Chapter 138
Just as Olivia was ready to leave her office and meet Natalia and the rest of their family so they could head to the airport, her office door swung open and none other than her best friend stepped through.
"Knock much." Olivia sated sarcastically.
"Not my style Spencer."
"I'm aware. What can I do for you Doris, I need to meet up with Natalia so we can get to the airport."
"That's why I'm here."
"Excuse me?"
"I've decided that I will take you up on that offer to join you this weekend."
"I thought you had some big plans this weekend since you would be Emma free in the evenings."
"Well, you know me, always putting the kids first."
Olivia knew her friend was avoiding something but decided to play along. "Doris, Emma will be fine. We've talked about weaning her away from sleeping with you a little more. I think this weekend will be a good start."
"Yeah, I know." She looked down at her hands twisting in her lap. "I'd just like to be close in case she needs me. She can still stay in your room and everything, but if she wakes up, like she did with Beth, I'll be there."
"Alright Wolfe, what's really going on?"
"Nothing. I just want to be there for Emma."
"Doris, last night you were pretty excited to have a weekend that didn't include my nine-year-old. What changed?"
"Okay, fine. Blake wanted to spend the weekend together and I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step. I mean, she's not even gay Olivia."
"I thought you two were getting along. I thought you were hoping for it to go in this direction."
"I was, I mean I am, it's just…what if she decides she doesn't want to do this? Be gay. Or not gay with me anyway."
Olivia walked around her desk and knelt before her friend, taking both of her hands. "Doris come on. Blake is crazy about you. She can't take her eyes off you when you two are in the same room and she's always touching you. Even more then me and Natalia before we admitted our feelings. She's obviously into you. What's the problem?"
"There isn't one really. I'm just,…scared. I really like her, and I mean really like her, but it's crazy. We haven't even kissed yet and I can already see a future with her. That's insane Olivia."
"Oh yes because falling in love with the woman whose husband I tried to steel and who's heart I now have was completely sane. Doris, we can't help who we fall in love with, and if I'm seeing things correctly, you are well on your way to the L word with Blake."
Doris scoffed and waved her hand at that. "I am not falling in love with her, I just like her…a lot."
"Yes and I'm the pope. You are so falling head over heels for that woman."
"Can it Spencer."
"Fine! Alright, here's what we're going to do. You are going to call Blake and tell her she has exactly thirty minutes to get packed and be at the airport by Josh's plane or we're leaving without her. I am going to take your bags, meet my family, and call a favor into Buzz so work isn't an excuse for Blake not to come. You go pick up your girl and we'll all enjoy a weekend away. Mind you, Natalia and I will need to be working most of the time, as well as Ashley and Isabel, but Ava and Rafe won't be working the majority of the time and Emma will be there. As well as Natalia's mom. You and Blake can test the waters out. The hotel is pretty much complete so Josh said there's no reason we can't stay there, we just won't have anyone working, so we'll have to make our own beds and clean up after ourselves, plus, no room service. We are staying in the penthouse suit, Isabel and Clara are using one of the two room suits on the floor below us. You and Blake can stay in one of those as well. You'll each have your own room if you need, but, something tells me you won't. I'll put Ashley in with Ava and Rafe in their room in our suit and Emma will stay in her room."
"Olivia…"
"No, we are going to be late as it is." She stood from her knelt position and headed for the door. "Thirty minutes Wolfe." Without another word she was gone. Headed to meet up with her wife, children, and in-laws in the lobby.
Just as Olivia was about to say screw it and leave without them, Doris and Blake came running towards the plane. Both of them panting as they entered and buckled into their seats. They had a busy weekend ahead of them and Olivia was hoping to at least get a walkthrough of the hotel done before they went to bed that evening.
"Sorry, Blake couldn't decide what to pack." Doris said, unable to meet anyone's eyes.
"Sure mom, we totally believe that's why your lipstick is smudged and Blake has some on her upper lip." Ashley said cheekily causing all of the adults to snicker.
