Page 1 of Pick Yourself Up
Chapter 1
Wake Up Call
Amber Malssum wondered if it was time to move to a new job. She’d been working at The Sidderlight for four years. While she loved the boutique hotel, it now ran like it hadn’t once been a pariah in the hospitality world.
When she initially arrived for her interview, the lobby was sad and tired. But she’d seen the potential. Like her sister Jolie, the potential of a place called to her.
Jolie’s focus was the land and the planet. Amber’s focus was old buildings, specifically hotels and inns. Maybe not as altruistic as her sister, but that’s what made her heartbeat quicken. One day, she might even have one of her own. One that could be a home. As much as Amber loved The Sidderlight, it would never be her home.
Her vision for adding old-world charm and quiet luxury to this old Chicago building had landed her the job of assistant manager. She’d dropped the assistant part two years before.
It was satisfying to watch the expressions on the faces of people entering the lobby. It only took seconds for their shoulders to drop from around their ears. Their furrowed brows smoothed out and their frowns tilted upward. All because the lobby exuded welcome and comfort. A harbinger of a safe, luxurious retreat.
Amber was happy with the results of her hard work combined with the owner’s investment. He was as well. The Sidderlight had evolved from a bland mid-range hotel in Chicago to an exclusive stopover for travelers seeking quiet elegance and privacy.
The staff she’d hired were happy, easy-going people who didn’t panic in the face of grumpy guests arriving hours late after a plane delay.
The fancy espresso machine installed behind the welcome desk helped, too. No paper cups, only high-quality mugs, and teacups. Welcoming their guests with a fancy drink of their choice upon check-in brought smiles. It set the tone for a pleasant, comfortable stay.
Amber and her staff worked their butts off to ensure the rest of the guests’ stays were just as wonderful.
She couldn’t be happier with the progress of the hotel and its reputation. But that meant the itch between her shoulders returned.
Was it time to move on again? Find a new challenge? Maybe find a place where she felt at home?
She doubted that was possible, as she was constantly waiting for the proverbial rug to be yanked from below her feet.
She imagined she could trace that personality trait back to when her parents had died in a car crash. She, Jolie, and their three older brothers had moved in with their grandfather Fox.
Fox hadn’t hesitated, had never implied they were too much work or that he didn’t want them. In fact, he’d worked hard to ensure each of the kids had felt welcome. That each of them knew they were loved and appreciated.
Still, she’d been afraid. Afraid of something happening to Fox, and the five of them tossed into separate foster homes.
Burke, the eldest, had tried to assure her that it would never happen. He wouldn’t allow it. Even at fifteen, Burke had been sure of his purpose. He’d thrown himself into taking care of them right along with Fox. He’d worked as many jobs as he could squeeze in, making sure his bank account grew so that he could take care of any emergencies that cropped up.
Their parents’ deaths had affected them all deeply. Amber knew her craving for home had begun that night. As had her worries that she wouldn’t be wanted, that she wouldn’t be enough.
She’d learned to take care of as many household chores as she could in her desperate effort to keep the family together.
At nine, she’d believed all Mean Billy’s horror stories. The boy had lived in several foster homes and told awful stories of some of them. He’d scared her with his tales of what could happen to her and the others if Fox died. Mean Billy had told her Fox was too old to take care of five kids, and that the stress would kill him.
It hadn’t. Fox had been one of the strongest, best people she’d ever known. A heart attack had taken him just over a year ago and she missed him fiercely. He loved hearing about her renovations and plans for her hotels. “You’re the best at making a house a home, Amber. You know what people want and need. You do the same for those buildings. Make them livable and lovable again.”
The memory had her blinking back tears even as she wondered what had happened to Mean Billy. He’d only been at their school the one year, but she hoped his life had turned out well. Hoped that he’d found someone like Fox to teach him that the world might be tough, but with people you loved at your back, you could make a difference.
With a sigh, Amber shoved away the memories and exited her office—time to live in the present and check on her staff.
Everyone on staff wore tidy black suits with crisp white shirts and subtle name tags. Jolie would detest the lack of color. Amber was used to it. Blending into the background was important for hotel employees, and something she did well. Something she’d always done well.
Behind the polished front desk, Shirika smiled at Amber. The woman was seven months pregnant with a toddler at home. Amber was sure she was perpetually exhausted, but you could never tell, as the woman was soft, sweet, and happy. “How are you feeling, Shirika?”
Shirika’s smile widened. “I’m good. All the guests have checked in. The Wells party arrived and settled into their suites. One man wanted the strongest espresso we could make, but the spiced apple lattes were a hit with the rest.”
Amber grinned. She’d been inspired to add the new flavor because she and her siblings had recently inherited an apple farm in Vermont from Fox’s brother Jay. A man they’d never known existed. A man they’d never have a chance to meet because a heart attack had taken him, like Fox.
Knox and Jolie were now living on the farm and loving it. It wasn’t surprising that apples were on her mind as the two of them were upping the pressure on Amber, Lawson, and Burke to give farming life a try.
According to Jolie, an old farmhouse was waiting for Amber to bring out its full potential.
