Chapter Six
Abby
Because of the schedule I had at the hotel, weeks more or less bled into each other. That meant the summer felt like one big stretch of activity. Parties, people, good times. It could get pretty busy, with so many people and so many different things happening at once, but I loved it. I thrived on it.
Every day was different, though, so it didn't get routine or boring. I felt like people were their best selves when they came here. Everyone seemed to always be happy. I didn't know what it was — the weather, all the good food, the professionalism and warmth of the Four Seasons staff? Everything combined? Whatever it was, it made my job that much easier since everyone seemed just as pleased to be here as I was to have them.
That was the thing about hotels. Whether people were there just for their honeymoon or were there for a month, they were all living there. It was their home for as long as they were there. A home but better because not everyone had twenty-four-hour concierge and all the amenities of an award-winning, five-star resort at their disposal when they were at their real homes.
I worked at the hotel, so I knew how much work went into keeping everything running. It would probably surprise a lot of people how demanding the hospitality industry was. It was all love, though. It could be hard, but ultimately, it was rewarding, especially if you liked working with people. It was a lot of fun, too. Every time there was a luau, I got to go, too.
It was just after noon, and a few people had already come by the front desk or called to ask for more information about the luau happening that night. I was excited for the first one of the season. I'd been to enough at the hotel and ones held by friends to know how they went, but for many people, it was going to be their first experience of Hawai'ian culture, and that made me excited.
Makani got off the phone beside me after answering questions to a hotel guest about just that before she turned and looked at me.
"Another one?"
"Yeah. The turn out's going to be pretty great tonight."
"Sounds like it," I said. Makani frowned at me.
"Are you all right? Why don't you sound excited? You usually love these things."
"I do. I was just thinking about something. Well, actually someone."
"Who? No, wait. Let me guess. Our esteemed guest in the Hulopoe suite?" she said knowingly. I nodded.
"I was just thinking about whether he'd show up or not."
"Have you seen him since he checked in?"
"Not really. Just in passing. I know it's a big place, but nobody else really has, either. He was at the bar a couple times the day after he checked in, but that's it. It's like he's boarded himself in there. He hasn't done anything here on the grounds. He doesn't even come out of there for his meals. He orders in."
"We don't offer in-room dining, so the guests don't use it."
"You know what I mean, Makani," I sighed.
"I don't. He's on vacation. He probably came here so he could relax, and people do that in different ways. He has television, Wi-Fi, food up there. He doesn't really need to leave if he doesn't want to. Maybe snorkeling and hiking aren't his idea of fun."
"So he came here to look at the inside of his suite for three months?" I asked. She shrugged.
"Maybe that's exactly what he did."
"I don't think he's okay," I admitted.
"Why? Because he's a person who enjoys his own company?"
"I just think maybe something's wrong. It's been a week. Even if people don't end up doing anything while they're here, they'll at least come out of their rooms."
"It's like he's insulting you personally for not liking golf," Makani said.
"Joseph told me to get his suite ready for him, and I told him that he could look for me if he needed anything. I feel sort of responsible that he has a good time."
"As a concerned member of the Four Seasons staff, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. My eyes widened at what she was suggesting.
"Of course," I said, a little insulted.
"This has nothing to do with the fact that you're a fan?"
I shook my head. "I'm working, and he's a guest at the hotel. Him having a good stay is part of my job and responsibility." Makani nodded her head slowly like she still didn't believe me, but was going to let me get away with this one.
"All right. Go invite him to the luau. You're so worried about him not having a good time, go threaten him with one."
"You think I should?" I asked.
"If nothing else, go up there and make sure he didn't die when we weren't looking. Either way, you'll get what you want. You'll go up there and see what's been keeping him, or you'll finally get him out taking part in all the complimentary activities he's paying for whether or not he does take part."
I thought about it. She was right. Even if he was up there and hadn't been out for a week because he preferred it that way, then I'd know and would be able to rest knowing he was okay.
"Are you okay down here for a few minutes?" I asked her.
"Go. I've got this," she said, waving me away. Before going up, I grabbed some pamphlets from the concierge: the ocean activities one, the wilderness activities one, and the cultural activities one. There had to be something he liked from those three. If nothing else, then golf. Anything. I couldn't imagine coming to Hawai'i and spending all my time inside.
I got to the second floor and stopped at his door. I inhaled deeply, knocking. I waited, not hearing any activity on the other side. I tried again, knocking a little harder. The door was yanked open just as my fist was coming to meet it.
