5. Ethan

Chapter 5

Ethan

Jake looks a little out of it during lunch service. I can’t quite wrap my finger around it, but it’s like he’s somewhere else as he stacks burger after burger for a group of noisy kids. I got myself braised beef from the counter next to his and… he didn’t even say hi.

Which brings me to the very pressing question I am yet to figure out the answer to: Did something happen?

Really, it’s none of my business. I’m a VIP guest here at the North Paradise, and he’s just an employee. A very friendly and charming employee that I’m finding hard to evict from my mind, but that’s beside the point. I frown at my apple and raspberry chutney, almost failing to suppress a very uncivilized growl. Or maybe it is the point?

I just can’t tell anymore. Yesterday I was convinced he’s into me. That maybe he was looking for some fun. But today? I didn’t see him at breakfast. I got up extra early, too. Not that it had anything to do with him; I just really wanted some freshly-baked pastries. That was the only reason. If I decided to chat him up because he happened to be there , well, that’s just common courtesy, isn’t it? Depending on how you look at it, I might be perceived as comparatively important by most people, but it doesn’t mean that I lack manners.

In fact, I’m very chill and down-to-Earth. I’m easy to talk to as well, and sometimes I even have a sense of humor. Ask Charlie. It’s just that I’m not always very good at switching from work to non-work mode.

That aside, I didn’t get a chance to showcase my amazing qualities this morning because Jake wasn’t at the restaurant. And now that he is, he hasn’t even looked my way. Seriously, what’s up with that? Did I misread his intentions?

I take a sip from my soda, then follow up with a bite of beef and herby mashed potato. Flavor explodes in my mouth, but it does little to counteract the budding annoyance within me. Jake confuses me. His intentions are a little unclear and he’s impossible to read. I’m not used to that. Not to know where I stand. Not to be in charge of the dynamic. It’s alien to me to question my actions because I can’t work out what the other person is thinking. It’s part of my job to be exceptional at such things as so many deals rely on outplaying the other party, but in this specific case, I’m the one who’s left scrambling.

A thrill zaps through me, sudden and riling. Jake is not like anyone else I know. He appears simple at first glance, just a chef-in-training at a hotel I’ll never visit again. Yet he has me in a chokehold without even trying, his smile and his flirty glances keeping me up most of last night as I turned and tossed in bed. I fell asleep eventually, but I’ve been on edge since I woke up, my body buzzing in a way I am not used to. It’s like when I’ve had too little coffee, but despite the copious amount that I drank today, the pulsating, shiver-inducing sensation crawling under my skin hasn’t gone away.

I blame Jake. It’s all his fault. But even so, I find it hard to focus on anything else but him no matter how much I try.

Resigning to the urge within me, I angle my chair a bit so that I don’t have to keep craning my neck to observe him. Currently, he’s stacking plates on the side of the grill station. Like last time, instead of by color, he organizes them by size in three columns. Why ? Most people, myself included, would probably do the former. It makes the most sense. Not that there is anything wrong with organizing them by size. It’s just a little less instinctual, if you think about it. It disrupts the visual uniformity that organizing them by color offers, hence why most people wouldn’t do it that way.

Except Jake, clearly. He’s that one grain going against the flow.

A smile sneaks up on me as I dabble my mouth with the napkin. This little quirk perfectly illustrates the issue I have with him, I think. It’s inconsequential, but it’s impossible not to notice. It turns him into a variable that I can’t predict or control, that I don’t know how to prepare for. There is something exciting about it, something dangerous, and now that I have tasted it, it’s a little hard to forget it.

I spend the rest of lunch convincing myself that my fleeting interest in the man is not worth the trouble. If it’s to satisfy my sex drive, I could have someone else—I already caught a couple of men eyeing me last night. It doesn’t have to be him. Alternatively, I can just wait until I’m back in Miami and pick someone from one of the dating apps. I resort to them when I want some fun, but being stuck in a small village in the middle of nowhere limits the options by a lot.

Feeling slightly less on edge, I finish my meal. Jake still hasn’t looked my way. But that’s fine; I’ve decided to sit out on the fling. It totally doesn’t bother me anymore. What does bother me is figuring out what the hell I am doing today.

After the embarrassing ice-sculpting session yesterday, I think it’s best to skip today’s. The other activity was a puppet show, but that’s not something I’m interested in. There is a heated swimming pool on the underground level, so I suppose I could do that. Or the spa… The only problem is that I’ve never particularly enjoyed massages.

As I turn into the lobby, I gaze out of the nearest window. It’s still snowing, but it’s let off a little. The forecast said as much, warning that the weather will get worse toward the evening. Since the village is just down the hill, I should be fine if I went out. I study the smoking chimneys through the window on the other side of the reception area. I guess it’s decided then—I’m going for a walk.

Going for a walk would be a lot easier if I actually had winter clothes with me. Since I didn’t plan to stay here even for a night, I only have the suit I’m wearing, some socks and underwear and my autumn coat that’s only good if I’m popping out for a smoke or walking from the airport terminal to the taxi stand.

