Chapter 18 - The Morning After
By sunrise, the storm had broken, leaving behind a silent, snow-covered city. The lobby was quiet, filled with the soft sounds of sleeping guests wrapped in Belmont-crested blankets.
Behind the front desk, Brandon leaned against the counter, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee. His muscles ached, and his eyes were heavy with fatigue, but a profound sense of peace washed over him. He looked out over the lobby, not seeing a room of profitable clients, but a room of people he had genuinely helped.
May you like
Maria, the head of housekeeping, walked up beside him. She handed him a fresh, hot pastry from the kitchen. "You did good last night, Brandon. We couldn't have handled this without you."
"We did it together, Maria," Brandon said softly, and he meant it with every fiber of his being. He had finally learned the difference between managing a hotel and truly caring for it.
