by Jackie Wang
“Rhodes, I…we…”
“Babe, just calm down.”
I’d heard just about enough. They were guilty, and I was determined to prove it. Without warning, I turned the knob and burst in on the two, who were huddled over the computer screen. They’d pulled up a spreadsheet, and their faces had shock and guilt written all over them.
“Shit. It’s…not what it looks like,” Tina begged, shooting up from the chair. “Roman, it really isn’t.”
Rhodes pulled away from Tina. “I told you it was a terrible idea. Fuck.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “I’ll give you two thirty seconds to explain yourselves.”
Tina fiddled with her collar, her neck growing red. “Please, Roman, we—we…I know it’s wrong, but please don’t tell Mercy.”
“I was against the whole idea,” Rhodes added, trying to shift the blame onto Tina’s shoulders. “I told her—”
I made my way toward the computer. “I hear excuses, not explanations.”
Rhodes nudged Tina, who spun a little in the chair. “Rhodes, Ray, Bob, Willa and me…and some of the other staff…we’ve all noticed that our last six paychecks were a bit short,” Tina squeaked out.
Rhodes cleared his throat. “It’s true. About sixty to seventy bucks each time. At first, I didn’t really notice until Tina pointed it out. All of us checked. They’ve been shorting us and pocketing the profits.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
“So Rhodes and I decided to see for ourselves. Since everyone was busy with the wedding, we thought—”
I frowned. “You thought wrong. It’s not Mercy or Langston.”
“How can you be so sure?” Tina asked. “Unless…You’re covering for them.”
“I pointed out the missing money last week. We’ve been secretly investigating this matter.”
“Oh yeah? And?” Rhodes demanded, puffing out his cheeks.
“So far, nothing. Until today. I thought you two were the culprits.”
Tina sighed. “We just wanted to add the numbers ourselves. See where the error was, and then show it to the owners.”
“But why didn’t you just ask them yourselves?” I gestured to the dark room. “Instead of sneaking into this room, like a pair of crooks?”
“We’ve asked them before. They told us to ask Caitlyn. Said that she was in charge of payroll.”
“And what did Caitlyn say?”
“She’d always say, ‘I’ll look into it’. But she never does,” Tina explained. “We think she’s the one behind the whole thing. We just don’t have proof.”
I wanted to smirk. “What do you lot have against Jesse’s girlfriend? Did she wrong you somehow? Why do you hate her so much?” In that instant, I felt sorry for Caitlyn. Sure, she could be bratty at times, but so far, there was no evidence that she meant anyone any harm. Everyone was just doing what they’d always done best: being judgmental toward strangers. I was certain they probably harbored one or two misconceptions about me as well.
Rhodes snorted. “Just look at her. Always walking around with a stick shoved up her ass. Wearing pearls and stilettos to work. She thinks she’s better than all of us. Always bragging about how Jesse and she can’t wait to save up enough to leave this place for good. They think their shit don’t stink.”
“She barely puts in any effort, but pays herself a full salary for a half-assed job,” Tina added. “She can’t even manage payroll properly. Everyone knows it's nepotism, but no one challenges it.” Tina sighed. “We’re sick of the favoritism.”
“Why not have a private conversation with her about it? Ask her to change her attitude. Tell her how you really feel about her behavior in the workplace? Wouldn’t that be more constructive?” I suggested.
Tina scoffed. “Yeah right. It’s going to take way more than a ‘talk’ to deflate that giant-ass ego of hers. She thinks she’s a queen or something.”
“This hotel will never function as a whole if the individual gears are rusty and dry,” I pointed out. “Communication can oil things up a bit. Make things run a little smoother. Break the ice and open things up for discussion. Talking with each other is important if you ever want this place to run the way it should.”
“We’d communicate if anyone would listen,” Rhodes said. “Talking to the Summers family is like talking to a black hole. Things go in and disappear forever, never to be mentioned again.”
