Page 40 of The Wrong Fiancée

No, you can't quit. If they fire you, they have to pay you for four weeks, which is the money you need.

"Put up? They're guests, I work here. I don't have a choice."

"Have you talked to anyone about this?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and sat up straighter. To hell with it. Dean Archer and his rich asshole friends could go fuck themselves. "My supervisor is aware, sir. We do our best to make sure they don’t see me often. But there’s been a rash of illnesses lately,which means I’ve had to cover other people’s shifts in the restaurant and bar. Like right now."

Dante nodded somberly. "I have recently had a very serious complaint from a guest."

I waited. I was assuming it was Dean who'd probably asked him to get rid of me. Damn it! He knew how badly I needed this job.

"This guest says that the resort is not doing anything to protect you from what he terms as harassment."

Say what?

I gaped at him.

"I agree with him." Dante's eyes softened. "You should not have to deal with guests who are rude to you, Elika. I'm sorry that you've had to."

I was speechless, so I continued to say absolutely fucking nothing.

"I will have a conversation with the Thatchers and convey to them that if there is an incident of the kind just witnessed by guests at the buffet table again, they will have to find other accommodations."

"The what?" I was flabbergasted.

Dante smiled, and I could see why all the female staff at Hale Moana had a crush on the man. The minute he smiled, he went from intimidating to panty-melting handsome.

"Now, I'm giving you a choice. You can go back out there or take the day off with full pay."

I hadn't had a day off in…what felt like centuries. It was tempting to just leave this mess and head to the beach. Read a book. Wash my hair. Clip my toenails. See the sunset.

"I'll go back out there."

Dante sighed. "I was really hoping you'd take the day off."

I blinked. "If that's what you want, I'm happy to?—"

"Not because we don't need you here, because we do. If you don't come back, I'll have to drag Kali out while he's sick or do it myself, which would be a disaster.Butthe same guest who made me aware of how you're being treated also mentioned that you'reworking seven days a week. You put in nearly twelve hours at the resort every day except on Wednesdays when you put in an eight-hour shift at Lava Lua."

I swallowed. "I want you to know that I do my job well. Just because I'm working a lot doesn't mean I am sloppy or?—"

"Elika, stop. We think highly of you. I want to put you on the management track. You're an asset, not a burden. Here is a deal I have for you."

"Deal?" I squeaked.

"Yes," his tone was stern. "Quit your Lava Lua job, and youmusttake two days off every week."

I immediately calculated how much more I could make if I worked on the two days off elsewhere on the island. Maybe I'd finally be able to get a car. Oh, but that would be nice.

"No, you can't work somewhere else on those days. Youmusttake them off. You will start management training next week and get a pay raise."

A pay raise?Was he serious?

He told me what my new income would be, and I realized that hewasserious.

Happiness bloomed inside me. Nothing good had happened to me in a very long time, and the feeling of euphoria was heady and alien. And then, just like that, I deflated.

"Is Dean making you do this?" I asked, thinkingthe hell about being professional.

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