Betrayed

Conversations

At the beginning of August, shareholders came to the campsite to meet with the higher up staff to go over financial details with Gabriel and Matteo. I was asked to plan an outdoor barbeque and set my team to work with specific tasks. There was a lot to do and although I should have requested more staff to help, I figured we could pull it all off if we worked a little bit harder. Gabriel had gone all out with the budget for this important meeting that would either make or break next year's contract. It was important to him that I impressed our guests with my culinary skills. I woke up extra early that morning to get things started and hardly saw Jenna, Ria or Leanne, but I trusted that they had gotten to their tasks as assigned. I spent hours wrapping potatoes in foil, making salad dressings, and marinating meats. While I was doing that the girls were meant to be making salads, trimming and cleaning green beans and setting up the outdoor tables. I was pleased to see the tables were out though none of them had tablecloths set out the way I had asked so I sought them out to see if any progress had been done on their part. There were no salads in the fridge but all three of them were in the dining hall trimming and cleaning green beans.

"...thinks she's queen bitch because she's sleeping with the boss and all," I overheard Ria say.

"I know right, can you imagine thinking that Gabriel fucking Mason loves you... she's fucking delusional" came Leanne's voice.

"He's got a higher body count than the three of us put together... it's kind of gross" Ria continued. "He's probably crawling with STDs"

"Weren't you sleeping with him last year?" Leanne sniggered.

"Well it was before I knew about his reputation, trust me if I had known I wouldn't have touched him with a 10 foot pole!" Ria said acidly.

Horrified by what I was hearing I slammed the pot I was holding onto the counter top making the three evil witches jump in fright.

"Maybe you can all concentrate on your job and spend less time bickering so that things would actually move along smoothly" I said, in a tone laced with venom. I felt the urge to wring their necks and knock their heads together, the evil cows. I husked the corn on my own, anger boiling just beneath my skin, my teeth ground together. I had never worked so fast in my entire life, but before they had cleaned and cut all the string beans, I had husked my entire 50lbs bag of corn, started the propane burner and carried the giant pot onto it. I hauled buckets of water into the pot until I was satisfied with its fullness and waited angrily for it to boil.

"We're all done, Miss Harper," Jenna said timidly.

"Then leave" I said bitterly. The three of them awkwardly hustled away before I changed my mind. Once the water was boiling I dumped the cobs into it and made my way to light the barbecue then tossed the hotdogs and steaks on. I made four different salads in record time and moved them to the shaded tables where the temperature was adequate. Gabriel showed up as I was getting the corn out of the boiling water. Reading my mood he simply kept quiet and helped me set up the picnic.

"Where are the girls?" he asked in his deep serious tone.

"I sent them away"

"Why?"

"They were more interested in gossiping than working" I said flatly, not meeting his eye. I could feel my rage and embarrassment as I recalled what they were talking about.

"You did all this by yourself, love?" he asked, impressed.

"I sent them after they finished with the beans, but yes I did all this by my-fucking-self, as usual" I said in a clipped tone. I heard him exhale loudly and turned to see him lift up his hat and run a hand through his long curls.