Page 46 of Manhattan Kiss

I’d heard similar stories when I was working at The Rookery, but it was normally about managers. I’ve never known someone on reception to have such an impact. “I’m glad I’m bringing in the guests.”

“We love having you here,” Avril says. “Don’t we, Poppy?”

“A permanent job is yours if you want it,” she says.

I smile, but don’t respond. They might change their mind about that once I tell them about Deacon Black’s dinner invitation.

“I wanted to talk to you about something. It’s a little awkward.”

Avril’s eyes widen and she nods at the door. “Close the door and come and take a seat.”

I take a seat on a chair at the table. Poppy and Avril are still at their desks.

“Please don’t tell me you’re leaving,” Avril says. “We love you being here.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s not that. I’m here until the end of my contract. Although you might want to fire me⁠—”

Poppy stands up and comes and sits in one of the other chairs around the table. “What’s going on?”

“You know I told you that I was stood up on that date the other week? Well, I didn’t really finish the story.” I tell them how Deacon was also in the restaurant, and how he’d asked me to dinner again. I leave out the kissing. I especially leave out the kissing in his room when I delivered him extra towels. “I haven’t said yes because I don’t know if you’d think it was inappropriate. I don’t want to do anything that would⁠—”

“Is Deacon Black in Room 325?” Poppy asks.

Avril nods her head. “Yeah, that guy.”

“The one with the magic penis?” she asks.

“That’s the one,” she says to Poppy. Then she turns to me. “You know that he’s…never short of company,” Avril says, a look of concern on her face.

I nod. “Yeah, I know that. I’m not saying I definitely want to go to dinner with him, but⁠—”

“You should definitely go to dinner with him again,” Poppy says.

“You think?” Avril asks.

“Absolutely,” Poppy confirms. “The guy is stunning. He belongs on a billboard in Times Square. And those women he hangs out with? Well, first, they’re not anything compared to you, and second, they seem to have a damn good time.”

I bite back a smile. She’s not wrong. About it all.

“But I wouldn’t want her to get hurt…” Avril says.

“She’s not asking us for relationship advice,” Poppy says. “She just wants to know whether we care about her fucking a guest.”

She’s not wrong about that either.

“Well, we don’t—” Avril stops herself and looks at Poppy. “Do we?”

“No, we’re pro fucking good-looking men.”

Avril nods her head like Poppy is talking about the importance of equal pay or something.

“I would never…socialize with him here.”

“Good,” Poppy says.

“Yes, that’s definitely a good rule,” Avril says. “We’ve never been asked this, have we?” she asks Poppy.

“No,” she says. “And we appreciate you coming to us. But you should get as much of that gorgeous ass as you can.”