Five
A/N: This is the end of the Sample Chapters. You can read the story on Galatea now. Thank you so much for the support on the story.
Much love, Mel.
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After we were done assessing the dining areas, we made our way towards the open recreational area. The region was located in the center of the hotel, in the third floor. In the area, there was the public pool and across it was an open dining and rest area. There were also poolside benches with an umbrella for added effect. How the place was designed was done in a way the sun wouldn't bother the guest enough to cause them sunburns. Also, it even has a small indoor garden. For me, this was one of my favorite views of the hotel – next to the roof top dining and viewing area.
"Any facts I should know about this place," Jensen inquired.
"We call this the recreational area. As you can see, most of the guest spend their free time here," I pointed out and gestured towards a crowd of people enjoying the pool.
"And does it also have other functions?"
"Yes. It's had an open garden over on the right, and across the left is a stage with a dining area for guest to enjoy an evening with music and shows," I replied and pointed out each area.
Jensen studied the two sections and subtly nodded in approval. "Are there other areas in the hotel which the guests can enjoy their meal if they don't love a noisy crowd?"
"Yes. We have a small restaurant and viewing area on the top floor. The restaurant is one of the four stars housed in the hotel. Reservations needed to me made before dining, but the viewing area is free for the guest."
He finally tore his eyes away from assessing the place and glanced at me. "You sure know a lot about this place for a Marketing Assistant."
"I sell the hotel as a whole, Mr. Hawksley. Of course I know the perks of the place."
"And how would you sell it to a guest?"
"It depends what's the purpose of their visit."
He arched his eyebrow in challenge. "You have the answer for everything, do you?"
"Not everything, Mr. Hawksley. I'm no Einstein."
He suppressed his smile and gestured for me to continue the tour. After finishing in the recreational area, I escorted him up towards the top floor. It was one of my favorite accommodations in the hotel. The floor was separated between the viewing deck, which had it's own lounge area, a private V.I.P. room with a Jacuzzi for a parties; and a restaurant, which was one the hotel accommodate for non-guest and guest a-like. But it has its own exclusivity since you needed to reserve in-order to dine there.
Since it was bright and early in the morning, there weren't guest present in the floor. But staffs are there to clean and prepare for the day. Our first tour was towards the viewing desk, on the left side of the elevator. I held opened the glass door leading towards the lounge, noting the attending doorman hadn't checked in yet. Though it hadn't alarmed me for his lack of presence, being the viewing desk would open about mid-morning to accommodate waiting guest for the restaurant across the hall. It only opened during lunch and dinner.
"This is such a lovely view. The place should opened at seven in the morning for guest who are early risers," Jensen commented as he started walking towards the open deck. "It's such a waste."
Following behind him, with only one staff cleaning the lounge, I decidedly broke my stiff business persona yet kept my voice low. "We did try opening early. But hardly guest comes over at seven in the morning. Too many needed their sleep and nurse a hangover."
Thinking my short interlude wasn't overheard; Jensen spun around and stared at me in amusement. "I thought you'd continually put on such a poker face. Glad you're back to your humorous self, Kyla."
Stunned at his comment, I animatedly glanced towards the only other person in the room with us, hoping he wasn't looking. "Mr. Hawksley. Please address me formally, we are at work."
Not playing my game, Jensen rolled his eyes and headed back inside. "Don't be too stiff, Ms. Tristen. I know a few nights ago you were screaming my name. I liked you better then."
"Sheesh!" I hushed him and slapped his arm, embarrassed at his untimely reminder.
He recoiled in surprise from my sudden onslaught. "What? It not I'm making this all up," he defended. Upon seeing my reddening face, his expression turned amused again. "Are you embarrassed on the fact you're raucous in bed?"
I slapped him again. This time I had a good reason too. "For goodness sake, can you not divulge any information about what I'm like in bed? It's not like you were a saint either."
"Oh, sweetie, any one who'd I bedded said I was a saint in bed with how many 'oh gods' I muster them to scream," he remarked coyly, winking at me.
"I can't believe you've just said that," I muttered in mortification and then started walking away from him. It didn't even bother me if attending staff in the room heard us. His words could easily pass as a mere sexual comment – or harassment on the level of your comfort on the topic.
