An unlikely romance sprouts from a chance encounter between Cliff and Hannah after she spurns his good deed. ----------
Cliff tries doing a good deed for financially distressed Hannah by paying for her expensive car repairs. He expects nothing in...
Hannah's first interview at the country club had been a surprise. It had gone well but not great. She never expected to be called back for a second interview. A job at the club just didn't seem to be a good fit for her. But, hey, if they wanted to speak with her again, what did she have to lose?
On her first visit, she had been embarrassed to drive her old, used car up to the valet stand. After a quick glance at the parking lot, Hannah realized hers wasn't the only clunker. Employees didn't necessarily drive expensive cars.
She had met with the club's general manager, Dan Cento, a gentleman tanned and fit with an easygoing smile and graying temples. He said they were interested in her after receiving the dossier from her agency. The HR department had conducted a preliminary verification of her credentials and received a stellar review from her former supervisor.
The position she interviewed for was General Facilities Manager. Hannah explained how she had zero experience with golf, tennis, or even swimming pool management. She certainly had no experience with hotel management, food service, or hospitality. Mr. Cento explained those areas had their own autonomous managers. Her job would entail overseeing all the employees working on buildings and grounds maintenance such as lawn care, snow removal, and overall facility cleanliness. She would also oversee special events but not booking which was handled by the sales department.
Hannah still didn't understand how she fit. In her former job she worked with white collar professionals, not laborers.
She began to suspect how someone might be pressuring the club to consider her for the position. Cliff came to mind. Did he have that much pull with the place? Did he still care for her after she had broken things off? He had texted her an hour ago for the first time in the two weeks since their breakup. It fueled her suspicion. Did Cliff know she was being interviewed?
She pulled her phone and ran a finger across his words on the screen:
Thinking about you. How goes the job search?
She hadn't responded. Not yet. She hadn't decided if she would.
If Cliff really was behind the club's consideration of her, should she be angry or grateful? During their first encounter, he had tried to help her, but she had been stubborn and allowed her pride to get in the way. This time, her situation was desperate. She and her mom and dad needed money. She couldn't afford to be prideful. On the other hand, she worried upper management would be resentful of her if their hand was being forced.
Cliff had been so perfect and so right for her. Maybe it had been a mistake to give up on him so easily. Maybe not. She would never be able to tolerate his mother and knew for sure the older woman's feelings toward her were mutual.
If only, she sighed. If only.
"Ms. Blessing, sorry to keep you waiting." Mr. Cento approached where she had been sitting in the business office waiting for him. After shaking hands, he said, "The first time you were here I neglected to give you a tour of the grounds. Allow me to do so while we wait for the rest of the directors to arrive."
She frowned. "The directors?"
"Yes, you'll be meeting today with the search committee made up of three members of our board of directors."
While she digested that bit of information, he began showing her around. Hannah marveled at the opulence of the place, the marble staircases, the lobby fountains, the gardens, and they even had an aviary. Although awed, she tried not to gawk open-mouthed thinking it would appear unprofessional. Her curiosity made her ask, "Why does the lobby smell like lilacs?"
"Discreetly placed atomizers spray the fragrance," Mr. Cento explained. "If you happen to be the successful candidate, it will be your job to ensure the staff keeps them properly filled and maintained."
The position would be so foreign to her, she wasn't sure she would be able to ask intelligent questions of her interviewers. Hannah felt out of her depth. She wondered again if someone was pulling strings. "I'm flattered to be considered, Mr. Cento, but as I expressed during our first interview, I'm not sure why?"
Mr. Cento folded his hands behind his back while walking. "There's a logical answer to your question, but I'm going to let the directors discuss that with you."
An interesting obfuscation. She wondered what it could mean.
He waved his arm toward a walkway. "This is the promenade leading into our event center."
She noticed several workers hanging a white tarp against a brick wall. "What are those men doing?"
"Are you aware of the upcoming annual summer social?"
A stab to her heart. Another reminder of Cliff. She would have loved to attend with him. "I think everyone who lives in Hershey knows about the social. It's the highlight of the season."
He nodded. "Everyone attending walks into the center along this promenade. A photographer sets up to take glamour shots of the guests."
Hannah viewed the scene and frowned. "Why there, Mr. Cento?" She stepped toward a towering hedge, perfectly manicured, and sporting pretty, tiny white blossoms. "Have your guests line up in front of this foliage. It's natural and certainly more aesthetically pleasing than some sterile, white tarp."
Mr. Cento paused to consider what she had told him. "We've always used a white tarp and never considered anything else." He smiled. "Ms. Blessing, you are already impressing me. Fresh ideas are exactly what the board is looking for."
Hannah couldn't help but smile.
He glanced at the time. "Speaking of the board, are you ready to meet them?"
"Sure!"
"Well then, I wish you all the best. Take a deep breath," he said, "and get ready."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Is Hannah being too pessimistic about her chances to land the job?
