Not Quite Dating (Not Quite #1)(9)
Author: Catherine Bybee

Jack nudged her with his elbow. “I’ll bring the dress Thursday morning.”

“Geez, did Leanne tell you my whole schedule?”

“Pretty much. I’ll bring the dress and the invitation. All you have to do is show up.”

“I won’t know anyone.”

“You’ll know me.” He winked at her and her stomach did a small roll in return. What did she have to lose? She could show up, have a glass of wine, and leave if it felt wrong being there.

“Oh, all right. I’ll go.”

“That’s my girl.” Jack pulled out his wallet and placed a ten on the counter.

“I’m not your girl.”

Jack chuckled. “Right. See ya on Thanksgiving, Jessie.”

Chapter Three

Samuel Fields, the Ontario Morrison Hotel manager, sat behind the desk from Jack with his back rod-straight and his lips forced into a tight smile. His three-piece suit fit perfectly around his shoulders, his tie impeccably neat. He’d been the manager of the Ontario hotel for over ten years, since its inception. Unless the man wanted a different view, he’d be there for the next ten. “It feels strange with you on the other side of this desk, Mr. Morrison.”

“Not sure why that would bother you, Sam. This is your office, not mine.”

“Yes, I guess it is.”

“I’m really not one who lords over things. My stay in Ontario will keep me here throughout the holidays. Once the initial construction is set in motion for ‘More for Less,’ I’ll be returning to Texas.”

“It’s been some time since anyone in your family has used the penthouse suite. I hope it meets your needs.”

The penthouse family suite took up nearly half the west tower’s top floor. Like in all the Morrison hotels, the family suite was just that: a suite the family could use to either sleep in during an overnight stay or as a perk for the many dignitaries that Jack and his father, Gaylord, associated with throughout the world. The Morrisons informed the hotels when the suites would be used and allowed the hotels to book them on the other days of the year. The suite had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a full gourmet chef’s kitchen, dining room, and living quarters. The veranda and patios overlooked the airport and the flickering lights of the Inland Empire. The space could easily accommodate a house party of a hundred people, not that Jack was planning such an event. Deep mahogany hardwood floors covered the living and dining rooms. Plush sofas sat across from each other while occasional chairs and heavily wooded wrought-iron tables filled out the space. Live plants filled corners, and fresh flowers sat in vases by the front door and in the kitchen. At night, when the floor-to-ceiling windows that covered two walls couldn’t let light in, up lighting, down lighting, and recessed lighting could be used to set any mood.

Unlike any other room at the hotel, this one felt like home.

In Houston, his home took the entire top-floor penthouse, nearly double the size of the one he was in now. Living in a hotel wasn’t something he’d planned. In reality, he lived in the hotel only half the year. The other half was spent at his father’s or in hotels like the one he was in now.

His father’s estate sat on over five hundred acres; the sprawling ranch house screamed Texas in every way. He loved being there. Yet something about being a grown man living with his father never settled comfortably inside of Jack.

One day, Jack wanted to set down roots of his own. Roots he would plant firmly on the ground floor. He loved the open plains of Texas and hoped whomever he chose to be by his side would love the land as much as he did. Then he could find his own oasis to return to instead of the never-ending hotel suites.

“I’ve sent out the invitations as you requested,” Sam told him.

“Did you open up access for the employees to rent appropriate attire?”

“Yes.” Sam nodded. “The local tux rental and women’s boutique in the shop downstairs was told to allow any employee with a badge to rent an outfit for free over this weekend.”

Good. “Actually, Sam, let’s keep that invitation open throughout the holidays.” Jack thought of Jessie. “I’d like the employees to use the service, and if they can’t make it to the benefit party this Saturday, they might be able to make it to another over the next month.”

Sam’s face clouded over. “Are you sure, sir? I mean, what if the clothes are ruined? It could cost the hotel quite a bit of money.”

Jack huffed. “Have some faith. Most people care for other people’s property better than their own. We’ll deal with individual issues as they come up.”

“If you say so, sir.”

“Please, call me Jack. That reminds me. On Saturday, I’ll be taking part in the employee/employer swap as well. I’ll need a uniform.”

Sam’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, Mr. Morrison, I mean Jack, are you sure?”

“It’s good for morale. Every staff person who usually wears a suit and tie is going to be wearing waiters’ uniforms, and the cleaning staff will be in evening gowns. The only paid guests are those we’ve invited, all of whom know the staff and management have swapped roles for the night. My name tag will say Jack, so please don’t call me Mr. Morrison. It will be fun, you’ll see. You might even learn a thing or two about your employees and yourself before the night is over. When was the last time you served food from the kitchen?”

“I’ve never had the pleasure.” From the twisted expression on the man’s face, it wasn’t a pleasant thought.

“Well then, you’ll be shocked at the pressure your waiters are under.” Jack ignored Sam’s scowl. Jack had held a similar party the previous year in the hotel he lived in full time. The next day, the staff returned to their normal jobs appreciating their colleagues’ titles a little more.

It was the perfect setup to bring Jessie to. She would think he was a cocktail waiter, a transient one at that, and he could wait on her for a change. He thought of the single men on the guest list, the ones he planned to point out to her. Admittedly, Jack didn’t think any of them were her type, but maybe after seeing her options, she’d consider dating him.

Of course, someone could blow the whole thing by calling him out, but Jack hoped he could keep his identity a secret long enough to get to know the real Jessie. She might be hard on the outside, but he was betting on her insides being all soft and comfortable. All he had to do was needle under her skin until she couldn’t stand it anymore.