Page 54 of All You Want
“Nope. I called earlier to confirm and didn’t get an answer,” he replies. “I know how overbooked we are.”
“I’ll need to move my parents out of Weeping Widow and see if they’ll take Baja Angel.”
“Oh, that sounds interesting.” She presses her hand on her pregnant belly and winces. “Does she cry all night?”
Not any worse than the crying baby in Baja Angel, but I keep it to myself.
“I’m not sure I like the Widow part.” Clifton’s grimace makes his undertaker persona even grimmer.
“How about the Goldilocks Suite?” Neil taps on the screen. “You assigned it to Diana Van Dirk. She hasn’t checked in yet, and when I called earlier to confirm, I didn’t get an answer.”
“Oh, I can’t kick her out of Goldilocks.” I shudder at the tantrum she’ll throw.
“Why not? She might be a no-show,” Neil says. “Besides, isn’t she the one who won the raffle?”
I’m not going to admit I kowtowed to Diana, so I told my employees she won a free night. “Yes, but I…”
“The raffle says a free night, but didn’t specify a room,” Neil reminds me. “Best rooms should go to the people who pay.”
“Okay, then, Goldilocks it is.” I flash an assuring smile toward Bonnie and Clifton.
“Excellent choice,” Molly says from behind me. She’s wearing a witch’s peaked hat with plastic spiders dangling from her hair. One tooth is blackened to give her a gap-toothed smile. “I made sure it’s not too hot, not too cold, and just right. The only effects in there are holographic. Completely harmless. I can also switch out the personalized greetings.”
“Hey, you shouldn’t be telling me all your secrets,” Bonnie says. “I want to be surprised.”
“Not in your condition,” Clifton says in a foreboding voice. “Come on, Bon-Bon, let’s unpack and head for the cocktail party. I’ve had enough excitement for the evening.”
After Bonnie and Clifton walk off with the bellhop carrying their luggage, a werewolf sporting a red cape enters.
“I’m Diana Van Dirk,” the wolf says. Her mask covers her face, and her eyes glow red, although I can detect eyeholes where the wolf’s eyebrows are painted.
“We’re putting you in the basement,” Molly says, as if she has authority. “One of the hotel investors is pregnant and had to take the Goldilocks Suite.”
“I can switch you to Pickaxe Polly,” I suggest, but my voice is cut off by a growl from Diana.
“Beware, Miss King. I told you there will be a tragedy if I don’t assume my rightful place at the Bee Sting Bordello.”
It’s time I stand up for myself. I puff up my chest and put my hands on my hips.
“Ms. Van Dirk, I already provided you a free room courtesy of your winning the raffle, not because you threatened me. This is my hotel fair and square, and I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”
“I’m warning you. If you care about your pregnant friend, you won’t put her in my room.”
“That’s it.” I grab the PE teacher’s arm. “I’m afraid we don’t have a room for you tonight.”
She jerks her muscular arm from my grasp. “Oh, I will be staying the night, one way or another. You can either let me sprinkle ashes across the thresholds to keep this place safe, or endure the wrath of my ancestors.”
“The basement is better than nothing,” Neil says in a conciliatory voice. “Perhaps we can allow you to do your sprinkling there.”
“Bring me ashes and rose petals.” Diana raises her wolf’s head mask back and howls as if the full moon is above her instead of the chandelier. “We shall rise again. My brothers and sisters. This is our destiny.”
The physical education teacher was always weird, chugging down protein drinks while walking around with a dumbbell, but now, I’m wondering if she’s also a raccoon killer.
“Okay, then,” Molly cackles and makes witchy fingers. “I’ll see you to your lair.”
Ignoring the warning voices inside me, I head back to the cocktail party to greet the rest of the guests. My HEX sisters, who are staying in Ma Belle’s Tearoom, are busily flirting with Todd.
“Tami, where’d you get this hairy guy?” Suzette asks. “He won’t tell us his name.”
