Where I Want to Be

Chapter 5 - Lilla

My first week goes by so fast. It's fast paced and a bit stressful at times. It has been an adjustment learning how to handle the events here. They are bigger and more complex than the ones I handled at my sister's restaurant. Linda is a hard woman to please and I feel like no matter what I do, I can't get it right the first time. I keep telling myself it's just my first week and I will adjust the longer I'm here. I'm determined to be successful here. I have to be, I can't go back to Daphne.

The club has even provided me with my own work laptop and cell phone. It makes me feel official and responsible. Something I haven't felt in the workplace since my job in Charleston. We had two small events this week: A ladies brunch and a kids birthday party. I actually hosted similar events at my sister's restaurant. Despite a few glares from Linda, they seemed to have gone over okay.

In two weeks we have a wedding on property. It will be the biggest and most important event we will have this season. All of our efforts from now on will be focused on making sure the wedding is a success. The bride is a member of the Hampton Family and they have belonged to the club the longest and they are also probably the richest. We had a check-in meeting with the bride and her mother yesterday, and let's just say the terms bridezilla and helicopter mom would be putting it lightly. Linda has told me in no uncertain terms she will not accept any mistakes for this event. It stresses me out but it also motivates me. I know I have what it takes, I just have to show her.

Luckily, since my first week has been so busy, I haven't had much of a chance to run into Wyatt again. Which is probably a good thing. I still can't believe I hugged him. I don't know what got into me. I am not a hugger. In fact, I hate hugging. I don't even hug my own mother. But all of a sudden I found myself leaning into his tall chiseled frame, and he smelled heavenly. He smelled exactly like the first moment you roll down your car window at the beach and breathe in that fresh ocean air. And honestly, I loved it. Which is why I need to stay away from him. Not only is he Ella's brother, he is also, what? Like 21 now? I'm almost 30. I am trying to get my life on track, dating someone who's practically still a kid would just send my life in the opposite direction. He is also a coworker. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my opportunity here. I only have the summer to prove myself. I won't let a guy blow my shot and send me back to Daphne, no matter how good he smells.

Even though my weird crush has thrown me off, I am happy to see he's doing well. If I'm honest, I kind of always had a soft spot for him. Ella was always so mean to him and never wanted him around. I usually convinced her to let him tag along because I could always empathize with how he felt. Being a younger sibling myself, I know what it's like to just want to be around your older sister and her friends, to just want to be included. To me, it just seemed like he always had something to say, and unfortunately, no one ever really stopped long enough to listen to him. And it wasn't like Wyatt was one of those annoying little brothers. Even when he was a little kid I remember thinking he always kind of sounded like a mini-adult.

Fishing was usually one of the topics he would ramble on to me about. What lures to use, the kinds of reels he had, what brand of fishing line he thought was the best, and other things I usually had no idea what he was talking about. But I didn't mind listening, I could tell that's all he really wanted, just someone to listen to him. I'm happy to see he's stuck with the fishing thing. He used to tell me he was going to grow up to be a professional fisherman. I'm even more glad he made it out of Daphne.

In an attempt to avoid the college children, especially Wyatt, I've eaten most meals in my condo this week. But today is Friday and I am running low on groceries so I let Brooklyn talk me into going to lunch at the staff dining hall with her today.