ChapterTwo
“I could usesome help with the housekeeping team. They don’t respect me and it’s causing issues. I have to double-check every room they turn over to make sure they’ve done a good enough job.”
I nodded sympathetically at a property manager I had worked with for years as she rattled on about the latest issues she was facing at one of our resort properties.
“Have you tried setting up a meeting with the owner of the company?” I asked her.
“He keeps giving me the run-around. It’s useless. Our old company was so much better.”
“Well, we have a contract in place with these new cleaners, so we need to make it work. Their rates were much better, and we’re going to close out the year with huge savings. It looks great for our department.”
She bit her lip and looked unsure.
“Trust me. It just takes time to build these relationships. You’re doing a great job. Keep up the amazing work.”
I gave her my brightest smile and continued to reassure her. By the time our meeting was over, I hoped some of my optimism had rubbed off on her. I was known for my sunny disposition and positive attitude at Brook’s Boutique Property Management Firm.
I swiveled around in my plush chair and surveyed the view outside my window. Our firm occupied the twenty-fifth floor of a high-rise. When I got my own office last year, I thought I would never get used to the fantastic view. Sometimes I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I had gotten a job here right out of college in operations and had risen through the ranks to Director of Property Management.
Despite my best efforts, my mind wandered back to my conversation with Garrett this morning. If only my personal life was on the same trajectory my professional life was on.
There was a knock at my door before it cracked open, revealing a tall redheaded woman looking disheveled.
“Hey girl, how was your weekend?” she asked, sitting opposite my pearly white desk. Sharon from the finance department was the only person I might consider a friend instead of just a coworker.
“Just the usual. Garrett and I went out to dinner, and I hit up the farmer’s market on Sunday. What about you?”
“I went to this cute little pop-up bar on Friday and met the coolest guy. Very starving-artist vibes, but he was so hot. Anyway, we ended up going out on Saturday, and you won’t believe where he took me.” Sharon rambled on about her adventurous weekend.
I felt a pang of jealousy. She was constantly trying new things and meeting new people. It made me feel like such a dull square. I had lived in Florida my entire life, and the only people I hung out with were my friends from college. I thrived on routine, and my idea of an adventure was trying the new sushi place that had just opened up on our block. I was twenty-nine going on fifty.
Actually, my parents were in their fifties and were more adventurous than I was. They had just gone on a two-week Alaskan cruise and snowshoed on a glacier. I hadn’t evenseensnow in real life before.
“Do you want to grab drinks after work?”
Sharon’s question ripped me from my thoughts.
“Can’t. Garrett and I have dinner plans.” I chewed my lip before continuing. “His friend Will and his girlfriend Lauren just got engaged.”
Sharon sat up straight at the news. “Excuse me. They met, like, fifteen seconds ago.”
“I know.”
“And didn’t you tell me Will was a bit of a player?”
“Yep.”
“What the hell.”
“Trust me. I feel the same way.”
“What did Garrett say about it.”
“He said Lauren really wanted to get engaged.” I wrinkled my nose as if there was a putrid stench in the air.
She scoffed. “And what about his devoted girlfriend of almost a decade? What she wants doesn’t matter?”
“It’s fine, really. We’re just waiting until we’re at a more secure point in our lives.” My closed-lip smile felt tight.
