The Unlikely Love

12

ADAM

“When were you going to tell me about this?? You know I oversee anything concerning the hotel.” I spat out immediately Ben entered my office. I called for him as soon as I returned to the hotel. He looked at me, confused.

I sighed because I realized I wasn’t clear enough.

“The financial situation of the hotel.”

I could see him gulp hard as he closed the door gently and sat on the couch.

“I’m so sorry, boss, but Miss Madeline warned us not to inform you about it.”

“Us?”

“Yes. The management team, and Kenneth, the chef.” He responded calmly.

I breathed in deeply. This couldn’t be happening. I felt so angry all over again; I wasn’t expecting to return to something like this. It felt like my mother caused a huge problem and patiently waited to return and fix it myself.

How could she have been so dumb? That isn’t love; that is utter stupidity.

I would gladly prefer not to be involved in love if it is stupidity.

I looked at the reports on the table again. I felt helpless; I sincerely didn’t know what to do. It looked horrible.

“Boss, I know that you can restore the hotel. I know it seems terrible, but I know that everything is going to be fine.”

I scoffed, “Oh, really? Have you seen how dire the situation is?”

“Of course I have, but I know that with you around now, everything is going to be fine.”

I leaned back on my seat with a heavy sigh. “You are dismissed.” I said and watched him leave timidly.

As soon as his shadow vanished from view, I stood up and started tremblingly pacing the office while clutching one of the papers. I paused in front of the table and began tapping rhythmically on the mahogany desk. The financial reports revealed a harsh reality: the hotel was on a slippery slope of financial decline. The only thing I could think of was punching my father’s teeth out of his freaking mouth.

I sighed again. The situation was getting to me slowly. The charming allure of the hotel was fading unless I dealt with it and rescued it from the looming financial abyss on time.

This was nerve-wracking. I didn’t want to come to this, not at all. And to think that I wanted to please my mum by “getting married”, now I couldn’t take it back; that would be a horrible thing to do to her; she was extremely desperate. So what could I do about it? Come to think of it, she said no; she didn’t want to do it. Just perfect. I would just tell her to scratch that if we ever meet in person.

I took my seat immediately; all these thoughts were giving me a migraine. I started rubbing my temples slowly, hoping it would help with the pain when my phone lit up. I looked at it; it was a phone call from Michael. I felt a wave of peace rush through me.

“Busy?” He asked as I picked.

“More like stressed; I’m so tired.” I replied with a yawn.

“So sorry about that, are you good?”

For a moment, I wanted to tell him everything, but I decided not to.

“It’s nothing, bro, just the usual expenses.” I responded.

“Hmm, would you like to destress?” He asked. I envisioned him smirking, and I shook my head.

“You were the one that told me to stop this, and you are the one still indulging me.”

“One more time wouldn’t hurt, you know?”

“What do you have in store for me?” I asked, shaking my head.

“Two blondes; one is a 10, the other is an 8.”

“Been in bed with any before?”

“No, bro, have you forgotten? We don’t share women.”

“Well, true.”

“So what do you think? Drinks are uncountable as well.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” He said, snickering.

I arrived at Mike’s place after 2 hours. For some odd reason, the traffic lasted longer than I expected.

“Are they yours?” Michaela asked as I walked into the sitting room. She looked angry. Or was it disappointed? I genuinely didn’t care.

“Who?” I asked. She pointed at the blondes sitting by the bar, sipping what looked like white wine. On seeing them, I smiled satisfyingly. They looked really good. I then sat beside her.

“Really? Really, Adam?”

“Are you judging me?”

“Should I? I mean, you stopped this long ago. What is going on?”

“I think you shouldn’t concern yourself with this. Where is Mike?”

“I have no idea. The ladies told me he stepped out to get something an hour ago.” She paused. “What is going on, Adam?”

“Could you drop this?”

“Well, I can’t. It makes no sense that you’re doing this. So, tell me what’s going on.” She said.

“You know what? I’m not doing this with you.” I got up and walked towards the ladies, “Hey, loves, you both look really good.” I started.

“Thank you.” One said soothingly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Are you ready? We could take the bottle and continue in the room.” I said.

“Alright then.” The other lady said, and they got up simultaneously.

As soon as we were about to walk out of the bar, Michaela quickly grabbed the bottle out of her hand.

“What the hell?!” She started.

“Shut up.” Michaela commanded and opened her purse. Withdrawing some cash from it, she pressed it into the lady’s hand.

“I’m pretty sure Mike hasn’t paid you. Now get out of my house.” She spat and the ladies obeyed at once. I watched this happen with nothing but amusement because I couldn’t understand what was going on.

She sat on one of the stools and poured herself a drink.

“Are you going to stand there and watch me?” She asked after taking a sip. I obediently sat beside her, confused. She took out another glass. “Do you want something way stronger? There is tequila.”

I was mute. She turned to me, “Adam?”

“What is going on with you?” I asked.

“Tequila it is.” She muttered, bringing out two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila.

“I’m going to join you.” She added.

