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“Forget it.” I reach for a document on the table in a bid to end the conversation, but Harry has never been one to give up.
“Come on,” he whines. “In a few weeks my bondage will be official. Let me live vicariously through you.”
“Wonder what Cecilia would say if she heard this.” That shuts him up immediately.
“Speaking about my soon to be wife, I’m going to need help with these flower arrangements. Cecilia tasked me with getting a new batch of flowers and I don’t know shit about flowers. If she didn’t like the ones she picked out herself, how in the world am I supposed to be able to please her?”
“That’s on you, man,” I say, already distracted by the bills on my table. Why did we spend so much on drinks this month?
“Come on, help a friend out. Get a staff to do it or something. I’ll even pay for the services.” I stare at him and he pouts at me. “Name your price.”
I lean back in my chair. “Picking flower arrangements aren’t part of the services we offer. You should be talking to your wedding planner.”
Harry sighs. “Cecilia fired her today. I swear it’s like she is a Bridezilla and Cruella all wrapped in one. Come on, man. Help a friend out.” He rubs his face and I know the stress is getting to him already. Harry was never one to work under pressure.
I sigh. “Fine, might as well plan the wedding at this rate.” With the already discounted offer he is getting to have his wedding at the resort, throwing in a wedding planner will cost him more. But if he is ready to pay, who am I to complain?
“Do I get a discount?” he says, and I glare at him.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I grumble and he hoots.
“Thank you, man. You’re a lifesaver!” I wince as that imaginary hammer goes at my head again. “On that note, I’ll leave you to take care of that headache. Get some rest and we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow with that wedding planner. Thank you!” He bangs the door on his way out and I wince again. I may die from this headache and Harry would be an accessory to my murder.
Harry and I met in the Navy. He was that quirky eager to please kid and I didn’t give a shit about anyone. I didn’t want to make friends with him but the overgrown man-child was persistent. Years later I am happy for his persistence. Harry has been with me through every thick and thin and he happens to be the only person outside my family that I am ready to drop everything for.
Leaning back I try to get some sleep while the painkiller kicks in. A text from Jessica pops up on my phone. She is reminding me of the new employee she convinced me into hiring, her old-time friend looking for a new start. I set my phone on Do-not–disturb and lean back into my chair; I’ll deal with Jessica and her friend later.
* * *
The incessant ringingforces me awake and I groan. I thought I set my phone on Do-not-disturb. I pick up my phone and realize it’s not the one ringing, but the ringing stops before I can figure out the actual source and I lean back again with relief. Then it starts up again.
“The hell,” I grumble looking around my table. It’s my office line. “Yes, Samantha,” I ask my secretary groggily while I check my watch for the time. Slept for two hours. That’s more than enough sleep for me. I have a resort to run.
“Your sister is on the line, sir and she insists she must talk to you. She didn’t give me much of a choice.”
I sigh. I could hear the guilt in her voice. Samantha probably checked on me and realizing I was sleeping, tried to fend off any other visitor. “It’s okay put her through.”
“I’ve been calling you for over an hour now,” is the first thing my sister says.
“Last I checked our parents trained us in all the proper etiquettes, Jessica. Hello to you too, dear sister.”
Knowing she won’t win this argument she changes the topic. “Your new employee is with me. You were supposed to meet with us an hour ago, oh proper one.”
Smiling at her quip I say, “Meet me at the restaurant. I’ll be there in a minute.”
She hangs up immediately and I drop the receiver. Stretching, I try to work out the discomfort caused by sleeping on my chair.
I haven’t seen Bella in ten years since she left for Los Angeles. Last I remember she was a quirky teenager at the cusp of adulthood with no focus on her over-the-top energy. Not the most ideal person for an employee for me. I hire more grounded people, but Jessica had begged me. Said she needs a fresh start and promised there would be no misbehaviors. Though if ten years later, Bella is still the same as she was at nineteen then that would just be sad.
I meet Samantha typing away at her desk when I step out of my office. “Is the work going fine?” I ask as I pass her desk.
She gives me a guilty look. “Sorry boss, but your sister was persistent and you know how no one can win an argument against her.”
“It’s no problem.” I wave my hand to show there are no hard feelings. “I’ve been on the receiving end of Jessica’s bullheadedness one too many times, so I understand.”
She gives me a grateful smile and I leave her to her work. Samantha has worked as my secretary from the very first day I opened the resort and though I frown on it, we have developed an out of office relationship, moving from boss and employee to friends. Her husband Phil is the designated repair man for all electrical mishaps at the resort and her oldest daughter, Carla, works at the resort during her summer breaks.
I walk into the restaurant and look for a head of hair identical to mine. Black bouncy curls catch my attention and I head in that direction. She is animatedly talking to someone whose back is to me. I only see her brunette hair which looks oddly familiar. As I get close, she notices me and waves at me. The brunette turns and I stop dead in my tracks. Isn’t that…
