CHAPTERONE
The last thingI need is my boss’ unwanted attention, so I jog down the narrow hallway, desperately hoping I’m not late for the staff meeting. Next to me, Betsy struggles to keep up on her crutches. Two weeks ago, she broke her femur skiing. Her accident has put a dent in her career, and it’s something I can empathize with.
Noisily, we race down the employees-only corridor. The aged strip lights flicker, and the paint on the walls is a patchwork of botched remedial work.
If it wasn’t for my newly-acquired colleagues turned friends, I’d have been tempted to look for a new job by now. But I need to stick this one out for a little longer.
“You okay?” I ask Betsy as we near the staff room. She’s worked at Stein Hotel for several years, and is considered one of Elias’s shining stars.
“Yeah. It takes more than this to keep me down,” she rebuffs boldly.
Herthis won’t break meattitude is something I aspire to most days. “That’s the spirit,” I tell her.
Betsy works the VIP cabins. I’ve helped out from time to time, but it’s not a privilege I’ve yet qualified for permanently. But each time I was in charge of the VIPs, I second-guessed everything I did or said. I’m not normally one to doubt myself over every small thing, but my world has turned upside down recently.
My new boss, Elias, isn’t helping me through my mini crisis either. Rumors are circulating that he’s selling the hotel, and if that’s true, then it must be why he’s constantly on my case, whittling away at my confidence. On those days, it’s hard to remember that I rocked my former management role.
Elias can’t be in the staff room yet because the noise levels are insane. Overlapping voices thunder through the open door as we approach. All the seats are taken so we have to prop ourselves up against the wall.
“Leo’s in the front row,” I point out.Try-hard.
Her blue eyes are already glued on him. She smoothes back her immaculate brown hair, secured in a neat, perfect bun, and scowls.
“I’m going to ask him to give up his seat for you.”
“Don’t,” she replies quickly. “I don’t want any favors from him.”
My phone buzzes with a message.
Emily:This had better be good
I grin, replying:Not holding my breath
Emily:I hope Pothole’s leaving and this is his goodbye speech
Oh, yes pleaseI reply.
I laugh under my breath as I pocket my phone. Pothole is a name my roommate, Emily, invented for Elias. He’s called Pothole because she spends all day trying to avoid him.
That girl. I love her humor and her fun insults. Between her and Betsy, they’ve made my move here bearable, even if there are days that I despair at my life and my inability to influence necessary changes.
Just then, I spot her on the far side of the room, pulling a face at me.
I scrunch up my nose at her, just as Elias breezes into the room. Wearing a silver suit and a gold tie, he looks ridiculous. Slowly, the room quiets, except for some stifled laughter in Emily’s direction.
I know what she’s laughing at.
Orwho.
If Elias sang, he’d be a tenor. Personally, I like my men in the bass-baritone range, and no matter how many times Elias thinks I’m interested in him, the answer is, and always will be,No.I’d rather slog my guts out for a meagre paycheck and have my self worth at the end of it.
“Thank you for coming. I’ve just learned that the VIP guests arriving this weekend in cabin one, are mystery shoppers. I’m sure I don’t need to stress the importance of delivering a first-class experience. There is great potential here in securing well-deserved five-star reviews, reviews that will be listed across all the travel sites, along with complimentary articles online, and in the press.”
Elias’ slug-coloured eyes roam across the assembled crowd. I swear we have to wait a good minute until he’s made eyes with just about everyone present. It’s like he feels he’s imparted some deep wisdom that would be beyond us otherwise.
Finally, he continues. “Uniforms clean and pressed. Hair and appearance immaculate.” He locates Betsy, and I can almost hear his brain whirr happily at how well-put-together she looks. “Behavior impeccable.” His eyes swivel to me, that euphoric sound his brain was making dramatically choked off. “Presentable, helpful, energetic, bright, professional.”
He counts off the qualities we all need on the fingers of his left hand. Then he straightens his gaudy tie. “I will be looking at the rosters to ensure we have our best people available. If that means you are pulling extra shifts, I hope you will be accommodating. Stein Hotel needs its best people.”