Dejection settles across me. I’m stuck at a semi-luxurious hotel in the middle of nowhere and can’t even go for a walk. The walls close in with their gray tones, trying to crush me. If I hadn’t already taken a bath to warm up before going out, I’d do that. A second one so soon after the first just doesn’t appeal to me. I also don’t nap. The new episodes of the shows I watch aren’t out yet either, so I’m really out of options for things to do in my hotel suite.

Scoffing at myself, I lock up and head downstairs. I guess I could try the pool. The hotel shop should have swim trunks. Hopefully, I’ll find my size.

As I make my way from the elevator to the glassed-off section of the lobby where the shop is, the lights flicker and suddenly go out. I freeze. What the hell? Did we just get a power cut? In a hotel like this? You are kidding me.

The two women at the reception desk look at each other and then at me. A moment later, some of the lights come back on with a hiss and then turn off again. Another try, and half of them are working, emitting a low buzz that sounds like a mosquito stuck in my ear. I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to do that.

A guy in his forties with a flashlight and a dark navy vest which reads ‘staff’ comes out of the room behind the reception. He leans down and tells the women something while tapping on the left laptop. Whatever he sees on the screen makes him bunch his eyebrows together in exasperation.

“Is everything okay?” I ask once he’s walked away, channeling my businessman professionalism.

The woman with the half-shaven head offers me a tight smile while her colleague produces a microphone from under the desk. Static noise sounds from the speakers mounted around the lobby, before her singsong voice greets the hotel guests.

“Dear guests, there has been a power cut and our technicians are working to fix the fault. Unfortunately, it might take a while. To conserve backup power in case the repair takes longer than anticipated, we will be canceling today’s activities. The hotel’s swimming pool, spa and movie theater will be closed. There will be an adjustment to today’s dinner menu as well, and, as you have probably noticed, we are limiting the use of lights throughout the hotel. The appliances in your room will not be affected. Hot water and heating will continue to be available. Apologies for the inconvenience, and you will be compensated for the discomfort. We will keep you updated. Thank you and have a good afternoon.”

Okay… This is a first. I didn’t even know power cuts were a thing at high-end hotels. But I guess they only have so much backup power. And if they had to inform us about the power issues, then that likely means the fault is a little more serious than snow messing with the cables. Not that I can help in any way even if I wanted to; my expertise is making money, not solving electrical problems. Ben, my best friend, might have had something to say on the matter if he was here though.

A group of hospitality staff head down the stairs to the spa it’s more unguarded, like he isn’t afraid to show me what’s hiding behind his pretty face.

It’s, honestly, humbling. I’m not used to it, because all I know are practiced smiles and honed facades. It’s the name of the game that I play.

Taking a deep breath as I gather my bearings, I cock an eyebrow at him. “You should stop sneaking up on people like this. It’s bound to give someone a heart attack. If they die from it, you’ll be liable.”

He snorts, waving me off. “Duly noted, Mr. Lawyer. And it’s a little concerning that your brain went there.” He shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants, sagging his shoulders a little. “But I’ll let it slide.”

Despite wanting to play it cool, I answer his sly smile with one of my own. “What’s the verdict? You think they’ll get the power back up soon?”

He hums, looking around the foyer. “Not likely, if they haven’t already. But it shouldn’t be a problem.” He knocks on the wall with his knuckles. “They have enough juice to run the hotel for a while.”

“Not the pool, apparently,” I point out. I guess I really wanted to go for a swim, and now that I can’t, I’m a little annoyed.

“Well, that is technically not true.” He gestures toward the sliding glass doors of the main entrance. Outside, the snow falls lazily, unaware of the inconvenience it has caused me. “Say, I’ll tell you all about it if you tag along? With no power, there isn’t much for me to do until dinner service, so I’m walking to the village on an errand.”

I pause as we reach the glass. Joining someone local for a walk doesn’t sound too bad There is only one issue. It’s why I haven’t gone out by myself for a walk or in search of a clothes’ store.

“I didn’t really pack for a stay here.” I indicate my suit, and his eyes follow the movement of my hand with laser-like focus. “These are all the clothes I have.”

Humming, he studies my vest. My heart bangs frantically and I’m not even sure why. It’s an amazing suit, I know that. Custom-tailored and expensive. It looks great on me. But even though I am aware of all of this, his undivided attention is almost too much. Heat crawls all over my body, concentrating in my core as I shift my weight nervously.

“This sucks. Not only you get stuck here, but you don’t even have your stuff. You are really unlucky.”

I do my best to minimize the roll of my eyes. But despite my frustration at the situation and him pointing out how unfortunate I have been, I huff out a laugh. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”

“They didn’t have anything in the shop?”

“Nothing that fits me. It seems I wasn’t the only one in need of winter clothes.”

“I can lend you a jacket,” he says, his voice a little shier. A glimmer of something I can’t quite read sneaks into his gaze, turning it a notch more potent than it was. “If you are okay with that.”

I suppose that works. “Sure. If you don’t mind.”

He stares at me for a few seconds, not saying anything. My heart hammers in my chest as I start to wonder if maybe he will take back his suggestion. But he doesn’t. He turns around and motions me toward the elevators, grinning like a kid who’s just gotten a sack full of presents.

“Not at all. Let’s go get you a coat.”

And if I’m being honest?

I love that I was the one who put that look on his face.