"The manager wants to see you," Akiko whispered in my ear as she passed by my desk. She glanced stealthily at Maria who was busy sorting things on her table.
"What for?" I asked her.
"No idea. But I have a gut-feeling it has something to do with what that woman said to him. She was at his office first thing in the morning." And Akiko glanced at Maria again. This time she didn't hide her irritation.
As soon as I heard it, my heart beat faster. I looked at Maria who was obviously pretending she was oblivious to our whispers. I knew she sensed what we were doing but she looked like she was preoccupied with her mundane task. Knowing her, I knew that she was secretly observing us. The bitch!
"Ohayou gozaimasu, mane-ja-. (Good morning, manager.)"
He turned his swivel chair to face me and said goodbye to somebody he was talking with on the phone. He sorted the papers on his desk first, before he motioned for me to sit in the visitor's chair in front of him.
"I'll be straightforward with you. I got some information that you were dating one of our valued clients. You know the rule, right? No dating with the clients if you want to keep your job."
Though I kind of expected it, it still felt surreal when I finally heard it from him. My palms automatically curled up as I thought of Maria and her big mouth.
I pretended I had no idea about what he was saying. He raised one of his eyebrows and gave me a don't-play-innocent-with-me look. When I didn't blink and stared him straight in the eye, he got impatient with me.
"I'm talking about Mr. Hemsworth!"
I slapped Maria's face in my head. Then, I kicked her.
"I never went out with Mr. Hemsworth on a date, mane-ja-. Maybe, your reliable source thought I was when she saw us talking in a Roppongi street, but believe me it was just a mere coincidence."
The manager gave me a slow smile and tell-that-to-the-marines kind of look. I sighed.
"I know it sounded defensive, but it's the truth. You could ask Mr. Hemsworth himself. With his status, why would he settle with a girl like me?"
I regretted my last sentence as soon as I blurted it out because the manager looked at me intently like a man appraising a woman. It slipped my mind that he has the hots for me. I began to feel uncomfortable at the way he was staring at my chest. I tried to clear my throat to divert his attention.
"All right. I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. But you have to remember, I have eyes and ears in the hotel."
I sighed in relief. I hurriedly said my goodbye and went to the door.
I bumped into Maria on my way back to our office, so I confronted her. As expected, she vehemently denied she had something to do with it. We were intensely arguing about it when Liam passed by. I saw a glint of humor in his eyes. I looked at Maria again and at him. Then, I realized what he might have found to be funny. Here I am. Face to face with my Goliath.
"Oh, hey, Mr. Hemsworth! Looking good," Maria greeted. She seductively flipped her hair and ran her hands through it in a sensuously practiced manner.
"Thanks. You, too. You looked good," Liam answered before quickly glancing in my direction.
I saw Maria blushed. She giggled like a school girl. I felt the urge to kick her shin.
"You seemed flustered. Are you okay?" he asked me. He looked serious now. His concern seemed genuine. I felt a strange warmth.
"I'm okay," I said in a calm tone although deep down my heart was thumping like a horse's hoofs on a dirt road.
