Ari and his father said their goodbyes to Ricardo and to Franklin.
They took the elevator down with Ira.
“Dad, I really don’t think you should sell the hotel properties,” Ari said when they were on their way to the airport. “We are more than capable of successfully managing the chain, despite what Natasha LeBlanc believes.”
“When we get home, we will sit down with the rest of the family to examine all of our options, son. We will make this decision together—the same we have always done.”
Pleased, Ari closed his eyes and settled back against the lush leather seats in the back of the limo. He wished he had seen more of Los Angeles, but there was time. He would be back.
Natasha LeBlanc would just have to accept that he was now a part of her world.
“Mr. Chase, these are the primary areas found to be in need of attention,” Natasha began. “Inefficient service provided by undertrained and insufficient numbers of staff, poor levels of communication between management and ground staff, standard rooms and suites needing work, and the sports facilities were often unavailable due to an outdated booking system. However, on the positive side, this hotel had excellent food and a loyal sector of repeat customers aged sixty-plus.”
“We have a new employee training program in place, and, of course, retraining will be done by all of the employees,” said Mr. Chase.
“This is a good investment for you, but in order to maximize your dollars, you are going to need to upgrade your rooms—this will increase occupancy.” Natasha paused a moment before continuing. “Mr. Chase, without substantial investment, it is often possible to improve the quality of service just through better staff training and communication skills. Little touches that make a world of difference can be missing.”
She was so glad the meeting had finished on time. Natasha’s day was a busy one, but she was grateful because she needed the money. She had two more appointments before having lunch with a potential client.
Natasha checked her watch. Ari and his father were on the plane by now. The flight was scheduled to depart in the next twenty minutes or so.
Her next two meetings were productive. Natasha was grateful her day seemed to be going well. She left her office and got into her car. She was meeting with the CEO of the Savoy Hotel Group. While driving, Natasha rehearsed her presentation in her head.
Paul Pritzkin was just arriving when she got out of her car. They walked into the restaurant together.
They were seated immediately.
“I’m so glad you could meet with me at this late notice,” Paul told her. “I have to leave this evening for London, and I won’t be back for a couple of weeks.”
“Thank you for calling me,” she said. “I welcome the opportunity to work with your company.”
They made small talk until their food arrived.
Natasha sliced into her entrée. “LeBlanc Consulting experts will help you outperform your local competition, Mr. Pritzkin. We specialize in hotel consulting. Within this small market niche, we offer a complete portfolio of services for the hospitality industry. You can combine the following services or products in order to obtain a package tailored to your specific needs.”
Paul glanced down at the information she had given him. “You also specialize in operator selection?”
“Yes,” Natasha responded. “If you are looking for a hotel group to run a planned or existing hotel, we can assist you with the selection of a suitable operator. We can also advise you with regard to the financial and legal aspects of a management or lease contract.”
Two hours later, Natasha walked out of the restaurant with a check and signed contract. She hummed softly as she made her way to her car.
Natasha drove back to her office, grateful for the new clients she’d picked up today. She was responsible for twelve employees, and the new clients would help with overhead and payroll costs.
Her assistant had left a copy of Hospitality News in her office. On the cover was an article about Robert DePaul’s death and his secret son. The media was predicting an all-out war between the DePaul family and Malcolm Alexander.
For Malcolm’s sake, she prayed it wouldn’t come to that. He seemed like a really nice man. As for Ari…the truth was that she liked Ari, although Natasha was pretty sure he didn’t care much for her.
I probably would’ve tried harder to win him over if he weren’t married. The thought made her laugh. Despite his marital status, she found him compelling, his magnetism potent.
How could I be attracted to this man? Natasha kept repeating he’s married over and over in her head, but it was as if her heart refused to listen. She turned on the television to take her mind off Ari Alexander.
Natasha watched TV for about an hour before calling it a night. Her sister’s engagement dinner was tomorrow night, so she and Joshua would be leaving first thing Saturday morning. Natasha was looking forward to seeing her family. She really didn’t have anyone she was close to in Los Angeles, so she relished the time spent with her brother or sister.
After a relaxing shower, she slipped into her favorite sleepwear, a Lakers basketball jersey with Kobe Bryant’s number. Natasha was a devoted basketball fan.
Ari drifted into her mind once more, causing her to toss a pillow at the wall in frustration. “Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” she whispered. Natasha didn’t want to think about Ari. He was married, and she respected the boundaries. Her ex-husband had never been faithful. She would never cross that line with a married man.
She wasn’t that type of woman.
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