Page 84 of Tasty Cherry

“By screwing half the laundry crew,” Emily says. “Everybody knows it. I heard Anna already went to Sebastian about it.”

Anna. Anna. Was that the head of housekeeping? I keep my eyes trained on the folder in my hand.

Then I realize, I’m down to our applications. Mine, Brooklyn’s, Owen’s, Ilsa’s. I’ve hit the ones who were accepted.

I shouldn’t have these.

But I do.

I glance quickly at the others, but they are still talking animatedly.

“We want the details,” Suze says. “Is it Cristal? Zara? They always go for the hot guys.”

“Them and more,” Georgia says. “There’s the redhead in room service.”

“Kennedy,” Emily says.

But I already know all this. I want to find Maverick’s application.

I lift Ilsa’s, expecting to see his.

But it’s not there. I reach the back of the folder.

I turn it to the front. “Intern finalists.”

It holds the four of us who won. And about fifteen who almost made the cut that I already filed.

I nonchalantly stand and finger through the alphabetized drawer of everyone who was passed over.

No Maverick.

He never even applied.

There were a thousand entries.

That’s some powerful nepotism.

No wonder Raya’s mad.

28

SEBASTIAN

That boy is going to be the death of me.

He walked out of the exam without taking it and shouted at Raya.

And that’s after I hauled him out of his apartment, that we pay for, half an hour late.

I should fire him.

Instead, I head to my office and call Uncle Roger.

He picks up on the first ring. “What’s he done already?”

He knows.

“Just looking for some tips before he gets axed. He’s pulling some real shit.”

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