much more interesting than any of the other more conventional and staid candidates he’d interviewed so far. He frowned at that incongruous and ridiculous thought.
Beth Krayton either hadn’t noticed that frown or she was choosing to ignore it. She stood straighter. For a tiny thing she was making an excellent attempt at being regal. “I’ll be honest with you, Mr. Banick. I might not have all the skills you’re looking for, but I learn very fast and I’ll devote myself to absorbing everything I need to know as quickly as possible. You’ll be able to count on me completely. I’ll do whatever is necessary.”
“Do you have experience in the hospitality field?”
She shook her head and that unkempt mop of red hair slid against her cheek. “None. And I don’t have a college degree, if you’re going to ask about that, but I can take direction and I know how to identify and pursue opportunities. I’ve never shied away from challenges and I don’t believe in the word impossible.”
“Lots of people say that.”
That stopped her for a second. Then she took an almost visibly deep breath. “Yes, they do, but…I tend to live it. The fact that I’m here when I don’t have any reason to believe that you would hire me is partial proof of that. I promise you that I will make this job the top priority in my life.”
Carson frowned. That was what he needed to hear, but it also sounded a bit too pat. He wanted to ask some follow-up questions, personal questions, but there were boundaries an employer couldn’t cross. His next question would have to be phrased carefully.
“If I need you here at night?”
For a second those brown eyes lit. She looked hopeful, almost pretty, which was a ridiculous thought. He liked curvy women, not skinny, nervous ones with bad hair and eyes that were feverish in their intensity. A good thing, since he couldn’t get involved with an employee. Frankly, after Emily, he didn’t intend to get involved with any woman who wasn’t capable of fitting into the Banick world. It just wouldn’t be fair to either of them, especially since he had recently decided that he would have to marry. Patrick could no longer father children, and there had to be a Banick heir….
“Mr. Banick?”
Carson gave himself a mental shake and concentrated on Beth Krayton. Despite her obvious misgivings at his so-called “exalted status” she was determined to make her case. She deserved his full attention. “Yes?”
“I said that I could be here whenever necessary. This will not be just a job to me.”
“It’s a temporary job,” he warned. “Once the hotel opens, my involvement and this position end.”
She paled slightly. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I can deal with that. It will still look good on my résumé.”
“I haven’t hired you yet.” More and more he was thinking that while she was definitely the most enthusiastic and driven—and therefore the most promising—candidate, hiring her might prove to be a mistake—on a personal level. There was something intriguing about her, and he couldn’t afford to be intrigued by a down-on-her-luck employee.
“I know you haven’t hired me.”
“Tell me about your last job.”
She blanched and then she blushed. “I was a customer service representative in an automotive parts store.”
“And you left for what reason?”
For the first time she looked away.
Ah. “Were you…let go?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, in a sense.”
He could see she wanted to leave it at that. No chance. “In what sense?”
“In the sense that…” She sighed and turned her attention back to him. “I’ll be honest, Mr. Banick. In my younger days I was a bit wild. I did things that got me into trouble and made my already overprotective family even more protective. They knew my last employer and they thought he would make a great husband for me. He seemed to think the same thing. Since I’m not interested in a relationship or in getting married, I was the only one who didn’t think Barry and I were well suited.
“No one was forcing me into anything, of course, but the situation still became very awkward. When I declared my lack of interest, Barry asked me to leave. But rest assured that I didn’t get fired because of incompetence. And also rest assured that my youthful ways are behind me. If you hire me for this job you won’t regret it. I need this position and I do exemplary work. I hope you won’t hold the circumstances of my last job against me. For what it’s worth, I was very good with the customers. I just wasn’t very good at telling my boss that I wasn’t interested in him as a man.”
Beth finished this long speech, two bright spots of color in her cheeks. It was obvious that the subject of her last employer was more than a little uncomfortable.
She didn’t realize it but she had just said exactly the right things. She had been a bit wild in her younger days. So had he, so he knew about trying to move past that. More importantly, she wasn’t interested in romance. That simplified things. In a working relationship this close he couldn’t afford even the possibility of an inappropriate entanglement, especially given the fact that he’d finally accepted that he needed to marry and produce an heir to keep the Banick line going. Still…
“Ms. Krayton,” he began, knowing that his tone was enough to ready her for bad news.
“Don’t say no yet. I realize my background isn’t ideal, but…why don’t you hire me on a trial basis?” she offered suddenly. “If I don’t prove useful in two weeks I’ll help you find a replacement. I’d even be willing to work those two weeks for free.”
Carson raised a brow. She didn’t look like someone who could go without a paycheck for two weeks. “That’s very accommodating of you, Ms. Krayton.”
Carson looked at the clock and then at the calendar. When Patrick began this project, he had planned to complete it by the end of the year. Since his accident three months ago, little had been done and the shareholders were getting restless. Disaster threatened, and the future of the business, Patrick’s pride and joy, was at stake. Carson had waited too long to step in. Now he had to move mountains.
The truth was that he didn’t know if Beth Krayton was the best candidate, but she appeared to be totally committed to acquiring the position and proving herself. That was more than he could say for any of the other people he’d interviewed, most of whom had been more interested in the salary and benefits than in the job itself. And she had offered him an easy out if things didn’t work.
It was tempting to hedge his bets. He was almost as new at this as she was. But there would be no tiptoeing around for him or for anyone who worked for him. Once they began, life would become a whirlwind. The schedule for the hotel was being stepped up.
“No trial period,” he said. “I’ll hire you until you do something that justifies firing you. Banicks treat their employees fairly.” Carson held back a groan. He sounded just like his father. Beth grinned.
“What?” he said.
“You said you
