Page 6 of Grand Escape

“So, a runner?” he said. “I should’ve guessed it last night.”

“Probably too much vodka.”

He nodded, taking another sip of coffee, and like a fool, I took a sip of mine, standing there in the lobby with a guest. Despite being a five-star resort, the Grand Escape was an easygoing place. Guests could truly relax, doing or getting pretty much anything they wanted—within reason.

So, if Adam wanted to chat, I was expected to accommodate him.

When it came to the Grand’s employees at my tier and above, as long as we did our jobs well, we were welcome at the hotel when we were off duty and free to use its amenities—as long as a guest didn’t want to use it at the same time. I hadn’t broke any rules other than my own ... allowing a guy to pique my interest.

“Any tips on where to run?” he asked. “Feels like a crime to hit the gym here where there’s all this nature outside.”

Eyeing him over the rim of my cup, I said, “A lot of guests enjoy running around the golf course.”

“I didn’t mean the guests. I meant you. Where do you run? Help a lonely guy out.”

Sadness washed over his features again, dulling the sparkle in his eyes.

Knowing I had to get out of this, I said, “I would tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

The truth was, my daily run was my time to overthink and beat myself up. It wasn’t for socializing.

“Can’t come up with something more original?” Adam raised a brow at me, so high it almost met his messy golden locks on his forehead.

With a shrug, I came clean. “It’s my me-time.”

“Got it.” Schooling his features, he half surrendered, holding one hand in the air as the other still grasped his coffee cup.

“Have a great day today,” I said, turning to make my own escape out the front door.

Rylan

That night, the lobby bar was a flurry of activity. A lot of new check-ins had arrived during the day, and they all wanted to start off their vacation with a cocktail.

“One Glenlivet up and a glass of sparkling rosé,” Brianna, the lobby server, said while taking a breather at the bar.

“No prob,” I said, topping off a glass of sauvignon blanc for the woman at the end of the bar.

Her husband was complaining about the room to her. Something about the view not being good enough. She was drowning her disappointment in what I was sure she hoped would be complimentary wine. There was no great tip at the end of this rainbow, but for the greater good, I was keeping her wineglass filled.

“You got a lot of sun today,” Brianna said.

“I was slammed at the pool bar. Didn’t even have time to put on sunblock.” I did have time to notice Adam hadn’t been around the pool all day. Even though I’d tried to discourage myself from wondering what he was doing, I did.

“That’s what I heard. Ben said he never sat down, running drinks all day.”

“He did.”

“Have you seen him?” Brianna had a budding crush on Ben, and while I knew he was gay, it wasn’t my business to say.

“I saw him head over to the gym a little while ago with Tony.” As usual, Tony went the long way to the gym, checking in on me at my substitute post.

“Oh,” Brianna said, sounding deflated. “I was there earlier, but I guess we didn’t hit it at the same time.”

Unable to take her pouting, I set the drinks on her tray. “Here. Off you go.”

“I’ll be back,” she said in her deepest voice.

“Yeah, yeah.”

---