From Ex to Eternity (Newlywed Games 1)

Keith threw himself in the shower and scrubbed all traces of hot tubs, hot honey brunettes and intimacy from his body. He wished he could say the same about his head. Because Cara was firmly in it and no admonishment in existence could remove the memories from his mind.

He crossed the Regent emblem in the lobby in thirteen minutes.

Elena, dressed in a crisp Regent uniform, hair smoothed into a bun, waited by the front desk. Staff buzzed around the lobby, similarly dressed, attending to various duties with a heightened sense of urgency.

Regent Resorts at Grace Bay was open for business.

Keith dived in. Instead of diminishing, the list of problems grew exponentially as he began investigating.

“Pool furniture.” He pointed at two uniforms. “Spread it out and make it look like we didn’t lose so many pieces in the storm.”

They scurried off. Keith grabbed a handful of groundskeepers. “Retrim the palm trees. They still look like they were hit by a tropical storm.”

Elena rolled her eyes. “I think the executives are going to have to understand the property was just hit by a tropical storm.”

“No. They will understand this is the premier wedding destination resort on the planet and tropical storms do not interfere with an engaged couple’s plans when they stay at a Regent property.”

Keith Mitchell might not control the weather but he controlled his destiny, and it was not going down in flames because he’d stumbled and fallen into the eye of Cara’s whirlwind.

He sent the resort’s limo to the airport to retrieve the executives and put the fear of God into the rest of the staff. True to his nickname, Mitchell the Missile’s heat-seeking radar found even the smallest unearthed issues and addressed them. A general on the battlefield couldn’t hold a candle to Keith’s natural skill with both organization and delegation.

When the limo rolled to the curb with the executive team inside, the resort was not in the shape it should have been. But it would be. Better the executive team see the mended seams instead of the expo guests, who would begin arriving at noon.

Keith had three hours to pull off a miracle—and convince Regent’s executives to continue their faith in his ability to turn around this disaster in the making. Adrenaline pumped through his body, fueling his blood and making it sing. This was his hour of glory and he’d worked fiendishly for months to earn it.

Ronald Schmidt, the CEO of Regent, emerged first, hand outstretched for Keith to shake.

“Welcome,” Keith said to the team at large and spent the next hour as a personal tour guide to Regent’s entire C-suite. Simultaneously, he fielded messages from Alice and Elena and responded with a barrage of instructions as they flawlessly walked on water in Keith’s stead.

At the end of the tour, Ronald shook his head with a small smile. “I don’t know how you did it, Mitchell. This place is indeed the jewel you insisted it could be, even with the added complication of an unanticipated storm. Your reputation is well-founded.”

“Thank you, sir.” Keith inclined his head and slipped a hand in his pocket to still his yet-again vibrating phone. Interruptions could wait for a couple of minutes, especially if Ronald had more to say.

“I was going to wait until after the expo to discuss the terms of your contract, but it’s clear I don’t need to. As you know, the continuation clause was contingent on how you performed with this property.”

“Yes, I’m aware.” Tingling at the base of Keith’s spine swept upward and he clamped down on it. This was no time to let euphoria interfere with what might quickly turn into a negotiation over Keith’s future.

“You’ll have a contract extension in your inbox within two days for the remaining fifteen Caribbean resorts. And let’s bump up your rate. A million a property. We can discuss specifics whenever you’re ready.”

Ronald shook Keith’s hand and waved to include the rest of the team. “We’re all looking forward to the expo. I’m sure it will be a grand show.”

“Unparalleled. I hope you enjoy your stay with Regent Resorts at Grace Bay.” Keith motioned to the bellboys standing at attention behind him. “Let us show you to your rooms.”

Yet another mark of distinction—treating the men who signed the paycheck of every employee here like guests. The service philosophies Keith and Elena had infused into the staff culture would catapult Regent to the top of the luxury vacation heap.

And Keith had just been granted the opportunity to do it again—fifteen more times.