Can't Help Falling In Love (19 page)

“It’s too bad we won’t be taking over the hotel. I’m going to miss this food.” She
chomped a fry and added, “A lot.”

Willodean laughed. “Now, I did not expect you to give up so easily. You have the look
of a shrewd businesswoman. Maybe it’s the shoes.”

“I’m not sure you’re out of the woods yet. My father doesn’t change courses easily
and he wants a hotel here in Memphis. Because of your location and booking rates,
you were top of the list.” She glanced around the slowly filling restaurant. “But
it would be sad to wipe out something so… unique.”

Willodean folded her napkin beside her plate. “Couldn’t do it anyway, but I like the
way you’re thinking. Too bad for your daddy I’m not some widower on a pension eating
cat food to stay in business.” Her eyes twinkled. “I have very good taste in husbands.
Most of the time.”

Randa sighed. “That would be another way you differ from my father.”

Willodean’s eyes shot up. “Picked a lot of husbands, has he?”

Randa laughed. “No, just two. For me.”

“Did you toss ’em back?” Willodean leaned her elbows on the table and propped her
chin on her hands.

“Yep. And first I ended up in Fargo. But that’s how I got out of accounting and hit
the road so I don’t have a lot of complaints about that one. This time, I ended up
in Memphis. In August.”

Willodean nodded. “Ain’t it wonderful?”

Randa laughed again. “Until today, no. The heat, the humidity… I mean, I don’t
know how you stand it here year round. But then I made it across the street to Graceland
and I met some other guests and I walked back into that magical, icy cool lobby and
I saw Misty and Tony…” Randa shrugged. “Yeah, it’s pretty damn wonderful.”

Willodean said, “My girl’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a prettier dog.” Randa shook her head. “I’m going to
miss her. Crazy, right?”

Willodean sighed. “No, not crazy. I’m telling you, when you can be homesick on a beach
in paradise because your dog’s not there, you understand.”

Their eyes locked and they both laughed.

Willodean tilted her head. “Tony tells me you have some crazy ideas for making the
hotel better.”

Randa shook her head. “Not better. But more profitable. Maybe.”

“Ideas like raising the prices on the menu?” Willodean didn’t look sold on the idea
but she did look interested.

Randa glanced around and leaned forward. “I think if you got out of here, went to
some other Memphis hotels and maybe even some of the better restaurants, you’d see
how low your prices are and how much better your food is. Since you don’t seem to
be the kind of lady who’d lower your standards, you need to raise your prices.”

Willodean tapped a finger on her bottom lip. “But I want people to be comfortable
and happy when they stay in my hotel and eat in my restaurant.”

Randa fiddled with the edge of her napkin as she thought about Willodean’s answer.
Her father would have done both: lower quality and raise prices, looking for the perfect
intersection of just good enough to get all the money he could. That’s why he had
a lot of money. Willodean was more worried about the experience.

“You really love this place and the people who come in, don’t you?” Randa didn’t understand
but she sort of wanted to. It was nice to believe there was a person in the world
and a place where people mattered more than the bottom line. And Willodean was successful
anyway. Randa had never really thought this form of business existed.

Willodean shrugged. “It’s my home. Has been for longer than I care to think about
now.”

Randa licked her lips. Willodean’s philosophy wasn’t one she’d picked up in business
school. Maybe she’d inherited enough money that she could ignore the rules. Rich people
could afford to be eccentric. “So, did your family have money too? You’re used to
having high standards for quality maybe.”

Willodean laughed. “Lord, no. My daddy was a preacher and it doesn’t get any poorer
than an east Tennessee country preacher. And I got pregnant and ran away to marry
my high school boyfriend so he didn’t have a thing to do with me anyway.”

Randa tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. It was like everybody she met had
a story to shame her for being so damn unhappy where she was. All she had to do was
make a change. She had every advantage yet still she whined about being stuck and
didn’t do a damn thing.

“I guess if you’re good at picking husbands, you picked one who got rich.” Randa fiddled
with her straw and hoped for a lottery win or something.

