Hotter Than The Caribbean (Building Love Book 2)

by Stacy Hoff

  “I’m sorry,” the woman finally responded, her two short words tripping over each other. “I’m Melanie Merritt. I’ll be filling in for my sister—”

  “Sister? I thought my father and his architect hired a man. Denny Merritt. Is Denny going to be working on this project or not? I will not tolerate any more delays.”

  The woman cocked her head to one side, as if sizing up the enemy for battle. He found himself curious to know if she was the “fight or flight” type. He further found himself hoping for the former. He liked people who were plucky. Having guts in life was critical to survival. People had to aggressively take what was theirs. Or be left with nothing. A person who knew this truism was a wise one indeed. He ought to know.

  The woman squared her shoulders and stared at him dead on. “Delays? No, there won’t be any delays. You don’t need to worry about that. Denny is short for Denise. I guess her nickname is confusing everybody today. Your chauffeur was thrown off, too. We removed our photos from the firm’s website since we are in the process of updating our headshots. I’m stepping in because Denny got into an accident.” She offered him a polite smile. “No matter. Denny is recovering quickly and will be arriving here soon. I flew down to get things started to keep your project on schedule. I’m proud to tell you Merritt Designs, Inc., takes client deadlines very seriously.”

  Luis puffed out his chest. “I was not thrown off.”

  “Good. For a moment I thought you were unhappy to be working with a woman.” With a tenuous smile, Melanie crossed the length of the large office and extended her hand to him.

  He shook it, although less enthused. “I assure you, I’m fully evolved,” he answered with an edge to his voice.

  “Good to know.” She laughed and gave him a firm handshake, offering a sweet smile before letting go. “I’m glad male nicknames don’t throw you, since I prefer to be called Mel.”

  “I prefer to be called Mr. Serrano,” he responded flatly.

  “Sure thing, Mr. Serrano.” Her voice was pleasant, her expression neutral. She stepped further away from him and surveyed his office.

  For someone who’d come into his office unsure of herself, Mel appeared to be rapidly gaining confidence. She had taken out a smart tablet from her briefcase and calmly tapped notes with a pink stylus. Her attention shifted from him as she focused on the space.

  His ad-hoc office only contained the essentials. An oversized wooden desk with inlay work was one of the few pieces of furniture. Two burgundy leather guest chairs with nail-head accents completed the desk set, along with the matching wingback chair he used. These expensive pieces reminded him of his father’s office. He hadn’t actively sought out the lavish décor. His own company’s offices were much more understated and modern. For this project, he had rented whatever he could quickly get his hands on. Was she impressed by the expensive décor?

  Luis’s eyes darted to the woman’s left hand. No ring. It was safe to assume she wasn’t married, although it hardly ruled out her being in a relationship. If so, the guy she was with was undoubtedly a lucky man. Without realizing it, he snuck another furtive glance. Her shapely legs, slender figure, ample chest, and curvy ass, certainly made her attractive to many a man. Including him.

  He noticed Mel’s attention on him had returned. “Should I add your office to the scope of work?” she asked. “The furniture you already have is very nice. My company can finish up the rest of this space with a matching décor.”

  “This furniture belongs to a rental company. Nothing here is permanent. I haven’t committed to hiring a design firm to work on any of the office spaces yet, let alone this one. If anything is to be done with the employee areas, I would start with the non-executive staff.”

  “My company can design smaller work spaces for them. I can speak to your architect about that, if you’re interested.”

  “Let’s stick with the lobby area first. The customers are the most important people I need to please. The employees can wait.”

  She nodded. “Okay. I’m ready to begin the lobby work right away.” She gave him a warmer, if somewhat shy, smile.

  The woman seemed pleasant, professional, and sincere. Very attractive qualities. For that matter, a very attractive woman. Mierda. He felt his forehead scrunch up. I’ve got to stop thinking of her like that.

  “If you’d be kind enough to tell me where I should leave my personal belongings, I can get started,” she suggested.

  “You can stay here in the hotel. One of the upstairs guest suites will be available to you for the duration of the project. Olivia will arrange for your bags to be brought up once your luggage arrives. Go get settled, and then we can meet tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yes, after my other meetings have concluded. Six o’clock sharp. I’ll have Olivia give you the details.”

  “I’ll be ready. I’m going to stop by my room for a few minutes and then walk around the lobby space to get myself acclimated. I want to be fully prepared before we talk.”

  “If you need any assistance while you’re in the lobby, you can speak with Alonso Aguilar.” Luis paused. “Unless you’ve already spoken with our architect?”

  “Not yet. I look forward to meeting him. I’ll see you this evening, Mr. Serrano. I’m sure you’ll have lots of aspects about the design to discuss,” Mel said before walking out, shutting the door behind her.

  Luis stared at the closed door. Good. The more this woman was shut off from him, the better. If he were meeting her at a different time, and under different circumstances, spending an evening with her would be wonderful. Ironically, that could have been as recently as last week, when this crazy job didn’t exist.

