Page 12 of Tasty Cherry

They don’t spare me so much as a glance as they rush by.

I head for the door they exited, but when I get there, it’s locked. There’s a scanner affixed to the wall. I’m guessing I’ll eventually have a badge for it. But there is no way to buzz in or an intercom to use.

Should I knock?

A large door farther down is clearly meant for deliveries. It has a red buzzer. I start to head for it when this one opens.

A gorgeous blonde woman in jeans and a white puffy vest steps out, then seems startled I’m right there. “Oh!”

“Hi,” I say. “I’m Mila. Is it okay if I pop in this door? I’m part of the new hospitality staff.”

Her face lights up, and I swear if this woman was on a big screen, everyone would flock to see her looking exactly like this. I feel a little star-struck, even though she’s super casual in frayed jeans and Converse.

“That’s so great! I’m Brooklyn! It’s my first day, too.” She holds out a hand, but while she’s focused on me, the door closes behind her. “Oh, crap. We don’t get our badges until the staff meeting. I only got in because the cleaning staff was coming off shift when I arrived.”

We both stare at the door. “Surely someone will come out in a minute,” I say.

She frowns at the scanner. “I guess we shouldn’t unload until after the meeting.”

“Did you meet any of the new bosses?” I’m over the moon to finally meet the owner, Havannah Boudreaux-McDonald. She is legendary in hospitality circles since she opened her landmark castle. But she’s also seven months pregnant with her second child, which is why she’s expanded the leadership staff. It’s taking quite a few people to replace all the roles she has always managed by herself.

Brooklyn steps away from the door. “Well, the assistant manager is there. Raya. Tall, brownish-blonde hair.”

“Yes, she did my interview.” We had them via Zoom.

“Mine, too.” She frowns. “And Anna, the head of housekeeping, was in there. Eep.”

“Something wrong with her?”

Brooklyn makes a slashing motion near her throat. “I’d avoid her at all costs. She yelled at two people in the three minutes I was near her.”

“Hopefully, we won’t have much to do with her.”

“Well.” Brooklyn twists a flyway bit of her honey hair. “That’s the thing. Raya said we will take rotations through most of the departments.”

“Oh, right. They did mention that. Are we going to clean rooms?”

Brooklyn shrugs. “I have no idea. But we’ll probably have to do some shifts in housekeeping.”

“I’m warned.”

The door clicks, and we turn to see a guy our age coming out. He’s in khaki pants and a navy sweater. “Hey,” he says. “Going in?”

“She is,” Brooklyn says. “I’m headed to get more stuff out of my car.”

“New hire?” he asks. “Because I’m part of the new hospitality crew.”

“So are we!” Brooklyn says. “This is…” She trails off. “I think I talked too much and didn’t get your name!”

“I’m Mila,” I say. “I’m from Houston but went to school at the University of North Texas.”

He grins, although he keeps cutting his eyes to Brooklyn. I don’t blame him. It’s hard not to. “I’m Owen. Oklahoma State.”

“Oh, then we can’t be friends,” I say with a laugh.

“What?” Brooklyn says. “Was there a war between Texas and Oklahoma?”

“Only in football,” Owen says. “Where did you go to school?”

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