense of calm Traci hadn't felt in a very long time settled in.
She returned to stand in front of the mirror, giving a pep-talk to her reflection. "All right, Traci Jackson. You just proved you're an excellent therapist. You've earned your seat at this conference. You've worked hard and have important information to share. So stop being intimidated by assholes like Robert Meyer and get your ass back out there and knock 'em dead."
CHAPTER TWO
"We have the National Association of Psychologists in house this week. They have three-hundred in attendance and will be taking up the entire ballroom level for their breakout sessions."
"We are running close to sold out, so make sure we are staffed appropriately. I'm short housekeepers today, but luckily we're mostly stay-overs which will help."
Sean Campbell sat at the head of the long conference room table and listened as his leadership team provide their status updates. He had to force himself to pay attention. These Tuesday morning executive staff meetings were starting to get routine. He reminded himself that was a good thing.
The hotel had been in real trouble when he took the position of General Manager almost two years ago. He had been grateful to have something to take up so much of his time; something constructive to stay focused on.
As he looked around the table, he was proud of the team he'd assembled over the last two years. He had methodically evaluated and then remediated the multiple problems left behind by his predecessor. His team had turned things around relatively quickly. The fact that they had recently been named the top hotel in their ownership's portfolio for the second quarter in a row proved his work here was done.
Unfortunately, he was in no position to move on to a new challenge. He had other priorities now. He allowed his thoughts to drift until he sensed all eyes on him.
He had no choice but to admit his error. "Sorry about that. Can you repeat the question please?"
His good friend James Hanson, the Director of Security, smiled at him indulgently. Sean had good relationships with everyone on his team, but Jimmy was the only one who dared to cross the line at times with the big boss. "Earth to Sean. Are we cutting into your daydreaming time today?"
"I'd suggest you just repeat the question before you start cutting into my firing employees time."
The room burst into laughter, proving they all knew their boss had a good sense of humor.
"I was just reporting that I've hired one new guard to replace Johnson, and I asked all of the managers to take turns swinging through the women's restroom on the ballroom level. We've had smokers in there again. I keep finding evidence, but I have yet to catch the culprit. We've had the fire alarm go off accidentally twice now. We can't afford to have it happen again. We received notice that the city is going to start fining us for false alarms."
The men's eyes met across the table. Both men had their suspicions of who their phantom smoker was, but they had yet to get proof. The banter continued around the table as Sean nodded his approval to James for how he'd just handled a rather delicate situation that had been brewing over the last few weeks.
The meeting finally came to an end. Sean was anxious today. Getting word of renewed smoking in the ladies room wasn't helping. He'd thought he had that problem under control. He didn't like finding out he'd been lied to.
"I'm going to walk the floor, Shirley. I'll be back in thirty minutes."
"Okay, Mr. Campbell. Would you like me to order you some lunch?"
"Sure. Just some soup and a half sandwich."
"You got it. It will be here for you when you get back."
"Thanks, Shirley. You're the best."
"It's about time you noticed." The elderly administrative assistant broke into a grin.
Sean took his time, stopping to talk with employees throughout his travels in the hotel. He loved this part of his job. He was aware that most GM's don't bother making daily rounds, but he was certain his constant interaction with his staff was the key to his success in turning the hotel around. It drove him crazy when he heard other leaders trying to make executive decisions without talking to the people on the front line of the business.
He eventually made it to the ballroom level. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to check the women's restroom for smokers. His brain knew that if he were serious about catching the smoker, he should return later in the day.
Like after school lets out.
He was thinking about the best way to handle the situation as he rounded the corner to the ballroom foyer. He was almost bowled over by a very upset woman. She emitted a forlorn sob just after impact. She'd been carrying a tall stack of portfolios in her arms and the velocity of their collision sent the contents of her arms crashing to the floor. Before Sean could even react, she'd fallen to her knees, frantically trying to gather the folders, glancing over her shoulder nervously.
Sean bent down to assist her while he apologized. "I'm so sorry, miss. I didn't see you coming around the corner. Here, let me help you."
