Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“Sandra, you’re not three hundred years old,” I say. “You’ve seen a microphone before.”
“Not in a tent I haven’t,” she replies.
“Well here’s your new experience of the day,” I say. “I think there are going to be a lot more coming down the road, so strap in.”
Once everyone arrives, Michael talks a little about timings of the hotel opening. He has no doubt they’ll open as scheduled, nine months from now. He shows us images of what the interior and exterior of the hotel will look like, which I’ve seen already, and talks a lot about how the luxury aspect of the hotel starts with appearances but comes to fruition with service. He then introduces Olga, who talks about the jobs that are going to become available. The guest relations team will have six members, including me. Then she talks about training schedules.
“Michael is right that the service the guests receive in our hotel will set it apart from other competing hotels, and will also guarantee the holy grail of hoteliers—repeat customers. If we impress people, they’ll come back. If they come back, the hotel will be successful, and success feeds success.”
She talks about how the hotel will be a boon to local businesses and surrounding towns. I can feel excitement crackle in the air as people realize we have the chance to do something spectacular at the hotel. Like a stone tossed to the center of a lake, our success could have a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the estate.
“What’s key is consistency,” Olga continues. “That means the service our guests get from the guest relations team is just as experienced and high-end as they get from our housekeeping staff, from the butlers, the restaurant teams, the gardeners, the maintenance teams. There can be no weak links. We need to provide exceptional service, whatever role we have in the hotel.”
She pauses, and part of me thinks she’s about to introduce Vincent. He’ll talk about all the amazing hotels he’s stayed at, maybe share anecdotes about interactions that have stuck in his memory. But just as my heart begins to pick up pace, Olga continues.
“I’ve talked to you about how the heads of department—some of whom are here today—will shadow people doing their jobs in other luxury hotels. They’ll bring that knowledge back to you, back to us, and we can all benefit. But the first thing we need to do is understand luxury. We need to see exceptional service and know what it feels like before we can provide it. For that reason, the heads of department will go to London next week for an overnight stay at the Four Seasons on Park Lane.”
I stop breathing.
I’ve never been to London before.
Norfolk is as far from the estate as I’ve been since I moved here. And although London is about the same distance away, this will be a very different experience.
I don’t know if I can go.
“The Four Seasons is renowned for exceptional service throughout the world. And the heads of department will get to see and experience it for themselves. I want you to learn from it, get ideas, get excited by it. Then I want you to come back and share it with your teams.”
This is a job requirement—the first of my new role. If I want to stay at Crompton and be the head of guest relations, this is what I have to do.
Three months ago, if you’d told me I’d leave Crompton to go to Norfolk, I’d have said it would have been impossible. Perhaps a trip to London with the other department heads—most of whom I’ve known my entire life—isn’t so impossible. Not now. Not since Vincent showed me what I’m capable of. Not since I discovered how strong I really am.
THIRTY-SIX
Kate
Over the last week, I’ve tried to act like everything is fine. But it isn’t fine.
Vincent’s gone.
He hasn’t called to say he’s changed his mind. He hasn’t turned up in the middle of the night with a bouquet of roses and a thousand apologies. He hasn’t acted out any of the other fantasies that scrolled through my mind in quiet moments. My heart still hurts, still feels heavy in my chest. My entire body is weighed down with sadness that such a bright flash of a man is no longer in my life.
But I keep putting one foot in front of the other, waiting for the balm of Crompton’s consistency to heal me.
Yesterday’s call from Sutton had come as a shock. The fact she wanted to stop by today was even more of one. I look up as the bell over the door to the tea shop rings, but it’s Viola. She always visits the gardens on Sundays. I don’t usually work Sundays, but I’ve gotten to know her when covering for Sandra.
The bell rings again and this time it’s Sutton. I’m a little nervous. I haven’t made any new friends since I dropped out of university, but I like this woman. I give her a little smile as she approaches the table and she envelops me in a hug. The tug in my throat catches me off-guard. Sutton is just more evidence of what I’m missing without Vincent in my life.