“Now, now, to be fair, they’ve been more than accommodating these past few days. I’ve forced them into making some pretty significant changes, and they’ve improved, albeit with some effort,” I pointed out. “It’s a start.”
“They might be better now, but as soon as you leave, they’ll be right back to their old ways again,” Rhodes said. “They’re just trying to keep up with appearances right now because you’ve cast them in the limelight with the wedding.”
“Bit cynical this morning, aren’t you?”
“Anyway, we’d better get to work,” Tina said, wiping her hands across her uniform. “Can you please look into this entire situation and stand up for us? I know if you talk to the Summers, they’ll listen to you.”
“Of course,” I promised. “I won’t stop until I catch the one responsible. You deserve to be paid full wages.”
“Thank you, Roman,” they both said before disappearing outside.
Chapter 26
After leaving the office, I saw Maggie coming downstairs. “May I have a moment, Maggie? There’s something I want to discuss with you.” Perhaps it was time to tell her about the fraud and enlist her help.
“Can it wait until tomorrow?” she asked, red-faced. “Kinda busy right now getting ready for all the guests coming tonight. We’ve never had a full house before.”
“All right, it can wait,” I said. “Need a hand with anything?”
“Want to scrub vomit from the toilet in Room 201?” Maggie asked.
I made a face. “Not really. Anything else?”
“How about you ask Adele? She knows more than I do.”
“Alright.”
“See you—”
“Maggie?”
“Yeah?”
I gave her a wink. “You’re doing a great job. It’s going to be great.”
Maggie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “You too, Roman. Keep it up. Let’s make this wedding unforgettable.”
“The photographer what?” Adele screamed into her phone. “Don’t do this to me. The ceremony is in three hours! Get your shit together!” She saw me and held up her index finger, signaling for me to wait.
I watched Adele’s synchronized team arrange chairs in rows. The furniture by the fireplace had been pulled back and in its place stood a raised platform, where the officiant, the couple and their bridesmaids and groomsmen would stand.
After Adele had hung up the phone, she muttered an apology and asked, “What is it, Roman?”
“Just wanted to ask if you needed any help?”
“Help? We could always use more help! Why don’t you match the guest list to their suites and check to see all the placards are arranged correctly for the reception tables?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. And Adele?”
Adele blew a few strands of hair away from her eyes. “Yes?”
“Take a deep breath. You look like you could use a break.”
“I’ll take a break when the last guest leaves,” Adele said. “Until then, I’m going to be in full berserker mode!”
I laughed. Adele’s passion and energy never ceased to amaze me. I’d met her once before, at a fundraiser hosted by her brother, and a friend of mine, Asher Morgan. Her team managed to organize the entire event in less than thirty-six hours, a feat even my staff would struggle to pull off. I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified to help me pull off this wedding extravaganza.
As I double-checked the seating arrangements and made my way down the guest list, two names stood out in particular: Asher and Sierra Morgan. I’d firs
t met Asher when one of my former clients was involved in a legal dispute, and he’d hired Morgan and Associates to represent him. We ended up all sharing a few drinks together after Asher won the case. He had a great family, and I was glad I’d see him and his wife before I left for the UK.
However, the next name I saw on the list put a damper on my mood. Carl Hennessy. There it was, in black and white. I was 99.9% certain that he was Maggie’s ex-boyfriend. And he was coming with a plus one too, which would make things worse. I felt livid, on Maggie’s behalf. How dare he show up at an event like this, in his hometown, no less, with a date, and at the Summers’ family lodge? Who invited him? Bella? Wesley? After all these years…he had the audacity to make an appearance at his ex-girlfriend’s wedding? All for what? To spite Maggie? Break her heart again?
While I spent the next few minutes debating over whether or not to break the news to Maggie, I cry erupted somewhere in the kitchen.
“Are you shitting me? Who the hell invited him?”
It was Maggie. And by the sounds of it, she’d heard the news.
