Back in her room, Teddy couldn’t wait to take a shower before going in search of Martha. She was still full from the big breakfast she’d eaten so she ate a banana and decided to use her lunch break to freshen up. Her hand was on the shower handle when a knock at her door stopped her from turning on the water. She threw on a bathrobe and dashed to the door.
Teddy peeked through the peephole and saw it was Carmen Ortiz, one of the Riviera Hotel’s housekeepers who had avoided getting salmonella. Lucky for Carmen, she hadn’t attended the staff party where the others had gotten contaminated.
When Teddy opened the door with a welcoming smile, Carmen stood before her with a stack of clean linens in her arms. “Hi, Carmen,” Teddy said. “Your timing is perfect with the fresh towels. I was just about to step in the shower.”
“OK. Let me gather your used linens first and then I’ll get out of your way.” Carmen’s brow puckered when she saw the room. She hesitated at the door, her face a study of consternation, as if she were about to enter a minefield. “What happened here?”
“What do you mean?” Teddy replied.
Carmen shook her head and made a tsking sound. “All your beautiful things. They’re everywhere.”
“Oh, that.” Teddy’s face colored with embarrassment. “Dreadful mess, isn’t it? I haven’t had a moment to organize anything since I got here. Frankly, I won’t even know where to begin when I get a chance,” she admitted sheepishly.
Carmen smiled. “Do you want me to help you? I love organizing and cleaning.”
Teddy gawked at her. “You do?”
Carmen nodded. “Sí, ever since I was a little girl I have been a neat freak.”
That figured. There wasn’t a hair out of place in Carmen’s slicked back bun and her white uniform was pristine and perfectly pressed. She exuded neatness and order from head to toe.
“Go take your shower. When you come out everything will be in place,” Carmen said, rapidly changing the sheets on the bed.
Teddy gave her a dubious look. “Are you sure you can spare the time?”
Carmen was too busy working like a woman possessed to answer. Without looking up from her task, she waved Teddy off.
When Teddy emerged from the bathroom after a refreshing shower, she felt invigorated. Surprised and delighted, she watched the efficient housekeeper smoothing the comforter of the freshly made bed. She couldn’t believe that most of the room was picked up. “Wow, Carmen, you’re a miracle worker! You weren’t kidding when you said you were a neat freak.”
Other than the one suitcase in the corner which Teddy hadn’t opened yet, the other suitcases were empty. Teddy closed them and lined them up against the wall to join the unopened suitcase, pleased that her room had more space now.
Carmen snorted. “This is nothing. If I had more time, I would tackle that pile,” she said with a sweeping gesture to Teddy’s jumble of make-up on the dresser counter. “Why do you have so much make-up when you have natural beauty?”
“Ha! That’s sweet of you to say, Carmen, but you’re right. It’s too much. I need to clean it out.”
Teddy marveled when she opened the small closet and found her clothes hung above double rows of neatly stacked shoes. The clothes that hadn’t fit on the clothes rack were folded on the top shelf. “I am truly amazed. How did you manage to do so much in such a short time? I can’t thank you enough, Carmen.”
“You’re welcome.” Carmen paused before saying, “I don’t mean to pry, but why are you working here, Miss Teddy? And why are you staying in this room?”
Teddy waved a nonchalant hand. “It’s complicated, but don’t worry about me. It’s my choice,” she said confidently.
“OK,” Carmen said, sounding unconvinced.
Teddy felt awful that she didn’t have enough cash to give Carmen a decent tip. She wracked her brain over what she could give the hardworking single mother of twin teenage girls. Carmen had proudly shown Teddy and the other staff members a picture of her daughters earlier this week. She had been lamenting that she didn’t have time to shop with them for their prom dresses.
“How old are your daughters?” Teddy asked on a whim.
Carmen beamed. “Jessica and Jasinda just turned eighteen.”
“What size do they wear?” If she remembered correctly, they were slim unlike their mother, who was big-boned and robust.
“They are thin like you. They don’t have their mamá’s curves yet,” Carmen said with a grin.
“Do you think they might like some of my dresses?”
Carmen’s eyes widened with glee. “Of course. They would love them,” she said, raising her clasped hands in the air in a gesture of thanks.
