“Okay, I suppose that could help,” Celeste finally said with a slow and certain nod. “And you won’t be charging us for it, will you?”
“Absolutely not,” I answered. “It’s on the house. Adriana, would you be so kind?”
She looked up at me, and it was almost as if she froze for a second at the request. One more glance toward the kitchen, and she seemed to steel herself. Then, she nodded at me and walked off, though more stiffly than she usually moved.
“Oh, this is actually really good,” Dahlia said, pulling my attention back to the table. “I can taste the… Citrus, right? In the wine?”
“Well done,” I confirmed. “You have an impressive sense of taste, Dahlia.”
“Forrest had me take this whole course at a winery,” she said with a giggle. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I guess some of it stuck.”
“I’m glad he’s teaching you a bit of class.” Celeste looked Dahlia’s way with a disapproving expression. “It’s about time. Though you are right about this dish. It is acceptable.”
If Nolan had heard that description, we’d hear about it all day.
“Wonderful,” I said, putting my hands together. At this point, Adriana returned with the champagne, perfectly positioned on ice. She carefully carried it to the table and placed it in the center. “I would suggest a glass of this before the next course.”
As I spoke, I felt a vibration in my suit pocket. “Excuse me for a moment.”
I nodded toward Adriana to follow as I walked out of the private dining room and checked my phone. She watched me nervously as I read the message.
“Well, it looks like I am needed at the pool,” I said with a sigh. “The wedding party is all yours. Don’t screw it up.”
5
Adriana
The rest of the tasting was more of the same. I tried to manage both the insane tension between Nolan and I, as well as politely dealing with Celeste’s criticism. Throughout it all, I still did my best to make Dahlia and Forrest’s experience a good one.
By the end of it, I was fairly exhausted, and glad to send the three guests off with one final smile and a thank you.
Of course, that didn’t mean I could get any kind of break. As soon as they were gone, I received a message from Mr. Klein to join him by the pool. I checked the hallway to make sure that no one was around, before letting out a deep sigh. My feet were killing me in my uniform shoes, and I desperately wanted a nap after that crazy tasting.
I hoped that I would get used to it all, because I really wasn’t sure how long I’d make it if I didn’t.
After getting myself together, I headed for the pool, checking in the mirrors I passed that everything was still perfectly in place. Somehow, some of Celeste’s words had gotten to me. I was used to being the best, and this felt as if I needed to prove myself all over again.
The pool area was enormous and elaborate; the absolute epitome of extreme wealth and consumerism. The stone had intricate patterns inlaid with precious metals. The legs of every umbrella stand and lounger were made of gold, and I’m sure the thread count of all of the materials was sky-high. The pool itself was large, with a fountain at the far end, and water bluer than any of the oceans in the world.
I noticed the man laying on the corner lounger immediately. He was a little older, perhaps around forty, with dirty blonde hair and a body that was clearly still in its prime. His sunglasses sat perched on top of his head, and even from a distance, I could see a deep intensity in his green eyes.
Mr. Klein stood beside him, his posture as straight and proper as ever. I could hear their voices as I approached, before the man finally looked up at me. He studied me from head to toe for a moment, and then turned back to Mr. Klein.
“I thought you knew not to bring me girls before midnight,” he said, and Mr. Klein glanced in my direction. I managed to hide my offended surprise, though I did imagine myself throwing him in the pool. At the same time, I couldn’t deny that this close up, he was insanely good-looking, and his confidence was somewhat of a turn-on.
“This is Adriana,” Mr. Klein said, without acknowledging the man’s comment. “She’s our new concierge. She’ll be taking care of your request. Adriana, this is Bryant Thatcher. He’s a very important guest here.”
It didn’t seem like Bryant was listening to anything Mr. Klein was saying. His eyes were now pinned to me, and I was particularly aware of the intentions that were hiding behind them. I found myself meeting his gaze almost defiantly, and something fluttered in my stomach.
He was bold, and I liked that.
But it didn’t matter. He was a guest. Completely and utterly off-limits. I couldn’t spend any time entertaining any kind of fantasies about him.
I also had no idea what request Mr. Klein was talking about, and I had to be focused on that. I finally tore my eyes away from Bryant to face him. “Request?”
“Last-minute change to the poolside booking,” Mr. Klein explained, his eyes trailing the space between Bryant and I. I might have been imagining things, but I could have sworn that I noticed a hint of jealousy in his expression. “We’re changing tonight’s party to this afternoon. You’ll be coordinating it.”
My heart dropped to my feet. That party was a massive affair with all kinds of planning that had gone into it before I even arrived. I only knew what I had read in its brief, and nothing else.
