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“Can you help up at the main office?” Mrs. Hernandez said in her sweet older lady voice. She was asking for help but I knew that it wasn’t so much a choice I would really get to make.
I glanced over at my pen on the wood flooring. “Yeah, I can be there in fifteen.”
“Thanks, Frankie,” she said. “I’ll make a note in the books. Make sure you get paid overtime.”
“Should probably just send all my paychecks over to Maria,” I muttered.
“What’s that?” she said. I could imagine her squinting at the phone.
I cleared my voice. “Nothing. See you soon.”
I leaned forward, resting my head in my hands. My fingers roughly scratched my scalp, shaking my wavy hair.
I walked over, picking up the pen before going into the house and changing into a nice pair of jeans and a shirt with the resort’s logo printed on the left breast. We were supposed to button the top two buttons on the polo shirt but I never did. I was almost sure it helped me get bigger tips from both the ladies and the men who came to enjoy the massive property.
There was a large hotel on the beach several miles down the beach. It was a much more affordable place for tourists. The cabins were for our wealthier customers who were looking for more privacy. Their own private beach.
I was lucky to get to stay in a cabin. There wasn’t anywhere else for me to go. But there was a price for getting to have my own cabin… I had to help out whenever I was needed. Filling in with everything from housekeeper to bartender. Carrying luggage to custodial work.
Cleaning toilets.
That’s what my life had become.
An absolute hell, that I had to claw my way out of so that I could see my daughter again.
I walked between the cabins. The woman with the loud music was running water. I shook away the vision of her peeling off that bikini before slipping into the hot, steamy water.
I climbed onto the four-wheeler parked between the cabins hidden by a large shrub and drove off down a narrow dirt path. Maybe once I got to work, I could figure out how the hell they had booked the cabin that was supposed to remain empty.
When I arrived, everything was moving along slowly. I eyed everyone to see where I’d be filling in.
I walked around the side of the desk. Laura was sitting near the phone, twisting her gum on her index finger. Her eyes were glued to me. It wasn’t a secret she wanted me to take her to bed.
She was a bit young for me. And I couldn’t afford the distraction. Although, something with no strings attached would have been nice. It had been a while since I’d been with a woman. Sadly, much too long.
“What’s up, Laura?” I said before turning the corner and heading down the hall toward Mrs. Hernandez’s office.
“Hi, Francis,” she said. Her eyes widened and she awakened at even the small amount of attention I’d given her.
It made me smile.
I tapped my knuckles on Mrs. Hernandez’s office door. Her sweet voice telling me to come in managed to penetrate through the door.
“Hello there, handsome,” she said crossing her arms. “How’s your day? Don’t answer. It’s about to get worse.”
“Oh no,” I said.
“Several staff members have called in sick. Need you to help Antonio,” she said looking at the computer screen.
I crossed my arms. The shirt felt tight on my biceps and I wondered if she’d let me go home if the shirt ripped.
“Aw, I don’t mind,” I lied. “Where is he?”
“A guest puked all over the bathroom in the bar,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “You’ll find him there.” She dug in one of her drawers and held out her hand. “Here,” she said. “Take this.”
She placed a flesh-colored nose plug in my palm. “Thanks.”
5
Olivia
The lights were off in the cabin next door. I wasn’t sure why I was checking.
I’d heard him leaving earlier but still, I was a bit nervous to turn on my music. The patio light was on, I had my favorite book, and I just wanted to relax.
I laid down in the lounge and turned on the music. The sun was kissing the horizon, giving my surroundings the color of a ripe clementine.
I’d forgotten to order dinner but I was lucky that there had been some items to snack on in the cabinets. Tori must have known I’d forget to order food. I would have hated to trouble anyone to bring out food to me.
My phone had buzzed several times since my arrival but other than glancing to make sure it wasn’t Hope or Tori, I ignored it. In fact, I hadn’t even brought it outside with me. It was strange to be living a life where I wasn’t continually checking something on my phone.