Sean had gathered several folders and looked up to deliver them to her when their eyes met. He was glad he wa
s already kneeling because the sight of her beautiful brown eyes overflowing with tears nearly knocked him on his ass. An urge to reach out and hold her took hold and Sean had to shake his head to break out of his trance.
He finally found his voice. "Is everything okay, miss? Is there something wrong I can assist with?"
She quickly swiped at the tears steaming mascara down her cheeks, a flash of anger in her eyes. The woman glanced nervously over her shoulder again. Whatever she saw had her rushing to stand, quickly grabbing the messy pile of folders from his arms. Even though she hadn't spoken yet, Sean was concerned that she might be in trouble. He pushed to his feet just as she began to wobble on hers.
He was aware he might be about to cross a line, but he did it anyway. Sean reached out with both hands and placed them on her arms and he held her steady while she regained her balance. Hoping to lend her some of his strength, Sean moved closer. He couldn't shake the feeling that she needed it.
They stood stock still, taking each other in. Her breathing was evening-out. Sean was pleased when he saw panic receding from her beautiful eyes, replaced with a curiosity he was sure he projected back at her. It had been a long time since a woman had grabbed his full attention in the way that the beauty in his arms had.
A group of men in suits approached from the psychologist’s ballroom. Their distant conversation dragged Sean out of his trance. The woman in his arms heard them too and her panic returned.
"Thank you for helping me, but please. I need to go."
Sean released her arms and stepped back. He'd planned to ask her name; to give her his business card and let her know he was available to assist her if she needed anything. He didn't get the chance.
The second he released her, she rushed past him and around the corner, out of sight just as the group of three men passed him. They looked as if they were in hot pursuit. Their words alarmed Sean.
"She's on the run now, boys, but I guarantee you she's gonna come around. I did my homework. All I have to do is offer to light up that ass of hers and she'll be like putty in my hands."
"In your dreams, Robert. You had your go at her last year. She's mine this year."
Sean rounded the corner behind them just in time to see the woman he assumed they were talking about rushing into the women's restroom. The three assholes, as he'd begun to think of them, stopped briefly as if they might wait for her to come out, but eventually they moved on.
Sean milled about in the hallway, unsure what to do. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong. He considered calling Jimmy to have him send a security guard down to make sure the assholes weren't harassing the women guests, but dismissed the idea, deciding he'd rather handle this situation personally. Sean tried to tell himself his decision had nothing to do with the hard-on he was sprouting for the woman in question.
There was a seating area in a nearby alcove and he took a seat, watching the door to the women's room. He came down here to try to catch a smoker in action. Instead he had literally caught a beautiful woman in his arms. That didn't happen every day.
Traci was furious with herself. She'd been doing so well. Sure, she'd chickened out and skipped the welcome cocktail party the day before, but she'd been down bright and early for breakfast this morning. She'd attended the opening presentation and mingled with many of her peers. Everyone had been supportive. Everyone except Robert The Jerk, as she had begun thinking of him. Traci was angry she had ever let herself be fooled by him.
Her eyes drifted to the mirror's reflection, hoping to see smoke rising from the nearby stall and then feeling bad for making such a wish. Still, she could sure use a friend right about now and the fifteen-year-old smoker from the previous day was the closest she had to a friend in Chicago.
How sad.
At least she had been able to help Ashley and that brought back feelings of pride. She was good at her job. That knowledge should be enough to keep her grounded.
Traci allowed her thoughts to drift to the hunky guy in the tailored grey suit she'd had the pleasure of running into a few minutes before. Even in her precarious emotional state, she had caught how sturdily he was built. Her thoughts lingered on the way he had gripped her arms; the way he leaned in close enough for her to smell his masculine cologne. The best part was he had been a total gentleman, unlike the other losers she'd had the displeasure of meeting more recently. She hoped he was a new therapist joining the conference so she could try to get to know him better.
She took a few minutes to repair her makeup before picking up the tall stack of research folders and her purse and heading to the door. With any luck, she'd make it to the ballroom unscathed and be able to drop the heavy stack off.
Glancing around nervously, afraid of seeing Robert The Jerk, Traci was floored when she saw the handsome man she'd run into earlier sitting in a nearby alcove, looking at his smartphone. She had a few long seconds to admire him undetected before he glanced up, his eyes locking with hers immediately. He put his phone away and stood, never taking his eyes off her.
