“No, he was always soft,” Chip muttered to himself. The old man had hired him ten years ago, even though he had no experience in hotels. Steve had taught him everything he knew – well, sort of. Chip always knew more about money than Steve did. Steve never cared about money, hence the state the hotel was in now.

Chip let out a sigh. Claire had left behind the papers he’d given her, and she didn’t pay for her breakfast. He debated adding her meal to his tab, but decided that would seem too much like he was kissing up.

He’d tried to be considerate of her when he decided to wear a “nice” shirt. Chip had regretted that from the moment he left the house. It was uncomfortable, and it felt weird. Why should he have to change how he dressed because of a new owner? Steve never cared how he dressed.

He paid for his coffee and walked out to the lobby, spotting a distracted Gigi at the front desk.

“Gigi. Off your phone,” he snapped. “I’m going to start locking it up if you can’t keep your eyes off of it.”

“Sorry boss,” she said with a smile. “Hey, did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

Her eyes brightened and she leaned forward. “That the new owner is a criminal.”

Chip frowned. “What?”

Linda, the events coordinator, popped up behind him. “I bet that’s how she got the money to buy the hotel. Do you think she’s in with the mob or something?”

“No, I don’t think she’s in with the mob,” Chip said.

Gigi nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right. She’s too clueless. I think she’s just a rich lady who’s never worked a day in her life.”

Linda nodded. “I can see that.”

Gigi dropped her voice. “Did you know that she’s spending a night in every room? It’s driving housekeeping nuts. Every time I think they have a freebie because the room was empty, Claire messes it up.”

“Can’t wait for my meeting with her,” Linda said airily.

Chip said nothing and walked off. He had his questions, too, but he wasn’t going to join in the staff gossip. It didn’t matter who this woman was – they had to deal with her regardless.

She was the new owner of the hotel, the hotel that he had dedicated the last ten years of his life to, the same one that had been in a spiral for the last two years. A spiral that Claire seemed bent on accelerating.

When he handed her the numbers – the facts of her new situation – she looked at him like he’d dumped a glass of water over her head.

Chip smiled to himself. He’d sort of wanted that reaction. He wanted her to feel shocked, surprised, and overwhelmed. Sometimes people need to get a little jolt to move them into action.