Page 7 of Room for Improvement

His father righted himself and got to his feet. He paced back and forth in front of the window, his hands resting on his slim hips. The morning light glinted off his gold and silver cufflinks. For a moment Bryce wondered if his own dark brown hair would look the same at that age.

He carries the distinguished English gentleman look so well.

“The Laguna Beach resort is the first of our Platinum Collection properties. It’s meant to be our premium brand. The one which sees Royal Resorts feature in the top one hundred global awards for travel and leisure. At the moment that seems an impossibility,” sighed Edward.

Bryce bit his bottom lip. He was sorely tempted to mention that one of the resorts he had managed in Italy had been placed at number fifty nine in the previous year’s list. Not a mean feat in any one’s terms, but he kept it to himself.

This was the US, the biggest leisure market in the world. And the home turf of some of their major rivals in the hotel and resort market. If Royal Resorts could win here, they would be unassailable.

The words of his father’s short email received yesterday morning now shone bright in his mind. It had been more than a few bullet points of instruction, it had been a cry for help. Bryce had printed it out and repeatedly studied it during the flight home hoping it might give him a clue.

Come to New York. Urgent. Tell no one where you are going. Can’t risk company jet. British Airways 6pm flight booked. Heathrow Airport, Windsor VIP Suite. Concorde VIP service at JFK. Serviced apartment ready for you. Talk tomorrow, Dad.

There were few people within the business that Edward Royal fully trusted, and Bryce was privately proud that he was one of them.

Whatever his father asked of him, he would deliver. “What do you need me to do? As always, I am at your disposal.”

Edward’s head dropped forward, and his shoulders lifted as he took in a deep breath. When he looked up at Bryce, his face was a study in deep conflict. “I need you to take the jet and go to California and undertake a full investigation. In secret. Find out first-hand how, and why this resort is failing. We have to get it up to being a six star resort and fast. Janice, has you booked in under a false name. I’m really sorry son, but you have to leave this morning. The board members held a brief tele-conference last night while you were en route, and they want answers. I am begging you Bryce, get this mess fixed.”

His feet had barely touched US soil and he was dog tired, but the job had to be done. Bryce slowly rose from his chair, but a niggle of unease sat heavy in his stomach. If he did this, it would mean going behind his brother’s back.

Jordan will be gutted when he finds out. And he will. This is going to cause real damage between us. How do we come back from that?

Things must be dire in California for his father to go to the extreme length of bringing him all the way back from Edinburgh. A billion dollar asset was on the line. Along with his brother’s future in the company if Bryce was reading correctly between the lines.

Please god, don’t let what I find in California be the reason for Jordan losing his future at Royal Resorts. He’s, my brother. He would see that as an unforgiveable betrayal.

No matter his private reservations, Bryce had a job to do. His father was counting on him. “I’ll go back down to the apartment and get my things.”

There was a knock at the door, and Janice poked her head inside. “Edward, the car is waiting downstairs. Bryce, I’ve been to your apartment and repacked your suitcase. It’s in the car, ready for when you leave. I put your coffee beans in an airtight container, and they will be waiting for you when you return.”

He would bet fifty bucks Janice hadn’t done anything about getting him a coffee, rather she had been operating under his father’s prearranged instructions and gone straight to Bryce’s serviced apartment the moment she left Edward’s office.

You don’t need to manipulate me like that Dad.

Bryce’s brows knitted together. He hated the idea of someone else packing his things. There wasn’t anything untoward in his luggage, but he guarded his privacy. He glanced at his father, but Edward’s mood was hard to read. Now was not the time to raise the issue of Janice knowing which fragrance of cologne Bryce preferred or that he still carried in his luggage the stuffed pink pig he’d had since a small child.

“Thank you, Janice. Call and let the driver know Bryce will be with him shortly,” replied Edward.

If he wasn’t so certain that this problem was keeping his father awake at night, Bryce would have suggested he spend a day or two in New York getting acclimatized while also going through the resort financials—as well as undertaking a private attempt to speak to Jordan. The worry lines on Edward’s brow told him all he needed to know. This was a major company crisis and it had to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

He is relying on me. I can’t let him down. I just wish he was more open about things.

“Alright I will go, and report back as soon as I can. Depending on how things look when I arrive, I might even be able to give you an update tonight.” Bryce took two steps toward the door, then stopped. He was prepared to accommodate his father’s demands, but his unease was growing. Pitting son against son like this wasn’t something he would have done if he was in his father’s position. This had to be said.

“I just want it noted that I am not comfortable with having to lie to Jordan. He is not a little boy, and if he has screwed up, then I think he needs to understand the depths of his mistake. Give him the opportunity to prove that this was a temporary lapse in judgement. Jordan has his pride. With the right support he will fix the resort. I have faith in him.”

Edward shook his head. “I’m sorry if this puts you in a difficult position with your brother. I’m not sure what is wrong with him, but his head is clearly not in the game. I can indulge him so far as a father, but as a major shareholder and board member of the House of Royal, I can’t be seen to be giving him special treatment. His coming back to New York leaving the job unfinished in California has put me in an impossible situation. If a senior executive is not up to the task, then he has to go. I will fire anyone who I deem as being incompetent, and that includes family.”

Bryce swallowed his objections. His job was clear. Go out to California, see what the devil was going on, and report back. If things were as bad as the expression on his father’s face, then Bryce was about to cut the ground out from under his younger brother.

“Jordan is family, but you can’t allow that to cloud your judgement or your reading of the situation. If this resort fails, it puts the entire Royal Resorts US operations at risk. That means not just our money, but thousands of people’s jobs and livelihoods.”

Bryce nodded. His father’s message had been received, loud and clear.

I must be fair and impartial. People are going to make decisions based on what I report back to Dad and the board.

He had to hope Jordan didn’t try and call him for one of their regular chats. His brother knew him only too well. When it came to lying, Bryce had never been a master of the art. It wouldn’t take much for Jordan to figure out that his older brother was up to something.