Teresa Morgan - One Fine Day

“Ruby, have you got a minute?”

With her face hidden behind her monitor looking at the staff roster, she grimaced and cursed to herself. Too good to be true. Sometimes her open door policy was a pain in the arse. She looked round and smiled, knowing damn well it looked fake, “What is it, Alice?”

Alice stood nervously in the doorway holding a piece of paper. She wore a sleek black spa uniform with a mandarin collar. Her chestnut hair was pinned into a neat bun, with a couple of spiralling tendrils down the side of her perfectly made up face.

“Pete hasn’t approved the order I put through. I need some more supplies for the spa. I’m running low. I can’t massage without oil.”

Pete was Ruby’s assistant manager, and not particularly good at his job. Ruby hadn’t hired him. She hired most of the staff, but he’d been transferred from another hotel in the chain. She wondered if he’d been so shit at his job they’d decided to sweep him under the carpet by sending him to a smaller hotel where he could do less damage. Only it meant more work for Ruby.

“Alice, we have budgets. You’re going to have to manage your stock better. Look, can we discuss this tomorrow. I’ll take a proper look at it then – I’m on my day—”

“But I need this stuff!”

“It can wait until tomorrow,” Ruby said, sternly. Lydia appeared at the door. “What now?” Ruby cringed. That was louder and sharper than intended.

“A customer was asking to see the manager,” Lydia said, entering the office. “I was looking for Pete, but I can’t find him. I thought I’d try your office but I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

“I’m not supposed to be.”

“Are you catching up with your brother today?”

“Yeah.…” Ruby said warily. “How do you know?”

“Oh, gosh, totally forgot, I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but he called yesterday from the airport.”

“Did he?”

“Airport, huh?” Alice chimed in, nudging Lydia. “Did he sound hot?” Lydia blushed as Alice asked Ruby eagerly, “What’s he like? You never said you had a brother. Will we get an introduction? Where’s he been?”

God, where had he been? Steve and Ruby would need to organise a cover story.

“He’s been away.” How lame does that sound? She should have said working abroad, but daren’t stumble too much over it now. “Erm, so, I need to get on. Alice, we’ll talk budgets and orders tomorrow.”

“Um, while you’re here, did you want to see this customer?” Lydia asked, grimacing.

“Not particularly. Are they complaining?” Ruby closed down her computer and shoved some papers back into the top drawer of her desk – harder than intended, the contents slamming to the back.

“No, I don’t think so. They didn’t seem to be in a bad mood,” Lydia said.

“Right, well, get Pete to deal with it. If they start moaning get Callum to give them a complimentary drink, or something. It’s my day off and unless it’s urgent, I’m leaving. Tell Pete I’ll be in early in the morning.”

Lydia nodded and Alice opened her mouth, about to wave her order form at Ruby, but Ruby didn’t give her a chance, she grabbed her handbag, and darted out of there.

Usually she gave the hotel one hundred and ten percent of her attention. But not today. She didn’t know how much time she had with Steve, so she needed to make the most of it.

***

As Ruby entered the house, the atmosphere changed. The door slammed, she huffed and puffed.

“I am so pissed off,” she said, removing her shoes and dumping her handbag on the couch. Steve chose to remain silent. He’d learnt a long time ago to let someone rant when they needed to. “I got cornered by a member of staff. What part of ‘it’s my day off’ do they not understand?”

Steve made Ruby a fresh coffee in the cafetière, and put it in front of her.

They definitely needed a coffee machine – it would have been ready and waiting in the carafe to be poured. He lived, breathed, survived only because of his coffee machine. Sitting at the table, Ruby muttered language that truly shocked him, drumming her fingers along the wood. Yes, he heard curses a lot, but not from the mouth of his dear, sweet, baby sister. She used to shout, “oh, poo,” when angered, not every expletive under the sun.

“Who’s Pete?” With Ruby’s face looking like thunder, Steve would hate to be him.

“My assistant manager and he’s a total waste of space. Probably why Lydia couldn’t find him. Skiving off chatting up a waitress, knowing him. There have been rumours he takes naps in a room if it’s available.”

Steve chuckled. “Ruby, can you give me a job?”

She screwed up her face. “Do you really want a job?”

“How else am I going to meet people? I can’t stay cooped up here. I can’t just wander around Cribbs Causeway.”

“There is Cabot Circus.”

“What?” Steve frowned.

“It’s another shopping centre, but never mind.” Ruby shook her head, gesturing for Steve to continue.

“I need to make some friends, get out and socialise, and work is the best way. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, I suppose so.” She rested her head in her hands, slumping onto the table. “I can’t pay you – as I said, there’s just no budget right now. You’ll just have to keep it quiet that you’re not actually on the payroll. It’s a bit dodgy, but I don’t think anyone will question it.”

“I don’t need the money. I want an excuse to get up every morning, that’s all. Lead a normal life.”

“Okay.” She sighed. “This is the best I can do; cleaner or bar staff?”

“Bar staff, that’s a no-brainer!”

“You’re sure? Some would rather clean.”

“How many women am I going to meet with my head down the toilet?”

“Good point. But still, I bet you come begging after a week.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve worked in a bar before. I can practise my cocktail making abilities.” He shook an imaginary cocktail shaker.

“Tom Cruise has already done that film! A very long time ago.”

“They might remake it, like they’ve done Footloose .”

Ruby sank her head into her hands. “Oh God, I hope I don’t get the sack for this.”

“You won’t, but if you do, I’d make sure you were okay. I can afford to.” He patted her arm.

“That’s not the point. I actually like my job.”

“You were cursing it only five minutes ago. I think I heard every swear word in the English language. French, too.”

“Oh, shut up.” Ruby finished her coffee. “Coffee tasted good by the way. Is this real coffee?” She looked at him speculatively.

He grinned. “I went shopping.”

Her eyes widened with horror. “You did what?”

“Relax. No one took a blind bit of notice. I’ve even got us some dinner in.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve failed to get to a supermarket this week.”

Steve stood, clearing the table. “So when do I start my new job?” he asked, taking the mugs out to the kitchen.

“You can start tomorrow. You’ll have to do some training first, about the facilities, hygiene awareness and general hotel procedures.”

“Awesome.”

“You’ve really got to work on the accent.”

“I am!”

“You’re an actor for Christ’s sake. Pretend it’s a part you’re playing, a role.”

Steve opened the fridge and started taking the ingredients out he needed to make dinner.

“ You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off !” he said, in his best British accent.

“Ha! Ha! Very Michael Caine. Just tone it down a little.”

Steve felt a sting on his right ear where Ruby flicked it.

“That hurt.” He rubbed his head and scowled. “Make yourself useful and peel the potatoes.”