Santa Maybe (The Duchess Hotel #1)

Chapter 10

Ten

24 Days Until Christmas

By the time December arrived, Rosie was spending all her spare time at the Duchess. Early mornings, late nights, weekends, whatever it took. Today, her anxiety was higher than usual because the hotel was hosting their first “family Saturday.” Since she hadn’t asked guests to register for the event ahead of time, she didn’t know how many people to expect. At least twenty families with small children were currently staying at the Duchess, but they might have other plans.

She’d arrived at the hotel at ten, fully intending to help the Damsels set up, but due to an unexpected glitch in their central reservation system, she’d spent an hour dealing with IT. Then, while waiting for the system to come back online, she’d had to help the front desk deal with reservation requests and checkouts. By the time the crisis was resolved, she had less than twenty minutes before their family event was due to start. She hustled over to the breakfast room, grateful to see all the Damsels there, along with Laurel’s intern and three high school students, who were acting as “helper elves.”

Charlie ran over to Rosie. “Thank God you’re here. Is the front desk back online yet?”

“It is now,” Rosie said. “Thanks for getting everything ready.”

“No problem,” Charlie said. “I’m so nervous. What if no one shows up?”

A queasy sensation settled in the pit of Rosie’s stomach. Given Charlie’s perpetual optimism, her anxiety wasn’t a good sign. “What makes you think no one’s coming?”

“I don’t know.” Charlie twisted her hands together. “This morning’s IT outage made me anxious. Like, maybe the universe isn’t smiling on us. And it’s pouring rain outside.”

“Here I thought I was the pessimist,” Selena said. “Personally, I think we lucked out with the weather. With all this rain, families will be looking for things to do indoors.”

“Plus, the marketing team did everything they could to promote today’s event,” Laurel added. “The Times Colonist ran a short piece about it yesterday.”

“I’m just grateful we’ve gotten this far,” Rosie said. “Why don’t you all show me what you’ve done?” She’d rather focus on their accomplishments than on their fears that the hotel’s first family event would be a failure.

Charlie led her to one section of the breakfast room, where the tables were draped in seasonal vinyl tablecloths. “This is the craft corner for kids to make different ornaments.”

As Rosie scanned all the supplies—containers of Popsicle sticks, markers, cotton balls, beads, buttons, ribbons, and felt—she hoped Charlie hadn’t spent too much. “Wow. Where’d you get all this stuff?”

“Most of it came from Drew’s sister, Kate. She was going to help us out today, but she already had plans. So, last week, when you had to attend that motivational seminar with Preston, she stopped by and dropped off everything. We totally bonded.” Charlie showed her another table. “This one’s for the gingerbread people, plus icing and candy for decorating them. I can’t believe how many you made.”

“Most of the credit goes to Isabella. She organized all of it and invited our cousins to help.” Thanks to Rosie’s sister, the cookie-baking session had turned into an impromptu holiday party, complete with tunes, cocktails, and gossip.

Laurel joined them and pointed to the buffet station that ran along one side of the room. “In case anyone needs refreshments, we’ve got plenty of snacks: peppermint bark, bags of white chocolate pretzels, candy canes, and three kinds of Christmas cookies, plus we set up a hot cocoa dispenser and two carafes of coffee.”

“And…” Charlie gestured to a tall photo booth in the corner. “Ta-da! Selena got this at half price. Look at all the fun props!” She held up a giant gingerbread man.

Selena gave them a smug smile. “The breakfast cook’s brother runs a party rental place. He gave me a great deal.” Next to the photo booth was a box of light-up necklaces. She grabbed one and slipped it over Rosie’s head. “There. Now you look more festive.”

Rosie’s throat swelled up with emotion. She’d known about most of their activities, but the photo booth was a wonderful surprise. “Thanks. You’ve all done such a great job. I talked to Preston earlier, and he’s going to stop by in a bit.”

“What about Drew?” Selena asked. “When’s he coming?”

“He’ll be here at three thirty, dressed in his full Santa outfit.” Hopefully, by then, they’d have enough kids in attendance to justify his presence.

“We’ve got Santa’s area all roped off.” Laurel led her to a corner of the room where a handmade sign reading, “Welcome to the North Pole,” stood next to a wooden throne lined with plush red cushions. “The set director of VOS Musical Theatre loaned me this throne. It’s from their fall production of the musical Camelot .”

“I love it,” Rosie said. “Thanks, everyone. I know this has been a ton of work.”

“Make sure you thank Drew for pitching in as Santa,” Selena added. “And I’m talking a real thank-you, not a sisterly hug.”

Heat bloomed in Rosie’s cheeks. “We’re only pretending to date, remember?”

“So you say, but you’ve been hanging out with him a lot.”

