Madness or Love (Be With Me Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

every wrinkle around his eyes, the way he
moved, the scent of him. She tried to move on and concentrate on her work, but her
heart wouldn’t let go of the image.
    “Victoria, in my office!” Her boss’s voice brought her
back from her dreamland. She had pushed the mute button in her mind, and
suddenly the world exploded in an array of sounds.
    “He sounds pissed off,” Stacy said behind her. “Are
you in trouble?”
    “I hope not.” Victoria tried to smile, seeing the
genuine concern in her colleague’s eyes. She entered her boss’s office and
closed the door.
    “Sit down!” he said without looking at her.
    Victoria pulled herself together, ready to face what
was to come.
    “I got an e-mail,” he started, “from Ian Young.” Mr.
Patterson finally looked at her with pleasure, not anger, in his eyes.
    Victoria’s heart skipped a beat and then raced faster,
but her face remained calm and didn’t betray a single emotion.
    “He was so pleased with his stay that he decided to
thank me and the staff personally. I quote: ‘The unique approach to customers
and the staff’s competence transform the hotel into a true home.’”
    She listened carefully. Unique approach. The phrase
lingered a bit longer in her mind.
    “Do you know why you’re here?” her boss continued.
    “No,” she said cautiously.
    “I promised I’d think again about your promotion. I am
more than happy with your work, knowledge, and customer service expertise.”
    She stopped breathing.
    “As of Monday, you are officially the new Front Office
Manager. Congratulations!”
    Victoria sat there, speechless.
    Mr. Patterson smiled. “This is the moment when you say
thank you.”
    She blinked. “I’m sorry. Thank you! I won’t disappoint
you.” Victoria shook the man’s hand.
    “I know you won’t. Go now! And Victoria . . . good
job.”
    She nodded and left the room.
    It wasn’t until the next morning while she lay down in
bed, staring blankly at the wallpapered ceiling, that the news finally hit her. 
She was going to be the manager—her dream eight-to-five job and a huge salary.
But the most important thing was she was one step closer to transforming her
dreams into reality. Victoria jumped out of bed, filled with energy, will, and
determination to put everything she had into this challenge and make it happen.
No distractions should get in her way; no piercing blue eyes in the back of her
mind should steer her off course.
    Part of her knew, though, that she needed to thank him
for that letter. And she tried. But during the next couple of days, every time
she tried to dial his number, her fingers wouldn’t budge. After the third try,
she decided it was for the best to leave him behind into that one Cinderella
night. She needed her focus desperately, and erasing the image of Ian was hard
enough.
    Her first Monday as manager came and went, leaving her
breathless from excitement and the burden of responsibility over her shoulders.
Making her first steps into her new office had scared her, but for the first time,
she had felt proud. And when the hours had past, she knew, with absolute
certainty, that she would make an exceptional hotel owner. The job fit her like
a glove; decision-making came naturally, and her compassion and sense of
fairness had made her loved and respected in an instant. What else could she
wish for? A tiny image in the back of her mind reminded her that there was more
to life than work.
    Two blue eyes refused to fade away into oblivion.

Chapter Five
     
    She felt restless that night. The air was hot and
heavy, and the dampness made her hair stick to her over-sensitive skin. The
sleep came hard, and with it came the dream. The scene was familiar, and she
welcomed it. The old white mansion rose over the horizon in front of her. The
French windows were wide open, and she gingerly stepped in. A sense of loss and
foreboding hit her. She knew the place by heart, and loved it, but that night
it didn’t bring her joy. A