“Oh, good.” Teddy turned to the closet and picked out three party dresses for each girl. “Here, hopefully they’ll find something they like.”
“I’m sure they will. This is too generous of you, Miss Teddy.” Carmen hugged the dresses to her ample bosom. “Gracias.”
Teddy smiled. “De nada. You’re doing me a favor by taking them.”
A half hour later, Teddy emerged from her room wearing a wheat-colored linen Michi Michi sheath dress and matching stilettos with her hair blown out and make up on. She felt like a new woman, ready to take on the world…or at least the irascible Mr. Jove.
On her way to Martha’s office, Teddy was detained by Ashley, who strutted up to her side with an air of snide superiority.
“There you are,” she said in a put upon tone. “I have been looking for you all over. You shouldn’t just wander around when you’re working, Teddy.”
“I wasn’t wandering around. I was on my lunch break,” Teddy snapped.
“Why aren’t you in your uniform?” Ashley demanded, her eyes scrutinizing every bit of Teddy’s attire. It was clear she was trying to figure out who had designed Teddy’s simple, yet chic dress—a Michi Michi creation from her new spring line.
“Why aren’t you concierge-ing?” Teddy countered with a lift of her brows.
“I’m managing an emergency. Come with me.”
“Now why would I do that?” Teddy said, rejecting her bossy attitude. “I’m busy.”
“Leo’s orders, not mine.”
Leo’s orders? Teddy refused to budge. It irked her that Leo would use Ashley as his messenger. Why hadn’t he said something earlier? He’d had all morning at the pool area to tell her.
“Come on, there’s no time to waste,” Ashley said, her jaw clenched.
Curious over what Leo wanted, Teddy followed her into the empty office.
Ashley shut the door and handed Teddy a folded set of clothes. “Change into this uniform and shoes and go to the twelfth floor.”
“Why?”
“Phillip, our director of service, is waiting for you.”
Teddy shook out the folded garment and held it up, staring at the housekeeping uniform in disbelief. “Phillip will have to assign someone else,” she said firmly. “I have a meeting with Martha.”
“It’ll have to wait. Martha is busy handling a crisis with one of the housekeepers. Leo says you are to pitch in right away. Mr. Jove is staying on the twelfth floor, by the way, so you better be nice to him.”
Teddy froze at the smug look on Ashley’s face and the mention of the hotel critic. Leo wanted her to be Mr. Jove’s maid? Impossible…or was it? Was this his convoluted form of retribution over what had gone down with her and Mr. Jove? It was totally surreal and too unbelievable. A slow burn spread through Teddy as she stared Ashley down, but the stuck-up little witch didn’t back down.
Martha sat stiffly at her desk and took a sip of tea to calm her agitated state. She hated having to let employees go and always sought ways to make their exit less painful. But this time, it didn’t look like it would be possible.
A knock at her door startled her and she rose to answer it.
“Randolph!” she exclaimed, patting her hair and straightening her skirt. “What a pleasant surprise.”
“It shouldn’t be a surprise. I don’t care what Lola and the doctors tell me, I can’t stay away from here for more than a day. You know that.” Randolph kissed Martha’s cheek hello and paused to study her. “You’ve done something different with your hair.”
“Yes, I figured twenty years with a bob was twenty years too long. What do you think of my new layered cut?” she asked, self-consciously smoothing her side-swept bangs.
“I like it,” Randolph said with an approving nod. “It’s sassy, Martita.”
“Thanks.” Martha turned away to collect herself. Anytime Randolph called her Martita it made her heart flutter and now that he’d combined it with a compliment she was blushing like a young girl. Keeping her eyes averted, she casually asked, “Have you had lunch yet? There’s plenty here for two. I can order you something else if you don’t want the salmon salad.”
“No, thanks.” His big hand gestured to the tray of food. “You go on ahead.”
“I can’t. I had to dismiss one of our best housekeepers, and I lost my appetite.”
Randolph lowered his large form onto the small sofa next to Martha’s desk and motioned for her to sit beside him. A thrill ran through Martha; her pleasure in this ruggedly handsome man’s company hadn’t waned in all these years.
