Tessa had a chance to run home and change for dinner. She had done some shopping to help pass her lonely weekends, and she was now better equipped for dinner meetings. That evening, she wore a pretty baby blue wrap dress that accentuated her curves and paired it with ballet flats. Her makeup was minimal as usual, and her hair was still up in its regular bun. 

When she returned to the hotel, Amy and Holly were having an urgent conversation as their shift changed, causing Tessa concern.

"What's going on?" Tessa asked as the girls looked over at her, wearing identical frowns.

"You look pretty," Amy's frown turned to a smile before going right back into a frown.

"Thank you," Tessa said, waiting for a response to her question.

"It's Malibu Mallory!" Holly hissed. "Every fifteen minutes, she demands something else. Between Annie and me, we've been run off our feet, and it's only been two hours!"

Tessa took a fortifying breath. "I'll see what I can do. Are the others here yet?"

"Yes, they arrived a few minutes ago," Holly said as she angrily gathered her things together.

"I'm sorry it was a rough day, Holly. Please be safe going home."

As she turned to move into her office, the elevator doors opened and Robert and Mallory exited. Robert looked nice in a classic suit, but Mallory was dressed to kill in a skin-tight, satin red dress with no back and three-inch stiletto heels. Her red hair was styled in a fancy updo, accentuating her slim figure and flawless skin. The dress was overkill for the situation and looked as if it cost a month's Tessa's salary.

"I hope Josiah and Levi know better than to fall for her charms." Holly hit the word charms with obvious displeasure.

Tessa remembered how Levi and Josiah had both been on edge greeting Mallory and Robert earlier, and she didn't doubt that they both felt what Holly and Tessa felt, which was that they were not a right fit for the hotel. Thank goodness there was a get-out-of-jail-free card written into the contract.

"Mallory, Robert," Tessa greeted, "I believe the others are all in the dining room, and I'll join you all shortly." They barely acknowledged her as they headed toward the dining room.

"Oh, I don't like them," Amy agreed, watching them pass Tessa without a word.

"That's me put in my place," Tessa looked over at her and grinned. "What was it you said, Malibu Mallory, and how about Snobby Bobby?" Tessa asked, knowing she was being unprofessional but not really caring. She had a feeling that things would be difficult to keep professional over the next few days.

"Wish me luck!" Tessa said as she headed to her office and then the dining room.

When she entered, the table they were seated at was easy to find because Mallory stood out like a Christmas tree in July. As Tessa approached the table, Josiah stood up and offered her his chair, placing her between Levi and Mallory, which required him to move to the other side of Trinity. That placed him directly across from Tessa.

"Sorry I'm late, there was a question at shift change," Tessa smiled sweetly.

"Nothing serious, I hope?" Josiah asked, taking his seat.

"We're just a little short-staffed for the extra work we suddenly have." Tessa smiled at Annie, who was shooting daggers at Mallory as she approached the table. "Annie," she greeted, giving her a big smile, hopefully reminding her to smile as well.

"Tessa," she greeted in return. She didn't smile, but at least she focused her attention on the others, and she did manage to return Josiah's infectious grin. It was amazing how he had the talent to make everyone around him happy.

Annie took their drink order and left them quickly.

"That girl is useless," Mallory sighed. "I hope there is more potential in this small town for the spa employees."

"I assure you, Ms. Rheem, that Annie is one of our best, and we're lucky to have her." Tessa's voice was lightness itself.

"I'm guessing that you're responsible for all of the staff in the hotel?" Mallory asked, really looking at Tessa for the first time. It was evident that she was once again not impressed with her.

"Yes, that's correct," Tessa agreed.

"Well, she and the other one who works at reception have both been unbelievably rude every time they've been to my room."  She waved her hand in the air carelessly.

"You've only been here two hours, Ms. Rheem? How many times could you have possibly needed them to attend to you in your room?" Tessa asked thoughtfully.

"Seven times," Annie answered as she delivered waters, then darted away again.

Tessa looked at the others to gauge their reactions. Robert looked uncomfortable, Levi and Josiah's expressions were equally difficult to read, Trinity looked amused, and Mallory seemed unfazed by Annie's response.

