have seen it coming a mile away.
The elevator doors open and a dark look has taken over
Henry’s face. “Go clean yourself up. I’ll expect you back within listening
distance in half an hour.” I watch his back as he passes the entrance to Rawley’s,
dialing someone on his phone.
~ ~ ~
I thought those few days after I caught Jed
cheating on me were long and painful.
And they were.
But guiding Henry around today, tending to his every need
while this thick fog of disappointment and hurt hangs over my head, unable to
just hide out and do what I want to do—cry my eyes out—made for an excruciating
afternoon.
And it’s nowhere near finished.
I trail Henry as he pushes through the lobby doors, holding
one open for me. “Be at my place in thirty minutes.” I’ve only caught the
faintest glimpse of a sour mood, buried depth beneath the ever-charming mask he
wears so well when he needs to. It’s like our conversation in the elevator
never happened.
That basically gives me ten minutes to change and freshen up,
given the time it takes to walk to the staff village. I mutter a “Yes. Mr.
Wolf,” on my way past.
“Abbi.”
I pretend that I don’t hear him. He doesn’t call out,
doesn’t chase after me, not that I expected him to.
I count my steps all the way back to my cabin, focusing on
my breathing, on the dark clouds rolling in over the mountain range, anything
to try to dull this ache.
This isn’t what Alaska was supposed to be.
~ ~ ~
I step into the cabin to excited chatter.
“Look who’s here!” Katie exclaims, her arm slung around
Rachel’s shoulders.
I smile because despite my mood, I’m genuinely happy to see
Rachel again. “Welcome back.”
Rachel pries herself away from Katie to pull me into a hug. “Katie
told me what you did. Thank you,” she whispers in my ear.
I shrug. “Glad I could help.” And I’m glad I asked this
morning, before I knew all that I know now.
“Belinda sent me home with a garment bag for you. I hung it
up over there.” Tillie points to the hook in the corner.
Right. The formal dress that Henry wants me to wear. “Thanks.
I have about two seconds to change before I have to be back.”
“Ugh. I don’t envy you tonight, that’s for sure. Those
people are too much. I’m gonna have nightmares about the things I found in
those rooms today.”
“That bad?” Rachel begins pulling out clothes from her
duffel bag. She must literally have just arrived off the ferry.
“ That bad. I was assigned to the penthouses today.
Well, except for Wolf’s. You know, because he’s a freak who doesn’t allow
anyone except Abbi in there to clean. But you know that woman from that
magazine? The beautiful but bitchy-looking one?”
My stomach tightens.
“Ohh... I heard about her.” Katie waggles her brows at
Rachel, helping her unpack her clothes.
I distract myself from my bitterness and—yes—jealousy by unzipping
the garment bag. A simple black dress and blazer hang inside. It’s nothing
exotic but it’s nicer than the blouse and skirt combo, especially when everyone
else will be fully decked out in formal wear.
“Yeah, well she’s a beautiful bitch pig is what she is. She
didn’t even have the decency to make sure the condoms were put in the trash.
They were all over the place. I found two stuck to the shag rug and one was on
the nightstand. Ugh. The dried spooge took the finish right off.”
“Gross!” Katie cries out with laughter.
“Right? But, damn, did she ever have a good night with whoever
she hooked up with.”
I blink back the burn in my eyes.
Three times with her, Henry? Once wasn’t enough?
Who am I kidding? This is Henry. Of course once wasn’t
enough.
Tillie pulls her blanket over herself and then reaches back
to pull the privacy curtain around her, face mask and earplugs already in hand.
“Wake me up by eight. I feel the need to drink heavily tonight.”
I keep my back to them as I peel off my day uniform and
wriggle into the
The elevator doors open and a dark look has taken over
Henry’s face. “Go clean yourself up. I’ll expect you back within listening
distance in half an hour.” I watch his back as he passes the entrance to Rawley’s,
dialing someone on his phone.
~ ~ ~
I thought those few days after I caught Jed
cheating on me were long and painful.
And they were.
But guiding Henry around today, tending to his every need
while this thick fog of disappointment and hurt hangs over my head, unable to
just hide out and do what I want to do—cry my eyes out—made for an excruciating
afternoon.
And it’s nowhere near finished.
I trail Henry as he pushes through the lobby doors, holding
one open for me. “Be at my place in thirty minutes.” I’ve only caught the
faintest glimpse of a sour mood, buried depth beneath the ever-charming mask he
wears so well when he needs to. It’s like our conversation in the elevator
never happened.
That basically gives me ten minutes to change and freshen up,
given the time it takes to walk to the staff village. I mutter a “Yes. Mr.
Wolf,” on my way past.
“Abbi.”
I pretend that I don’t hear him. He doesn’t call out,
doesn’t chase after me, not that I expected him to.
I count my steps all the way back to my cabin, focusing on
my breathing, on the dark clouds rolling in over the mountain range, anything
to try to dull this ache.
This isn’t what Alaska was supposed to be.
~ ~ ~
I step into the cabin to excited chatter.
“Look who’s here!” Katie exclaims, her arm slung around
Rachel’s shoulders.
I smile because despite my mood, I’m genuinely happy to see
Rachel again. “Welcome back.”
Rachel pries herself away from Katie to pull me into a hug. “Katie
told me what you did. Thank you,” she whispers in my ear.
I shrug. “Glad I could help.” And I’m glad I asked this
morning, before I knew all that I know now.
“Belinda sent me home with a garment bag for you. I hung it
up over there.” Tillie points to the hook in the corner.
Right. The formal dress that Henry wants me to wear. “Thanks.
I have about two seconds to change before I have to be back.”
“Ugh. I don’t envy you tonight, that’s for sure. Those
people are too much. I’m gonna have nightmares about the things I found in
those rooms today.”
“That bad?” Rachel begins pulling out clothes from her
duffel bag. She must literally have just arrived off the ferry.
“ That bad. I was assigned to the penthouses today.
Well, except for Wolf’s. You know, because he’s a freak who doesn’t allow
anyone except Abbi in there to clean. But you know that woman from that
magazine? The beautiful but bitchy-looking one?”
My stomach tightens.
“Ohh... I heard about her.” Katie waggles her brows at
Rachel, helping her unpack her clothes.
I distract myself from my bitterness and—yes—jealousy by unzipping
the garment bag. A simple black dress and blazer hang inside. It’s nothing
exotic but it’s nicer than the blouse and skirt combo, especially when everyone
else will be fully decked out in formal wear.
“Yeah, well she’s a beautiful bitch pig is what she is. She
didn’t even have the decency to make sure the condoms were put in the trash.
They were all over the place. I found two stuck to the shag rug and one was on
the nightstand. Ugh. The dried spooge took the finish right off.”
“Gross!” Katie cries out with laughter.
“Right? But, damn, did she ever have a good night with whoever
she hooked up with.”
I blink back the burn in my eyes.
Three times with her, Henry? Once wasn’t enough?
Who am I kidding? This is Henry. Of course once wasn’t
enough.
Tillie pulls her blanket over herself and then reaches back
to pull the privacy curtain around her, face mask and earplugs already in hand.
“Wake me up by eight. I feel the need to drink heavily tonight.”
I keep my back to them as I peel off my day uniform and
wriggle into the
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