“The first one died entirely too young, but he was damn charming. Got a job working
for Elvis and that’s a stroke of luck nobody can duplicate.” Willodean was serious
as she watched Randa’s face. And no matter how Randa wanted to sink through the floor,
she wanted to hear what happened next.

“So, you were young with a baby and no husband.” Randa felt the prickle of tears but
cleared her throat noisily. “Then what happened?”

“I’m not gonna lie. My heart was broken and I was pretty sure nothing was ever going
to be right again. I was waiting tables to support me and Charlie. And I decided that
a wealthy man would save us. Love was out of the question, but safety would be good
enough. Working in a hotel, I got to meet lots of businessmen from all over. I set
my cap for one who was old enough but still not too old. And I caught him. And I married
him. And loved him. And he only got richer.”

Randa couldn’t figure out what to say to that. Maybe it was mercenary, but she’d been
doing her best to take care of her son. Finally, she asked, “What business was he
in?”

Willodean smirked. “Video arcades. If you played
Space Invaders
in 1980 anywhere below the Mason-Dixon line, you helped build this hotel.” Willodean
nodded once. “He always loved a good game. And he was smart enough to do a little
investing of that money in a few crazy start-ups like Apple and Microsoft, just in
case playing games on personal computers became something people did.”

Randa laughed. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t know what she’d expected or what her
father thought would happen when they showed up to take over down here. More money
than God? There was no way they’d ever find a price that she would take if she didn’t
want to sell.

Randa was so happy. No matter where her next assignment was, she would know the Rock’n’Rolla
Hotel was doing very well in Memphis. And that Tony was too.

“That was an excellent choice you made, Willodean. Maybe I should hire you to find
me a rich man.” Randa was relieved to see her smile back but the glint in her eye
made her nervous.

“Well, now, that’s kind of become a hobby of mine lately. Maybe I could help you.
No charge. Just for the joy of helping.”

Randa cleared her throat. “So, love of your life. And the man who made you rich. Any
other husbands we ought to talk about before I sign on with the Jackson matchmaking
service?”

Willodean brushed off the table. “Well, there were two more, each successes in their
own rights and I should tell you I loved ’em all. I did. Just… they were different
men. The love was different too.”

Randa sighed. “So you don’t believe in soul mates?”

“Oh, honey, I surely do. I just don’t think there’s only one for a lifetime.” Willodean
wagged her eyebrows. “Plus I got some more recent success too. You know about Laura
and KT, right? I count them on my list of happy matches. They ain’t married yet, but
they will be by the time Santa hits the rooftops.”

“Satisfaction guaranteed?” Randa had no idea why she was even pursuing this conversation.
She was headed back to Chicago. Soon. Unless she got brave enough to take a chance
of living life without the family job and support, her father would set up some other
marital merger. Soon. And she was just about ready to take her chances with whoever
he picked, just to make a change. That scared her more than struggling to make her
own way.

Willodean shrugged. “Maybe I’m not quite that good. Besides, you’ve got enough people
trying to tell you how to live your life. Could be it’s time for you to do just exactly
what you want to do, make your own decisions and your own mistakes.”

They were both quiet for a minute.

And she hated the way the teasing light in Willodean’s eyes dimmed. It sort of looked
like pity. She wasn’t really a charity case. Thanks to her time in Memphis, she was
starting to think she could try stepping away from her old life. She didn’t want to
be the poor little rich girl. She was ready to prove to the world and to herself that
she was strong, independent, and a damn good money maker. She didn’t need pity.

She knew business. For some reason, she wanted Willodean to be impressed, not sad
for her.

“You need to raise your prices to match the quality of what you’re serving here. If
you’re worried about customer budgets, offer lower-priced, less-expensive-to-produce
choices, maybe a kid’s menu.” Willodean leaned back in her chair so Randa continued,
“For your staffing problem, you need to add an incentive program. First, offer a bonus
for anyone who recruits someone who’s hired and stays for three months or six months
or whatever length of time you think will recoup the expense of training. People who
are good at their jobs often know others who are good too. And second, you can offer
some kind of incentive matched to time in service. I don’t know what that might be.
We’d need to look at the average time on staff, maybe talk to employees to find out
why they stay and what makes them happy to be here. If you aren’t already doing quarterly
reviews, you should be. Turnover is an expensive problem and unless you talk to employees
regularly, you can’t address it.”

