Santa Maybe (The Duchess Hotel #1)

Chapter 21

Twenty-One

3 Days Until Christmas

Two weeks ago, when Drew had picked up Rosie in her elf costume, he’d thought she looked sexy. But that outfit was nothing compared to tonight’s dress.

She greeted him at the door wearing a figure-hugging dark green velvet gown that showed off her curves. A strand of pearls drew attention to her generous cleavage. And her hairdo was far more elaborate than the tight bun she usually wore at work. It made her look like a goddess, her hair twisted up in an elaborate arrangement, with a few soft curls framing her face.

“Damn,” he said. “Rosie, you’re unbelievable.”

“In a good way, right?” She smoothed her hands against the side of her dress, revealing polished crimson nails.

“In the best possible way.” He moved in closer and twisted a curl between his fingers. Up close, he caught the scent of her jasmine perfume. Placing a soft kiss beneath her ear, it was all he could do not to pull her tight against him. “You’re utterly irresistible.”

She laughed. “Well, you’ll just have to resist me for now because I’m not taking off this dress until I get the chance to display it properly.”

He stepped back and let his gaze roam over her figure again. “Your dress is stunning. I’ll be very careful when I remove it tonight.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Is that a promise?”

“Definitely, but we’ll save it for later.” The thought of unwrapping her like a Christmas present filled him with a surge of desire, but he’d wait until after the wedding to act on it.

“Hang on a sec, and I’ll get my things.” She dashed back into her apartment and returned with a beaded black clutch and a fringed shawl.

“I parked outside but called us a ride-share. That way, we can take advantage of the open bar. The wedding’s downtown, right across from the Inner Harbour.” Up until now, he hadn’t revealed the location for fear of her reaction.

She tugged on his tie. “As much as I love ogling you in workout gear, you look extremely hot in a suit.”

“Thanks. It’s my only one.” He’d bought it shortly after graduating from university but rarely used it. He couldn’t imagine working at a job where a suit and tie were mandatory, but dressing up for one night was a fun change of pace.

As they headed outside, she took his arm. “Are you finally going to tell me where this wedding reception is taking place? What’s the big secret?”

“You’re not going to like it.”

She cursed under her breath. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Nope. The reception’s being held in the ballroom of the Grand Duke.”

“But Evelyn and Jared work at Northlife. How can they afford it?”

“Her parents are loaded.” Even so, when he’d first received the invitation, the reception’s location had come as a surprise. But Evelyn had grown up very privileged, the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer who’d given her everything except his love. Her status-conscious mother wasn’t much better.

Seeing that his ride-share had arrived, he waved it over, gave his name to the driver, and helped Rosie get in.

Seated beside her, he continued explaining. “Evelyn told me she didn’t want an extravagant wedding, but she’s their only child, so they insisted on it. Their compromise was a small ceremony this morning, followed by tonight’s big event. Sorry to put you squarely in the middle of the enemy’s camp.”

“It’s fine, especially since I’m not paying a dime to be there.”

He placed his hand on her thigh, smoothing his palm over the soft velvet. Given that the Duke was her hotel’s biggest rival, he’d feared she might be irritated. But maybe she was just happy for a break from the Duchess. She’d been so busy that he’d only gotten one night with her this past week. But he hadn’t complained. With three days left until Christmas, she was under pressure to fill the hotel to capacity.

The car pulled up outside the Grand Duke, which looked as imposing as ever, ablaze with thousands of white lights. On either side of the path leading to the entrance were evergreens decked out with Christmas lights, interspersed with tall pillars and giant nutcrackers. Adorning the pillars were wreaths made of bright silver and gold ornaments.

“Fuck me,” Rosie muttered. “This is ostentatious as hell.”

“A little over-the-top if you ask me. It’s so bright you can probably see it from outer space. And those giant nutcrackers look like the stuff of nightmares.”

“It’s like they’re trying too hard, right?” she said.

“Way too hard.” Maybe he was biased, but the homespun décor at the Duchess was more his style. “It feels so corporate.”

“That’s because it is. Royal Host runs this place. They’re a Canadian hospitality company known for managing upscale properties. I guarantee you all their five-star hotels have the exact same decorations, right down to the scary nutcrackers.”

When they reached the grand ballroom, he stood motionless, taking it all in. A galaxy of twinkling white lights illuminated the ceiling, and at the center was an enormous, glittering chandelier. Around the room were more ornamental pillars and fully decorated Christmas trees. The tables were draped in crimson, each bearing a large holiday centerpiece complete with candles, holly, and poinsettias.

It brought to mind the reality show he’d been watching with Rosie—the one where people competed to spruce up their homes for the holidays—except this décor was more tasteful than the stuff he’d seen on the show. There wasn’t a Santa, reindeer, or elf to be seen.

“This is…a lot,” he said.

“Have you never been inside the ballroom before?” she asked.

“Never. When I was a kid, we visited the Duke’s lobby once, but that was it.”

He’d been eight, and his family had driven down to Victoria for the day. They’d toured the Parliament Buildings, visited Miniature World, spent hours at the Royal BC Museum, and walked through the Grand Duke’s lobby. His parents had been planning to indulge in the hotel’s famous High Tea, but once they saw the price, they’d left in a hurry. Instead, they’d taken him and Kate to a cozy teahouse nearby, where they’d ordered pots of Earl Grey tea and scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. It was one of his favorite memories, belonging to a time when his parents hadn’t been at war with each other.

“When I interviewed here, I got the full tour,” Rosie said. “I’ve also been to a couple of their events.”

“Do you wish you’d gotten the job?”

She shook her head. “At the time, I was gutted, but I’m glad I ended up at the Duchess. I love my team, and I wouldn’t have risen as high in the ranks if I was stuck at a big corporate hotel like this one.”

