Page 100 of Release Me

“…I want to work at the Wolf Hotel because I know it’s a great company with strong values and?—”

I click the mouse to end the monotonous drone. I’ve heard the same bland script in all ten interviews. Hell, I probably said the same bland crap when I applied to Wolf. This is stupid. It’s not humanely possible for me to get through this entire list by one. It’s already almost 11:00 a.m. I have no choice; I have to trust my managers’ work.

I scan the pages again, wondering if any more of them are Sloane’s. I really shouldn’t care—if they want to leave the Sea Witch and work here, that’s their business. I know this, and yet I can’t help the urge to ferret them out for culling.

Hit with an impulsive idea, I leave my office and head down to the pit.

The place is buzzing, with more than half the staff here. When Belinda said it’s all hands on deck this weekend, she wasn’t kidding.

Archie’s crop of red hair peeks out from his cubicle.

I lean over the wall and mock hiss, “Dude, what the fuck are you doing here on a Saturday?”

He jumps, throwing his phone in the air as he spinsaround in his chair, his eyes wide with shock. “I was just … uh …”

“Playing Candy Crush. I don’t give a shit, man. Honestly.” I made Connor a supervisor, and he takes three breaks a day to jerk off in the restroom stall.

Archie’s sheepish smile emerges. “As soon as you approve those hires, I’ll be helping them call references and?—”

“Okay, got it. Get my ass in gear, is what you’re saying.” The sooner Archie understands I’m not like regular stuffy managers, the better.

His smile widens. “Sort of.”

Enough with the small talk. “Where is Lena’s assistant?”

“Mandy? She’s three cubes over.”

“Perfect. Thanks. Also, people still play that fucking game?” I take off before he has a chance to answer, counting the spaces until I find one with a young, pretty brunette. “Mandy?”

She peers up at me. “Yes, sir?”

Fuck me. People need to stop calling me sir, and especially twenty-something-year-olds who look like Mandy. “Can you email me the link to the hiring list for Lena’s departments? I need to run it by someone.”

“Uh … Yeah, I guess?” Her brow pinches with confusion. She’s probably thinking it’s an odd request, but she’s not going to question it.

“It’s Ronan Lyle. My email should pop up as soon as you start typing.”

“Yeah, I know who you are.” Her cheeks pink up as her long nails clack over her keyboard. “Okay. Sent. Anything else?” She bats her eyelashes at me.

Old Ronan would get into a lot of trouble in this role.

This version? He’ll likely still fuck everything up, but when he does, it’ll be for one specific woman.

I head back to my office and fish out the Sea Witch business card from my wallet.

42.Sloane

“Tournament starts in half an hour! Be there or be square!” Miriam hollers as she ambles past the open door, her four-pronged cane thumping with each step.

“Save me a seat!” Gigi hollers back.

The eighty-eight-year-old catches my eye. “Oh, hey, girl. Good to see you! Can’t stop. Gotta get the good table.”

I chuckle as Miriam vanishes down the hall. She’s been Gigi’s best friend for as long as I can remember and has lived in Palm Oaks for almost three years. We should have known Gigi would follow her here. “Tournament for what?”

“One of the fellas taught us how to play euchre and, boy, is it ever fun. You should come and join us. I think you’d like it. Just not today. The competition is mighty fierce. No room for beginners.” Gigi leans over to pat my knee before settling back into her rocking chair. Her lengthy white-silver hair is freshly braided and fastened with a fuchsia elastic that matches her painted fingernails and the cardigan over her shoulders. One of the high school girls who volunteers on weekends must have been by already. They always love coming to see her.

Gigi first mentioned moving to Palm Oaks after she fell down the stairs off our front porch and broke her hip.Recovery was long, and she struggled. Frank and I were getting quotes to build a ramp when she announced that she’d put down a deposit on a room.

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