Randa ground to a halt and twisted her hands in front of her on the table. They were
good ideas, even if Willodean hadn’t asked for them.

Willodean sniffed. And Randa was pretty sure she’d gone too far. Eventually, Willodean
nodded. “I like everything you just said there. Maybe I’ve been running this place
a little too small, a little too much like my own house. Maybe a little more structure
would help.”

Randa did her best to pretend that she’d known all along that Willodean would benefit
from her expertise. She tilted her chin up and promised herself she’d savor Willodean’s
approval later. During most Whitmore family meetings, she kept her mouth shut. Every
idea was her father’s, no matter who made the suggestion. Having someone take her
unsolicited advice seriously was a heady experience.

Randa straightened her shoulders. “Now, since the hotel business is officially concluded,
I’ll be sending a follow-up e-mail tonight containing all this new information on
the owner and then I’m going to speak at the get-together of the southern Alabama
Elvis Belles in one of your meeting rooms tomorrow. Monday I’m headed back to Chicago.
And I’m going to be happy because I know that the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel is alive and
well in the world. I might also dream of this cheeseburger now and then.”

Randa could hear the sadness in her voice and hated it. She didn’t want to leave,
but there was no reason to stay. Was there?

Willodean frowned. “What about Tony?”

“I’m going to tell him why I’m here. I’m sure he’ll already know it was a wasted trip.
And then…” Randa shook her head. “I guess I’m going to take a chance, see if
we could talk or… whatever.”

Willodean inhaled deeply and then let out a long, slow breath. “You’re just going
to go on back home?”

Randa didn’t have an answer to that. She didn’t want to, but she was a Whitmore. She’d
done a lot to help the business grow. And some part of her didn’t want to give up
on the idea that there was some magic piece that would change her father, convince
him to treat her differently. She didn’t really plan to accept her old life. Her time
in Memphis had convinced her she had to make a change. But once she got back home
and was surrounded by the people who wouldn’t accept anything other than the behavior
they expected, would she be able to keep to her plan? Believing in herself seemed
a whole lot easier with a Tony and a Willodean close at hand.

Willodean patted her hand. “Life is short and the way it’s going to go can be unexpected
but it ain’t outta your control. If you don’t like where you are, you can change it.
Ask yourself what you’d do if you could be anything you want. What do you love?”

Randa snorted. “You mean, other than spending money and spa treatments? I know hotels,
men, and the best way to smooth wrinkles.” She grimaced. “Well, I’m also pretty good
with payroll and accounts payable, but I’d rather do anything else, maybe even skip
weekly facials, than do that again.” She huffed out a heavy sigh. “And Tony’s shaken
my faith in how well I know men. So better make it just hotels.”

Willodean laughed. “Oh, girl… you just wait. Tell Tony the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth, and I bet he’ll be ready to restore all that faith and
then some.” She held out her hand and Randa slipped hers in. The feeling of connection
between them strengthened as Willodean clasped her hand between both of hers. When
she caught Randa’s eye, she said, “Don’t look so sad, Randa. There’s one thing I do
know. It doesn’t take a lot of magic to make things work out just like they’re supposed
to. But that much I’ve got.”

Randa couldn’t catch her breath. Something fluttered in her chest. It might have been
hope. And she hadn’t felt hope in forever. It was seductive. She wanted to curl her
arms around Willodean’s neck and promise to do whatever it took to stay right there.

Willodean leaned back. “Now go talk to your man.”

Randa knew she was dismissed but she wanted to stay where she was comfortable. Then,
with the loud sound of feedback, Lucky, the hotel’s tiny Elvis impersonator took the
stage. “All right, ladies and gents, it’s karaoke time! You know the rules. You want
to sing, you sign up, and wait your turn. All Elvis, all the time and away we go!”