Part 2 — The Room That Wasn’t Available Anymore
Vanessa recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
“Yes, well,” she said, clearing her throat. “It appears there was a system issue.”
Daniel knew there hadn’t been.
The reservation had been exactly where he’d told her to look.
But he didn’t argue.
“Can I have the key?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she stared at the screen again.
Her face tightened.
“There’s… another problem.”
Daniel felt something cold settle in his stomach.
“What problem?”
“Suite 904 is occupied.”
Maria frowned.
“How?”
Vanessa avoided her eyes.
“It was reassigned.”
Daniel stared at her.
“To whom?”
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“A VIP guest attending the gala.”
“But it was reserved.”
“Yes.”
“For me.”
“Yes.”
“And you reassigned it?”
Brooke cut in.
“We assumed the corporate hold wouldn’t be used.”
Daniel’s gaze slid slowly toward her.
“You assumed?”
Brooke suddenly found the brochures fascinating.
Vanessa spoke quickly.
“We had a last-minute request from a major investor, and Mr. Whitaker approved the reassignment.”
Greg Whitaker.
The general manager.
Daniel knew him well.
At least he’d thought he did.
Greg had been hired eighteen months earlier after an impressive run at several luxury properties. His quarterly reports were excellent.
Revenue was up.
Guest satisfaction scores looked strong.
Labor costs were down.
Daniel had praised him twice in executive meetings.
Suddenly those reports felt meaningless.
“Then put us in another room,” Daniel said.
Vanessa stared at him.
“We’re sold out.”
Maria stepped forward.
“What about the hospitality suite beside the conference offices?”
“That isn’t a guest room.”
“It has a bed.”
“It’s reserved for executive use.”
Daniel almost laughed.
The irony stung.
Maria pressed on.
“Then use it.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I can’t authorize that.”
Daniel looked toward the elevators.
“Where is Greg Whitaker?”
“At the gala.”
“I’d like to see him.”
Vanessa’s patience snapped again.
“Sir, we found your reservation. Unfortunately, the room is no longer available. We can compensate you and relocate you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
Daniel glanced at Sophie.
“Where exactly do you expect my daughter to sleep tonight?”
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
“That’s something you’ll need to arrange.”
Maria’s eyes widened.
“Vanessa.”
“What?”
“You cannot send a father carrying a sleeping child into downtown Chicago at almost midnight because we gave away his confirmed room.”
“This is a business, Maria.”
“And hospitality is our business.”
Vanessa’s face flushed.
“Go back upstairs.”
Maria didn’t move.
“I said go.”
Daniel spoke quietly.
“Please don’t speak to her that way.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You don’t understand the situation.”
“No,” Daniel said. “I think I’m beginning to understand it very well.”
A small cough came from his shoulder.
Sophie’s eyes opened.
“Daddy?”
Daniel softened instantly.
“Hey, peanut.”
“Are we there?”
“Yes.”
“Can I go to bed?”
Daniel closed his eyes for half a second.
Then he kissed her forehead.
“Soon.”
Sophie noticed Maria and gave her a sleepy smile.
Maria smiled back.
“You look like you traveled all the way around the world.”
“Almost,” Sophie whispered.
Maria reached into her housekeeping cart and pulled out a small bottle of water.
“Here.”
Sophie took it.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
Daniel looked at Maria.
That simple act of kindness affected him more than she could have known.
Three executives had walked past during the whole exchange.
Two bellmen had watched.
A security officer had stood near the entrance.
Only Maria had stepped forward.
Daniel turned back to Vanessa.
“I need the hospitality suite.”
“I told you, I can’t—”
“I’m not asking anymore.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Daniel reached into his jacket pocket.
Not for money.
Not for identification.
For his phone.
He typed one message.
Do not tell anyone I’m here. Come to the lobby entrance. Alone.
He sent it to the company’s chief operating officer, who happened to be upstairs at the gala.
Maria noticed Daniel’s expression shift.
She didn’t know why.
But Vanessa did.
For the first time that night, uncertainty crept into her eyes.