Doris blushed and pink tinted Blake's cheeks as well. "Yes well…" Was all Doris could think to say.
Ashley decided to cut her mom a break and moved onto discussing some business with Olivia. She and Isabel had stumbled upon a few things they thought might be helpful while researching the area. "Olivia, I think Isabel and I might be able to help you get staffed a little quicker and easier."
"Oh. And how is that?" Olivia asked, completely intrigued since staffing had nothing to do what she had asked of the two women.
"Well, we were looking up venders in the area, and we came across this company that provides employees for the service industry. They help place people in just about every area. I called them just to ask a few questions and they said they could provide enough employees for your entire hotel if need be. From the laundry room to management and they have contacts for security companies as well."
"Wow. That's impressive. Did you get there contact information?"
"Yup. Got it all right here. Deborah, the manager I spoke to, said they aren't usually open on Saturdays, but gave me her personal number for you to call if you'd like to set up a time to meet with her over the weekend since you are trying to get staffed and open so soon and are from out of town."
"That's pretty great work Ashley. I'm impressed. We have several interviews for a GM lined up this weekend, but I will definitely make some time tomorrow to go down to her office and see what she has to offer us. If we can get a GM hired this weekend, then they can set up interviews and let Natalia and I know their final choices for us to interview. You may have just cut my workload and stress levels in half. Thank you."
"It's not a problem. And Isabel was just as much a part of finding this as I was."
"Of course. Thank you as well Isabel. I really appreciate all the help I can get at the moment."
"Any time Olivia. I'm just glad I was able to help." Isabel said with a smile. "We also found three different food venders we were going to sample tomorrow afternoon. Figure we can see what they have to offer, and if all three are good and equally priced, you and Natalia can check them out and make the final decision."
"Also, good news. It seems I needn't worry as much as I thought. You two seem to have a handle on this opening already."
"We're just getting started, but we do have a few contacts for beverages we'll need to call Monday as well a beer and liquor vender."
"Well, I'll say it again. I'm very impressed. Keep up the good work."
Natalia slid her hand into her wife's and smiled wide. It was nice to see her sister blending in with her families business so well. Perhaps Olivia was right and Isabel did have a job in their company in her future. "I'm very proud of both of you. We haven't even seen our hotel since construction started and we are already well on our way to being staffed and having our grand opening. I can't thank you both enough."
Ashley and Isabel both blushed a little at the compliment, smiling and nodding. "Glad we could help. I'm kind of excited for this. Planning this opening and seeing your newest hotel. I'll admit, I stopped in at the Beacon Chicago when I found out you were the owner, it's an amazing hotel. And now that I've seen the Beacon Springfield, it will be nice to see your third one. The previous two are both elegant and upper class, but unique in their own ways. It'll be nice to see the differences at this one too." Isabel stated. More than happy that both Olivia and Natalia were pleased with what she and Ashely had accomplished thus far.
"I agree. They may both be a part of SRHR, but they both have their own qualities and appeal."
"So, mom?" Rafe interjected.
"Yes son." Olivia answered, turning her head to face him, sensing he was unsure about whatever it was he was about to say.
"Ava and I were thinking, and if the hotel is good for us to stay, maybe we could come back after the trial on Monday. It would be easier on you and Ma if we helped with the interviews. We need way too much staff for just the GM to interview. If we cut his workload down, then we can get through interviews faster and maybe by the end of next week we'll be ready for you and Ma to do the final interviews so we can get staffed and start training."
"I don't know Rafe..."
"Mom, come on. I know we have a lot going on back home, but if you and Ma are in the office there and Ava and I are here, you and Ma can keep the Beacon Springfield running smoothly without having to stress about what's going on here. I even called a company that specializes in training in the hospitality field that will come help us once we get staffed."
"Seems like all of you have been busy."
"We just want to do as much as we can to help you and keep the stress down. Hey, maybe Ashley and Isabel could stay with us too. It would be easier for them to interview venders if they were in the area."
