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A/N: Hey all! As you can probably tell from the lack of updates, I have no muse for 'Broken' at the current time. I decided that a lighter, fluffier story was just what I needed to cure my writer's block clues, and this is what I came up with. Never fear, the chapters will be longer than this (it is only the prologue) but I'd like to know whether you think the idea is worth continuing or not. Enjoy, my little ones!

****

When she looked back on it, Buffy Giles, nee Summers, thought that it started with that fateful Monday morning, early in the summer of 1999. Her husband, however, argued that if you wanted to be that particular about it, it really started back when she first applied for the job at the world-famous Hotel Elise. Smiling, she let herself be caught up in the memories.

****

Buffy tugged nervously at the hem of her smart, charcoal grey pencil skirt. It was part of a ‘casual suit’ (though she privately wondered if such a thing existed) her mother had bought for her, stunning in its simple elegance. This was the third interview she’d had in as many days, but it was by far the most nerve-wracking. Hotel Elise was notorious for its willingness to do whatever it took to keep its customers happy.

Buffy was applying for a place that was considered highly unattainable by many of the people who worked in similar positions worldwide. Each five- or six-room suite in the hotel, reserved for either very rich business people or celebrities, had its own private team of staff, numbering ten in total. There were two cleaners, a chef and two assistants, a masseuse, a butler, a PR coordinator, a personal secretary and a general overseer.

This was the job Buffy was applying for. If she was hired, which she knew was highly unlikely, her job would be to direct her team and make sure that the resident’s every need was catered for. She would settle disputes between the staff and set the tasks each morning, working around the schedule she and the PR coordinator would have to work out with the resident’s secretary in advance. She would also have to smooth out the little kinks that arose as the stay progressed. It was a demanding job.

The door opened to reveal a tall, dark-haired man with a closed face but warm, dark brown eyes and a slightly smaller but stunningly beautiful woman. Her hair curled in loose, glossy ringlets down past her shoulders, emphasising a delicate but intelligent face with huge, soft brown eyes. As Buffy rose to greet them, the man nodded politely as the woman flashed perfect, dazzlingly white teeth in a smile. The man cleared his throat before speaking.

“Good morning, Miss Summers. Sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m Liam Angelus, general manager and owner of Hotel Elise.” At a cough from his side, he suddenly smiled down into the raised brow being directed his way. “Co-owner.” He amended.

The woman turned to Buffy with a warm smile and thrust a hand out to be shaken. “I’m Cordelia Chase. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” As Buffy shook the small, dainty hand gingerly, she felt the cool press of a ring against her skin. She glanced down, unable to stop her jaw dropping.

Cordelia, seeing her reaction, grinned smugly. She brandished the glittering stone on her ring finger proudly. Buffy examined it carefully, for a moment forgetting herself as she sighed wistfully. “Wow. I hate you.” Mr Angelus, on hearing her, covered a deep chuckle with a cough. Buffy coloured, snatching her fingers away.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it literally! It’s just, it’s so pretty and you’re so lucky…” Seeing the barely concealed smiles on their faces, she felt a new wave of heat settle on her cheeks. Mortified, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before smiling weakly. “I’ll be quiet now.”

As Angel shook her hand, he managed to fight off the grin that was threatening to appear at any moment. Unlike their previous applicants, Miss Summers obviously had a sense of humour. That was always a plus. He waited for Cordy to stop giggling before settling himself down into the comfortable leather chair used solely for the interviews the hotel held. Once upon a time, he would have had a board of important staff members facing the applicant, all sitting in hard, uncomfortable chairs and firing questions at random.

When Cordy had swept into his life, however, she had quickly made some changes. She had firmly insisted that at least half of the aforementioned staff board be gently dismissed, though they were all glad to retire, as most were past the age when they should have done so but had stayed on out of love for the hotel. She’d made some simple adjustments to the rooms that made them warmer and more inviting, as well as hiring private managers for each of the more luxurious suites.

It was Cordy who had first started the personal interviews, soon after he had made her co-owner of the hotel and his fiancée. They had quickly discovered that the less intimidating setting provided a more truthful view of a possible staff member’s personality and professional qualities, which had in turn made the hotel much more popular, especially among the ‘Money Bags’, the Elise’s private slang for the clients who were rich beyond belief.

Looking at the flushed face of the young woman before him, he pictured her in her potential place. The suit she was wearing, soft grey and fitted to her slender, petite body, gave the impression of a graceful professional, as did the business-like bun her hair was pulled back into. A few months living with Cordy had taught him to see the artful way she’d pulled loose a few strands of hair to frame her pretty, open face; it made the hairstyle less forbidding and made her seem more approachable.

Lost in thought, he barely paid attention as Cordy soothed the girl’s embarrassment away and they began chatting like old friends. She certainly looked the part, and more. The plain but elegant suit didn’t hide the slight curves of her body or the fragile slimness of her waist. The quiet black heels she wore made her slender legs look longer than they actually were, her light make-up not too obvious but noticeable enough to show she believed in keeping up appearances.

He was jolted from his thoughts when he realised that the women were looking at him expectantly. He cleared his throat, opening the file she’d submitted and studying it for a moment before beginning the more official part of the interview. He watched her straighten, the smile no longer lingering on her pouting lips, her expression briskly business-like. Pleased, he began.

“Miss Summers, I’d just like to verify some of the information we have here. You are twenty-six years of age, correct?” She nodded at his questioning look. “Good. As far as past experience goes, you have worked in a number of hotels, though none in the near vicinity. You have usually been part of an administrative team, but want to take on a more active role in customer care. Is there anything you’d like to add that makes you suitable for the job?”

Cordy noted that Buffy paused and thought about the question for a moment before answering, which pleased her. Some candidates were too eager, blurting out rash answers to similar questions without considering what they were being asked. Buffy looked relaxed but alert, and when she spoke it was with a soft, contemplative tone of voice.

“I’ve always wanted to have a job in management, but at the same time I enjoy and am good at interacting with different kinds of people. I guess that I could say I’m not afraid of hard work and I’m good at dealing with problems, both administrative and practical. This kind of position would suit me as a person and as a professional, which is great because I don’t see the point in being stuck in a job that you hate. It would be a dream come true for me to work here.”

Angel smiled reassuringly and Cordy beamed warmly. Buffy gave a silent sigh of relief and smiled back. She relaxed more as the interview progressed, finding that the questions were much less challenging than she’d thought they would be. By the time she rose to shake their hands at the end, she felt completely confident in herself. Even if she didn’t get the position, she’d learned that she could be cool and collected under pressure and show herself off well, for want of a better phrase.

She closed the door quietly behind her, her heels clicking on the gleaming tiles as she exited the building. Angel and Cordy looked at one another and nodded, smiling. He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as their eyes met, smouldering with heated promise. They left the room quickly, headed for their private rooms at the back of the hotel. As they passed through his office, he stopped at his secretary’s desk.

“Cancel the other interviews for the Whip.” He ordered. This was the slang the hotel staff jokingly used when referring to the overseers. She covered a smile with her hand as she picked up the phone, watching as the hulking man was pulled through the entrance into their flat and the door was slammed. Ah, young love she thought with a chuckle.





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