I found Maggie in the foyer, sulking. Mercy was kneading her shoulders and whispering something in her ear.
“You heard?” I asked.
“I’m going to head home early,” Maggie said. “I can’t—I won’t stand around waiting to be humiliated.”
“Maggie, that’s exactly what he wants. You can’t let him win. You need to confront him. Ask him why he’s decided to come back now.”
“I can’t. He had almost ten years to explain himself, and he chose to remain in the shadows. He made his choice.”
“Maggie’s right, Roman,” Mercy interrupted. “No use opening new wounds. Take the night off, honey. Go be with the boys.”
“I say if he has the balls to come back to Penderton Island, he needs to answer for his sins,” I said, hovering over the two women. Inexplicable rage bubbled in my throat, acidic and unrelenting. “I’ll talk to him myself.”
“Now who’s the one letting his emotions get the better of him?” Maggie demanded. “It’s my life, my choice. I choose to leave. I’m choosing to walk away from a fire hazard, Roman. You told me not to start fires.”
Frustration simmered in my chest. Maggie had a point. She was following my advice. Still, her reluctance to seek justice for Carl’s misdoings infuriated me down to the core. He was a bastard and a liar. He abandoned his son, Greg, when the boy was only a baby. What kind of a heartless prick did that?
Maggie stood up and turned to her mother. “Are you sure you won’t mind if I go early?”
Mercy nodded. “Go. Be with the kids. We’ve got it covered here.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it again.
Maggie was gone before I could say another word.
Perhaps it was for the best.
“Don’t judge her unless you’ve walked a hundred miles in her shoes,” Mercy said. “That girl’s been through more than any of us here combined.”
“I wasn’t judging her,” I muttered. “I was trying to stand up for her.”
“Carl Hennessy was a shameless asshole with no conscience,” Mercy said, shaking her head. “A lost cause, if I ever saw one. I can understand why Maggie decided to walk away. She’s being the bigger person.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “I still don’t feel right about this whole thing. I don’t want to let him off the hook that easily.”
“It’s not your cross to bear,” Mercy reminded me. “Now let’s get back to work.”
Hours later, as animated guests began to fill the foyer, and ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ buzzed in the air, I studied each sharply-dressed man who crossed the threshold and wondered which one was the bastard who broke Maggie’s heart the first time. The one who deserved to burn in hell for crushing Maggie, and turning her into a brittle, cynical, shell of a woman; one who didn’t believe in fairy tales or true love anymore.
I watched table number four like a hawk, drumming my fingers on the bar top. What would the tosser look like? If he was handsome, I’d love to put a chink in his perfect nose. If he was ugly, I’d like to worsen his chances of procreation with a solid kick to the groin.
But despite weaving in and out of the reception area throughout the night, I never saw his seat get filled. Perhaps the man had grown a conscience after all, and decided to cancel his trip. And just as well, seeing as how, if he’d shown his face here, I would’ve kicked his arse back to the shithole he crawled out of.
“Well if it isn’t Roman Finnegan,” came a familiar voice behind me. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
I turned around and saw a glamorous-looking couple coming toward me. A tall, lean, suit-clad man with a beautiful honey blonde on his arm. “Asher Morgan. And this must be your wife, Sierra. How do you do?” I shook their hands. “I saw you on the guest list earlier. Been meaning to come find you and say hi.”
“What brings you to the island? Do you know Bella and Wesley?” Asher asked.
“I’m actually here for work. Doing a bit of consulting for this lodge. How are you? How’s the firm?”
“Business is booming, I can’t complain. And I’ve got two little rugrats to keep me on my toes when I get home.” Asher smiled, squeezing Sierra’s waist.
“Your sister did an excellent job on such short notice.” I gestured to the happy guests, many of whom were dancing. “How do you know the lovely couple?”
“The mayor is one of our biggest clients,” Asher explained. “You’d be surprised by some of the cases I’ve taken on. This island may be small, but it’s full of troublemakers.”