"Rafe…."
"Mom." Ava started. "You and I both know he's right. We used an outside, local company in Chicago for the grand opening, and it was good, but it'll be better with a little of the personal Beacon touch to it, and although Isabel is new, she's been staying at the hotel, and Ashley has been around the Beacon her entire life. Plus, with me and Rafe there, we can make sure that the Spencer-Rivera standard is written all over that party. Not to mention, like Rafe said, we can conduct some of the interviews and meet with the security company's Ashley said she can get us in contact with, and, if we get the staff hired, Rafe and I can began training with the company he found. You know this is the best option if we want to open in the next few weeks."
Olivia glanced at her friend and then her wife. "What do you think? They do make a good point."
"I think we need to see how this weekend goes. You and I can talk about this further later." Natalia said pointedly. Making her wife very aware that she wanted to say something but not in front of the kids.
"I agree. You and I need to discuss this and we need to see what we think of the hotel and if we really can open as soon as we hope to."
"Yes, I think I'd like some time to think about this as well." Doris said, giving Olivia a look that meant she too had concerns she'd rather discuss in private.
"It's settled then. We agree that it's a good option, but we'd like to wait and have some time to think before answering. You four good with that answer?" Olivia asked the three young adults and Isabel.
"Yeah mom, we know you two always have to talk about everything." Rafe said with an exaggerated sigh, knowing very well his moms were concerned about he and Ava being away from them. Not without good reason, but he felt as long as he had Ava, he would be okay. The two had stayed at Ava's and made it through the night the previous night, not to mention staying at the farmhouse alone when Clara had first arrived. Although he wasn't nearly ready to be alone yet, he knew that as long as he had Ava he would be okay. His sister made him feel safe in the same way that his mom and ma did, and he liked to think he did the same for her.
"I agree we need to think about this, and I'd like to talk with mama before deciding anything." Isabel stated.
"Alright then." Olivia said, effectively ending the conversation. The rest of the ride was spent talking about this and that, everyone making sure that Emma was included in their conversation and commenting on how great her bird house turned out.
Once they landed, there was a limo waiting to take the large group to the hotel. Mr. Milson met them at the door with the keys and to show them the vast amount of progress that had been made on their hotel. Olivia asked that he give them a few moments to take their luggage up to their rooms and then they would meet him back in the lobby.
The group was astonished as they entered the main doors into the lobby. It truly was magnificent. Similar to the Beacon Springfield, but on a much larger scale. Marble floors, beautifully tiled fireplace with a few chairs surrounding it, large inviting front desk sat beside a grand staircase, and on the other side was the elevators. You knew you just stepped into a five star resort the second you walked through the doors.
As much as everyone just wanted to check out the rest of the renovated hotel, Olivia insisted that they take their luggage to their rooms. It was the promise that they would look at the rooms Doris, Blake, Clara, and Isabel would be staying in first and then everyone could come up to the three-room penthouse with her and Natalia that got everyone moving.
They stopped on the sixth floor first, allowing Doris and Blake to drop off their suitcases. The room was just as luxurious as the lobby. Opening the door, you stepped into a seating area complete with fireplace, two overly large chairs, and a pull-out couch. Just behind that was a small dining table and to the left was the kitchenette. The regular rooms just had the standard coffee pot, mini fridge, and microwave, but the suits had their own mini kitchen. Mini fridge with freezer, microwave, apartment sized oven, coffee pot, sink, and a few cupboards filled with dishes, pots, pans, and a few draws with silverware, utensils, and potholders. There was a room on either side of the common area, both exactly the same with attached bathrooms.
After looking at the room for a few minutes more, and Doris and Blake taking their things to their respective rooms, they went to the identical room next door. Upon walking in, an idea struck Ava.
"Hey mom?"
"Yes Ava."
"Didn't you say we have family suits."
"Yes, there are two on this floor. Why?"
