“No, Brendan is not my boyfriend.”
“Is he seeing anyone?” she continues.
“He was before we left Boston, but not anymore.”
“So, then, he’s single?” Oh boy.
“Um, kind of.”
“I’ve seen him around town a few times. He’s so friendly and … ” she leans over the counter and wraps her hands around the side of her mouth. “He’s fine, gorgeous actually. I’ve never seen such a good-looking man, except for our town’s most wanted bachelor.” She giggles and waves me off. “Oh, listen to me. I promised myself I wouldn’t start with the gossip so soon after meeting you. Sometimes, I just can’t help myself.”
I’m not buying into her gossip. I don’t want to know who she’s talking about even though I’m fairly certain it has to be Austin after she mentioned his name the last time we spoke. In any case, gossip is a no-no for me and my position at this hotel. I don’t need it in my life either. I had enough of that in Boston. “Well, Brendan is certainly a nice sight to view,” I tell her, refusing to give her any further insight into Brendan’s love life.
She shakes her head, probably realizing this conversation is getting mildly awkward.
“You know,” she says, looking from side-to-side as her lips purse.I know this look. It’s theI heard gossiplook. What is with people and their gossiping habits around here? It’s way worse than Boston, and I thought it was bad up there. “I know someone who knows someone, who might have seen you and Austin Trace making out at the Ice Cream Festival.” Her eyes are full of questions as she looks back and forth between my eyes. Now, she just looks crazy. “So, is it true?”
“I—can’t be discussing my personal life at the front desk. I don’t want to get in trouble, you know?”
“Oh. Come. On. No one is here. Just tell me,” she insists.
Unfortunately, while I’m typically good at keeping a straight face when needed, I can’t seem to control the stupid smile creeping up from the corners of my mouth. “Laurie-Cate, I—”
“Say no more, your smile says it all,” she says, waving her hand at me along with a dramatic sigh. “Well, I won’t ask any more questions, but I hope that’s going well for you both.”
“Actually, I haven’t seen him since that night.” Yup, that’s the story of my life.
She leans forward, placing her arms down on the counter. “You don’t say? Well, does he have your number?”
“He didn’t ask for it,” I tell her.
“That’s just crazy. I can’t believe he didn’t ask you.”
“It happens,” I tell her. To me. All the time.
“Well, you never know when you’ll run into him I suppose,” she says with a wry smile.
“That’s true around here.” Time to switch the topic, like now. “So, I’m going to call maintenance and have them come and check out your parents’ villa. We’ll have that fixed up for them in no time.”
“That would be just lovely. Thank you,” she says.
“No problem.”
“Oh, Scarlett, you know, there’s a few of us gals who have dinner once a month down at The Tavern in the square. I’d love for you to join us next time. We’ll be going there on Thursday night at six.”
That sounds like absolute hell. I’d rather take this pen, jab it into my eye and pull it out the back of my head. “You’re so sweet for inviting me. I’ll see if I can get out of work a little early that day. If not, I’ll have to catch you ladies next time.”
“Of course.” Her smile has contorted at least ten times during this awkward conversation, and I can’t figure out what any of the different looks mean.
“Let me know if your parents continue to have any issues once maintenance has been by.”
“Will do.” She blows me a quick kiss and flips her hair over her bare shoulders, then scurries off toward the villas in her A-line, knee length, fruit-bowl-colored dress.
I think I’ve watched enough TV and seen my share of movies to figure this all out. Austin is a good-looking, single man. In fact, he’s one of the only good-looking men I’ve seen in this town. Laurie-Cate is a single, good-looking woman. I’ll just go out on a limb and assume they were together at some point. Maybe that’s why she’s so interested in Brendan. She probably thinks there’s more going on with us since we live together, and it’s the perfect plan for payback. That’s cute.
“How's it going today, Miss Scarlett?” Ellis asks, walking through the front doors.
“Everything is going well so far.” I’m just entering my notes on Laurie-Cate’s parents’ issues into the computer. Then, everything from today will be noted and documented.