"Oh! Come on. I think that comment was at least funny." Jensen yelled out as I heard him following behind me.
"Have you always been like this? I thought you weren't one of those stereotypical, shameless men." Though I never intended him to answer my rhetorical question, he did anyway.
"It's just a fun comment, Kyla. Don't take it too personally. Have you always been this rigid and serious? You were fun a few night ago."
This time I was wise enough to ignore his comment and not add fuel to the fire. Gesturing across the hall, I introduced him the last leg of our tour. "This is Le Petit Lieu. The restaurant caters to both guest and non-guest a-like, but reservation needs to be placed. It's because of its location and to keep this floor exclusive. Hence why the view deck only opened such hour to accommodate the restaurant's waiting guest."
Jensen walked up from behind me and stopped when I halted a good feet away from the entrance of the restaurant. Looking at the staff walking to and fro inside, I wasn't stepping anywhere close to the place.
"Is this a separate management from the hotel?" he inquired, returning back to business.
"Yes. But it's still under the company as the hotel. My office manages its marketing aspects as well."
Jensen nodded at this and started walking towards the entrance. It took him a second to notice I was hadn't followed him. When he was close to the door, he finally turned around and regarded my stagnant position.
"Aren't you going to walk me around the restaurant?"
"I...Uhm...I don't..." I stuttered and paused to clear my throat. Regarding his confused expression, I shook off the growing stress in the pit of my stomach and marched on towards him. "Right. Yes, this way please."
Opening the door, I gestured for Jensen to walk ahead. He didn't question my actions this time and followed. Once inside the restaurant, my eyes instinctively scanned the opened space. The wooden tables and chairs were neatly lined up and three staff was prepping the place for lunch. It wasn't until my eyes reached across the open bar counter, housing a wall of wines behind it that I stiffened into place. Watching a handful gathered around in that direction, my leg started stepping backwards towards the exit.
"Mr. Hawksley, I've already given you a brief tour of the place. I needed to head back to my office since I'm already running behind schedule with my work. You'll be fine walking back. If you get lost, ask any of the staff in the building." My words sounded rigid at the lie. But I didn't care. All I could think about was getting out of that place.
It took a second for Jensen to react. When he did, I was nearly close to the door. It was then he had the instinct to call out my name in a room where sounded bounces off at the confide space.
"Kyla! Wait!"
I winced at his choice course of action.
"Kyla? What are you doing here?" Like a robber being caught, I stood still from where I am without turning at another voice calling out my name.
My hand balled into a fist, willing the last strand of my dignity to walk out of the room. But then, nothing goes as planned – which was the main theme of the day.
"Kyla, do you know him?" Jensen inquired. His voice was opposite from how he sounded a few minutes ago. It was until I noticed how close he was to me.
Turning, I almost bumped into him, making me take another step back. I glanced in surprised before grimly turned my eyes towards the other person. I watched as he walked around the counter and met Jensen and I halfway.
I ignored Jensen's question and give all my attention to the other party joining us. "That's close enough, Alden." I spoke up, addressing the person.
Alden abruptly halted, following my command. His brown eyes bore at my poker face. Upon seeing my expression, he clinched his jaw before inciting another conversation.
"Kyla, don't be a stranger. We're both adults. And I cleared up about what happened..."
"That was it really, I was the only adult in our relationship. Clearing it up doesn't mean I officially understand and agreed you weren't at the fault. I'm not an idiot, Alden." I icily interjected.
"But I did say I'm sorry..." he started to argue and defend himself.
However, I wasn't in the mood on hearing his bull explanation how he wasn't cheating for nearly three month before I found out and broke it off. The fact that it lasted that long without me finding out made me the other idiot in this situation. But I no longer played that game with him. I'm wiser now. And I'm not falling for his excuses again.
"Sorry only make you all the more guilty with what you did. And I don't want to hear any more excuses from you. This is just luck I'm here. Don't think so highly of yourself that I'm coming here to beg and let you take me back. I'm glad you're with that whore, you ass." Not in the mood to be breathing the same air as him, I walked out of the room, ignoring him calling out to me again.