Rosie nodded, not wanting to admit the depth of her feelings out loud. Even as her work life grew increasingly demanding, Drew’s presence helped keep her spirits up. The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to date him for real.

But it wasn’t an option. He hadn’t hinted—not once—that he wanted more from her than friendship and a fake girlfriend. Not only was he still recovering from Evelyn’s betrayal, but his issues also went much deeper. Every time he opened up about his dysfunctional parents, Rosie’s heart ached for him.

When a knock came at the door, she went to answer it, hoping Preston hadn’t decided to pop by early. She didn’t want him to show up until a few families were in attendance.

A petite Latina woman with wildly curly hair and a huge smile greeted her. “Hey, there! Are you Rosalina?”

“Just Rosie, thanks. And you’re…Sofia?” Last week, she’d gotten a message from Sofia—a popular food and travel influencer who’d decided to visit the hotel. Though Sofia had arrived last night, Rosie hadn’t gotten the chance to meet her yet.

“Yep. Sofia Sanchez. Better known by my handle, SoFood SoFia. I was psyched when Isabella reached out to me and said you needed help.”

“You’re friends with my sister?” When Isabella had mentioned she “knew” a few influencers, Rosie had assumed she followed them online, not that she was at their level.

“I’ve never met Isabella in real life, but she’s one of my favorite Latina mommy influencers on TikTok. Her videos are so insightful. And they’re funny, too.” Sofia patted her stomach, which showed the smallest hint of a baby bump. “I started following her when I found out I was expecting. I’m due in April, and I’m over the moon about it, except for the part where I can’t indulge in any holiday cocktails.”

Since when was Isabella a TikTok sensation? Rosie couldn’t believe she hadn’t heard about this. Maybe it was time she paid more attention to her family rather than just complaining about them.

“Congratulations on the baby,” she said to Sofia. “Our bartender can make you a holiday mocktail if you want.”

“Maybe later, thanks. Gotta say, Isabella’s invite came out of the blue. I usually like to plan a few months ahead, but my husband and I were already traveling to Seattle so that he could give a talk on Maya settlement patterns at the University of Washington. He’s an archaeologist. Like Indiana Jones, but way hotter.” She laughed. “Anyway, since your sister said you’d comp our stay, I figured why not extend our trip? So, we took the ferry here from Seattle.”

“Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.” With rooms going empty, offering social media influencers free lodging was a no-brainer, especially if they could boost the hotel’s visibility.

“No problem. Victoria looks like a gorgeous city.” Sofia glanced around the breakfast room. “When do the families get here?”

“Very soon, I hope,” Rosie said. “This is our first time doing the event, so I’m not sure how well attended it will be.”

“That’s okay. I’ll do what I can. Take some video footage, talk up the hotel and its history. I did a little research, and it looked incredible in the 1920s. A total Great Gatsby vibe.”

Rosie sighed. “It was impressive in its heyday. Now—not so much.”

“Yeah, not gonna lie, my room feels outdated. The carpeting is worn, and the décor is kinda meh. But I’ll play up the good stuff. Don’t you worry.” She peeked over at the snack table. “I’m gonna grab a few cookies. Now that I’m in my second trimester, I’m hungry all the time.”

No matter how today went, Rosie would have to thank her sister. For all of Isabella’s teasing and nagging, she’d really come through. Rosie watched as Sofia flitted around the room, introducing herself to the others and checking out the photo booth.

At two, Rosie unlocked the door. To her relief, three families stood waiting. As she ushered them in, one of the teenage “elves” offered to show the children around. Sofia engaged with the kids immediately, asking them questions about Christmas. Even if no one else showed up, the families in attendance would have a great time.

Over the next twenty minutes, three other families trickled in. Rosie tried to remain optimistic. Six families meant they were off to a good start, but it wouldn’t satisfy her boss. She could already imagine the painful apology she’d have to make for not meeting his expectations.

Then, at two thirty, a sizeable clump of people—easily two dozen or more—entered the breakfast room. Charlie spoke under her breath. “Oh my God. The Restalls are here.”

“The ones doing that big family reunion?” Rosie asked.

Landing the Restalls had been a huge win. Usually, they stayed at the Grand Duke for their annual reunion, but since it was full, they’d booked rooms at the Duchess instead.

“Yeah. Today’s agenda included a carriage ride and a visit to the Butchart Gardens for their Christmas displays. I’m guessing the rain messed up their plans.” Charlie walked over to greet them.

Rosie wanted to bust out a celebratory dance. Maybe the Duchess hadn’t been the Restalls’ first choice, but she could make them feel like they’d made the right decision.

