Miguel lifted his head and blinked a few times. “I can’t believe I fell asleep. Sorry about that.”
“No problem. You had a rough day.” I looked up at the house he lived in, an old Victorian that had been converted into a multi-family unit. “Nice place. I’ve always liked these old Victorians.”
“You want to come up and look around?” he asked. “It’s a great apartment. My roommate and I have been living here for almost three years. The landlord is really nice.”
“Sure, if you’re not too tired,” I said.
When Miguel got out of the car, he wobbled a little, so I put my arm around his shoulders to steady him. He led me up the front stairs to a large porch and then through a pair of heavy, wooden double doors that opened into a foyer and a wide staircase. There was an apartment on either side of the first floor. He indicated that we should go up the stairs to the second level.
Miguel’s apartment was spacious and airy. Large front windows in the living room looked out over the quiet street. The floors were hardwood, with a few area rugs scattered around. His furniture looked stylish but comfortable. The kitchen was small but well-equipped. A four-person dinette sat in a small nook next to the kitchen. A short hallway led to what I assumed were the bedrooms and bathroom.
“Nice place,” I said.
“Thanks,” Miguel replied. “I really like it. I’m hoping I’ll be able to keep it.”
“What do you mean,” I asked.
“Dwayne, my roommate, is leaving at the end of the lease. He and his boyfriend are moving in together.”
“Oh wow, that sucks. Are you looking for a new roommate?”
He shrugged. “Not yet. I have three months. But I suppose I should start. I don’t want to be caught without a place to live.”
“I hear you on that,” I said. “I live in a garage apartment behind the owner’s house. He’s a great guy, but he’s getting older. It’s been harder for him to do things around his house. I help him when I can, but I work a lot, so I’m not around much. I’m worried if something happens to him, I’ll lose my place.”
“That’s it,” Miguel declared. “We both have to win the lottery and become independently wealthy.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that’ll work.” We stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then I said, “I should get going. I’ll see you Friday, I guess.”
Miguel nodded. “Yes. I’ll text you the details for the drag show.”
“Okay. I’ll see you.” It felt weird. I didn’t want to leave. But he was clearly wiped out from the day and a little too much alcohol. I gave him an awkward wave and headed back to my car.
After I started my car, I sat in front of Miguel’s place, looking up at his window. Even after the light went out, I stayed there. What was going on with me? It almost felt like I’d gone on a date but hadn’t gotten a kiss goodnight. I shook my head to clear it and put the car in gear. As I was driving home, I wondered why I kept thinking about how Miguel had looked tonight.
CHAPTERSIX
MIGUEL
I was still thinking about my not-date with Zach when I walked into work on Tuesday morning. There’d been a moment in my apartment when it seemed like he wanted to kiss me. I kept telling myself I’d been imagining things, that it was wishful thinking brought on by one too many mules. Albert told me I was being obstinate and should go for it. No way was I doing that without a clear invitation. I did that once and nearly got the shit beat out of me for my troubles. Not that I thought Zach would hit me. He would just be really uncomfortable and probably end our budding friendship. I liked the guy too much to risk that.
Instead of going straight to my office, I was meeting Mr. O’Neil in his. He’d texted earlier, asking me to stop by before I started my day. I assumed he wanted to go over what happened on Saturday.
Mr. O’Neil’s office door was open when I arrived, so I knocked on the doorframe. He looked up from his laptop and smiled. “Hey, Miguel. Come on in.” He indicated one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat. I’m just waiting for Caitlin to get here.”
I was puzzled by that. Caitlin hadn’t been involved in the Saturday debacle. Before I could ask about it, Caitlin came in, closing the door behind her. She smiled at me and took her seat. Mr. O’Neil closed his laptop and looked over at me. “First, thank you for how well you handled that liquor shortage on Saturday. Carrie said everything went smoothly and no one noticed anything was wrong.”
“Thank you, Mr. O’Neil,” I said.
He cleared his throat and glanced over at Caitlin. “It’s been brought to my attention that I’m not utilizing you to your fullest potential.” He smiled sheepishly and said, “I tend not to delegate the way I should.” Caitlin snorted softly. Mr. O’Neil raised an eyebrow at her.
My gaze bounced between Mr. O’Neil and Caitlin. “I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying.”
Caitlin rolled her eyes. “What he’s saying is that he should have never been involved in what happened on Saturday. You should have the authority to make decisions about emergency purchases without running it through him first.”
I blinked and stared at her. “Oh.” I had no idea what to say to that. She was right, but I wasn’t about to tell the owner how to run his hotel. I was surprised he took her jibe in stride, but I shouldn’t have been. Mr. O’Neil had never struck me as someone with a giant ego that needed to be stroked.
“With that in mind,” Mr. O’Neil continued, “I’m promoting you to front office manager.” He slid a piece of paper across his desk to me. “This outlines your new duties and your new salary.”
