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Zoey
Iwalk into work feeling a hell of a lot better than I did two days ago, and luckily for me, Ethan’s friends were okay with rescheduling our tour of the wedding facilities we have available.
Tossing my coat over my chair and my lunch on my desk, I grab my iPad, pulling up the schedule for the day, wondering if I need to reschedule anything else. I haven’t even looked at my email or what I have going on today since I was sick. Whatever it is, it can wait, especially for Ethan’s friends since they’re high on the priority list today.
“Good morning, Zoey. Your eight o’clock is here. They’re waiting in the lobby,” Casey says, popping her head into my office, a huge smile plastered on her face.
I’m still finding it hard to look at her the same way after I caught her gossiping about Ethan and me with another one of the receptionists. She’s been overly nice to me and all it does is make me hate the fakeness she’s continued to put on display.
“Thanks, I’ll be out in a minute,” I reply, but she lingers in the doorway, almost like she’s waiting for me to acknowledge that I know she was talking about me. It’s like she wants me to absolve her of the guilt that is clearly eating at her. Bitching about your boss at work is one thing, but what they were talking about had nothing to do with my work ethic or my ability to manage the hotel. It had everything to do with jealousy and the intent to make me feel like shit.
“Everything okay?” I now ask, looking directly at her.
“Well, I was wondering if there was any possibility you could put in a good word for me with Elissa,” she now says, and I swear I don’t mean for it to happen, but I let out a hard scoff.
Casey’s mouth falls open and a gasp of air comes out as her eyes widen. She’s shocked at my response, something I normally would not do, and I really shouldn’t let her big mouth keep her from getting a job. She is a good employee.
“Sorry,” I say, shaking my head, trying to overlook the fact that she was talking about me and my relationship with Ethan. “I didn’t realize you were looking for a new job.”
“I think I just need a change,” she now says, shrugging and looking away from me.
“Yeah, I can, but you sure you want to leave the ease of working the front desk?” I ask, coming from experience, the mountains are no place for a rookie and that work is hella hard. It’s far harder than standing behind a counter and checking in hotel guests. “You have any experience working on a mountain?” I now ask, not wanting to shackle Elissa with more work when she’s already overwhelmed.
“I don’t. I grew up in Kansas and moved here for a change of scenery,” Casey now admits and the whole conversation has me feeling like there’s more to this than she’s letting on.
“Do you not like working the front desk?” I now ask, not that it’s any of my business.
“No, it’s fine. It’s just that if I’m going to live here, I might as well take advantage of the view and opportunity,” she says, and while I get what she’s saying, it all feels a little too calculated.
“What job were you thinking?” I question, knowing Elissa is not going to take a chance on someone with zero experience.
“Park crew?” she says, her words said with a question hanging on the end.
“That’s a lofty goal for someone who has never skied a mountain like this,” I respond, not wanting her to get her hopes up.
She lets out a hard sigh, shaking her head, a scowl now painted on her face. “Is this because I was talking about you a couple of weeks ago , a harshness to her tone that has me instantly defensive.
And there it is.
She finally admits that she was doing something that was just downright rude. It wasn’t going to be me who said anything. I wasn’t the one who was gossiping.
“I’m far more professional than that,” I hiss, swallowing hard to keep myself from saying something worse. “Obviously you’re not though.”
I walk toward the door without saying anything more and Casey steps aside, letting me leave.
“I have an appointment to get to, but if you want me to talk with Elissa I can. Your inexperience isn’t doing you any favors, and neither is you running your mouth about me and my private life.”
I don’t give her a chance to answer me, storming away with my face growing hot, yet still proud of myself for saying exactly what I was thinking.
She came to me for help and when I tried to be honest, she threw it back in my face, thinking I would hold it against her for talking behind my back. If she had the skills Elissa was looking for, I wouldn’t hesitate to give her a recommendation. But she doesn’t and she thought she could get it by blaming me for her shortcomings.
Fuck that.
I quickly try on a smile as I enter the lobby, finding Tracy and Brandon waiting for me in front of the massive stone fireplace.
“Good morning,” I call out as I approach them and Tracy turns around, greeting me immediately with a hug.
“So glad to see you’re feeling better. Ethan said you were under the weather.” Tracy smiles at me, but there’s something behind her eyes that tells me there’s more to that comment than I care to admit to.
