Love, Inherited

Ch. 31- "Playing For Keeps"

Hayden showered and put on makeup. A lot of makeup. She woke up looking like she was ten years older and prayed it was lack of a good nights sleep or bad lighting. There was no justifiable reason to look that bad in the morning. So she had a late night life changing epiphany, and realized how deeply she loved a guy who was unreachable, these things happened. She had a resort to run, and she knew where her next 365 meals were coming from. That was a step up.

She put on a red top and black slacks. Red really wasn't her color and it she didn't own much of it, but today was the first day of taking charge and red was a scientifically proven color of power. She wanted to convey business and authority. Angie may have hired this person already, but she wanted no doubt in the persons mind that they needed to pass her standards.

Just for confidence sake, she added one more layer of concealer and some pink tinted lipgloss. She still looked more like a high end soccer mom than the owner of a booming resort, but it was all about confidence. So why didn't she wake up with as much as she had going to bed?

This was a defining moment. On one hand she trusted Angie, and Dee had trusted Angie. She didn't regret her decision to make her partner, she had just not been firm enough in her title. She needed the new hire and Angie to realize she wasn't someone to be walked over, this was her life too and she was taking it seriously.

As she straightened her room and put away her pile of notes from last night, she thought about her surge of adrenaline. It still made her giddy to think about how inspired she was. The kitchen would be the beginning, she was going to make this resort all it could be, despite her own shortcomings.

As she pushed the elevator button she couldn't help looking at her phone one more time, if her and Warren had any kind of cosmic connection it should be dinging with messages. Her brain was haywire and her stomach was in knots. The only message outstanding was Angie's. with a heavy sigh she made her way to the office.

Mike stood at the desk with the ever present smile plastered across his face. "Good morning Miss Hayden."

She smiled back, unable to keep her boss like persona. "Morning Mike, day shift today?"

His smile widened. "I picked up, figured it would be a good day to be here!"

She loved that Mike was so invested and always had a smile on his face. He was exactly the kind of person she wanted around, it was easy to feel like everything was under control around him.

"Angie's waiting in her office." He said with a wink.

"I'm headed there now, has the interviewee shown up?"

"He's here. Got in early."

Hayden nodded. At least whoever it was showed up, and early.

Hayden made her way down the hall to find Angie sitting at her desk looking like a cat that swallowed the canary. Morning people, Hayden could never understand how they could get so energized before ten. If she had it her way everyone would be forced to drink a silent cup of coffee from 8-10, and then life could start.

Angie tucked the file she was holding quickly in her lap and motioned for Hayden to sit in the empty chair. Hayden sat down, scanning the room and the hallway for the missing applicant.

"What's going on, where.."

Angie held up her hand and leaned closer. Her eyes sparkled mischievously and Hayden felt uneasy. Somehow she felt like the proverbial canary.

"Hayden, you know I think of you as family right?  I know it upset you to think I hired a manager without consulting you. But, I did it for you. You're my family, and my boss. I respect that, and I respect you. I want you to remember that. I hired this person because they will make the resort better, and all of our lives better. I know I hurt you, and I apologize. The candidate knows if you don't agree the deal is off."