"Well, I was thinking, that since Isabel and Ashley are working together, and Rafe and I enjoy spending time with them, that maybe Clara could stay in mine and Rafe's room in the penthouse, and the rest of us could stay in one of the family suits. You said they are the same as these suits except one of the rooms has two queen beds. Ashley and I could take that room, Rafe could sleep on the pull out, and Isabel could have the master."
Olivia shook her head back and forth in thought. "You know, that's actually not a bad idea." Isabel, Clara, what do you think?"
"I'm good with it if mama is." Isabel said.
"I am fine with whatever is easiest." Clara answered, never wanting to be a burden.
"Alright then." Olivia said with a nod. "We'll be going down to the end of the hall then."
The group made their way down the hall together. The room was just as Olivia said, identical to the regular suits except for one room having two queen beds and the bathroom wasn't as grand as in the master. Once the four dropped their luggage, they were back in the elevator to go up to the top floor, which housed only the penthouse suit. Olivia had to place her key card into a slot in the elevator in order to access the seventh floor, and the elevator doors opened directly into the massive space.
Everyone, including Olivia gasped as the doors opened. It was like walking into an upper-class high rise city condo. It was a complete open floor plan. The living room, Kitchen, and dining area all open. The kitchen was done in black and white, with white cupboards, black counter tops, and slate grey back splash. The theme continued into the dining area where a pristine white dining table sat atop and black with white swirl rug. The living room was large with a white couch, love seat, and two white chairs, black and silver coffee and end tables, and a fireplace set into the wall with a flat screen tv hanging above it.
Emma was the first to speak, asking where her room was and when she could go see it. Olivia chuckled and ran her hand over her daughters ponytail. "Come on Jellybean. Your room is the one on the right over here."
Olivia led the group to a set of doors. The right one leading to Emma's room, and the left to Ava and Rafe's room, which Clara would be staying in, and a bathroom set between the two rooms. She allowed Emma to open the door first, knowing that Josh had made a request to the interior designer to make this room special. Something specifically Emma but still neutral enough to be used by other families that would take residence in the suite from time to time.
Emma opened the door and squealed as she released the handle on the suitcase she had been dragging behind her. The room wasn't overly huge, but it was larger than hers back home. A full-size bed sat in the center of it with end tables on either side. A dresser against one wall and a large bookshelf on the other. The bed itself was a four-poster bed in white with a lace canopy over the top and a white and purple bed spread, that would be changed out when the Spencer-Rivera's weren't the ones staying there. There were books on the bookshelf, some duplicates of Emma's favorites, and others ones she hadn't ever read. There was a small toy chest on the far side of the bed with several dolls and stuffed animals tucked away inside and a television mounted above it.
The toy chest and books would also be removed when Emma wasn't the one staying in the room, but Josh had wanted their penthouse in St. Louis to truly feel like a home away from home for the family he cared so dearly for. He hoped they would take this idea and run with it for their suite in Chicago as well as any other properties they added to their company. He knew their suite in Springfield already felt like home for them since Emma and Olivia had lived there for so long and he hoped Olivia would want that feeling at all of their hotels.
"Wow. This is amazing Olivia. Did you have them do this?" Natalia asked her wife in awe.
"No, this, this was all Josh, he said he had a few surprises for us."
"We owe him a huge thank you. I can't believe he did this."
"Me either, but then again, it doesn't surprise me at all."
The two shared a smile before leaving Emma to check out her new room while the rest of the group moved on to Ava and Rafe's room. They had thought about giving each of their children their own room in the penthouse, but after speaking with Josh, they realized he was correct in his assessment that they wouldn't be there that often or for very extended stays, and, as they expanded, it was more than likely that only one of them would be with them at a time if either of them. Not to mention it would be better for other guest if there were less rooms and a larger living space.
