Page 35 of Dark Time

We moved the last few boxes down to her car and mine then went up for one last look around. I hadn’t left anything, and neither had Emily. We were free now to go live our new life, and I couldn’t wait. We even had our first meal planned already. Emily would go to the grocery store while I was at my meeting, and we’d cook the meal together later.

I carried down one last bag of trash, disposed of it, and we headed to the new place. Emily had already unpacked most of the boxes, and the new boxes, plus some from my old office that I hadn’t unpacked yet, would be sorted today.

We had new furniture in the house, and a very luxurious bed to sleep in. The kitchen appliances were all brand new and state of the art, and we’d decided to add in a lot of small appliances like mixers and cookware because we both liked to cook. It would be a dream come true for anyone who loved to cook, and to us, it was.

It was the highlight of the penthouse, for us, in fact. Recessed lighting and four long windows along one wall provided plenty of light. A long countertop added workspace that was supplemented by an island about eight feet long that would also serve as a workspace. The fridge, stove, and microwave were all on the other side of the room where the sink was located, along with more space for cooking.

The bathroom was small, with only a shower and a small tub that Emily kept calling a hip-bath. That we decorated in dark blue tiles with a good amount of light. The living room was small too, and we’d put a wraparound couch in there with several sections that folded out in recliners. A large television dominated one wall, since we both liked to watch movies, and if we didn’t feel like watching movies, we had a great view of the night sky over the ocean.

Our bedroom was in the back, and there was only one window. It was on the side facing the land, and there was too much light back that way, so we’d hung blackout curtains in there, in an almond color. The bedding matched the curtains, but the plush carpet on the floor was a dark chocolate brown. There were two large closets and two chests of drawers.

The other rooms were still empty, but we’d fill those with something later. For now, we had all that we needed. We’d been so eager to start our lives here that we’d decided to go ahead and move in without filling the other two rooms.

“I’m going to get a shower, Emily. I need to get ready for that meeting.”

“Alright. I’ll get ready to go too.” She pecked me on the lips and left the kitchen to head into the bedroom. Her clothes were already in her closet, so she didn’t have to do that today, at least.

We left around the same time, and it wasn’t long before I’d made it to the restaurant. It was a new place that offered cuisine from several different European locations. I’d wanted to check it out to see what was offered and to sample the dishes. We had to decide what to have in ours that would make it stand out. There was also the added benefit that when I opened, I’d be able to tell my customers the good places and the bad.

I planned to interact with our guests periodically, especially those who rented the penthouse and suites. A waiter quickly came to seat me when he found out I had a reservation, and from the looks of it, that decision had been a good one. The place was full. That was a good sign. I ordered a glass of beer and told the waiter I’d wait for my guest before I ordered.

Her name was Michelle Gilder, she was in her mid-fifties, and had lost her last job when the resort she worked at was taken over by another corporation. The new owners had decided to replace everything, including the staff, good and bad, and she’d gone with them. Her resume spoke of loyalty, hard work, and came with professional references that glowed about the woman. She had experience managing staff, and I thought she’d be a perfect fit for us.

“Hi there, Mr. James, I’m Michelle Gilder; it’s nice to meet you.”

I pulled my head up from the file I’d been studying and smiled as I stood. “Hi, Michelle. Please take a seat.”

“Thank you.” She looked around, and I could see she was pleased with the place. It wasn’t very expensive, but it was also a treat to eat at a place like this.

“Here’s the menu, what would you like to drink?”

“Coffee, please,” she said to the waiter with a kind smile.

“Great. Let’s decide on what to eat, shall we?” I wasn’t nervous, but I did find these kinds of meetings sometimes impersonal.

My adoptive father had taught me that this was an important part of hiring senior staff, however. You got a chance to judge how they treated those in lower positions, and you could get a glimpse of how they would treat your employees. I didn’t want someone who treated my staff like they were replaceable. I wanted to garner loyalty and prevent loss through high turnover rates.

My brain was in business mode, but the lunch went smoothly, and the woman with curly brown hair met my expectations. She treated the wait staff kindly and with a smile, she was able to answer my questions eloquently, and she had a firm understanding of what the position entailed. She’d also managed to make me laugh a few times and had put me at ease.

I liked that about her.

“I’d like to offer you the position, Michelle. I’d like you to come into the resort and make a decision. It will be another month or two before we officially open, but I’ll need you before that. I need to start the hunt for staff right away and you and I will work together to hire some of the more senior staff. We can talk about salary, benefits, things like that, if you’re interested. I’ve been looking for someone who understands my vision, and I’m pretty sure you do.”

Brown eyes lit up with happiness, and she gave me the brightest smile I’d ever seen. “I’d be glad to, and yes, I think I understand your vision well. Your staff will be safe with me.”

“Good. Now, how did you like your meal?” I sat back and waited for her answer.

“It was lovely, something I’ve never had before, but I liked it.” She looked down at the empty plate and then up at me.

She didn’t say anything about how long the plate had sat there, something I’d done as a test, when I asked the waiter to leave it before she came. I’d asked him to do several things, like bringing her white wine instead of what she’d order to drink, and to spill a glass of water on the table.

She’d responded nicely, but without fear of correcting the order, and she’d helped the man to clean up without complaint. She’d earned herself a gold star so far.

“I’ve never had chorizo served like that myself. It was nice, a very good choice. Would you like desert?”

“No, thank you, I’m too full. It was a wonderful meal.”

“Great. I’ll have my assistant call you, and you two can set up a date to come in and have another talk. If you want to go now, you’re free to do so. I think I’m going to stay and try the desert.” She stood, her bag under her arm, and I stood with her.