All the more reason she deserved to keep her job. So she could continue doing what she loved, infusing her passion and energy into making the Duchess the best hotel it could be.

Since the bride and groom had yet to arrive, most of the guests were at the bar, clustered around small high-top tables, chatting and drinking. As Drew and Rosie lined up behind an exquisitely dressed couple, he noticed the woman’s ring, which contained a massive pink diamond. Definitely not his usual crowd.

Standing beside the bar was a tall, suave-looking man with dark, wavy hair and light brown skin, impeccably dressed in a tailored navy blue suit. His eyes lit up at the sight of Rosie.

“Rosalina. This is a surprise. What are you doing here?”

She beamed. “Alejandro. Are you working tonight?”

Drew relaxed his grip on Rosie’s arm. This had to be the infamous Alejandro who’d sent all those guests to the Duchess.

Alejandro gave a dramatic sigh. “Our banquet manager is out with the flu—or so she claims—so I’m overseeing this event. You still haven’t told me why you’re here, querida.”

Querida. Didn’t that mean “dearest”? What was this guy’s game? Drew scowled, feeling surprisingly possessive. “She’s with me. As my date. I work with the bride and groom at Northlife Fitness.”

Alejandro lowered his voice. “Between you and me, they’re lucky they were able to book this ballroom on such short notice, but the bride’s parents have powerful connections. Very powerful. I’ve heard a few stories.”

Rosie smirked. “I’ll bet you have. But while we’re here, I want to thank you for sending all those guests our way.”

“To be honest, princesa, the whole ordeal has been a nightmare, constantly having to shuffle guests around. At least your little hotel gets to benefit.” He waved them away. “Now, go have fun. You’re not here to work.”

“You’ve got that right,” she said. “See you later, Alejandro.”

Once they reached the front of the line, Drew ordered a Moscow Mule for Rosie and a beer for himself. Other than Pepe’s margaritas, he wasn’t much of a cocktail guy. He ushered Rosie over to a high-top near the bar. “Do you need anything else?”

She cast her gaze toward a group of tuxedo-clad servers who were headed their way. “I’m hoping the guys in the penguin suits will pass by with trays of appetizers. I’m starving.” Her eyes danced in amusement as she sipped her drink. “Is it my imagination, or did I detect a hint of jealousy from you when I was talking to Alejandro?”

“Can you blame me? The guy called you ‘querida.’ And ‘princesa.’ Those are terms of endearment, right?”

Rosie snorted. “He does that with every woman he meets. I don’t mind, but Selena hates it. She thinks he’s being dismissive.” She smiled up at Drew. “You don’t have to worry. No one here could hold a candle to you.”

Her words made him feel like the luckiest guy in the room. “Thanks for coming. I’m so glad you’re here with me.”

“You’re very welcome. Hopefully, bringing me as your date will make this reception more bearable.”

“I’m way past that now. Tonight isn’t about my ex—or anyone else, for that matter. It’s about getting to spend an entire evening with you.”

“Thanks. Sorry I’ve been so busy this week.” She placed her hand over his. “Work has been so intense that I barely got my Christmas shopping done. Usually, I like checking out all the quirky shops on Johnson Street. Or spending hours at Munro’s Books, looking for the perfect gift for my dad. Instead, I had to order everything online. I also wanted to get a Christmas tree for my apartment, but I couldn’t even find the time to look for one.”

He squeezed her hand. “Do you want me to find one for you? It’s no problem.”

“Thanks, but I wouldn’t be home enough to enjoy it. I appreciate the offer, though. And I really appreciate you putting up with my insane schedule. Once the holidays let up, I’ll have more free time…” She paused, her expression clouding over. “But I guess it won’t matter since we’ll be done fake dating by then.”

The words hit him like a smack upside the head. Though he hadn’t forgotten the terms of their agreement, he hadn’t considered how he’d feel once it ended. How much he’d miss her friendship and support.

Did it have to end in January? Maybe they could keep up the pretense through Valentine’s Day. That way, she could placate her parents for another month and wouldn’t be forced to date some rando on the big day.

Rosie’s voice grounded him. “Drew? You okay? You were spacing out just now.”

He didn’t want to bring up his idea yet. Tonight, when they were in bed together, he could suggest it.

Instead, he pivoted to another issue that was weighing him down. “I was thinking about Christmas. It looks like I won’t be driving up island to see my folks this year.”

“I’m sorry. That’s tough, but I think you’re doing the right thing. I can’t believe your mom wanted you to loan her all that money.”

“It’s not the first time she’s asked. A few years ago, I loaned them two thousand dollars, but they never paid it back.” After a while, he’d stopped asking because it always led to more arguments. “Anyway, since I’m spending Christmas Eve with your family, I told Kate we’d do brunch on Christmas Day. You’re welcome to join us.”

“I wish, but in order to get Christmas Eve off, I said I’d come in to work the next day.”

The blare of trumpets interrupted them. Standing at the front of the ballroom were two of the hotel’s employees, dressed in heraldic livery of red and gold. They played a loud fanfare, capturing the attention of every guest in the room. Once they were done, the bride and groom made their grand entrance, followed by the rest of the wedding party.

Drew observed Evelyn without a hint of regret. While he couldn’t deny she looked breathtaking, clad in a strapless gown bejeweled with thousands of tiny crystals, he didn’t feel anything for her. No pang of anguish. No longing to be with her. Nothing.

Instead, he was immensely happy that he could spend the evening with Rosie.

Sure, their partnership had started out as a ruse—just to get him through this wedding—but it had turned into so much more. Maybe if he was lucky, she’d be willing to keep pretending for a little longer.