“Oh, yeah.” He nodded as if just now remembering. “That’s been a problem lately.”
Arabella wanted to ask him why something hadn’t been done about that problem lately. “What about the service elevator?”
“Sorry but that’s for staff only.”
“Which I won’t have a chance to even be if I can’t get up to the human resource department. Can’t you just give me a room key or something so I can get through the stairwell door?”
He frowned as if the idea of it caused him physical pain.
Arabella leaned closer and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Isn’t it a bit of a hazard having only one way to get from one floor to another?”
“Is there a problem, Jason?”
Jason got a definite deer-in-the-headlights look when a brunette with a serious expression on her face stopped next to the reception desk. “No problems, Ms. Williams.”
“You’re Grace,” Arabella said, realizing it even before she saw the discreet name badge on the other woman’s lapel. Grace Williams. General Manager.
The woman’s expression was friendly but Arabella thought she detected a sense of reserve in her eyes.
“I do have the distinct pleasure of being GM,” Grace said, holding out her hand. “And you—”
“Arabella Fortune.” She pumped the manager’s hand. “I’m Br—”
“Brady’s sister!” Warmth entered Grace’s eyes. “I’m so pleased to meet you. Your brother has told me all about you.”
Arabella couldn’t help making a face. “When it comes to big brothers, that isn’t always a good thing.”
Grace laughed lightly. “He sings your praises,” she assured. “Are you here to see him?”
“Actually, no,” Arabella admitted. Brady didn’t even know what she was up to that afternoon. She cast a look toward the elevators. Two members of the waiting trio had given up and disappeared, leaving only the third standing there still staring at the unmoving illuminations above the doors. “I have an appointment with Sybil in human resources. Starts—” she glanced at her nonexistent wristwatch “—about ten minutes ago.”
“You’re applying?” Far from being concerned over Arabella’s tardiness, Grace just looked delighted. “Your brother didn’t say a word about that.”
“He doesn’t really know,” Arabella admitted. Even though he’d teased her unmercifully about going to work at the hotel when she’d first broached the subject of moving to Rambling Rose. “I didn’t want anyone thinking that I was hoping for special favors or something.”
“Trust me,” Grace assured. “I understand that completely.”
Arabella remembered then that Grace was involved with Wiley Fortune, who was one of those Fortunes. Considering he was one of Arabella’s cousins, she ought to have more than a vague recollection of meeting him at Larkin’s party.
But the truth was that she’d been far more interested in the server named Jay than she had been with anyone else.
“Which position are you applying for?”
Arabella spread her hands. “I’m not picky. I just want a paycheck so I don’t have to keep sponging off my brother.”
“Well, then.” Grace extended one arm in the direction of the elevators. “I have a meeting on four. I’ll go up with you.”
“Um—”
Grace’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Yes, Jason?”
“One of the elevators is stuck on the second floor,” Arabella provided because the poor guy looked like he was about ready to choke on his bobbing Adam’s apple. “And the other one seems stuck somewhere also.”
Arabella heard the faint sigh that Grace exhaled. But her expression was calm and still smiling as she looked at Arabella. “Excuse me for just a second while I take care of that.”
Arabella wasn’t going to argue. Certainly not with the woman who was not only Brady’s boss, but boss of the whole place. She waited until Grace had disappeared through a doorway behind the reception desk and looked toward Jason again. “Make up your mind about that key yet?”
Jason cast a quick look over his shoulder toward the doorway. “I think she meant for you to wait for her.”
Arabella actually had that same impression. But she hadn’t been able to resist asking him the question. “How long have you worked here, Jason?” She felt sure he was the nephew Petunia had mentioned.
He stood rather stiffly behind the reception desk and after her question he straightened his blue tie. “Since they first opened,” he said proudly. “Two weeks ago I got promoted here to the desk.”
Grace reappeared. “Maintenance is taking care of the elevators and I buzzed Sybil to let her know why you were delayed. Jason, until the elevators are fixed, be sure to direct anyone needing them to the service bay. One of the girls from housekeeping can escort them to their floor.”
He nodded. “Yes’m. Um. Ma’am.”
Grace’s smile gentled. “And one more thing, Jason. Relax. You’re doing fine.” Then she turned to Arabella again. “Shall we?” She led the way out of the lobby.
There was no sign of the broken leg she’d sustained when the balcony had collapsed and following her, Arabella couldn’t help but admire the confidence in Grace’s bearing.
Maybe someday she’d exude some of that herself.
They used the same service elevator that Jay had used back in January and in minutes, Arabella found herself sitting in front of Sybil’s desk.
“Take good care of her.” Grace’s voice was light as she departed for her meeting. “If she’s anything like her brother, we don’t want her getting away.”
Left alone with Sybil, Arabella smiled a little awkwardly. “I’m nothing like my brother,” she warned.
“You’re a Fortune,” Sybil said, sliding a blank job application and a pen across the desk toward Arabella. “That’s the only qualification you’ll need.”
Arabella picked up the pen and hesitated. “There’s nothing magical about my last name.”
“Says the person who possesses it.” Sybil’s voice wasn’t unkind. But it was matter-of-fact.
“I don’t expect to be given preference over another applicant just because I’m related to—”
Sybil cut her off with a wave of her hand. “You won’t be. Right now, we have more open positions than we do applicants. Just fill out the top section. Name, address, social security number. That stuff. Then sign the bottom. We’re running background checks on new hires, so
