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He nodded in response, his eyes darkening a shade and turning to an intensity that felt slightly dangerous. The muscles in his throat worked up and down, and he clenched his jaw.
“Good. I liked it, too,” I said, barely above a whisper. I had no air left in my body to actually form real sounds, like words.
He held my gaze, intense and dark, for another long moment. Before he visibly relaxed and sat back in his chair.
“I’m glad,” he said with a smile, and turned to the rest of the group. But not before he dropped his right hand on my knee. I felt the burning hot touch radiate throughout my body from that one spot and I desperately grabbed for my water glass. With a squeeze, he let my knee go and I gasped for oxygen.
After a few moments, I was able to compose myself and enjoy the dinner, which was the most incredible meal I had ever experienced in my life. It was five courses of the most interesting dishes with local ingredients.
The smoked salmon was amazing, but apparently that was just the appetizer. Then there was this hearty root vegetable dish with the most interesting combination of spices.
“How are you enjoying your food, Olivia?” Henrik asked me. Everyone’s eyes were on me now. Looking around, some seemed a bit judgemental, like they were just waiting for me to say something stupid.
“It’s wonderful. Definitely some new foods for me, but I love trying new things,” I said, and tried to dazzle them all with a smile.
Henrik nodded and smiled.
“I’m glad we could help enrich your palate.” He lifted his wine glass in my direction and I politely nodded.
“Oh, wait until you try the reindeer with lingonberry jam next. It’s a simple dish, but this chef prepares it immaculately,” said Ingrid, an older woman whom I recognized from the welcome party. She looked like she was probably in her fifties, but paid to look like she was in her forties.
“I can’t wait.” I smiled. I didn’t want to pick fights or be hostile to anyone, even though it was obvious that I was a joke to them.
“We all really love your stories, Olivia. You give us so much to smile about. So much that we end up on the floor laughing,” the man next to the woman said. I couldn’t remember his name. Was it Filip maybe?
“Oh yes,” Ingrid said, grasping at Filip’s arm. “Remember that one part where it really looked like she was going to fall on the skis? I don’t know how she didn’t! But her face refuses to say anything other than ‘I’m really serious.’ It was so funny, Olivia.”
“And watching her learn how to ski! How pitiful! Don’t they ski in America? Have you never been to Aspen, Olivia? It’s not too long of a flight from New York, no? Especially on the private jet.” I recognized the person who was piling it on, but didn’t know her name. “I would go all the time if I lived in New York. It’s certainly nothing like here or the Alps, but it’s a very cute town.” The woman said to Ingrid, whose hand was on her heart like this woman was preaching the gospel.
I felt my face grow hot. It could have been a misunderstanding before, but there was no misunderstanding now. This entire group of people was mocking me.
“No, I haven’t been to Aspen,” I said quietly. “Poor people, like me, generally have to work. But you all wouldn’t know anything about that. And, shockingly, I don’t have a private jet. And if Aspen is filled with people like you, I’d rather spend my hard-earned money and vacation time going somewhere better.”
“Oh, Olivia. Don’t be so serious all the time. Save that for your little stories,” said Ingrid, taking a sip from her wine glass.
“Enough.” The voice beside me was deadly low and vibrated through my entire body. “I suppose it’s ridiculous of me to ask you all if you have anything better to do than to be rude and disrespect incredibly talented, skilled, hard-working people, like Olivia. Of course, you don’t have anything better to do. Your lives are empty and meaningless. Your time is filled with frivolous hobbies and fake charities. It seems like the real butt of the joke is all of you. Let’s go, Olivia.” Ben stood up, dropping his napkin on the chair and buttoning his suit. “Olivia works for OVT. She works for me. If you disrespect one of my employees, you’re disrespecting me. I would advise everyone in this room, "I am not someone who's bad side you want to be on.”
Stunned silence filled the room as I scrambled up from my chair and followed his long strides out the door.
Well, shit. Now I was in love with Ben.
Ben
I knew that going to the dinner was probably a mistake based on how they first treated Olivia during the welcoming party, but I thought Henrik was going to be more appreciative of all the attention we gave him and his resort. I was probably too optimistic. Tonight, I found myself disappointed.
At least leaving early gave me some time to finish some work before flying back to New York the next morning. At least, that was the plan.
About an hour later, there was a knock on my cabin door as I was sitting at the desk.
“Mark,” I said, completely taken by surprise. “Surprised to see you here. Is everything okay?” I gestured for the cameraman to come inside.
“Oh yeah, everything’s fine. We just heard that the dinner party ended early. I just wanted to come by and invite you to the small party the crew is having at the pub in town.”
“That sounds great, Mark. I just have something to finish, and then I’ll come over.”
“Have you seen Olivia, by the way? We were going to invite her, but she’s not in her cabin and didn’t answer her phone.”
“Um, no. Maybe she went for a walk or even fell asleep? If I see her, I’ll let her know.”
