When you realise

20. The First Encounter

"Rosie, daddy is not going to blow anything up" Mel quickly said, her face was turning into a dark shade of Red, I couldn't quite shake the feeling that she was covering something up.

"Ellie, we have had a problem at the Middletown hotel, the manager is requesting your presence over an issue they are having. I told them you are busy today, but they said it is urgent. Damian, I hope you don't mind but I told them that as COO you would head out there today to work through the issues. I know you both wanted to go to the meeting with the real-estate today but this needs to be sorted ASAP".

"Have no fear D-Man is here" he shouted as he stood up and posed like superman causing Rosie to break out in a fit of giggle "You so silly D-man" she laughed out.

"I'm on my way" he said as he ticked Rosie to make her laugh more.

"Don't stand me up tonight Ellie, I require ice cream as soon as I step of the elevator" he was yelling out as he headed towards his office to make arrangements, unlike me, Damian actually had to have John drive him around, he always told me he was never leaving the city so what was the point in learning how to drive a car, he would just catch a train.

Given that the meeting today was taking place next door in the restaurant that I own, I didn't require John's services for the day, I actually felt sorry for John today, even though we talked, I know he liked the quiet and Damian was anything but quiet.

"The lunch meeting is the only meeting you have today, although Antonio has asked if you could look over the new menu and approve it for next month, as it is going to be moving into summer, he thought more salads would be appropriate for the menu, Liam has put forward a summer cocktail menu for the poolside bar and housekeeping are requesting a new bed for room 404, apparently a bucks party was going on throughout the weekend and the bed was the only thing that couldn't be fixed.

I smiled up at Mel "How the hell do you break a bed at a bucks party" I asked, "You know what never mind, I don't think I want to know, I take it the security bond has already been taken from the credit card of the client for damages, so just approve the bed, so we don't have a room out of order for long".

"Ok I will call housekeeping as soon as I drop Rosie off at day care, say goodbye to Ellie, Rosie" Mel answered

Rosie flung forward and put her arms around my neck and I pulled her off the table onto my lap and squeezed her tight "Have a fantastic day sweetheart".

"I will Ellie, I love you" she hugged back

"I love you too princess" I whispered in her ear as Mel held out her hand for Rosie to take as she jumped off my lap.

After replying to some emails and checking in on Damian who told me he would fill me in tonight about what was going over at Middletown. It was now 11:30, I buzzed Mel into the office.

"Yes Ellie" she said happily

"Mel, I'm going to need you to attend the meeting with me today, Damian will not be back in time and I will need you to take notes, it also helps that you have already spoken to Mr Hemmings before. We will leave in approximately 15 minutes so finish up with what you are doing please.

"Certainly Ellie" she replied with a hint of a sly smile on her face as she walked back to her desk, the more time that went on today, the more I thought she was hiding something from me and I don't like the feeling of not knowing what is happening.

It was 15 minutes later and we were heading towards the elevators, Melanie looked at me with a slight frown "What is it Melanie? Something is going on and I want to know what it is". I said finally having enough of the small glances she had given me throughout the day.