With the deluge of attendees, she and her staff were put to work. She radioed the kitchen to request more cookies, as well as any other snacks they could round up. At this rate, they’d have to restock before next Saturday, but that was a good problem to have.

At three thirty, Charlie told Rosie she would announce Santa’s arrival. She called the entire room to attention, then led them in an impromptu sing-along of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

When Drew burst into the room, clad in his full regalia—which now included a long white beard—Rosie was once again transfixed at the sight of him. Her knees literally buckled as he cast a grin her way.

How was she lucky enough to be dating the hottest Santa ever?

“Happy December, everyone!” he called out. “I’m thrilled to see so many good boys and girls here.”

Rosie wanted to run over and greet him, but she couldn’t make herself move. All she could do was stare as her Santa fantasies came back in a rush—including one where he’d stripped off his red suit, one piece at a time, like he was in a Magic Mike revue.

Laurel went over to his side and took his arm. “Hey there, Santa! So glad you could make it here from the North Pole.”

“Good thing Canada’s pretty close to the Arctic Circle.” His eyes twinkled as he smiled at the crowd. “But getting here wasn’t easy, since my reindeer prefer traveling in the snow.”

Laurel led him over to his corner. “Here you go. We even found a throne for you. I’m going to have the children line up, and then you can talk to them one by one. Is that okay?”

“Certainly!” Drew settled himself on the throne. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Rosie wondered if he’d ever acted before. Had he done any theatre in high school? How else to explain his complete comfort level in playing Santa? Or—for that matter—the confidence he’d shown when he’d eased into the role of her boyfriend at her parents’ house?

Seconds later, Knox the bartender strolled in, his usual black button-down covered with a bright red vest adorned with sparkling holly berries. Over one shoulder was a Nikon camera, hanging from a strap.

Charlie rushed over to him. “You’re here. Thanks for helping and for wearing the vest I gave you.”

“Yeah, well, my shift doesn’t start until five,” he grumbled. “The vest is a lot, but it’s better than a Santa hat.”

Charlie turned to address Rosie. “Knox volunteered to take pictures of the kids with Santa. I’m sure their parents will be whipping out their phones, but he’s a good photographer.”

Knox shrugged. “It’s a hobby of mine. Nothing special.”

Given that Knox had a tendency to disparage himself, Rosie suspected he was downplaying his talent. “Thanks so much,” she said.

“Knox is going to share the photos with us, and we can email them to the guests. I wish we had a full-on photography studio like they do at the mall, but at least these pictures will be free.” Charlie tugged Knox by the elbow. “Come on. Let’s get you set up.”

Rosie couldn’t help but smile. If anyone else but Charlie had asked Knox to help out, he would have said no. But somehow, she’d managed to convince him.

Sofia sidled over to Rosie. “Is it just me, or is that Santa kinda hot? Like, there’s no way he’s an old guy, right?”

“He’s only twenty-seven,” Rosie whispered. “When he’s not playing Santa, he works as a personal trainer at the gym around the corner. We’re…um…dating.”

The act of admitting it still didn’t come naturally, even though she and Drew had been “together” for almost a full month.

“You ever act out any naughty Santa fantasies with him?” Sofia asked. “I would love that, but I can’t get my husband on board with the idea.”

Why did she have to bring that up? Rosie did not want her mind going there, not when kids were lined up to see Santa for entirely innocent reasons.

Selena joined them and placed a hand on Rosie’s shoulder. “You okay there? Or are you staring at Drew and imagining all the titillating possibilities?”

Sofia laughed. “Hot Santas, am I right?”

Rosie wiped her forehead. All of a sudden, the close confines of the room and the thought of wicked sexual acts involving Drew were more than she could handle. “I need a few minutes to cool down. It’s kind of…warm in here.”

“Whatever you say.” Selena grinned. “Go take a breather.”

Rosie dashed out of the crowded breakfast room and headed toward the washrooms off the lobby. She raced inside, moistened a paper towel, and blotted the sweat from her forehead.

Pull it together. The Santa thing is just an act. Even if you’ve been dreaming about Drew constantly, those dreams aren’t going to come true.

After she’d regained her composure, she left the washroom, only to run into Preston on her way back to the breakfast room. He’d swapped out his usual Brooks Brothers attire for a bright red holiday sweater and a pair of khakis.

“Rosie,” he said. “Everything okay?”

“Yep. I just needed a little air. The breakfast room is at full capacity.”

“Is it? That’s good to hear.”

But when they entered the room, she stopped cold. While families were still gathered around the different tables, working on crafts and decorating cookies, most eyes were drawn toward Santa’s corner, where two kids were arguing loudly.

Shit. Why couldn’t Preston have shown up ten minutes ago when all was calm?

This was not the impression she wanted her boss to have.