She smiles. “We transport them back to the most glamorous time in New York City. A time of cultural brilliance, where art, music, and literature were at their peak. Women were entering the workforce and starting the feminist movement. The fashion was classic, and still, to this day, it brings a nostalgia that every person feels when they see the clothing. I don’t care who you are, where you are from, you have a connection to that period of time.”
I get lost in the way her face lights up when she talks so passionately. I don’t know if it’s her intelligence pulling me in or something far deeper, but I’m hooked.
“What do you think?” she asks as she faces me.
I swallow the lump that feels stuck in my throat. “I think it sounds … nice.”
The look of disappointment on her face from my underwhelming response is evident. I know it’s a hell of a lot more than nice, but for some reason, I can’t say it.
I can’t get lost in this vortex that is sucking me in. I need to stay neutral, like I would with any other designer that I hired.
“Shall we go see the rest of the hotel?” I offer to move past this awkward moment.
“Of course. Yes,” she agrees quickly.
We take our time strolling through the guest bedroom, analyzing the design before we move to the amenities.
Overall, it is a productive visit after I managed to get my head solely focused on work.
Once we’re back at the office, I direct her to Penelope’s office. Penelope’s assistant, Doug, nods at me to let me know that she’s off the phone.
I walk in to find her eyes strained on the computer in front of her.
“Got a spare minute to give me?”
Her stony face offers a hint of a smile. “I suppose I can give you a minute or two of my time.”
Penelope has been with me for about a year now. My father’s VP, Stanley, retired not too long after him. They were pals in the business, which sometimes hindered their ability to work together and critique the other.
I’m not afraid to tell Penelope when I think she’s wrong because there is no personal relationship. She knows I’m all business.
She’s around my age, and she has been in the hospitality industry for over a decade. I truly value her knowledge and the expertise that she brings to my company.
“I appreciate the sacrifice,” I quip. “This is Eva.” I gesture to my left, where she stands next to me. “She is our new designer, who will be taking over all renovations for our luxury hotels going forward.”
Penelope stands up and extends her arm to Eva. “That’s quite a bit of work you have in store for yourself. Welcome to Bertini Hotels. I look forward to seeing your designs.”
“Eva has come up with a great concept for the New York hotel.”
Penelope looks at me, then back at Eva. “I’m sure it must be fabulous to impress this guy. Trust me, it isn’t easy.”
Eva chuckles, and I find myself slightly irritated that the two seem to be in on some kind of joke at my expense.
“Eva, I will be your main point of contact, but there will be times when I’m pulled in another direction, and Penelope will take my place.”
Eva smiles tentatively as she looks at Penelope. “Nice to meet you, Penelope. I look forward to working with you.”
I leave Penelope to get back to work while I walk Eva in the direction of my office.
“I know this is going to be a long process, and you will likely be putting a lot of time into the project, so I wanted to make sure you had an option to work from our office if you preferred.”
I push open the heavy wooden door to an empty office next to mine.
“Wow, that’s really nice of you to offer this space. Are you sure you don’t mind me using it?”
“Not at all. It will be helpful to have easy access to you.”
I regret the words just as they come out of my mouth. Her eyes look me up and down, slightly widened.