I’m sitting at a restaurant across the street from the hotel about to have lunch with Lynn. It’s the first time she’s come to visit me for lunch, and I’m excited to see a friendly face. An older woman walks over to our table. Her hair is white like a dove, and her face is etched with lines signifying years of hard work. She hands us our menus, and as she walks away, I start to fidget with the salt and pepper shakers. Lynn is my best friend, but right now I feel awkward. There’s so much to tell her, and I don’t know where to begin.
“So . . .” She points to the hotel. “That’s where you work?”
I nod.
“It’s beautiful from the outside.”
“It is, isn’t it? They sure know how to design a beautiful hotel.”
“What’s it look like from the inside?”
“Insane. It literally goes on forever.”
“I need to check it out once it opens.”
My brow rises in question.
“We all need a break every now and then. I like staycations.” She shrugs.
“Noted,” I reply before I start to fidget uncomfortably. As I’m about to try to change the topic, the waitress comes over and we both order. I think maybe the distraction is enough to get me out of my confession, but just as I’m coming up with something to say, Lynn beats me to the punch.
“What’s up, Bridge? You seem off.”
“I have to tell you something, but you can’t tell Olivia.”
Lynn’s forehead scrunches. “I’m not sure I can make that promise,” she responds as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “You know I’m not good at keeping secrets.”
You used to be.
After Lynn lied to me for months about her affair with her teacher, I made her promise to tell me everything. Now she’s an open book. The only problem is that now if I tell her about my job, I run the risk she might tell Olivia.
“It’s really not a big deal. I, um, the hotel—” Anxiety knots in my shoulders and I lift my hand to massage the corded muscles.
“Just spit it out.”
I hate that I have to tell her this. I hate that I’ve put myself in this position, but I did. And Lynn and I have no secrets. Not anymore, not since high school, so I need to tell her. “It’s owned by Spencer’s brother.”
Her mouth drops open. “That’s The L?”
“Yep.”
“Shit.”
“I know. Can you not say anything? I’m not sure what’s going on. For all I know I’ll be out of a job in a week.” I grimace.
“Why? What’s up?”
“You remember the guy I kissed?”
“Dumpster Dude?”
“Lynn!” But hey, brownie points to her for finding a catchy pet name for him.
She smirks.
“Yes, the guy in the alley. Well, he’s, um . . . Grant Lancaster.”
“Wait. Stop. The guy you made out with is Grant Lancaster? As in Spencer’s brother?”
“Try to keep up, will you,” I chide.
Her mouth continues to hang open as she takes it all in.
“Oh my God, he’s your boss? You have the worst freaking luck.”
“You’re an ass.”
“You really are screwed.”
“Lynn,” I warn.
“Fine. I won’t say anything else.”
“Can we change the topic now? What are you ordering? I’m buying today,” I offer.
“What? No, you don’t have to do that.”
“I’ve been working at a hotel for eight days already. That’s eight days that I’ve gotten free lunch. I think I can afford to buy yours today.”
Lynn grins. “Well, I’m not complaining. So, eight days already, huh? How’s it going with dumpster man being the boss?” she belts out.
I cringe. Does she really have to be so loud? And here?
“Shh.” I shake my head back and forth, and her eyes widen. “You’re so loud. Plus, this really isn’t a conversation to have here.” I know I mentioned it first, but in hindsight, that was dumb of me. “A lot of employees eat here when they want to leave the hotel.” I look around, but no one I recognize is here.
“He’s a miserable bastard,” I whisper. “That guy changes his moods more often than I change my underwear. Way more.”
“Have you talked about what happened?”
I scrunch my nose. “We did. Briefly.” Remembering our first encounter has me going rigid. “But it didn’t go well.”
“Oh, yeah,” she says. “Why’s that?”
The waitress chooses this exact moment to return with our food. Neither of us eats as Lynn just looks at me impatiently, waiting for my answer, her fork tapping on her plate as she waits.
“He’s married.”
With that, she drops her fork on the plate and the sound echoes around me like a freight train. My face warms, and I want to hide from her scrutiny.
“What the actual fuck! Are you serious?”
“I wish I wasn’t.” I push my hands through my hair, pulling at the roots. “It’s all too much.”
“What did you do?”
“What the hell could I do? I yelled. He yelled back. In the end, I conceded because as scary as he is when he’s angry, Karen Michelle is even worse.”
“Wow. I don’t envy you, girl.”