"Joey," Mallory said, changing the subject and dismissing Tessa and Amy. "Would you be willing to show me around the town tomorrow? I feel like I need to know everything so that we can make this partnership a success."

"I'll be happy to take both you and Robert around tomorrow." Josiah offered with his friendly smile.

"Robert, will need to start setting up an office for us." Mallory turned to Tessa. "I hope you have somewhere you can put us. We'll also need an executive assistant to help us while we're here."

"Unfortunately, Ms. Rheem, we're under no obligation to provide Country Day Spa with staff, nor are we responsible for paying any staff you do hire," Trinity replied. She had no sweet smile for Mallory. In fact, she looked like an ice queen as she studied Mallory as if she were an ant to be squashed.

Tessa's smile suddenly brightened. Tessa didn't have the killer instinct, but Trinity did, and it pleased Tessa greatly.

A plan was forming, and it was to make Mallory and Robert as uncomfortable as possible.

The rest of the dinner was stilted, with the conversation lacking, and everyone was glad when the dessert was finished, allowing them to end the meal.

Levi left, then Trinity. They were still trying to be discreet.

Tessa left to return to her office, where she covertly watched for the others. Robert exited the dining room alone, and Tessa waited until she saw Josiah enter the lobby with Mallory laughing at something he said. They shook hands, and Tessa watched the redhead say something and look over her shoulder at the elevators.

Josiah gave his most charming smile and shook his head. Whatever he said pleased Mallory, and she laughed before giving a little wave and heading toward the elevator. When she was gone, Josiah turned and looked at Tessa through the windows of her office, and Tessa couldn't help but wonder if the situation were reversed, and she were the visiting representative, if he would have said no.

They looked at each other for a moment before he joined her, closing the door behind him.

"I get the feeling that you and Trinity are going to take care of the mess that Levi and I have made of this spa idea," he said as he took off his suit jacket and undid his tie before sitting across from her.

"Probably," Tessa agreed, letting herself admire his handsome features. "How hard was it to turn down the offer that she just made?" Tessa's voice was only curious.

"How do you mean? Was it hard to say no, or was it hard to find a way to say no so that no feelings were hurt?" He lifted his eyebrow.

"Both?"

"No, I don't like her, I didn't want to say yes, and it's easy to say no without feelings getting hurt if a pretty compliment is included." Josiah was watching Tessa closely as she remembered that he had tried to offer her a compliment when he had told her no, but she had seen through it.

"Most times that works," she amended.

"Most times," he agreed with a sincere smile at the shared memory. His sincere smiles were so different from his showy ones. They were smaller and a bit crooked.

"Good, then I won't have to fight Malibu Mallory," Tessa said, only half joking.

"You think you could take her?" Josiah shook his head in doubt. "Who came up with Malibu Mallory?"

"By myself, no, but everyone here would do their part, and she couldn't win against all of us, and to prove my point, Holly and Annie came up with it."

Josiah frowned at her response.

"Trinity is a little scary," Tessa observed, changing the subject.

"Yes, she can be."

They were silent for a while, studying each other, and Tessa couldn't hold the question that had been simmering any longer as she stood, gathering her stuff for a quick getaway. "If it were me. If I were the visiting representative, would you have said no?" She turned to look at him.

Josiah let his eyes skim her body, lingering for a while in different places before his heated gaze met hers. "No. I wouldn't say no."

"What are you so scared of Josiah?" she asked.

"I'm still trying to figure that out, Tessa. Perhaps it's not that I'm scared but that I feel like I don't deserve someone like you. That I'll hurt you, steal your passion for life."

"If my family hasn't been able to, it's unlikely that you would."

"What does that mean exactly?"

Tessa shook her head. "When you're ready to share your past, I'll share mine. Then we'll be on equal footing. I'm just as worried that you'll feel the same about me as they do in the end."

Josiah stood, and they studied each other for a few moments while she waited for him to say something, but he didn't.

"Good night, and good luck on your tour of the city tomorrow," she softly said before leaving him.

The stalemate still held.