She grins. ‘I like to think so.’
Leaving the room to get the dusters, I look nervously bothways as always, in case a certain marketing man should be walking my way. It’spure luck that after the water dispenser incident, we haven’t bumped into eachother again. But with the rooftop café-bar only three weeks away from its grandopening, Logan will probably be spending an awful lot of time here from now on,organising the whole marketing and publicity side of things.
I heard a bit of banging and crashing going on yesterday, sowork on the roof-top Celestial Cafe is clearly moving ahead. According toKatrina, the hotel will be closed for two days next week, while the major workis completed, and on one of those days, all the staff are to attend a ‘teammeeting’ at a local spa hotel.
‘Team meeting, my arse.’ Katrina grinned. ‘I reckon even themanager knows it’s just an excuse for an all-day jolly. Everyone’s made up.Make sure you pack your cossie. The pool looks amazing.’
I stared at her. ‘Am I invited as well? But I’ve only juststarted here.’
‘Course you’re going. Everyone is. Lunch is included andapparently the food is amazing. It’s supposed to be a chance for everyone tobond – like a sort of team-building event – and discuss plans for the café-barlaunch. But I reckon once the business of the day is over and done with,everyone will be letting their hair down and enjoying the facilities.’
‘When you sayeveryoneis going...do you mean everyone connected with the café-bar launch?’ I said slowly.
‘Of course.’
‘So even the people in charge of the marketing andpublicity?’
She narrowed her eyes at me. ‘You mean the sexy Scot? ThatLorcan fella?’
‘Erm... I think he’s called Logan.’ Ishrug, feeling my face heating up.
‘Well, whatever he’s called, he’s hot enough to melt all theski runs in the Cairngorms.’ She grinned. ‘Why are you asking about him,anyway?’
‘Oh, no reason.’ I turned away, suddenly noticing a bit ofimaginary fluff under the bed. ‘I was just wondering. It...sounds amazing.’
Actually, it sounded terrifying, I reflected later. And I’mstill trying to think of an excuse to get out of it. Before my accident, I’dhave been thrilled to go along and I’d have had a great time. But my confidencehas taken such a bashing lately. I won’t really know anyone apart from Katrinaand the stress of it might bring on a migraine. Then there’s the problem ofwhat to eat. How is it going to look if I duck out of having lunch witheveryone else, to go off and eat my snacks all by myself?
I’m feeling a stab at my right temple just thinking aboutit.
And of course, on top of all that stress, I’d have no hopeof avoiding Logan in such a scenario, which could be excruciatingly awkward...
Part of me longs to go to this staff event because Loganwill be there. But at the same time, I’m terrified of coming face to face withhim and finding he hasn’t forgiven me for standing him up. It’s all such amess.
Now, heading for the stock room and the dusters, I pad alongthe corridor to the stairs leading all the way down to the basement. I’m justpulling open the door when I hear a shout. I pause, listening, but everything’squiet. Maybe it was someone outside on the high street.
I’m about to walk on when I hear it again – more urgent thistime, as if the person is in agony. This is followed by a long, drawn-out screamand then dead silence.
Immediately, I think of Katrina’s horror stories.
What if someone is being attacked?
As a long groan of agony reaches my ears, I take action,running down the stairs to get help. I’ve no idea what the protocol is aroundbursting into guests’ rooms, and I’m not about to do that myself. But I need totell someone...
I arrive at reception, panting, and it takes a minute tomake myself understood to lovely Pauline behind the desk.
She looks horrified. ‘Oh, my goodness. Shall I come up withyou? We should knock on the door and make sure everything’s okay in there.’ Shelooks over my shoulder. ‘Mr Mackay! Have you seen the manager? I think we’vegot a problem.’
I spin round and there’s Logan, staring at me as if he can’tbelieve his eyes, and he doesn’t look particularly pleased to see me.
My immediate reaction is to flee in the opposite direction.But the urgency of the situation takes over, and I quickly appraise ‘Mr Mackay’of my suspicions that something bad is happening in room twelve.
He takes it all in, frowning. Then he makes a decision.‘Come on. Show me where.’
‘Okay.’
I charge after him as he takes the stairs two at a time. Atthe top, he stands back to let me go first, but somehow we manage to gettangled up with each other. My hands are suddenly under his jacket, makingcontact with the taut muscles of his back through his shirt, and in spite ofeverything, a pang of longing rips through me.
‘Sorry.’ I leap away as if I’ve had an electric shock and adark intensity flares in his eyes for a second. But just as quickly, it diesand his face hardens.