  A few days ago he’d been in Miami, blissfully bringing his company to even greater heights. In fact, he’d been in the midst of an important discussion with Ty Orland, the micro-hotel magnate, about a possible joint venture. Instead of following that lucrative lead however, he was back on the island, kissing his father’s ass. He mentally gave himself a smack on the forehead.

  How could he, a man who by all accounts was smart, successful, and—assuming the tabloids were accurate—sexy, try so hard to please his father and yet still be shut out of the family? Not to mention his exclusion from the family business? Good thing he had the guts to start a rival corporation. The sooner he got back to working on his own business, continuing to build up his own wealth and power, the better. He may be his father’s unwanted bastard child, but business-wise he was his father’s son.

  Chapter 3

  Upstairs in her hotel room, Mel read Denny’s newest text message. ‘How’s it going, Mellie? Did you meet Luis Serrano yet? Is he as hot as his pic? Spill!’

  Mel rolled her eyes. The man was as gorgeous as a marble sculpture. Unfortunately, his personality appeared to be similarly cold. Her sister could make all the moves she wanted on Mr. Serrano. No doubt when Denny came to rescue her a week from now, Denny would do just that.

  Mel texted her response. ‘I’m here at the hotel. Serrano is all business. I didn’t see a ring on his finger so I’m guessing he’s up for grabs. I’m going to stay focused on work until you get here. I have a feeling he will be a hard client to satisfy.’

  A second later, a yellow smiley face blipped across the screen. ‘I’d like to satisfy him. Ha ha!’

  Mel wished her own countenance were as cheerful as her sister’s emoji.

  At least the guest suite Luis had given her was comfortable. A much-needed sanctuary. Unfortunately, all the hotel rooms were furnished by a rival design company, Nash & Co. Mel had to hand it to Nash, they had done a great job.

  Enjoying the competition’s work would be easier if that firm didn’t also keep angling to design the lobby floor. Everybody knew Nash & Co. was looking to expand its design work. Notable designer Francine Nash was as subtle as a brick. The comp
etition between the two firms would heat up even more if people thought Mel couldn’t pull off the complex lobby work for the Condado Beach Resort.

  Anxious to get started on her assignment, Mel left her room to explore the lobby. At least the blank canvas she was given was exceptional. The hotel lobby’s layout was more impressive in person than she had expected from her review of the architect’s CAD drawings. Twenty-five-foot vaulted ceilings with skylights gave the lobby a light, airy feel that celebrated Puerto Rico’s tropical location. A spacious patio area had been created to bring the outside straight into the lobby itself. Glass walls framed the entire lobby space. Some of the glass had been inset with colorful panels around the edges, creating a sparkling mosaic when the sun hit at the right angle. Most of the flooring was still unfinished with rough concrete, allowing her to pick which flooring would add to the overall effect she wanted to achieve.

  Several semi-circular areas off to the side carved out pockets of space, open rooms of various dimensions. Mel would have asked what these spaces were supposed to be used for, if the architect hadn’t gone home by the time she arrived.

  There was no doubt a whole lot of work lay in front of her. Sometimes hospitality work seemed more like stage design than interior decoration. Lobbies, being a patron’s first point of entry, set the tone and feel of a building. A delicate harmony was required. A balance between taking the customer’s breath away and making the surroundings feel as comfortable as home. This was the very reason clients paid good money for this specialized design work. Would Mel, and for that matter Merritt Designs, Inc., be worthy of the big-dollar windfall? Maybe. I have a few ideas that would help.

  Reaching into her purse she grabbed her tablet and tapped these new ideas in the ‘notes’ icon. The interior lobby space needed to flow seamlessly with the breathtaking landscaping. Perhaps the stone tiles at the back of the lobby could be improved upon to better tie the outside to the inside.

  She decided to walk on the stone tile paths to view more of the landscaping. One stone path headed toward the beach. The other path led to an infinity pool. She chose the path to the pool, typing more comments on her tablet while she walked.

  She wrote quickly while breathing in the fragrant air. The warm breeze was scented by a plethora of pink and red hibiscus. She snapped pictures of palm trees, both tall and short, interspersed with birds-of-paradise. Then she walked over to plantings of unknown flowers. Their red, white, purple, and orange colored petals swayed in the light wind. These plants lined the path, as thick and lush as a mini-jungle. It’s like a living art palate out here. Each flower being a different, fragrant hue.

  The garden’s colors were more varied and brighter than she anticipated. Connecting the inside of the building to these outside elements would be a huge challenge. But this challenge could be the very key to the lobby design’s success.

  It was hard to leave these beautiful surroundings to meet Mr. Serrano. Business before pleasure, as her family always said. Mel would spend the evening working hard to promote the lobby design concept, and even harder at making pleasant conversation. Being polite to the point of formal. Even calling a man who was no older than thirty “mister.” She touched the smooth, waxy leaves of a bird of paradise flower to say good-bye to the hotel’s garden.

  I need to hurry. Not just to meet the client, but with everything in my life. There wasn’t a lot of time to get anything more than the lobby’s design work done. It’d be easier to accomplish her personal objective if her parents’ business goal was remotely compatible. Cramming everything in would be a hell of a feat to pull off. One step at a time, Mel. Neither Rome, nor hotel lobbies, were built in a day.

