Chapter 39

Just When Things Were Going Well

Ladies and gentleman may I have your attention please?” the announcer asked. Everyone quietened down and some guests returned to their seats. “Now we have had a very successful night so far with some generous donations. Every donation counts, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for support. I would like to call out some honourable donators tonight to thank them graciously for their kindness towards the children’s hospital…” One by one people were asked to stand up when they announced their amount donated. I was starting to wonder how much I even put on the cheque. Honourable donators were coming from 20,000 onwards until lastly my name was called,
“And Sean Hyatt, from Hyatt hotels with an enormous donation of 100,000 pounds. Sean Hyatt? Would you stand please….” He asked as people clapped. I cleared my throat and skidded my chair out as a spot light hit my table. I waved shyly and looked down at Victoria who was clapping beside me with stars in her eyes.

I sat down a few seconds later and she still had her eyes on me,
“That was extremely generous of you…” she said admiringly.
“Thank you very much,” I said proudly.
“So you’re Sean Hyatt. I’m Victoria Major. I co-own a hotel just out of London…” I took her hand and turned her wrist around in mine and leaned down the kiss the top of her hand. The smell of her wrist smelled like vanilla and fruit and the scent was actually mesmerizing.

She looked a little surprised but she slid her hand from mine gently and battled her eyes at me a few times before giving me a really sultry look. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not but it was nearly entrancing.
“Nice to meet you Miss Major…” I smiled. “Do you come to charity events often?” I asked her coming out of my shell a little more.
“Yes I do actually, maybe I don’t give 100,000 pounds. But I do give what I can…”
“I go to these things often too. It’s funny that we have never met.” I lied.
“I’m going to an art gallery next weekend. I’m considering buying a piece for my hotel. All the artists donated their pieces to charity to auction off. It’s a brilliant cause…” she mentioned.
“You and I must have the same ideas. I have the same thing locked in on my calendar…” I didn’t really, but I was going to find that damn art gallery by the weekend and get an invite, even if it cost me the same amount I just donated to get my ass in the door.
“Don’t buy them all on us,” she laughed. She was really friendly and quite out going in the way she spoke. I watched her drink the wine and I thought that maybe she was loosening up too.

I was feeling really guilty about the conversation I had with my board members about her hotel. It was the one I’d have the most success with to take over. It needed me to take it over … and she didn’t act at all broke when she had possibly donated money tonight.
“SO tell me about Major hotels…”
“Hey did you know… Sean is a really great dancer!” Beth interrupted slurring.
“Yes, so I saw…” she said politely.
“Would you like to dance Miss Major?” I blushed. She nodded her cheeks all rosy. I got up from my seat and offered my hand to hers hoping she would take it. I always felt like the richest man in the room when I went in any room, but with her hand in mine I felt ontop of the world. It was an odd feeling actually. I held her close to me and drunk in her scent with my head close to her neck. If I was going to pull off the best dancing ever, it had to be now. I just hope she could follow through with me … without me chucking her around the room clumsily. I started out gently at first and she seemed to cope and keep up well and she smiled uncontrollably impressed with my dancing.

I had taken dance classes as a boy and learnt a lot over the years … which was surprising to most women.
“So you asked about my Hotel…” It was really now or never. I just hoped that she wouldn’t be mad that I knew about her hotel’s problems. I just wanted to finish this dance with her just by the off chance she was bitter about it.
“Well were quite successful. My father built a great business for me to start with. I hope that in the future it will present me with other opportunities. At the moment I have some stubborn shareholders who making things really difficult for me…” she announced.
“Trust me, maybe I don’t have your financial problems, but the Hyatt has just received similar shareholders that I was not expecting… I don’t exactly mesh well with them…”
“Who said I had financial problems?” she said firmly.

FUCK SHIT FUCK. Well that slipped out.

“I uh. Sorry Miss Major I haven’t been completely honest with you. I said twirling her around and holding her close once more, “But I was hoping to speak with you a little more personally about your future business opportunities…” She immediately dropped her arms and scowled at me.

“Ugh, you… think you can charm me over to this dance floor to talk about business with me? I know exactly what you want… and I’m sorry Mister Hyatt But I’m not selling!” she said storming off the dance floor. I gulped down a massive hard cement rock in my throat and wondered exactly how I was going to return to my seat.

Just when everything was going good.