Listen to Your Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

needing some time to absorb the disappointment.” She
looked closely at Morgan. “Go check your makeup for a minute, and then I’ll
show you our computer system.”
    Morgan studied her reflection in the
small mirror someone had tacked onto the wall. Her brothers had loved to tease
her when they were growing up together and she’d learned to hide her weaknesses
from them. She would do the same now, only she’d be hiding her disappointment.
    She wished that she hadn’t been so quick
to tell everyone here that she’d been accepted into the training programme, but
she’d been so excited, so enthusiastic. “And why not?” she said aloud, daring
the woman in the mirror to contradict her. “It was something to be proud of.”
    She considered her immediate future at
Zimmerli. The hotel chain she and Dale had worked for was large and impersonal.
A great training ground, but completely opposite from the boutique hotel concept.
Zimmerli Whistler may have only a fraction of the rooms, but those rooms were
costly, exclusive and occupied by guests who expected superior, discreet
service. The opportunity to work in a hotel of this calibre was one of the
reasons she’d applied to Zimco...that and the possibility of an international
posting sometime in the future. She’d observed a large commercial hotel in operation;
it was time to add to her experience.
    * * *
    “Welcome back.” Karen gave her a brisk
nod and Morgan realized she’d passed some sort of test. “Now, let’s get you
familiar with our CRS.”
    The morning passed quickly as she
absorbed the intricacies of the hotel’s reservation system. It soon became
obvious that guests who’d stayed at Zimmerli hotels were loyal customers and often
visited several other hotels as well. Their personal preferences were saved in
the central data bank and Morgan was impressed with the level of service the
chain offered as a matter of course.
    By noon, she and Karen had reviewed all
of the day’s arrivals, assigned suites, and she had observed several checkouts.
    “You should be able to do a couple of
check-ins this afternoon,” Karen observed. “It looks as though you’ve worked
with this system before.”
    Morgan nodded. “One very similar. In
Banff we...”
    Karen held up a finger and reached for a
phone that was tucked discreetly below the desk. “Outside line,” she mouthed,
then glanced at the clock. “Good morning, Zimmerli Whistler. How may I help
you?”
    She shot a quick look at Morgan. “Yes,
she’s here.” She passed the phone to Morgan. “It’s for you.”
    “Hello?” Morgan frowned. She’d
completely forgotten about Dale.
    “Hey.” The familiar voice was music to
her ears. “I’m at the Vancouver bus depot and I’m about to get on the express
bus. Have you taken your stuff to our place yet?”
    Morgan smiled. Dale wasn’t one to waste
words. “Yes. I moved over there yesterday.”
    “Good.” An announcement blared in the
background and her friend waited for the noise to subside before continuing. “I
think I’ll pass on the free hotel accommodation. I’ll get to know the rooms
soon enough. Where do I go to find this Lodge place?”
    Morgan wasn’t sure if she should mention
Chance’s offer. What if he couldn’t make it? She gave Dale the address. “What
time does the bus get in?”
    “Two thirty.” Another announcement in
the background. “Listen, I have to go.”
    “Okay, but why don’t you come here after
you drop off your bags? I don’t have any food in yet and there’s a place
connected to the hotel where people hang out...”
    “I’ll think about it. See you later.”
    Morgan lowered the phone and stared at
it for a moment before hanging it up with a smile. “I have no idea why we’ve
managed to stay friends for so long. She can be impossible sometimes.”
    Karen grinned. “Those are the best
friends, aren’t they?”
    Morgan nodded her agreement. “Yeah.”
    Karen stiffened and looked toward the
concierge desk.