A gust of warm, tropical wind rushed softly through my hair and fingers as I gazed up at the row of palm trees lining the walkway of the hotel. The sun had already begun to set, and the bright, vivid colors of the evening sky were slowly fading in favor of a calm violet hue. With a wearied expression, and three bags of luggage holding me down, I made my way towards the revolving glass doors, passing from scorched concrete onto cool marble tiling. My first steps onto the floor of the grand hotel lobby were met with subtle echoes from the soles of my shoes, breaking the apparent silence within and rousing the attention of a single onlooker.
Making my way to the front desk, I was greeted by a very attractive and cheerful attendant, whose lively eyes and bright smile seemed fixed on my expression.
"Hello there. How may I help you?" "Hi," I replied, taking a moment to set down my luggage against the tall counter between us. "My name is Travis, and I have a reservation for one of your rooms." The attendant continued to smile, nodding politely. She had on a pair of rather thick reading glasses, connected by a long red string which matched the color of her frames. The torrent of the summer heat weighed heavily on her long red hair, and her pale skin seemed to glow with a light perspiration. Still, she seemed a great deal more accustomed to the sultry temperatures of the resort than I was.
"Here we are," she stated, pulling up a file on her computer. "Travis Fields: seven evenings in room 105, with a nice view of the main gardens. Sounds quite nice." I mused slightly, looking down at the counter. "I hope so." "Are you travelling alone, Mr Fields?" I hesitated to answer, hoping to use my uncomfortable silence as a response. "Well, I..." "It's quite all right, of course," the attendant stated. "It's not very often that we receive reservations from guests so young... who are attractive, for that matter. Is your girlfriend going to be checking into a different room later today perhaps?" "No, I'm single," I replied, uneasily with a small laugh. The attendant blushed and nodded.
"I understand, Travis. So, does this mean you'll be meeting someone else here at the resort today? I'd be happy to see if she's checked in already."
"That's okay," I answered, more than a little embarrassed.
"I really am here alone. This is my first real vacation.
"The attendant's smile wavered for a brief moment.
"Oh, well I'm sure someone as charming as yourself shouldn't have any trouble meeting someone during your stay."
My slight blush quickly filled out my cheeks in a red hue.
"Thank you, Miss..." Reaching for the lapel of her blazer, the attendant quickly fixed her small name tag, which had been partially concealed.
"I'm Naomi. Pleased to meet you."
"Hello Naomi," I replied, smiling for the first time since my arrival.
"Hmm, 105," she began, tapping her fingers on the desk.
"That's a single occupant room, if I'm not mistaken."
"I believe so."
"Well, I think we can do better than that," she smiled, opening up a few files on her computer.
"How does two king sized beds and a nice view of the main pool area and ocean sound instead?"
I gulped, almost unable to speak.
"Well, I..."
"Is that adequate for you, Mr Fields?" she asked, happily.
"Yes, definitely, I..."
"Well, then I'll set you up in room 316 then, at no extra charge, of course. A special vacation deserves a special view to go with it."
"Thank you, Naomi," I answered. "I don't really know how to thank you."
"Just promise to have a wonderful time, Travis," she grinned.
"Of course, I know I will.
Naomi nodded cheerfully, standing from her seat and peering over the counter at my three bags.
"Can I get you some assistance with your luggage?"
After a short pause, I peered down at my bags and then back up at Naomi, nervously.
"I'll be all right now, I think."