They opened the door to the space and allowed Ava and Rafe to step into the room first. It wasn't nearly as impressive or personal as Emma's room, but it still had a few personal touches. Two queen beds sat in the center of the room with an end table between them. Both beds had blue bedspreads, both of their favorite color, Ava's more vibrant and famine, but the two blended well together. There was a long dresser across from the two beds with a flat screen mounted above with a glass shelf that held an Xbox 360 and a PlayStation 3 that would both be removed when the family wasn't there. A tall chest of draws sat in the corner of the far wall with several games stacked on top of it.
Hung on the wall were several paintings and signs. Ava was an art fanatic so she loved them, and she especially loved that several of them were baseball themed to suit Rafe as well. Her favorite happened to be one that spoke to their entire family, especially given recent events. It was a black sign with a baseball painted on the top and below it in beautiful script were the words, "Life will always throw curves, just keep fouling them off. The right pitch will come, and when it does, be prepared to run the bases."
Olivia approached were Ava was standing staring at the sign, she slung an arm around her daughters shoulders and kissed her temple. "It's right you know. Life will always throw curve balls in our path to try and throw us off, but this family," she paused and smiled back at her wife and son, "we will always keeping swinging, until the final ball is thrown."
Ava smiled up at her mom. "I know mom. I know. Josh did really good didn't he?"
"Yeah, he really did."
After Clara set her luggage in the room and the group checked out the main bath, it was time to see the master suite. Ava and Rafe went to see how Emma was doing while the rest of the group settled into the living room to allow Natalia and Olivia to check out their personal space in privacy before joining them.
Olivia took Natalia's hand and laced their fingers as they entered the French doors that led to their room. They both stopped and just stared as they took in their surroundings. A massive king size bed dominated the space adorned with a beautiful white bedspread with bright emerald green swirls that matched Olivia's eyes. Handcrafted black end tables that matched the bed frame stood on both sides of the bed as well as a chest carved with the SHRH logo at the foot of the bed. Paintings of the city they were in hung on the walls with a huge family portrait in the center above the bed. The dresser, chest of draws, and make-up vanity were all the same handcrafted black wood as the end tables and chest. Olivia was astonished by the detail she could see in the hand-crafted furniture. As well as the gas fireplace that matched the one in the lobby that sat directly across from the bed. She couldn't believe her ex-husband had gone through such great lengths to make this penthouse feel like a second home. She was pulled from her thoughts by the gentle tug on her hand as Natali pulled her towards the en-suite.
Opening the frosted glass door, Natalia let out a small gasp. The floor was the same marble as the lobby, and the stone counters matched that of the lobby fireplace and the one in their room, sat on top of a back double vanity. There was a large soaker tub with several jets and glass surround shower with double shower heads and a bench across the back wall. Olivia shivered as visions of all the things she could do to her wife in that large shower danced through her head.
Natalia noticed the glazed look in her wife's eyes and chuckled as she leaned in and placed a kiss to her wife's cheek. Knowing exactly what her love was thinking. "All in good time my love." She whispered. "Now though, we need to allow our family to see this beautiful room, and then we need to go and tour our hotel."
Olivia jutted out her bottom lip in a dramatic pout as she wrapped her arms around her wife, pressing their bodies tight together. "You sure I can't change your mind?" She asked, peppering kisses down Natalia's neck, and biting gently on her pulse point.
A shiver went down Natalia's spine and a small moan escaped her lips. "As much as I would love to…" She started breathily, her actions belying her words as she tilted her head to the side giving Olivia more access, "we can't." She gave a gentle shove to Olivia's shoulder, trying desperately to fight off the arousal building in her stomach. "Mr. Milson is waiting for us, and our family is just outside."
Olivia finally stopped her assault, knowing her wife was right, but she didn't have to like it. Her lip jutted out once more and she sighed dramatically. "Fine." She huffed. "But later," she pulled Natalia flush against her once more. "You are all mine Mrs. Spencer-River." With that she locked their lips together in a heated kiss and allowed her hands roam her wife's delectable body. This kiss conveying exactly what she had in mind for when they were finally alone.