Maid for Mistletoe Mix-Up (Paperback)

Chapter 1
The fact that she hadn’t been fired yet was a miracle. Mira had made one mistake after another after another, and each time, she’d managed to skate past the dreaded meeting with her boss, Steven. Everyone kept saying how nice he was, but she knew better. She’d already had one of those meetings, and the fact was that he only cared about one thing.
The happiness of his customers.
Okay, that wasn’t a bad thing. It was probably the thing that helped him stay in business. He needed to care about his customers. But over the well-being of her mental health?
Mira sighed as she leaned against the wall of the elevator and glanced over once more to Eve. “How long have you been working here?”
The woman’s green eyes were warm and soft. She was the kind of person Mira could see running this place one day. She was probably the nicest person who worked at the Sweet Paradise Resort. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s been a long time, though.” She looked down at the ring on her finger, and her thumb twisted it around and around. “I met my fiancé while working here.”
Mira grinned. “Gabe seems like a wonderful guy.” He was another one of the good ones. He could have had her fired over the ring fiasco, and instead, he’d kept a cool head.
“Gabriel. He hates his name being shortened.” Eve laughed. “And he is. I think he likes working here just as much as I do. It’s probably the reason we’re working Christmas again this year.” Eve glanced up at Mira. “So you don’t have a boyfriend. What about a fiancé?”
Mira shook her head. “Gosh, no. I don’t have time for that. I’m trying to save up to help get my younger brother through college. It’s hard for him to work and take all those classes. I don’t know how he does it.”
“That’s impressive. Did you go to school?”
Once again, she shook her head. “No. I couldn’t afford it. I’ve been taking care of my brother since I was seventeen. My parents passed away in a car accident, and it was either get a job or the state was gonna split us up.”
Eve gasped. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. That was almost ten years ago. Now, Sam is in college and I’m here. It’s why I can’t lose this job. It’s one of the highest-paying gigs I could find without having a college degree.”
Eve reached out and touched her forearm. “You’ll be fine. I know you’re stressed, but seriously, Steven won’t fire you. Especially not now. We need all the help we can get. We rarely have priority guests stay over the holidays. That family in the penthouse suite will expect perfection.”
Mira grimaced. It sure didn’t sound like she’d be fine. At the rate she was going, she’d end up fired before Christmas.
Eve laughed again as the elevator doors slid open. They headed toward reception only to hear a woman arguing at a volume that made several people look her way. Mira slowed her steps as Eve charged forward with a smile on her face.
“Excuse me, ma’am. What can I do for you?”
The woman whirled around and glowered at Eve. “My room has not been cleaned to the standards I was promised. There’s a wrapper in my wastebasket. I’ve requested that someone from housekeeping come get my coat that needs dry cleaning and—”
Eve nodded. “My apologies. I’ll have someone come right up to fix—”
“No. You owe me compensation. Or a better room—a room that has actually been cleaned.” The woman tossed her blond hair over her shoulder and stomped her foot. “If you’re not willing to help me, then I want to speak to the manager. I’m not against calling the owner and getting him on board with this, either.”
“Of course, ma’am.” She glanced over at Mira and waved her over.
Mira’s feet remained frozen where she stood. No. She couldn’t go over there. Not with that monster.
Eve’s eyes popped open wider, indicating how serious this was as she gave Mira another look.
Slowly, Mira’s feet shuffled forward. She kept her hands clasped in front of her and lowered her head.
The woman spun around, her feet pointing toward Mira, and she let out a sigh. “What is she going to do to help?”
Eve’s bright voice was laced with what could only be irritation. “This is Mira. She’s going to help move your things to your new quarters.”
“Help me—no, absolutely not. I don’t have time to do any of this. I’m heading down the hill to the small town at the base of the mountain. You’ll all have to move my things without me.” She took a few steps away then stopped and spun around again. “I know every single thing that’s in my room. If even one item goes missing, I will shut this whole place down.”
When the sound of her heels had finally disappeared, Mira glanced up at Eve. “What a witch.”
Eve shot her a warning look and leaned close. “You never know who is listening,” she whispered. “It’s best not to say anything.”
A lump formed in Mira’s throat, and her face heated. She glanced around, worried that someone might be listening.
“She’s not wrong.” Gabriel came out of a back room with a suitcase dolly.
“Gabriel. You can’t say that.”
He shrugged. “Have you ever interacted with someone as bad as her?”
“Gabriel!” she said with exasperation.
He chuckled then jerked his head toward the elevator. “Come on, Mira. Let’s get the woman’s things and take them to her new room.”
Mira nodded and scurried after Gabriel, but then Eve called after them, and they stopped.
She practically ran across the lobby with a keycard in her hand. “You’re going to need this. It’ll get you into both rooms. She’s being moved to the fourth floor.” She pushed the card into Mira’s hand.
“You’re kidding.” Gabriel groaned. “You’re giving her access to one of the presidential suites?”
She gave him another warning look. “I shouldn’t have to remind you that there are other important people here this month. The last thing we need is for our guests on the fifth floor to have to deal with Ms. Devlin’s mood.”
“More like Ms. Devil,” Gabriel muttered.
Mira snickered until Eve scowled at both of them.
“That’s enough. Not another word. Leave the woman in peace, and let’s hope she does the same for our other guests.”
Mira stared at the card in her hand. It was amazing what some money and throwing a tantrum could do for some people.
By the time she glanced up from the card, Gabriel was already waiting for the elevator. How she’d managed to get swept up in servicing the higher clientele, she didn’t know. The sooner she could escape and return to her more mundane tasks, the better.

(Prequel) Saving Paradise Resort
1. Christmas Honeymoon For One
2. Merry Mistletoe Wedding
3. Christmas Cookies and Coworkers
4. Made for Mistletoe Mix-up
5. A Sweet Paradise Holiday Reunion