Nate Stone was standing in the doorway of his suite pulling a robe over his shoulders. He was wearing that, underwear, and nothing else. The underwear was stretchy, tight over his hips and crotch. So tight that I didn't want to look back down there to see just how tight. Christ Almighty, was this guy hot. I knew what he looked like without his shirt on, but it was different seeing it in real life. Different and distracting.
We were in the same space. I wasn't just looking at a picture of him; he was looking back. My eyes went down his body slowly before coming back to his face. He was fit and muscular, with ridges in his abdomen and two lines like a “v” at his hips, tapering down and disappearing under his underwear.
What had I come up here to do again? Oh right.
"G-good afternoon, Mr. Stone," I stammered. I cleared my throat. He came closer, leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms. The movement made the robe move over his chest, tightening the large muscles there. Oh my God, could he at least tie it closed? I felt myself blush. Should I leave and come back when he's dressed?
I was trying to be professional. I had come up here to check on him to make sure he was okay. Well, he certainly looked that way. More than okay. A lot more than okay.
"Call me Nate. Abby?" he said, furrowing his brow a little like he was trying to remember my name.
"Right. Abby. I'm Abby," I said stupidly. Oh my God, when did I stop knowing how to form whole sentences?
"Is something wrong? I don't think I called the front desk today," he said. I looked at him, getting a better look now that he was closer. His hair was messy, and his eyes had dark circles under them, like he hadn't been getting much rest. He looked like he'd been stressed, like he hadn't taken that trip to the spa that I had suggested.
"You didn't," I said.
"You guys make personal room calls?" He cocked one brow asking me the question. I hoped I wasn't annoying him.
"No. We're just a little concerned, Mr. Stone. Nate," I started. "The Hulopoe suite's one of the best in the hotel, but you haven't been outside for days." He tilted his head a little, looking surprised.
"What? Are there cameras in here? Are you spying on me?" he asked.
"No, not at all. With everything to do on the island, we're just surprised you haven't done anything yet."
"I'm good. Thanks," he said.
I held the pamphlets out. "If you change your mind," I said. He took them and looked at them. "In fact, there's a luau tonight on the luau grounds near the beach."
"Oh yeah?" he said, not looking up.
"It's the first one of the summer. There will be food, music, and performances," I said. He still hadn't looked up.
"Uh-huh," he said. I blinked. Maybe this had been a mistake.
"Hope to see you there," I tried to say brightly. He nodded, not even bothering making a sound that time. I opened my mouth to tell him good afternoon, but stopped. I turned and started walking away quickly.
Had I been bothering him that much? What was wrong? Why was he in such a bad mood?
I sighed, wishing I'd said something a little different. Even if he was in a bad mood, that didn't mean he had to act like that. What was that thing people said about never meeting your idols? I never imagined he'd be so dismissive. Even if he didn't want to talk to me, he could have at least said it, not treated me like I hadn't been standing right there.
Maybe Makani was right; he didn't want to be disturbed. He wanted to enjoy Hawai'i from the great indoors. He wasn't going to come down to the luau. He was perfectly happy in there. If that was the case, then who was I to tear him away from his happy place?
You can't get them all, I thought, coming back down to the lobby. I had made the invitation. If he really didn't want it, then so be it. As long as he was doing whatever made him happy.
I got back behind the desk, flopping down into my seat.
"How'd it go? Is he dead?"
"He’s fine. He’s also not coming."
"He said he wouldn't?"
"He didn't have to. He was pretty upset that I'd gone up there."
"Really? Was he rude? He seemed like a nice enough guy the last time I talked to him," she said. I shrugged.
"I was obviously disrupting whatever it was he was doing up there. He was just humoring me till I left."
"Maybe you just caught him at a bad time?"
"No, I think he's just happy spending his days and nights inside. It's fine. If that's what he wants, then that's fine. He can do that."
"Are you all right? You sound a little upset."
"It's silly. I just thought talking to him would be different. He was a little cold and dismissive."
"Bad fan experience?" she asked.
I smiled sadly. Nate Stone was a person — just like any other person. I knew that by listening to his music. I couldn't romanticize him as someone who didn't have bad days and who didn't have a personality of his own. I just always have expected that people wanted connection. Smiling at someone, being nice to them opens you up to them. I had tried with Nate, and he hadn't wanted it.
"I think we're doing our job leaving him alone," I said wryly.
"Who knows? He might surprise you."
I let myself think about it for a while. Nate Stone on the beach tonight. Given the way he apparently felt about company, I couldn't see it happening. Hey. I’d tried.
"He won't show up."