Traci stood grounded, her heart rate increasing with each step he took in her direction. By the time he arrived in front of her, she could feel her heart pounding in her ears. She forced herself to take a calming breath before she hyperventilated.
"Hi. I hope you don't mind me waiting out here for you. I was worried about you."
"Me? You were worried about me?"
He smiled indulgently. "Yes, you. You're the only person I've noticed running in the direction of the ladies room today. I thought maybe you were ill or needed help."
Without thinking, Traci answered unguardedly, "I'm not sure you can help with my problem, but thanks." She was embarrassed with her admission as soon as it left her mouth.
He didn't seem to notice. "You'd be surprised. I can fix a lot of things around here." His playful smile was unnerving.
"I bet you can, Mr...." She tried not to look as anxious for his name as she really was.
"Campbell. Sean Campbell. And you are?"
"Traci. Traci Jackson."
He reached into his suit jacket and came out with a business card, handing it to her. "I'd like you to take my card. Call me anytime if there's anything you need during your stay. Anything at all."
Traci reached out for the card, enjoying the zing of electricity when their fingers brushed. She barely took her gaze off his mesmerizing grey eyes long enough to glance down at his card. When she read it, her excitement doused.
By the time she looked back up, reality was settled in. She lost her concentration, almost sending the armful of folders to the floor in another heap.
"Here. Let me take some of those before you lose them again. Where are you headed? I'd be glad to help you deliver them."
At least he was a gentleman, even if he was only doing his job. "That's great, Mr. Campbell, but I see you're the general manager of the hotel. I'm sure you have a lot more important things to do than help me deliver research papers." She hated the disappointment she heard in her voice. What had she expected? Having handsome strangers sweep you off your feet only happened in her romance novels.
"Sean." When she looked at him confused, he repeated, "Call me Sean."
"Okay, Sean. Thanks for the offer but..." He didn't let her finish. He reached out and took almost the whole stack from her arms.
"Lead the way, Traci."
Sean made small talk as they headed in the direction of the ballroom. "Forgive me if this is too forward, but it looked like some of the men from your conference were harassing you earlier. Would you like me to call security to station someone down in this corridor?"
His offer surprised her. "I don't think that will be necessary. Now, if you could arrange for a public flogging session for them, that would be awesome."
Traci's face flamed when she realized what she'd said. She was relieved when Sean burst out laughing at her ridiculous request.
"Well, I'm afraid we had to recently tear out the pillory. It seemed to upset some of t
he guests. I could check to see if we might have it in storage if you'd like."
They were laughing together as Sean played along. Traci realized how great it felt to share a laugh with the professional accompanying her.
"So where are you from, Traci?"
"Denver."
"That's great. How long are you in town for?"
"Just through Friday."
"So you're here for the psychology conference?"
"Yep."
"You a doctor?"
"No. Just a psychologist."
"That's great. You taking on new patients?" He had a twinkle in his eye.
"Maybe. You almost out of questions? I feel like I'm on a game show. What's the prize if I win?"
They arrived at the table outside of the main ballroom. Traci put her pile of folders down and motioned for Sean to do the same. A full minute had elapsed, but her fun question was still hanging in the air. She noticed Sean had started to look nervous. He faltered before continuing.
"I'm afraid I have one final question and your prize depends on your answer to the question."
The pause was dramatic. He grinned as he delivered his final question. "I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner this evening?"
A date request was the last thing Traci expected. Her nerves flew into high gear and she stood, grounded yet wobbly. Sean sensed her instability and reached out to take her forearms in his, just like he had earlier. They stood linked while Traci got more and more flustered. Sean inched them closer, slipping one arm behind her back to stabilize her.
"I'm definitely out of practice for asking pretty women out on dates, but I do think it's customary for said woman to respond with either a yes or a no. I sure as hell hope you'll say yes. It may take me years to get the nerve up to ask someone again if you crush my confidence."
Traci chuckled. He was good at disarming her. She liked that. "Dinner, eh? I guess that would be okay. I'd love to see more of the city."
