Read Online Tidal Patterns (Golden Shores Book 1) by Rachelle Paige - Free Book Online
Authors: Rachelle Paige
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agreed, jumping in to the conversation before he had a chance to show her the door. She realized it was fight or flight time and she intended to fight.
“And, I am ready and eager to do that. Yes, I have more to learn about the business side. But I am the most experienced person on this property when it comes to running events. I don’t agree that this is any bigger of a responsibility than what I am already doing.”
He opened his mouth to reply but Lizzie would not be interrupted. She had to get her opinions out. She had to be heard.
“Putting on a big event – no matter what it is, from a barbecue to a concert – is about more than numbers. It’s about handling people. And that is my specialty and it can’t be taught. You can’t teach someone how to keep a crisis under wraps, how to be calm in a storm, how to soothe hurt feelings and stop frustrations. You can teach anyone business. But you can’t teach personality,” she said, her words tumbling out, each faster than the last.
He uncrossed his arms, furrowed his brow, and held her gaze for several seconds. She lifted her chin higher. If he thought he could intimidate her, then he was dead wrong. She’d have enough. She’d been underestimated before. Her parents had undervalued her and hadn’t that caused all of her problems? Wasn’t she forced out by their miscalculation? She refused to let that happen again.
“I think we’re done here Miss Shaw,” he said, getting up from his chair and walking to the door to let her out.
Her mouth gaped but she recovered quickly and shut it as she watched him. That was it? What was going on here? As far as she knew, she was the only candidate at the resort for this job. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say? She grabbed her purse from the floor and stood. She walked over to him and extended her hand for a shake.
For a long moment, her hand hovered in the air and he stared at it. He wouldn’t even shake her hand? Every curse word she’d ever heard raced through her mind until her thoughts were a jumble of inappropriate exclamations. Finally, he grabbed her hand. He held it in his limp grip and shook dropping it quickly. She longed to wipe her hand on her pantsuit after his cold, clammy handshake.
Without another word or a backwards glance, she left. Wrenching open the outer door, stomping down the stairs, and marching out of the hotel and across the manicured lawn, she never once stopped to turn around. A creamy heron took off from the marsh, its light feathers further highlighted against the darkening, overcast sky. Its neck retracted and its legs held back, the bird and its large wingspan put on quite the aeronautic display.
Several hotel guests congregated at the edge of the river to watch. Lizzie ignored it all, not stopping until she reached her office. He didn’t even bother to listen to me. What a jerk. Does he have someone else in mind? He was so dismissive of me. How’s that possible to have another candidate? And who?
Her phone rang in her purse.
“Hello?” She answered, sinking onto the couch.
“How did it go?” Rose asked. “Are we off for a celebratory dinner tonight?”
Raising her face to the ceiling, frustration at the whole episode made her want to yell. But the window air conditioning unit still hadn’t been replaced and the shouts would be too loud to hide. And she didn’t want to startle or alarm Rose.
“Okay, maybe it’s too early to celebrate?”
Lizzie blew out a sigh. “I think it’s time to start considering another option.”
“Is there one?”
“I guess it’s time to find out Rose. I can’t leave this island. It’s become my home.”
Never thought I’d say that. Letting out a hoarse chuckle that threated to turn into a sob, she took in another deep breath. She’d never intended to stay and had balked at the suggestion when it had been first brought up. But slowly, she’d found her place. She’d been rebuilding her life with this demanding job that
“And, I am ready and eager to do that. Yes, I have more to learn about the business side. But I am the most experienced person on this property when it comes to running events. I don’t agree that this is any bigger of a responsibility than what I am already doing.”
He opened his mouth to reply but Lizzie would not be interrupted. She had to get her opinions out. She had to be heard.
“Putting on a big event – no matter what it is, from a barbecue to a concert – is about more than numbers. It’s about handling people. And that is my specialty and it can’t be taught. You can’t teach someone how to keep a crisis under wraps, how to be calm in a storm, how to soothe hurt feelings and stop frustrations. You can teach anyone business. But you can’t teach personality,” she said, her words tumbling out, each faster than the last.
He uncrossed his arms, furrowed his brow, and held her gaze for several seconds. She lifted her chin higher. If he thought he could intimidate her, then he was dead wrong. She’d have enough. She’d been underestimated before. Her parents had undervalued her and hadn’t that caused all of her problems? Wasn’t she forced out by their miscalculation? She refused to let that happen again.
“I think we’re done here Miss Shaw,” he said, getting up from his chair and walking to the door to let her out.
Her mouth gaped but she recovered quickly and shut it as she watched him. That was it? What was going on here? As far as she knew, she was the only candidate at the resort for this job. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say? She grabbed her purse from the floor and stood. She walked over to him and extended her hand for a shake.
For a long moment, her hand hovered in the air and he stared at it. He wouldn’t even shake her hand? Every curse word she’d ever heard raced through her mind until her thoughts were a jumble of inappropriate exclamations. Finally, he grabbed her hand. He held it in his limp grip and shook dropping it quickly. She longed to wipe her hand on her pantsuit after his cold, clammy handshake.
Without another word or a backwards glance, she left. Wrenching open the outer door, stomping down the stairs, and marching out of the hotel and across the manicured lawn, she never once stopped to turn around. A creamy heron took off from the marsh, its light feathers further highlighted against the darkening, overcast sky. Its neck retracted and its legs held back, the bird and its large wingspan put on quite the aeronautic display.
Several hotel guests congregated at the edge of the river to watch. Lizzie ignored it all, not stopping until she reached her office. He didn’t even bother to listen to me. What a jerk. Does he have someone else in mind? He was so dismissive of me. How’s that possible to have another candidate? And who?
Her phone rang in her purse.
“Hello?” She answered, sinking onto the couch.
“How did it go?” Rose asked. “Are we off for a celebratory dinner tonight?”
Raising her face to the ceiling, frustration at the whole episode made her want to yell. But the window air conditioning unit still hadn’t been replaced and the shouts would be too loud to hide. And she didn’t want to startle or alarm Rose.
“Okay, maybe it’s too early to celebrate?”
Lizzie blew out a sigh. “I think it’s time to start considering another option.”
“Is there one?”
“I guess it’s time to find out Rose. I can’t leave this island. It’s become my home.”
Never thought I’d say that. Letting out a hoarse chuckle that threated to turn into a sob, she took in another deep breath. She’d never intended to stay and had balked at the suggestion when it had been first brought up. But slowly, she’d found her place. She’d been rebuilding her life with this demanding job that
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