AGAIN (Underground Flames)

Chapter One

"Yes. Everything's ready."

It's the busiest time of the year for the resort and tomorrow is its 15th anniversary. New investors are coming in tonight.

My boss, Wilson Ty, finally ends the call.

I scurry out of my office to continue the preparation for our guests.

Wait, I forgot something!

Told him earlier all have been set as planned, but I haven't seen the dinner menu yet.

Oh I'm doomed!

I immediately send out instructions here and there, panting almost heavily.

The typical me: tense, clumsy, the favorite child of anxiety.

I have that bad habit of thinking failure wins over success: 80 over 100 by default.

Pessimistic, right?

But to the advantage, it ignites my strong determination to push harder.

This mindset may have been the reason why I was promoted as manager after only a year.

Although our Chairman takes after one of the seven dwarfs, the one known as Grumpy -- ill-humored that even a speck of dust in his coat makes him irritated -- I still enjoy my work here.

I get reprimanded all the time but I still love this job. It challenges my patience every day -- and helps me pay my bills, too!

--

Clock hits five in the afternoon and the Chairman arrives with the guests at last.

I have assigned a staff member to usher them around the resort before heading back to the hotel where a sumptuous dinner awaits.

"Remind them to re-heat the food if needed before they are served. I don't want any complaints from the guests. I'm sick of sticking my invisible earplugs whenever Wilson-- you know how he is." I tell Katie, one of the crew, to relay my instructions to the kitchen staff.

She just grins knowing I'm just playing my role.

"Yes, ma'am! And- you can borrow my earplugs just in case. They're more experienced than yours." She giggles and hops as quick as a rabbit before I can slap her butt with the menu book I'm holding.

Katie and I have been good friends since I got hired at Washington Paradise Resort. She's been working in the resort for 5 years now. She is incredibly smart and patient. I admire her bubbly attitude and how she handles Wilson's hot temper.

She's my favorite blond on the planet!

When I got promoted, I became her manager and it was kind of awkward at first. Nevertheless, we remained friends.

--

I'm back in the office an hour later and our supervisor, the ever gorgeous Julie Harrington, finds me busy with month-end reports.

Julie is of African-American descent and always dresses to impress -- that's according to me.

I can't help but admire her.

Her pixie cut, hazel brown hair fits her heart-shaped face, and her long eyelashes complement her dark brown eyes.

The woman's ass-et is emphasized by her black bootcut pants, matched with a white blouse under her elegant grey blazer.

She makes me feel underdressed for the event.

"The investors are here. Wilson wants us to sit with them during dinner." Julie's voice snaps me back to reality, taking my attention off of her designer shoes.