Page 10 of Tasty Cherry

But the virginity thing is huge. I feel responsible, even though she was absolutely an equal partner in the whole thing.

“Hey, you’re doing it again.” Arya reaches out a foot in a thick gray sock — one of my socks — to kick my shin. “Earth to Sebastian.”

I shake off thoughts of Mila. “Sorry. Weird night.”

“Ooooh. Was she into alternative stuff? Domination? Anal?”

I stand up. “I need coffee before I can discuss anal with my sister.”

Alfalfa follows me into the kitchen.

“Don’t let that dog lie to you!” Arya calls. “I fed her. She’ll pretend I didn’t, but I did.”

Right on cue, Alfalfa heads to her empty bowl and looks up at me with plaintive brown eyes.

I pour a cup of coffee. Arya made extra for me, probably before she realized I wasn’t home. I’m glad to have it. I sorely need a pick-me-up.

Alfalfa sticks her paw in the bowl and starts rolling it around like a prisoner running a metal cup along the bars.

I sip the steaming brew. “Don’t bother, Alfie. I’m on to you.”

She plunks down next to the bowl and watches me.

“Poor mistreated doggo.” I shake my head.

But as I stand in my quiet kitchen, the wind sending leaves skittering across the deck, I can’t take my mind off Mila.

Her long dark hair. Her laugh. The way we moved together on the dance floor. Then later, how we moved together on the hotel bed.

Maybe it’s good she was only passing through. I might never know her motivations.

I have to accept it as an unsolvable mystery, like why my dad left, or why Mom felt compelled to return to her homeland once we were grown.

Arya pops into the kitchen. “Don’t you have somewhere to be soon?” She eyes my outfit from yesterday. “You should change. You’re rumpled.”

She’s right. I head upstairs and change out of my jeans and the soft blue pullover I can picture Mila lifting over my head.

Time to be the boss, even on a Sunday afternoon.

Because today all the new hospitality hires will arrive at the Castle Hotel to move into their new quarters, and I need to be there to welcome them. I’m their general manager. Their new boss. Time to set the tone.

Mila will have to be relegated to my past. A single night. A consequential night. A memorable night.

But I’ll probably never see her again.

5

MILA

When Sebastian finally leaves, I head up to my room.

It still smells of him.

I sit on the edge of the bed and breathe it in. Stuff happened here. Big things. Monumental life-changing moments.

But there are more to come. Way more. A new job. New coworkers. Hopefully, new friends.

I need to shower, get myself together, pack whatever I dragged out of my suitcase.

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