“What happened?” He grabbed a freshly baked dinner roll from her tray, liberally buttered it and bit into it with gusto.
Martha smiled inwardly. Randolph had always enjoyed eating heartily and now the brawny man was beset with strict restrictions on his current diet. If he were her man, she would make sure he had plenty of delicious, heart healthy meals. God only knew what bland nonsense Lola had instructed the current cook to prepare for him. Lola barely ate, and she went through household help like they were disposable.
“Why did you have to fire her?” Randolph prompted. “Who was it?”
“It was Carmen Ortiz, and I didn’t actually fire her. She is suspended pending further investigation over a run-in with Mr. Jove. He claimed he caught her rummaging in his suitcase and that she stole a pair of gold cuff links, but Carmen vehemently denies it. She told me Jove exposed himself and made a pass at her.”
Randolph’s bushy brows shot up. “Good Lord. What if he’s guilty? It’s his word against hers.”
“Well…the security cameras showed Carmen taking an armload of dresses from the hotel to her car earlier. When they questioned her, she started to cry and told them that Teddy had given her the dresses for her twin daughters.”
Randolph nodded. “That sounds like something Teddy would do. Did you ask her about it?”
“Not yet. It all happened so fast and we have cranky Jove to contend with. I was just about to go looking for Teddy when you arrived.” Martha shook her head. “Something is off. Teddy has been working in the pool area all morning. I can’t imagine how she would have given Carmen permission to take dresses from her room when she wasn’t there. Carmen left the premises in tears and Teddy’s dresses are being held by security as evidence.”
Randolph set the half-eaten roll down and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. “How is Teddy doing? The poor little gal had quite a scare last night.”
“She’s doing just fine, Randolph. Teddy is a trooper and everyone loves her, including me,” Martha said fondly.
Randolph’s strong hand patted Martha’s. “Thanks for all you’ve done for Teddy over the years. I do appreciate it, Martita. So does Teddy.”
“No need to thank me,” Martha murmured. Over the years she had been the one who bought and sent lovely birthday and Christmas gifts to Teddy from Randolph, insisting he include a personal note scrawled in his bold handwriting. She had also kept tabs on Teddy and made sure she kept safe and healthy during all her escapades traveling worldwide.
Randolph’s eyes filled with regret. “It’s a shame that Teddy has never gotten along with Lolita.” He frowned. “They seem to be at odds all the time. I hadn’t realized how bad it was until last night.”
He just now realized the ever antagonistic battle between the two women in his life? A flash of exasperation made Martha speak more boldly than she had in all the years she’d worked for Randolph. “I guess Lola doesn’t know your daughter like we do. You did a fine job raising Teddy.”
Randolph shook his head. “I wish I could take credit for her upbringing, but it was her momma who influenced Teddy most. I was too busy working.” His eyes took on a faraway look and he suddenly looked every bit of his 64 years. “Time sure has flown. Teddy is 30 now, the same age Alicia was when I married her. It’s uncanny how much she looks like her momma.”
Martha had seen pictures of Alicia and it was true Teddy had the same topaz eyes and golden skin as her mom, but she had her Daddy’s height, blond hair and outgoing nature.
“Have you seen Lola? I’ve been trying to get a hold of her all morning,” Randolph groused.
“No, I haven’t seen her,” Martha said in a level tone.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ve enjoyed our talk this morning,” he said standing up. “Don’t be a stranger, Martita. I’ve barely seen you this past week.” His handsome face creased with an engaging smile. “I’ve missed our talks.”
She also missed them—too much. At 60, Martha was much closer in age to Randolph than Lola, and she had a lot in common with him. They could spend hours talking about world history, soccer and Latin American art, some of the passions they shared.
“Thanks, Randolph. So have I.” Martha’s heart swelled with love for this lion of a man. Try as she might all these years, she couldn’t shake her romantic devotion to him. It warmed her heart to see him looking better than he had in a while. Though he grumbled about it, she could tell he was taking better care of his health. He’d lost some weight and his face had more color in it.
With a weary sigh, she turned away and rubbed the back of her neck. Adding to her despair was an investigative report in her desk that made her stomach churn and had her hopping mad.