Page 8 of Aldo

CHAPTER 4

ALDO

Iwatched her leave, taking with her some of the heat I felt when we were close.

“Observant,” Roman muttered. “She is a clever one. Maybe dangerous.”

I nodded. “She is.”

“She from here?”

“No, just moved down from Toronto.” I glanced his way, careful to keep my voice neutral. “We don’t usually go for staff.”

He laughed. “Not interested. But I liked her. Direct.” He grinned. “She certainly wears that uniform well.”

She looked incredible in the uniform. The shirt hugged her breasts like a lover, the pants skimming her curves perfectly. I liked the scarf and the belt. I liked everything about the outfit. Especially the woman wearing it. But I couldn’t say that.

“Yep.”

He looked at me. “You all right?”

“I’m fine.”

He looked toward the door and back at me, then chuckled. “Okay. Let’s finish this off. I have a ton of paperwork on my desk.”

We finished working the room and headed back to the office. Roman was in a contemplative mood. “Lots of new hires.”

I looked up from the file I was working on. “Always are in this business. Turnover is high with staff in the hospitality sector.”

“How can we keep the good ones?” he asked, turning his chair and staring out the window at the Falls. He loved looking at the water.

“I think we do well. Our turnover is lower than most. We pay a high wage, we give them benefits, make sure they’re protected. We have zero complaints, no harassment issues. Our staff is well treated.”

“That woman,” he mused.

“Woman?”

“The tall one. Violet. She seems intelligent. Observant. How long will she be happy being a waitress?”

“I have no idea. It was the job she applied for. She has experience.”

He turned. “She’d be great in the formal dining room. She would rock the uniform. Those long legs in a tux? Or as a dealer. Imagine the crowds around her table.”

For some reason, his observation pissed me off. “She does seem intelligent. One of the reasons we have such a great record with employees is we don’t exploit them. She has no interest in being a dealer or working the Skyview,” I said, referring to the formal, members-only dining room. “She asked for the deli, I gave it to her. If she requests a transfer, then I’ll handle it. Until then, leave her alone. In fact, leave her alone completely, Roman. She isn’t your type, and I don’t need to lose someone I think will be a good fit because you want to know how those legs feel wrapped around your ass as you fuck her. Find someone else.”

He stared at me and burst out laughing.

“I never thought about those legs that way, Aldo. But I think you have.”

I stood.

“Fuck off.”

His laughter followed me out of the door.

I got in my car and took a drive. Roman stared at the Falls to calm himself. I drove. I wound away from the Falls and into the park, pulling over in a secluded spot and parking. I walked to an empty bench and tugged off my jacket. I sat, stretching out my legs and crossing my ankles. I drew in some long breaths and rolled my shoulders, letting the sun and quiet do their job. After a few moments, I felt better. I ignored the buzzing of my phone and concentrated on the peace. The park would be busier soon, with tourists and locals flocking to the area for picnics and fun, but right now, it was fairly deserted.

My phone buzzed again, and I answered it.