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I had the private room of the restaurant booked out for our business meetings that would take place over the next week, as the company executives and the press arrived in town for the hotel’s grand opening. Mark and I sat down, and I ordered a protein scramble from the kitchen. We had a beautiful set of coffee cups and a jug of boiling hot coffee served to us on the table. I poured him a cup, and we began chatting about how the press shoot had gone.
“So,” said Mark, “how was the shoot? Hear you’ve got some kind of supermodel working for you?”
“I sure do,” I said. I was worried about where Lena had gone, and while I didn’t want to seem suspicious, I tried to look calm and relaxed about the conversation we were having. I didn’t want him to think I was too distracted. “She’s very talented,” I said.
“That’s great news!” said Mark. “You’ll have to introduce me at some point. Been a while since we had the budget for that kind of campaign.”
I smiled, concealing my jealousy in his words about Lena. Everyone was excited to meet Lena, and why wouldn’t they be? She was charming, warm, and a kind person despite the fact she worked in a tough industry. I looked through the sliding door of the private room, which had been left open, and searched the dining room for any sight of Lena.
“I’m sure she’d love to meet you,” I said politely.
“Guess she’s gonna have plenty of offers for work once we’re finished with things here,” said Mark, grinning.
“How do you figure?”
Mark shrugged and chuckled. “Come on, Alex. You know as well as I do that you forked out a pretty substantial fee for Lena Chambers. She’s a hot topic right now.”
“Is that right,” I said.
“Sure is,” replied Mark. “I’ve already had people from a few nationwide chains get in touch with me. They’re all wondering how to get that special something. Since the pandemic, it’s been hard to open a hotel anywhere, after all.”
“Well, Lena certainly is my ace in the hole,” I said.Thorn in my side too, I thought to myself.
Then, I saw her. Lena. Coming into the dining room. She’d changed out of the clothes she was wearing from last night. I saw her chatting with the maître d’ at the front desk of the restaurant, and then, our eyes met.
We were all the way on the other side of the room, but I knew she was looking at me. As I stared into her green eyes, our food had arrived.
“Looks good,” said Mark.
“I’m sure it is,” I said. But my appetite had already deserted me, despite the delicious appearance of the breakfast as it was set down before us. I have now forgotten about my hunger for food. I was hungry only for Lena.
Lenahadeatenandleft before Mark and I had finished talking, but I made an excuse and left quickly after we finished our breakfast. I had to speak to her. I knew it would take some convincing to explain to her that last night wasn’t a mistake. My heart harbored a mix of feelings right now. Why had Lena run away, despite how much fun we’d had together last night, despite the incredible passion we’d felt together as we lay, wrapped in one another’s arms, on the beach? Lena’s work for the hotel was done; she wasn’t beholden to me for anything. I tried to tell myself that what we’d done wasn’t unethical, wasn’t wrong. I don’t want her to leave.
But I wouldn’t know how to proceed until I’d spoken to her again.
I went upstairs to her hotel room. I walked down the long corridor and stopped in front of her door. I looked to the left, then the right, making sure there was no chance of us being seen.
I imagined myself, bursting through the door, taking her in my arms. Lena, my prize. Lena, the woman who made me feel a way no woman ever had before.
I knocked on the door, and then, there was nothing.
Not a sound.
I waited for a little while, then knocked again. She had to be here. It was only ten minutes ago she’d left the restaurant, and I was right behind her. I felt sure that Lena must have gone back to her room. Even if she was hitting the beach or going to the pool, she must have come here first.
I looked down at the door. I noticed it was unlocked. The rooms automatically locked when people left, but while the hotel keycards were in the doors, the rooms stayed open. Lena had deliberately left the room unlocked.
Maybe she was waiting for me. To see if I came up to see her. Maybe this was my chance to speak to her, to explain myself, for her to explain why she’d run away.
I knocked once again, and from within the room, I heard a voice. I thought it was Lena’s, but it could have just been one of the housekeepers who was in there with her cleaning the room.
I opened the door.
“Lena?” I said as I opened it.
There was silence.
Then, I heard her voice.