“Thanks,” I say dryly. “Anyway, you can’t breathe a word of this, Lynn.”
“Promise.” She chews on her lip. “Have you asked anyone about him? Does he cheat on his wife often?”
“I thought about it, but the last thing I need is for Mr. Lancaster to figure out that I’m asking around about him. He’ll be even madder than before. Plus, I don’t need anything fishy getting around to his wife. She works here too from what I’ve gathered.”
“Oh shit. It’s too much. Just remember, you won’t be here forever. You’re enjoying it, right? Other than the crazy boss drama?”
I consider the question. As much as me and my “crazy” boss don’t get along, I do like the actual work.
“Yeah, I do like it here.”
“You still want to get into marketing after this? Or do you like the hotel business now?”
I smile. “I still think marketing is the right job for me, but I’m liking the hotel business now. Who knows, maybe I can get a good recommendation and all my time here and having to endure hell will be worth it.”
“Way to remain positive. You sound more mature already.”
I stick my tongue out at her just to prove I’m still the sister she’s always loved.
I fill the silence by lifting my fork. After taking a few bites, Lynn groans in delight.
“If I worked across the street, I’d be here every day. No wonder you haven’t quit yet. This food is amazing. Better than any sex a Lancaster could perform.”
“Har, har, har. Really funny, but yeah. It’s amazing, isn’t it? I don’t come here often, though. The food at the hotel is ridiculous. Oh, there’s Jared.” I wave through the glass window as he walks down the block.
“He’s cute,” Lynn says.
“He is. And he’s a good guy. The two of us get along pretty well.”
“And? Anything else?” She leans forward onto the table and smiles.
“What? You mean anything between us?”
“Well, yeah. He’s cute. You’re cute. Come on, man.”
I laugh. “Definitely not. He knows he’s cute. And he’s not my type.”
“Oh, yeah? Who’s your type, exactly?”
I shrug. “Now, that’s something I don’t know. But it’s not Jared, that’s for sure.”
We’re almost finished with our lunch when I see Grant walking down the street toward us. My heart starts pounding in my chest. Please don’t come here. Unfortunately, he does. He pulls the door open, and when he steps inside, he spots me. He narrows his eyes, and I meet his stare. Neither of us says hello. He walks in the opposite direction to a table on the other side of the restaurant. He’s with two other men that I figure are part of the new hotel. I saw in the calendar earlier that he had a meeting to attend, but I didn’t recognize the names, and he obviously decided to change the location because I would have never come here if he’d noted this restaurant.
“Oh, good,” I say. “Mr. Lancaster is only starting his meeting now, and my lunch hour is almost up. Which means I get at least an hour of peace. I work better without him there watching what I do.”
“Hang on a second. That guy who just walked in . . . He’s your boss? He’s the guy you kissed? He’s Lancaster?”
“Speak softly!” I hiss. I look around, but nobody is listening.
“Sorry, sorry. But seriously, that’s the guy?” Lynn asks.
“Yes,” I groan.
“He’s freaking gorgeous, and I hate to break it to you, but he really hates you. What’s that all about?”
“Thanks, Lynn. Ever considered becoming a therapist? You have such a way with words.” I shift uncomfortably in my seat.
“Do you like him?”
“What? No!” I move back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest.
“Oh my God, Bridge. You know you can’t go there again. Right?”
I can feel my face warming. Damn my pale face! “No. Obviously. God, you’re making me blush for no reason. I don’t like him. I actually hate him. I thought we covered that. He’s emotionally unstable, and I definitely don’t like him.”
“Then why are you blushing?”
“Because I blush easily, you know that. It means nothing.”
“No matter what, you sure have some good eye candy there for you.”
I peek at where Grant is sitting and try not to get caught staring. He sits tall and assured, owning the room with his very presence. The meeting must be going well because he appears to be more relaxed than I’ve seen him since that night. As I watch his mouth move, I’m reminded of the kiss. I sigh, musing at how he’s easily one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen in my life. At that thought, his eyes meet mine. Neither of us turns away, and for one brief moment, the hostility seems to waver. In its place appears to be regret and . . . longing? He turns away, leaving me disappointed once again. There’s nothing there but hatred, and I’d do best to remember that.
“Earth to Bridget. You can stop staring at the boss now. It’s getting weird.”
I turn my eyes to my sister and roll them for good measure. “Tell me everything about you and Carson.”
Hopefully hearing about my sister and her perfect boyfriend will put all thoughts of Grant and that damn kiss out of my mind.