Page 23 of Tasty Cherry

Now to copy my new address, or hopefully my new address, onto the tax documents.

The man with an attitude finishes first, smacking the clipboard against his thigh and looking around. He notices me, then shakes his head, eyes resting on Brooklyn instead.

I’m used to it. Frumpy girl. Average girl. Not the chosen one.

Except with Sebastian.

He made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the room.

I sneak a peek at him. He’s talking with Raya.

Ilsa finishes her paperwork, carefully clipping the pen beneath the clamp on the board and turning it sideways in her lap. She sits ramrod straight, her ankles crossed, her long black hair curling over one shoulder.

I resume my initials, then glance over the privacy statement and nondisclosures. I scrawl my signatures, and by the time I’ve double checked everything, we’re all done.

Raya collects the clipboards.

Sebastian rubs his hands together. “Tomorrow, we will meet here, and each of you will be assigned your first rotation. You will spend time with each crew, and we’ll be assessing your strengths and interests for your long-term placement.”

“What are the rotations?” Brooklyn asks.

The male intern clasps his hands behind his head like he has no need for formality here. “Some of them suck.”

Everyone turns to him, except Raya, who looks to Sebastian.

He grins. “You might not fully enjoy some of the tasks, but it’s good to get a feel for everyone’s job here. Havannah firmly believes that the only way to know how to improve a segment of the hotel’s operation is to see exactly what happens in each of these roles.”

“Did I hear my name?”

Everyone sits up straighter as a blonde woman with a decent belly bump strides into the room. She wears all-white boots, pants, and a sweater. She doesn’t have an ID badge, but she doesn’t need to.

This is Havannah Boudreaux-McDonald, the owner.

Brooklyn and I exchange an excited glance. She’s why we’re here.

Havannah pauses to look at us. “I’m so thrilled to see you. I dreamed up this internship when I first learned about this little one.” She pats her belly.

I try to squelch my awe, but I’m sure it’s all over my face. I catch Sebastian looking at me with a knowing smile. He’s pleased with my excitement. I glance away.

“I have a surprise for you all that will surely help with motivation as you fight your way through some of the harder weeks ahead.” She glances at Sebastian. “And yes, I’m talking about the custodial shift.”

He laughs and nods at her.

“I’m very pleased to announce that I’ve created a new position at the hotel. It’s a role I’ve done since we opened, but if my second baby is even half as wild as the first, I’m going to have my hands full. So, in six months, one of you five will be named the event manager here at the Castle Hotel. It’s a fun job. You’ll love it.” She meets each one of our gazes. “I just know I’m looking at this person right now. I’ll be training you myself once we choose. I can’t wait to see who it will be.”

My heart hammers. She’s going to have one of us be the event manager? We get to come up with the amazing balls and parties, as well as handle the weddings and conferences?

Havannah gestures to the door. “I’m having catering bring in some drinks and snacks, so let’s get to know each other.”

The servers must have been waiting in the corridor, as they immediately come in and set trays on the long table lining the side wall.

We all stand to greet her, and I spot the fifth intern’s name on his badge. Maverick. Figures. That’s a hellion name if I’ve ever heard one.

Brooklyn approaches me, her cheeks pink with excitement. “Can you imagine it? Event manager? During our first year?”

I nod. “Now that’s a dream job.”

“It sure is.”

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