JULIAN: Everything’s fine. Just need you right now.
I stopped in the middle of the town square, my heart skipping a beat as I read that message. Then without wasting another second, I turned straight on my heel to go back to the resort.
I was on my way up to our floor
in the vintage elevator when it stopped halfway, opening to present me with Turner. His shirt was half unbuttoned and twisted askew, thanks to a similarly haphazardly dressed girl hanging off his body.
“Holy shit, enough,” he laughed, peeling her off of him before stumbling in and noticing me. “Oh, shit! Look who it is. Quick, press door close so she doesn’t follow me in,” he said, hitting me with the stench of sex and sweat as he jabbed the button.
“Hello, Turner,” I finally offered my greeting.
“Hello yourself. Jesus, look at you. I just wanna pull on this,” he said, tugging at the tie of my bikini top at the back of my neck. I shirked away.
“Please don’t.”
“That’s fine, I can see plenty as it is,” he laughed, looking down at the outfit I’d changed into for the beach – a white V-neck tunic dress over my light blue swimsuit. Turner kept his eyes pinned to my cleavage. “Listen, Sara, what can you tell me about the age demographics in this town?” he asked with a serious frown despite still staring at my chest.
“The residential population or the tourist population?”
Turner grinned. “Whatever.”
“Well, starting with the population on a regular basis, it’s about twenty-five thousand with a median age around – ”
“Honestly, all I really want to know is why I’m having trouble finding girls as pretty as you.”
Ugh. I stretched my lips in a smile to avoid retching in Turner’s face, which I really did want to do considering he’d just baited me with work talk for the sole purpose of leading into a shitty pick-up line.
“I think that’s above my pay grade, Turner.”
“You’re funny. Seriously though, Sara – what does it feel like to be the most beautiful woman in Biarritz right now?” Turner pressed on, almost buckling my knees with his sheer level of cheese. “Don’t laugh! Trust me, I’ve been looking around, I’ve given it a few shots here and there, but so far, the talent is surprisingly bleak for a surf town,” he said as the elevator approached my floor.
“You never pressed your floor, Turner,” I smiled as the doors opened on mine. I pursed my lips when he followed me out.
“I have a question about the age demographics. Business stuff.” He strode behind me with a grin in his voice. “Can you help me out?”
“Absolutely. Would you like to schedule for all of us to meet a little early before dinner? I’m sure Julian’s on the premises, so that can be easily arranged,” I said, slowing to a stop in front of my door. Turner smirked down at me.
“Nah. I’ve already got you here. Let’s just talk in your room,” he said, nodding behind me. He was aware as usual that I saw right through his bullshit – he just didn’t care. He was confident it would still work.
“No, Turner, we should meet in the salon,” I said politely.
“Oh, come on, sweetheart. Don’t be so rigid.” Oh, pleeease. I did my best not to roll my eyes. I honestly wished I had a hidden camera live streaming all this entitled douchebaggery to Lia. She’d love it. “Just humor me, Sara.”
“Alright, Turner,” I said, watching his eyebrows wiggle in anticipation of my key on the door. But I didn’t give him that satisfaction. “Hit me with your question right here. About age demographics? Is that what you wanted to ask?”
I did my best not to laugh as Turner’s face fell flat. But just as quickly, it returned to life with that signature shit-eating grin of his.
“Jesus. You really don’t trust me enough to come in your room?” he asked, giving a little chuckle.
“My room is not a space for a business meeting, Turner.”
“Fine, then let’s do something besides business.”
Okay, so you’re clearly just going for it now. I crossed my arms.
“Considering business is precisely what we’re here for, my answer is going to be no.”
“Let’s be real – your business here is a little different than that of the guys.”