Page 10 of The Cowboy and the Bombshell
“Oh, no. I think it is most definitely something.” He looked at the package in my hands. “Is there a problem with the information you have been given? Something so important that you felt it necessary to interrupt Mr. Yates in his report on the status of the menus and kitchen services here? Please, tell us what is so very pressing.”
He crossed his arms, leaned back against the wall behind him and stared, waiting for me to speak.
I couldn’t. Once again, this man had me frozen. The pissed off look on his too handsome face had rendered me incapable of forming a sentence.
I blinked, looking around the table as the other executive staff members all watched me with annoyed expressions of their own. Miss Carlisle was extraordinarily sour looking.
Only Mr. Reynolds regarded me with anything resembling kindness, though, if I were honest, it was probably more pity than anything.
Montgomery continued to stare my way. “Well, Miss Lund? Care to share with the class?”
Damn.
I took a deep breath and started.
“I was just looking at the rendering, sir. I was shocked, is all.”
“Shocked about what, Miss Lund.”
“It’s just, a Western themed hotel? Really, sir? I was expecting something sleek and modern and, well, pretty. Not this.”
A frown creased his face as he uncrossed his arms, stalking toward the table. “You have a problem with the theme of the hotel?” he questioned, leaning forward, pressing his closed fists against the polished mahogany of the table. “You have something against cowboys, maybe?” he challenged.
Sitting up straight, I met his glare and shot back, “Well, I have yet to meet a decent one, that’s for sure.”
He stood back up straight, his eyes assessing me, making me wonder if I just made a mistake.
“Well, Miss Lund, it could be that no cowboys have ever found you worth being decent to.”
He spun from the table and headed for the door. “That’s all for today. I want everyone to meet back here Wednesday at eight am with department updates. Dismissed.” And then he was gone.
I sat back in my seat, wondering what the hell I just got myself into. As the room cleared out around me, with glowers and glares thrown my way for good measure, I took a few deep breaths, closed my eyes, and rubbed my temples. After a moment, I felt movement beside me and looked up to see that Mr. Reynolds had moved and took the seat next to mine. He smiled companionably and extended his hand.
“I’m Toby. Toby Reynolds. Human resources, and you look like you’ve had quite a day.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Mr. Reynolds, you have no idea.”
“Call me Toby, please.”
“Penelope,” I replied, shaking his hand. “And you are the first friendly face I’ve seen all day.”
“Yeah, it gets a bit intense around here. I’ve worked with Montgomery before, and a few of the others, but with this being the first Casino project, we have added tons of new staff and departments to the mix. Everyone is running on high anxiety right now. There is no room for failure here, you know?”
I did know. My entire career was hanging on this job. And I’d already pissed off the boss. Typical.
“Thank you for helping me with this,” I said, indicating the package. “I don’t know why Angelique neglected to send me the information.” But I did have a hunch. Angelique had been quite pleased to see Constance that day in Mr. Pennington’s office, and I had a feeling that she was actively working against me to try and increase Toddrick’s chances of getting the VP position.
“It’s not a problem,” he said, leaning close to me. I stiffened slightly, but didn’t move away, telling myself he was just trying to help. “So, should we start at the beginning?”
Working our way through the information package, I learned that the theme was most definitely western. In fact, they were calling the hotelThe Alamo. It was going to be complete old west decor inside and out, with the grounds being landscaped to take the most advantage of the desert around us. The exterior of the building would be made to look like a classic street from the American frontier. Wooden stone and wooden facings, plank board walk ways, and hanging tin signs. The inside of the hotel varied depending on which area you were in, with varying degrees of old west cowboy or modern honky tonk, depending on what you were looking for.
The bars were made to look like Old West Saloons, with lots of wood, dim lighting designed like oil lanterns, and a long wooden bar. The serving staff was going to be dressed like the old time Saloon girls, with their brightly colored corsets, fishnet stockings, and garters.
The theaters were done in a Classic American design, with red velvet curtains and rounded balconies, opulently decorated with gilded plasterwork reminiscent of the theaters of the eighteenth century.
As I flipped through the pages of design, theme, food, and entertainment, I was totally taken aback. I had planned on marketing a sleek and modern themed hotel, with a cosmopolitan feel and lots of glass and chrome. This was something I was completely unprepared for. The walls were made of dirt, for crying out loud! I was going to have to completely rethink my strategy. My heart sank at the prospect.
As Toby and I finished going through the package, I was overwhelmed and completely disheartened. And I really wanted to call my mom.
