Page 17 of Meet Me on Christmas Eve

“Wait.Stacy Immers, oh, I knew you looked familiar! Sorry I didn’t recognize you at first, but it’s been a long day.” Yikes, that was a misstep. She was a supermodel, and she was probably the type of person to leave a low review of the resort if we didn’t recognize her and fall at her feet every time a staff member encountered her.

“Yeah,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “So, Jesse, my ex. You know Jesse Cane?” She paused, while I nodded, in shock. “We just broke up, and he’s acting like a lunatic. I kicked him out, but I guess he needs another room or something. He’s wasted. I don’t want to get him arrested or anything, but … well, the front desk person said to come find you.”

I nodded again, still trying to process that Jesse Cane was here. He was an A-list actor, more like A+ really, and though we’d had those as guests before, it wasn’t very often. This could go really well for us, or it could go really badly. Depending on how I handled this. Ugh, how should I handle this? “Yeah, we try to handle things internally when possible, don’t worry.” I smiled reassuringly at her. “First, what can I do to makeyoucomfortable?”

Stacy smiled her expensive smile at me, and I knew it wouldn’t be too hard to winherover at least. Hopefully Jesse wouldn’t prove too difficult either.

*****

An hour later, I’d managed to get Jesse into his own suite, with the help of some staff. We were fully booked for the holiday week, but I kept a few rooms open for emergencies—which this was. I couldn’t have someone like Jesse Cane bringing a bad reputation to my resort. Sure, his antics would put our name out there, but I didn’t want that kind of publicity. Northam was an exclusive retreat for the elite, and we didn’t advertise in the tabloids. For that reason, the PR team under my direction spent a fair amount of money and time on damage control when celebrities were staying here. If I played my cards right though, they would also recommend us to their wealthy, influential friends later, and that’s the kind of advertising that helped us thrive.

With this in mind, I’d kept one staff member in the room with me to help Jesse into bed and arrange some other necessities nearby.

I looked at Jesse, who seemed halfway to sleep, and then at the security staff. “Joi, can you get a couple of water bottles from the fridge?” I was about to go close the shades when a hand gripped my arm.

“Virgin Mary, maybe you can tuck me in?”

I closed my eyes in irritation. He’d been calling me that since we found him, since he said I was too straight-laced and didn’t want to get drunk with him. Little did he know I’d already drank plenty that night, though this whole incident had sobered me up a bit. “I can help you with the blanket, sure,” I said primly.

After I pulled it over him, he started dragging my hand under the blanket. I pulled it back, obviously, because as tempting as that might be—he was ridiculously handsome and amoviestar—I was on the job and I didn’t just do random hookups.

He made a pouty face and then grabbed my hand again, firmer this time, with a strength that surprised me, given how wasted he was. I was forced to sit on the bed next to him. This time though, he brought my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers. “Sweet Mary, will you stay with me?”

The look in his eyes was haunting, and I hesitated for just half a second.

Fortunately, Joi returned then. “Mr. Cane, we’d better let you get some sleep.”

I pulled my hand back gently and then patted him on the head. Wow, he had great hair. Almost as good as—

No, drunk brain, don’t even think it. Not him.

“Jesse,” I said, wishing I didn’t have to use his first name. I’d long ago realized I had better luck using first names with certain clients though, as it helped if they saw me as a friend or peer. “My colleague is right. You need to rest. You’ll thank us in the morning.” I offered a smile as I rose.

“Doubtful,” he retorted. “I’ll have the headache to end all headaches.”

I pointed to the nightstand. “We’ve left some water and ibuprofen here on—”

“I need a real drink.”

“With all due respect, Jesse, you have had plenty of drinks.” When he looked crestfallen, I said softly, “I get it, you know. The desire to drink to forget someone. But drinking more won’t help you forget her—you’ll only feel worse.” Oh, did I ever get it.

He clenched his jaw and then looked me in the eyes, his blue eyes sad. “It’s not her I need to forget. It’syou. You, the beautiful goddess Mary …” His eyes started fluttering then.

I blinked a few times, shocked. He can’t possibly be saying he’s more interested inme, even for a moment, than in his beautiful ex, Stacy. His judgment must be more impaired than I thought. I attempted a smile. “Shh, just sleep.”

I inched away from the bed as he fought sleep, apparently having given up on wooing me, or whatever that was. “Joi, can you take it from here?” I whispered.

I didn’t wait for an answer as I slipped out of the room and then out of the suite.

What was that?I asked myself at least a dozen times on my way back to my own rooms. Fortunately, I didn’t see anyone else. As soon as I returned to my room, I texted the control room and let them know I’d be unavailable the rest of the evening except in the most dire emergency. I kicked off my shoes and whipped off my business suit, which had me feeling sticky and hot. I threw on a tank top and sleep shorts and poured another glass of eggnog before heading to the couch.

What was that?I had felt strangely sorry for Jesse Cane, the privileged, ridiculously good-looking actor. I rarely feel anything like empathy in these situations. Usually it’s apathy or complete detachment, and it served me well to handle them with tact and make good decisions. We’d rarely had any scandals, at least not that the public had known about. But Jesse had touched something within me. Was I attracted to him? Well, sure, of course he was attractive. Insanely so. But I mostly felt sad for him. I knew how futile it was to pine after someone. Someone who …

Well, someone who didn’t love you back.

Someone who moved on, who forgot about you easily.

I knew all too well what that was like.

---