“And I designed Bella’s wedding gown,” Sierra said. “It’s an exclusive.”
“Beautiful, and talented, Mrs. Morgan. Asher is a lucky man.”
Sierra laughed. “Thank you. I’m glad somebody appreciates my effort.”
“Well, it was nice seeing you again, Roman. And compliments to the chef,” Asher said. “Last time Sisi and I came here, the food was inedible.”
“I’ll be sure to let them know. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“You too, Roman.”
By the end of the night, as the wedding party was winding down, I helped Daniel and the kitchen staff clean up the dining room before heading out to check on Maggie. I wanted to reassure her that Carl didn’t show his ugly face and that she wasn’t in danger of bumping into him after all. I also brought along a carrier bag with gifts for the boys. I’d purchased a few action figures, and model plane sets the other day when I was browsing the shops. Hopefully, Maggie didn’t think I was trying to buy my way into their hearts. I just wanted to give them a little goodbye present.
The feedback from all the guests was overwhelmingly positive. The lodge was booked to capacity for the first time in years, and I heard many people comment on how much better the lodge looked post-renovation. Though I still hadn’t won over Maggie’s heart, I felt confident that I’d won over her family’s trust and appreciation.
By the time I arrived at Maggie’s doorstep, my arms were sore, and my fingers lined with purple grooves. The gifts were heavier than they seemed at first, and trudging through the ankle high snow was no easy feat either. But just imagining the look of joy on the boys’ faces, when I surprised them with early Christmas gifts, gave me an extra bounce in my step.
But when I showed up at Maggie’s front door, I heard boisterous laughter inside. One of the voices sounded low, rumbly, and distinctly male.
Shit.
Chapter 27
I wanted to knock. I really did.
But it didn’t feel right.
So I watched them, outside. Like some sort of…stalker.
The man in question had a full head of sleek, honey-blond hair. His angular jaw and prominent nose were the most striking features on his face. Maggie’s visitor triggered every jealous bone in my body. He was easily taller than me. Bigger than me. More muscular too, judging by how his thin shirt hugged his built frame. Worst of all, Maggie never mentioned anything about a
visitor, least of all someone like him. She said she was going home to avoid Carl. Had she been lying?
The man unraveled his checkered scarf and took off his woolly hat. Then, he handed a present to Greg and shrugged off his coat. Jason took the coat and rushed to hang it up, as if afraid it would wrinkle if left anywhere else.
The four of them settled onto the sofa, and Greg began tearing open the shiny wrapping paper like an elf on drugs. Beneath the foil exterior lay an expensive-looking, remote-controlled race car. Greg hugged the man and began tearing open the cardboard package, eager to test out his new toy.
The man beckoned Jason over as well, and handed him a similarly wrapped package. Jason’s face lit up. He launched into the man’s arms, and they embraced each other like old friends.
While the boys fiddled with their new gadgets, Maggie disappeared into the kitchen and emerged minutes later with a steaming beverage. The man, (God, please don’t let it be Carl), took the drink and gulped it down. Then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He crooked his fingers and beckoned Maggie to come closer. She did, and sat down so close to him their thighs were touching. He whispered something in her ear, and she nodded.
I couldn’t bear lurking around for a second more. It was about three days till Christmas. What did I expect? Of course, Maggie would have visitors. Handsome, tall, male visitors, who brought her children expensive gifts. It wasn’t my place to limit or question who Maggie spent her time with. In fact, I was nothing but an unimportant blip in her life. One she didn’t think she’d ever have a future with. One she’d already rejected and given up on.
And it was probably for the best that we stayed friends.
Whoever that man was could probably offer her so much more than me. They looked happy together. Almost like a family. Surely he could give her more stability than me, a foreigner?
Being with him meant she didn’t have to travel halfway across the world.
Being with him meant she could stay with her friends and family.
Live her life the way she always had.