  The first item of business on her agenda was to complete several new design ideas before she spent an evening alone with a man who was gorgeous. Thoroughly intimidating. And a client.

  ~ ~ ~

  Luis sat, eyes closed, in his office’s wingback chair. He was hoping to calm himself down and stave off a mounting headache. Instead of gaining serenity, however, memories of the past week drifted in.

  A few days ago, he had been summoned to his father’s office. At that precise moment, he knew he was screwed. The only things he hadn’t yet known was precisely how he was screwed, and to what extent.

  Margaretta, his father’s secretary for almost thirty years, had greeted him warmly when he walked into the office suite. The makeup on her light-brown skin and the arrangement of her dark-black hair looked as flawless as always. She had done her best to make him feel at ease. She smiled at him reassuringly and gave him a motherly hug. She even offered him coffee while he waited. Already having stomach acid, he’d refused.

  Luis was used to waiting for his father. It felt a little like waiting outside the principal’s office, waiting to be called in. Several texts, emails, and phone calls helped him pass the time. He had learned early on to network with as many people as possible, since his own family would never help him out.

  “Good luck,” Margaretta whispered to Luis when it was finally time to enter.

  Luis opened the door and saw his father sitting at his desk, a king on his throne. Luis strode over to one of the large, leather guest chairs in front of the desk and sat down. He hadn’t bothered to give his father a kiss. The affection was neither wanted, nor returned. “Buenos días, Papá.”

  “Luis,” Jorge responded in a warmer tone than usual. “I have news to tell you.”

  Luis crossed one leg over the other and arched a single eyebrow. His father’s mega-money business deals were legendary. If Papá was calling him, instead of Luis’s half-brother Raul, a.k.a. “the heir apparent,” whatever his father was going to say was bound to be a doozy.

  “I have been diagnosed with cancer.”

  Luis felt his eyes grow wide. “What? Cancer? When? What did the doctors tell you?” He felt a lump in his throat and swallowed. “How long have you known?”

  “I found out last week. I’ve got the best doctors on the island lined up, but I’m going to go to the mainland for treatment. Probably New York. It’s liver cancer, which can be aggressive. I need you to know I’ll be too distracted to work for quite some time.”

  “Yes, of course. I understand. I am sorry to hear this.” He paused. “Who else knows?”

  “After I told my wife, I let Raul know. Now I’m telling you. I’ll decide whether to tell anyone else on a day-by-day basis.”

  Silence lingered in the air, deafeningly loud. Figures he’d tell Raul before me. Luis bit back a pang of jealousy. I shouldn’t be petty at a time like this. “If you need anything, you only need to ask.”

  “I know. That’s why you’re here. My business will need someone to tend to it while I undergo treatments.”

  “I would never let you down, Papá. Let me do this for you. I want to try to fix things between us.”

  “I believe you will do your best, and quite competently. Your many businesses flourish without any assistance from me. But Raul is also talented. He has done well with every task I’ve given him. I owe it to my wife to put my trust in him, too.”

  The air in Luis’s lungs exited in a single, hard whoosh. “What are you saying?”

  “In truth, I cannot decide which of you two should run my business while I am gone. Maybe permanently, if I am too ill to continue on as C.E.O.”

  “I am sorry, Papá, I still don’t understand.”

  “The Condado Beach Resort construction is almost done. The interior design work is underway. I have asked Raul to oversee the furnishings of the guest rooms. The penthouse suites are especially important to outfit and they have barely gotten started. The lobby still needs to be done, too.”

  Luis furrowed his brow. Where was Papá going with this?

  “For the lobby, I want visitors to feel impressed, comfortable, and amazed, all at the same time. The minute they walk through t
he door they’ll know they are someplace special.” His father emitted a painful-sounding cough. The old man’s chest heaved visibly under a gray and white linen shirt. The colors of the shirt matched his father’s thinning hair and clouded, tired-looking eyes.

  Luis schooled his emotions, forcing himself not to wince. When had the old man become frail? It had been quite a while since Luis had seen him last. It was surprising he hadn’t noticed his father’s condition the minute he walked in. Apprehension from being summoned must have blinded him. The decline was as clear as day. “Can I get you something to drink, Papá?”

  The old man waved off the request. “I’m fine. The project needs your help, not me. The firm specializing in hospitality design walked off the job. I had to hire again. The name of the new company is Merritt Designs, Inc. Alonso recommended them. He says they are known to stay on budget and get work done on time. I’m giving them a chance. I hope I made the right decision. Another project delay can become very expensive. I want you to work with this new design firm on the lobby.”

  “You want me to handle the lobby, and not Raul?” His heart hammered in his chest.

  “Correct. Raul will continue to work with the interior designer assigned to the guest rooms and penthouse suites. Nash & Co. will be handling that aspect.”

  This makes no sense. Papá’s mind must be going soft. “Papá, are you worried the whole project will be too much for one of us to handle alone? Either Raul or I could wrap up the entire job by ourselves. I’ve worked with many designers before. Surely he has, too. Why divide the tasks?”

  The old man’s expression was indiscernible. As usual, Luis had no idea what his father was thinking.