“A restaurant and bar manager, huh?” His mind was filled with a myriad of possibilities.
“Yep. Why? Do you know someone?” Makayla asked with an arched eyebrow.
“You’re looking at him.”
“Really?” She looked at him skeptically. “You know how to manage a bar and restaurant, including hiring, firing, inventory, and all that comes with it?”
“Look, I know you don’t know me from Adam, but yes. I do. I worked in restaurants all through high school. I eventually worked my way up to manager about six years ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
“Do you have any references?” she asked.
“I do. I’d be happy to get you a resume or fill out an application if you’d like.” Nick understood why Makayla doubted him. She didn’t know him. He had just shown up out of the blue, professing to be the one person she had been searching high and wide for.
“That would be great. Sorry, I like to vet all my employees. I learned the hard way to always verify references. I’ll give you an application to fill out. Our printer is on the fritz.”
“You’re the owner?” It was his turn to look at her skeptically.
“Yep. My grandparents left me this place. My parents didn’t want anything to do with it and moved north years ago. As soon as I graduated high school and turned eighteen, I moved here to collect my inheritance. I remember coming here as a kid. It was always a magical experience. My parents tried to get me to sell it, but I wouldn’t have it. This place is in my blood. It always has been. Anyway, six years ago, I made the big move back to the south, and I’ve been working to fix this old place up ever since.”
“Wow. Good for you. I think it’s great that you’ve taken this place on. I can’t imagine the challenges you’ve had. It would have been nice if your parents were a bit more supportive of your dreams.” He knew what it was like to have sucky parents.
“Whatever. I’m over it. I’m just here doing my thing. Living my dream. Now, about that room. I’ve got a single with a queen bed, or you can do a suite with a king bed. The suites are nice because they have a separate living room and small kitchenette.”
“The suite sounds great. It will feel more like an apartment.” He wasn’t a huge fan of extended hotel stays, so hopefully, this would make the move a bit easier.
“Perfect. I’ll just need your credit card and driver’s license.”
“Here you go.” He pulled the cards out of his wallet and placed them on the counter.
“Chicago,” she said, glancing down at Nick’s license. “Brrr. Those winters are brutal.”
“Yeah. They are. I can’t say that I’m going to miss them. Even if it does take me a minute to get used to this Louisiana heat.”
“It does take a bit to adjust to, but I’m sure you’ll be fine. How long do you plan on staying here?” Makayla asked.
“Well, that depends on how long it takes to find a place of my own. Let’s start with two weeks. I can always let you know and renew, right?”
“Absolutely. You’re in room 204. You can take the elevator to the second floor. It’s the last room at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks.” Nick grabbed the key card. “Oh, you said something about an application?”
“Right. Here you go.” Makayla pulled a sheet of paper from under the counter and handed it to Nick. “Also, the pool in the courtyard is open until ten.”
“Nice.”
ChapterSix
Nick spent the rest of the evening unpacking what he could from his vehicle and getting his new suite set up. Odin made himself at home almost immediately by curling in a ball on top of one of the pillows on the king-size bed and demanding his stuffed bear, which was more than twice his size. It was clear that the long drive had worn out his four-legged friend.
“I feel ya, buddy.” Nick wished he could curl up and crash as Odin had, but he had things to get done. He popped open his laptop with his resume and began the tedious task of filling out the application Makayla had given him.
A job was a job when it came down to it. He would take what he could get until he learned more about the sleepy little bayside town and its residents. His savings would only last so long. Why deplete it if he didn’t have to?
After he finished the application, he changed into board shorts and a pair of flip flips, thinking a pizza and some time by the pool would be time well spent. Grabbing his wallet, keycard, phone, and application, he headed for the door.
“You stay here, Odin. I’ll be back in a bit. Keep an eye on everything for me, will ya?” Odin let out a small “Arf” before falling right back to sleep.
He made his way down the hall to the elevator. After a short trip to the lobby, he was surprised to see a few families gathered, checking in. He took a seat away from the crowd and used the time to google local pizza places. He also checked out a few nature reserves, knowing he would need a discreet place soon to unwind. He could feel his bear stirring in the back of his mind, wanting to stretch his legs. The last thing he wanted or needed was an audience.