With the question lingering in his brain, he took a drink of his highball and watched as Maria walked into the restaurant, looking around her with sharp eyes. He noticed that she wasn’t just looking for him, she looked at everything around her. She saw everything around her. Her gaze went to the bar, from employee to employee as she seemed to tick them off in her head, smiling at one while keeping a neutral expression when her eyes lit on another. It became apparent to him in that moment, the girl saw everything. She was on top of everything; she knew the hotel industry, and this hotel in particular like no one else.
As she sat down across from him, the waiter brought two menus and a glass of iced tea for Maria without waiting for her to order. The young man set it in front of her and she said, “Thanks, Mario,” with a smile before pushing her menu to the side.
“I’ll give you a few moments to decide,” he said before turning away.
Garret flipped open the menu but didn’t glance down. He continued to study the woman opposite him, looking for any signs of distress on her features. Thankfully, he saw none. “You look like you survived the situation all right,” he commented.
She tossed him a look. “You just fired a piece of scum who couldn’t have deserved it more. Actually, I’m pretty damn pleased.”
He continued to watch her as she seemed to take a careful sip of her drink before placing it to the side. The silence grew until finally she spoke, “Look, why don’t you just do what you need to do and then I’ll get out of your hair.”
He felt a moment of consternation. “Are you advising me to go ahead and fire you as well?”
“It would seem expedient.”
“What makes you think I’m going to let you go?”
“Aren’t you?”
He ignored her question and gave her one of his own. “How long have you been single-handedly running this place?”
She frowned and broke eye contact, seemingly looking at the bar area before turning her gaze back to him. “I don’t single-handedly run it. You’ve got a lot of hard-working employees here.”
“Don’t dodge the question. I want an answer.”
She pursed her lips. “A long time.”
He raised an eyebrow in response. “Give me a number.”
“Three years.”
Garrett felt a frown begin. “How old are you?”
She let out a puff of air and rolled her eyes as if he were insane. “You can’t ask me that question.”
“I can look in your file and get the information that way.”
She let out a half-smile and shook her head. “You really can’t, not anymore.”
He felt his temper snap at her word play. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You sure don’t know much about this place at all, do you?”
“Be careful, Maria,” he warned.
She seemed to take a breath before continuing, “Right. Look, I don’t work for you—”
“What do you mean by that? Who the hell do you work for?”
“Technically? I work for the management company out of New Jersey, at least now I do, since Mrs. Duncan put them in charge the very second her husband died. And that’s where my file is.”
“Technicalities don’t interest me. How old are you?”
She held his eyes as she slowly shook her head. “You’re breaking the law by asking me that question.”
“You really have a problem with telling me?”
“How old are you?” she asked instead of answering him.
“Twenty-nine,” he fired back instantaneously. “How old are you?” he asked again.
There was five seconds of silence while she stared back at him, and he read fire in her eyes. “I’m twenty-five.”
“You look younger.”
“Thank you,” she snapped.
He narrowed his eyes. “It wasn’t a compliment. Extreme youth isn’t an attribute for a position like this—”
“What position are we talking about?”
“You haven’t figured it out yet? I’m interviewing you for the position of GM. Right now. That’s what we’re doing.”
“Interviewing me? I thought you were about to get rid of me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Seriously? Your blonde girlfriend—”
“Okay. Let’s get that settled between us right now. I already told you last night—and I really don’t like to repeat myself—she’s not my girlfriend. Not that it would be any of your business if she were.” He studied her thoughtfully. “Was that the reason you went Rambo on her ass? Are you jealous?” Shit, he liked the thought of that.