Hotel O

“Thank you for the compliment, Miss,” Melvin says.

“Oh, Mel,” she says, nudging him in the side. “Stop being so perfect.”

Melvin shrugs. “Can’t help it, Miss.”

Kat’s laugh makes me smile too. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to loving that sound so much.

Melvin takes our coats, and says, “They’re waiting for you in the dining area.”

As we walk there, I whisper to Kat, “Dining area?”

“Sorry, did I mention my parents are kinda …”

“Rich?” I fill in. “The house gave it away.”

She makes a face without saying anything else, but it’s enough.

I place a hand on her back and pat her gently. “No need to feel guilty. It’s not a problem.”

“Eh, for you it might not be.” She bites her lip. “But to me? Ugh …”

“Why? Hard growing up?” I ask as we walk through the hallway.

“Let’s just say there’s a reason I’m so in love with the freedom I have right now.”

We enter the room together. Her parents are sitting at the long table, which is already set. “Hi!”

Her mom gets up and greets her first, giving her two kisses on the cheek, before holding out her hand to greet me. “Meredith. But we already met.”

“I’m still amazed you’re her mother,” I say, shaking her hand.

“Oh, stop it,” she says, nudging me in the arm. Then she glances at Kat. “Is he always this smooth?”

“Like butter,” she answers, making me grin.

Her dad gets up too and pats me on the shoulder instead of shaking my hand. “No need for introductions, right?”

“Right …” Nothing’s more awkward than this. Meeting your boss when you’re not at work.

“C’mon, let’s have a drink,” her mom says, guiding us back to the table where we all sit down.

Melvin quickly hobbles into the room with a tray filled with cups of tea and coffee. “Dinner will be served shortly,” he says, after giving everyone their preferred drink, and then he scurries off just as fast as he came inside.

“Does he always do that?” I whisper into Kat’s ear.

“What? The randomly appearing and disappearing thing? You’ll get used to it.”

I don’t know about that. I’ve never had a butler. Or rich parents. Then again, I can understand it’s hard when you’re the only child and they don’t let you do your thing. Which is what probably happened to Kat. Sheltered to the point of feeling suffocated.

Lucky for me, she was too naughty to stop looking for more, and here we are.

“So you’re together now?” her dad says, and I almost choke on my coffee.

“Yes,” Kat replies.

“So is he your boyfriend or just a friend?” her mom asks. “I’m so confused.”

Kat’s face flushes. “Boyfriend, I guess?” She looks my way for confirmation.

“Yeah, sorry about the confusion.” I put down my coffee and look at both her parents. “I’m very serious about your daughter.”

“Good. She deserves the best,” her mom says with thin lips.

“Did she tell you where I work, though?” I say. I just want to get it done and over with.

Mr. Mayer clears his throat. “He works for me.”

Mrs. Mayer asks, “At the hotel, right? And you’re okay with that?”

“He’s not the one to decide, Mom,” Kat says before her father can even open his mouth. “I made this choice. I want Declan.” She grabs my hand and squeezes tight.

“Right, of course.” Mrs. Mayer licks her lips, sucking on her bottom one. “Well, if you’re happy with him, that’s all that matters. Right, Fred?”

“Right.” He nods, taking a large sip of his coffee. It’s all so damn awkward.

When everything’s gone silent for a while, I speak up. “Sir, I would just like to apologize to you for finding out this way that I was dating your daughter.”

Mr. Mayer glares at me. “Well, it would’ve been better if you’d told me beforehand.”

“I didn’t know she was your daughter. I found out when you did.”

“How’s that even possible?” he asks.

“I gave him a fake name,” Kat mumbles, stirring the spoon in her cup as she looks up at both of us. “Sorry.”

“Aha,” her dad says. “So you lied?”

“If he knew my name, he could look me up and see where I worked,” she explains. “Which means he’d probably have kicked me out for trying to write about the hotel.”

“Is that true?” her mom asks.

I nod. “I always have the reputation of the hotel in my mind. It’s the most important thing to me, and I don’t ever want to jeopardize that. Not for any girl.”

“Not that I’d ever expose the hotel, knowing my father owns the place,” Kat adds.

“Good to know,” Mr. Mayer says. “I’d rather not have any of my business leaked to the public. It’d mean the end of everything. My whole life’s work.”

“I understand,” Kat says, smiling. “I know it’s important to you, and it’s important to me too. I like the place. I don’t want to see it fail.”