by Judith Keim
When another limousine pulled up to the front entrance, the woman inside stepped onto the pavement before the doorman could reach the car door to help her. She stood there, cigarette in hand, tapping the toe of her strappy shoe against the cement beneath her feet.
“Well, where is he?” she said in a loud, grating voice. She pushed her sunglasses atop her bleached hair and glanced around impatiently.
Mr. Horner rushed through the front doorway. “Juliet, my dear. So glad you could make it. I think you’re going to be happy you came.”
“I’d better be,” she warned him. “I didn’t make this trip just to please you.”
Listening to this exchange, Theodore was very sure he wouldn’t call this starlet Ma’am. She wouldn’t like it at all.
Juliet and Mr. Horner entered the hotel. Theodore turned to see a brown mouse race toward him, carrying a bunch of notebooks. Behind her big, round glasses, her eyes glared at him.
“Can’t you see I need help?” she said.
Theodore’s welcome stuck inside his throat. He hurried to her side. “I’ll get a bellman to help you with your things.”
“Yes, that would be a good idea,” she snapped. “So glad you thought of it.”
Theodore found someone inside to help with the new guest’s belongings and, shaking his head at the way she was scolding the bellman, he returned to his post. Since coming to live and work at The Winston Hotel, he’d quickly learned all kinds of guests came there.
By noon he was exhausted from smiling, nodding, bowing and greeting the guests.
Grandfather gave him a pat on the back. “You can go to lunch now. I’ll take over.”
His stomach growling with hunger, Theodore hurried through the mouse’s entrance to the hotel. Following a carefully planned trail through the structure of the building, he made his way to the mice’s cafeteria. Since no mice were ever allowed in the people’s part of the hotel, they had established a hotel of their own behind the interior walls of the building.
Located behind the hotel’s kitchen, the cafeteria served a whole variety of mice workers—maids, engineers, office staff, security people, even wait staff. Sitting in a cordoned off area away from the staff, the small guests of the hotel ate there as well. Unlike the tables and benches in the staff area, hotel mouse guests sat at tables covered in crisp white linen. Candles flickered atop the round tables, placed next to colorful flowers in crystal vases. Staff and guests watched the chef and his team work behind a glass partition lining one wall of the cafeteria, preparing bits and pieces of food that had been gathered.
Theodore took his place in the food line and stared at the juicy, colorful remnants of a beach party the hotel had thrown for their guests last night. His mouth watered. By the looks of it, the party had been quite an affair—pieces of cheese, shrimp, beef, chicken and various side dishes were spread out alongside leafy leftovers from salad. He could hardly wait to dig in.
The squeaks and murmurings in the cafeteria suddenly stopped.
“There she is,” someone said in a hushed voice.
Lila swished into the room, all but dancing on her toes as she made her way to the back corner.
Theodore’s heart pounded. Though he knew he shouldn’t, he lifted a paw and waved at her.
She looked at him and turned away, then took a seat at a table for two.
Bandit appeared next. The “fingers” of his paw formed a vee as he waved to the crowd, every much a hero as Rocky Strong. He strolled over to Lila’s table and took a seat opposite her.
Watching from a distance, Theodore’s stomach churned. He’d been so proud to be the new doorman, but now he realized it wasn’t good enough. Not for Lila.
“Hello, son!”
Theodore forgot all about impressing Lila as he turned to face his mother. She was the reason he’d fought hard for the job of doorman. With too many children to care for on her own, she couldn’t manage without his help.
His mother’s lips spread into a wide smile. She gave him a quick hug. “You look so handsome in that uniform. I’m proud of you, Theodore.”
Theodore nodded absently. His gaze swung to the table in the corner. Lila and Bandit were laughing over something she’d said.
His mother noticed him watching Lila and frowned. “Don’t be thinking foolish things. You’ll only get hurt.”
Theodore sighed and tugged at the collar of the uniform he’d once thought so wonderful. Somehow he’d earn Lila’s admiration. He just didn’t know how.
About the Author
Judith Keim was born and raised in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Idaho with her husband and long-haired dachshund, Winston, and other members of her family.
Growing up, books were always present - being read, ready to go back to the library or about to be discovered. Information from the books was shared in general conversation, giving all of us in the family a wealth of knowledge and a lot of imagination. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to the idea of writing stories early on. I particularly love to write novels about women who deal with the unexpected with strength and open their hearts to finding love because no matter what our circumstances we all need to love and be loved in return.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this book. If you have, please help other readers discover them by leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads or the site of your choice. And please check out the Hartwell Women Trilogy and Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel.
Keep an eye out for more of Ms. Keim’s stories about women facing unexpected challenges and finding love along the way.
Ms. Keim can be reached at www.judithkeim.com And to like her author page on facebook and keep up with the news, go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Judith-Keim/184013771644484?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
She is also on twitter @judithkeim, LinkedIn and Goodreads. Come say hello!
BOOKS BY JUDITH KEIM
The Talking Tree (The Hartwell Women-1)
Sweet Talk (The Hartwell Women -2)
Straight Talk (The Hartwell Women-3)
Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel
Fat Fridays
Winning Big (a little love story for all ages) Fall 2015
CHILDREN’S BOOKS BY J. S. KEIM
The Hidden Moon (The Hidden Moon Series-1)
Return to the Hidden Moon (The Hidden Moon Series-2)
Trouble on the Hidden Moon (The Hidden Moon Series-3)
Kermit Greene’s World
