“Well,he’sthe head,” Reggie said in a low voice, like we were trying to keep a secret from the man within earshot. “I’m just the Director of Operations. He’s the head honcho. The big boss. The man in charge. The?—”
“I think he gets the idea,” Mr. Shepherd said in a tired voice, but I didn’t miss the slight twitch of his lips. “We try to make sure every guest is greeted properly.”
“We can’t maintain that everyone who stays with us is important if the people who keep the wheels spinning aren’t willing to say hi, right?” Reggie asked with a grin. “So we come down from our ivory towers and wave to the common folk.”
“I can assure you that despite appearances, Reggie is exceptional at his job,” Mr. Shepherd told me in a pained voice. “Even if he hasn’t realized that not everyone is on board with his particular brand of humor.”
“Ah, right,” Reggie said quickly, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry, they keep telling me to ease back, but I get excited every time someone new comes rolling up that drive that I forget myself. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you’re comfortable before you have to worry about the ins and outs of the place, but uh, I am told that I give a pretty mean tour.”
“Of...course,” I said, taken aback by his enthusiasm. That wasn’t a mark against the place, just a mark against him for me personally, because good lord, I really hoped I didn’t have to deal with that much enthusiasm the whole time. “I would say you could pretend I know little about the place, but that wouldn’t require much in the way of imagination.”
Mr. Shepherd frowned in confusion, but Reggie nodded. “Right, right, I remember now. Everything was set up through your personal assistant, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said smoothly. “He took care of the details and arrangements. I was told to show up, and the rest would be handled.”
“And so it will,” Mr. Shepherd said, his face giving away nothing as he turned to Reggie. “This is your show, Reggie, please remember what we talked about earlier.”
“I’ll take it into consideration,” Reggie said, with a brightness that seemed dimmed, and then, like flipping a switch, it returned as he waved me into the building, while the driver continued past us with my suitcase. “I’m sure you’re aware that you agreed not to bring anything you weren’t supposed to; illegal drugs, weapons, alcohol. Any prescription drugs you’re on would have been noted ahead of time, but you didn’t have any, so that’s no concern.”
“For Head of Operations, you’re certainly on top of things for individual customers,” I said as we walked into the lobby, which was…well, it wasn’t going to wow anyone, but it wasn’t going to cause doubts. It was clean and well-lit, but plain, with a small seating area and a large picture of a lake surrounded by forest.
“Guests,” he corrected quickly.
“I am paying for the pleasure of your services, aren’t I?”
“I won’t stop you from referring to yourself as a customer,” Reggie said. “But you’ll find people employed here will refer to you as a guest, so be prepared to do a lot of correcting if you plan on sticking to your guns.”
“Right,” I said as we walked up to one of two doors.
He pressed a button, humming to himself. “And operations here allow us to maintain a certain level of, let’s say, intimacy with those who stay with us. I make sure to know what’s what about each of our guests, but don’t worry,” he said as the doors slid open, letting us into the elevator, “even your personal guide won’t know anything that isn’t necessary. And before you ask, necessary means any disabilities or conditions that wouldrequire their attention. The reasons you’re here, your medical history, any details of the past that you wouldn’t bring up at a cocktail party, are out of their reach.”
“Guide?” I frowned, wondering if I should have looked into the resort before agreeing to come here. I had trusted Hannah to take care of everything and tell me what I needed, but I should have known some details would slip her mind, so I wouldn’t say no.
“Oh, right, you know next to nothing about our program,” he said brightly as the doors slid open to reveal a short hallway, and he led me to a room off to the right. He stopped when he saw the light over the door was yellow. “Give me a moment, please.”
“Of course,” I said as he stepped in, and I looked around.
There was a window opposite that overlooked what appeared to be a common area. It was an open yet cramped area that reminded me of a traditional school cafeteria, with benches and alcoves. Plants and water seemed to be the primary themes, providing life and cover, allowing people to sit where they might not be seen right away. It was a curious setup that left me wondering whether I would be forced to be obvious about whether I chose to be sociable or not.
A soft ding caught my attention, and I saw the light had turned green. I stepped forward as the door slid open. Only to be met with someone rushing through. His head slammed into my chest, knocking the air from my lungs as he stumbled backward and hit the doorway with a grunt of surprise.
“Oh fuck!” he spat out, his eyes going wide. “I mean, oh...I’m so sorry.”
Holding my hand to my chest, I stared at him, and he looked back with wide eyes. The sharp retort on the tip of my tongue lodged in my throat, where it sat, as I stood and stared at the man, almost a head shorter than me, his bright blue eyes meeting mine with concern. His hair was so damn blond it waspractically translucent, and his eyes reminded me of the pristine lake in the lobby photo, peaceful blue and sparkling. His face was narrow, as it stretched in worry and horror, and I felt my choked words swell as he let out a soft noise.
“I amsosorry,” he said, his expression brightening. “I really hope this...are you new?”
“I am,” I choked through the lump in my throat.
“I hope you have a better time here than I just showed you,” he said with a little laugh, and then winced. “Uh, anyway, I should probably go. Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I got out as he leaned back before smiling.
“Okay, great, good. Uh, maybe I’ll see you later? Wait, shit, no, wait... Anyway, I hope Arete brings you to the real you,” he said, the last part sounding like a corporate robot rather than some idiot stumbling around like a drunk. He sped off toward the door at the end of the hallway. My eyes lingered on him as he nervously glanced over his shoulder before the door closed, blocking him from sight.
Reggie appeared, drawing my attention with a snap. “Just follow me real quick. Now, our Guide Program is specifically for those like yourself who come here for recovery, rather than rest or recuperation.”
“Are rest and recuperation not the same thing?” I asked as we stepped into what looked like a combined office and living room. A large desk with a computer sat at one end, and at the other was a love seat and a plush chair around a low table in front of a large TV.