“Michaela?” I called, getting worried.

She ignored me, filled both glasses, downed both shots at once, and grimaced.

I scratched my head in confusion.

“Let’s start with you. What is going on?” She asked, filling up both glasses.

I sighed, downing the liquid. “It seems like you have a lot to talk about. Why don’t we start with you?” I suggested filling my glass.

She sighed as well before drinking hers.

“I asked first.”

I filled her glass.

“It is just work stuff; I have a lot of things to cover up.” I started

“Work stuff, huh?”

“Yeah, work stuff. It turns out I have so much to do, and thinking about it is tiring enough.”

“That’s not enough reason.” She said, taking her shot.

“Enough reason for what?”

“Revert to your old ways; I was there when Mike called you. I wasn’t expecting you to agree. What is going on, Adam? Aren’t we friends?”

“Of course we are.”

“Then why can’t you open up? You’ve been this way for as long as I’ve known you. You should open up, even if it is a little bit.”

I scoffed, “Opening up yields zero results.” I said, taking a shot.

“You say it like you have tried to do so before.” She mentioned.

I shrugged, pouring us another.

“Well, I am not going to force you. Just know that I’m always here, whether you like it or not.” She added, taking her shot all at once. She started pouring herself another.

There was a slight silence before I broke it. “You good?” I asked. I was sincerely worried.

She looked at me and smiled. “It’s work stuff; don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, you’re using my words now, huh?”

She chuckled. “Trust me, it’s nothing. I’m just stressed.”

“Says the person who wants me to open up.”

“We know that yours is another thing entirely.”

“Oh, really?”

“I think my agency wants to fire me, and I don’t know why. It is tiring. I have invested so much, I don’t know how I’m going to react if I get fired.” She took another shot and burped a little.

“I don’t want it to happen to me, so I’m trying to figure out what’s going on, which is also tough. I’m genuinely tired.” She heaved a heavy sigh before taking another shot.

“Modeling is my life; I cannot imagine myself doing something else.”

“Why do you think you are going to be fired?” I asked.

“I have this feeling; it is a strong feeling, though.”

“Well that isn’t enough. I don’t believe they would do that to you. You are one of the best models they’ve ever had; they can’t let you go. Hell, I wouldn’t do that if I were in their shoes. That’s just dumb.”

She chuckled, “Right? That’s just dumb.”

“Exactly. Trust me, they aren’t going to do that, okay?” I reassured her.

She nodded and burped a little. “Thank you.” She said with a funny grin.

“Were you drinking before I came in?” I asked, slowly taking the bottle from her grasp. She had clearly had enough and I wasn’t going to take care of another drunk person twice in a row.

She scrunched her brows. “Why are you taking the bottle?”

“You have had enough.”

“I have had enough when I say I have had enough.” She said, grabbing the bottle back.

“Come on, you need to rest right now. Let me take you to your room.” I suggested.

She firmly shook her head“Let us stay here and drink, come on,” It has been so long.” She slurred.

“I forgot how lightweight you can be.” I said as I watched her pucker her lips and flash me puppy eyes.

“Come on, let us drink. I’m having fun with you.” She whined.

I thought of what to do, and an idea came to mind. “Okay, let’s go drink in your room. How does that sound?”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Are you sure about that?”

“Of course I am. Come on.”

She obediently got up with the bottle. She wanted to take the shot glasses, but I stopped her from doing so. “We don’t need them.” I said and proceeded to guide her to her room.

Once we got to her room, she dropped the bottle on her vanity table and climbed onto her queen-sized bed immediately.

“Are you joining me?” She asked with a yawn and closed her eyes. I stood and watched.

“Hm?” She asked.

“Adam?” She slurred.

“Hm?” She said.

That was the last thing she said. I knew luring her to her room would do the trick.

I took the bottle and left the room quietly. I didn’t have the strength to babysit anyone.

**

“Had fun?” I heard a voice ask as I walked into the sitting room. I turned in the direction of the voice and saw Mike sitting by the bar. With I smile, I proceeded to join him.

“No, your sister stopped me.”

“Obviously, I asked if you had fun with her.”

“Of course not; we just took a few shots, that’s all.” I said.

“Hm, okay.”

“Is there any problem?” I asked.

“Well, not exactly. I’m just trying to look out for my sister, you know?”

“What exactly do you mean?”

“We both know she likes you a whole lot. I don’t want you giving her mixed signals or something.”

“Trust me, I’m not going to do that. She and I will never overstep the friendship boundary. It shouldn’t have happened back then.”

“Alright then.” He looked at my hand. “Are you taking the bottle home?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Of course not; I was coming to return it.” I said.

“Alright then, why don’t we have a couple of drinks before you leave?” He asked.

I thought of the amount of work I had waiting for me on that freaking desk. Honestly, I didn’t have the courage to begin to tackle the disaster my mother created. I wasn’t mentally ready for that.

I shrugged, “Sure.” Then he began pouring it into two shot glasses, and I knew I wasn’t going to leave there early.