[18+] Mark just wants a quiet life. With plenty of action at work, he has no interest in bringing the drama home with him. But he does need a flatmate, and when blonde bombshell Zoe crashes onto the scene, she's more than he bargained for.
Zoe is a...
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April 2013
ZOE
It's the Friday before my weekend with my parents, and it's mental. The usual Friday rush of tourists checking in, couples wanting a room for the night, and businesses holding an away day. I'm rushed off my feet but buzzed with adrenaline. Each problem solved is a victory.
When my walkie talkie crackles at my waist, I ready myself for another drama to fix.
"We've got Richard Phillips from the Grand Bay on the line," May tells me through the fuzzy static. "Can I put him through to your phone?"
"Sure." I slip into my office, secretly thankful for a moment's reprieve from the chatter of the hotel lobby, and wait for the call to connect.
"Z." Richard's warm tone bounces down the line. "How's it going?"
I set the handset to speaker and collapse into my desk chair, kicking off my heels. "Busy. Too busy for small talk. What do you need?"
"One of your suites. Preferably the one that overlooks the river."
"We're full, Richard."
"So are we and one of my juniors has screwed up. Double booked. They're a loyal couple, spend a shit-ton with us, and I can't turn them away."
I roll my eyes. "Turn the other booking away, then."
"They're already here and checked in. Come on, Z. You have double the number of rooms over there. If I can upgrade my customers into one of your suites, I will seriously owe you."
Shaking my mouse to wake my computer screen, I tap in my password and load the bookings system.
The presidential suite is free. That's the one Richard wants. He's probably assumed it'll be free because a 10K-a-night room isn't often fully booked. But why should his customers get my best room?
Sorry, pal. We might have been engaged once upon a time, but business is business.
"Presidential suite isn't free. I can offer you an executive room. View of the river. I'll throw in some champagne and access to the spa."
"Throw in dinner as well and we've got a deal."
I huff. "I'm trying to run a profitable business here, Rich."
"Oh, don't give me that. I saw your figures last year. And remember I helped you out with that bottle of wine recently."
Last month a restaurant critic had dropped in on us. Naturally he'd chosen the one bottle of wine we'd run out of. A quick call to Richard and he'd sent over the exact same bottle from his own cellar. I could argue that a bottle of wine did not equal this particular favour, but that critic wrote a glowing review and I'd never know how different it could have turned out without Richard's help.