For a second, I felt nauseous. Even if I sounded badass with the exit speech, what I feel right now was the opposite. The memory was still fresh in my head like I was transported in that moment. The instance my heart broke in a million pieces. A happy ending had turned into a nightmare.
My breathing continued to grew ragged when I reached the elevator, pressing the call button manically.
"Hey! Hey, breathe..." It took a considerable second to register Jensen had magically appeared beside me. As he was about to reach out toward me, I held up a hand to stop him.
"Don't. I'm fine." I muttered in warning.
"Are you having a nervous break down?" He inquired worriedly. Gone was the smugness on his face.
I placed my hand over the wall for support and leaned down, taking heavy breathes to calm my loud heartbeat. It was starting to ring in my ear. When I felt a hand placed on my arm, I swatted it away in annoyance.
"I said I'm fine, damn it!" I shrieked.
That finally got through the message I wanted to send. However, he hadn't reacted how most people do when one blatantly asked to 'go away'.
"No. You're not, okay. You need to sit down or go out to get some fresh air. How about we head back to the view desk?" He grabbed my arm again, tugging me away from my position.
"Are you deaf? I said no. I'm heading back down," I defiantly replied, a bit of my flare had come back.
"Heading inside a close confide space would only increase your likeliness of feeling like you can't breath. Just listen to me and go!" He tugged again, gesturing towards the entrance of the viewing room. "It's only a few steps away." He added when I defiantly hesitated.
Defeated and my heart still pounding, I gauged my legs to move. Realizing he had won the argument, Jensen placed my arm over his and escorted me across the hall. When we reacted the deck, the attending staff that was cleaning ignoring us, Jensen let go his grip and allowed me to step further towards the railing.
"Don't get any ideas," he stated lightly, though there was still no hint of his smugness self-back.
"I'm not that weak. I occasionally am like this when I get too work up about something."
"I predicted upon seeing you back there."
Once my hand touched the metalling cylinder, I closed my eyes and allowed the light breeze cool off my flushed face. "I'm sorry about what happened. That was unprofessional of me. I don't usually start shouting at people about being a cheating prick."
It took him a few second before asking his questions. "How long ago did it happen?"
"Three month since that night." I was surprised for how easily I responded to his question, even though I was completely sober.
"Was it with a friend?"
"Good god, no! Mallory is hardly a person I call a friend. More like the evil incarnate of Ursula." I opened my eyes and looked distantly over the city view in front of me.
"Ursula? The sea witch from the little mermaid?" He sounded uncertain about the reference.
"Yes. That one. And I'm surprise you know about her." I twisted and regarded him with slight amusement.
"Hey, Disney movies are for all kids. It wasn't just a girl movie." He chuckled, back to his playful self. "But why Ursula? Girls usually go for the evil queen or something..."
Now it was my turn to laugh. "I'm not letting it go how you watch Disney princesses movies. And explaining why it's Ursula would require a long backstory, which I don't have time right now." I peered down on my wristwatch. It's nearly been an hour since the meeting ended. And the more I stay, the more I have work piling up on my desk.
"How about lunch? And if you still couldn't finish it by then, we'll continue it for dinner." He suggested. Not a hint of humor in his voice. "I didn't get to ask you for breakfast yesterday, seeing as you had run away, disappearing without leaving at least a note. You didn't even text me. And the number I gave you wasn't fake by the way," he added when I stood there unresponsive again.
"Jensen... Mr. Hawksley, I don't think it's appropriate that we'll continue whatever we had two night ago..." I trailed off when I saw his eye glint in disappointment.
"You don't mean that. Don't lie to me how you didn't actually have a great time with me, including the rest of that night. And I do enjoy you're company, Kyla. I want to know you more."
After the fiasco upon seeing my cheating ex, Alden, I thought my heart had stopped skipping beats. Sure with alcohol in my system, I could blindly pretend I was swooning over this guy. Plus, he was annoyingly charming even without alcohol in the situation. And I do admit – even sober – he was handsome and charming. But that was a one-time thing. Nothing should move further from that night. I didn't have the heart to start again.
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