Hotel on a Hill

By 8 o’clock in the evening my boredom hadn’t changed any. I had sat there watching random videos on youtube.com, that being the most exciting thing of my evening.

I heard the back door open and stretched my neck as far as it would go to see who the person entering was; Jason. “Hey Jas, you here to relieve me for the night?”

Jason strode up to me with a very tired expression plaguing his face. “Yeah,” he yawned in between, “gotten anyone that checked in today?” He placed his bag that he brought with him on to the floor next to where I was sitting.

I stood up from my seat, gathering my things that I had brought with me for the day. “Just one. Guy named Dougie in room 8,” I mumbled out as I looked for my phone that I had placed somewhere now unknown.

“’Kay. I am sure that tonight will be slow. What time are you coming in, in the morning?” Jason asked as he took a seat on the chair that I once occupied.

“I should be here at 8, but I know that Sam was going to take over your job when he got in. He has a few things to attend to after I get here. Have a good night,” I told him before I ran out of the front door, grabbing my phone I found on the table, and to my car that sat in the front parking area.

Driving home, I turned the radio up loudly singing to the song that blasted through the speakers. The windows were down and the setting sun along with the cool night air made me feel at peace. The song changed on the radio to one I had never heard before, but it was catchy.

“Light speed, out of my mind.
I’m hurt, but I’ll be fine.
Put your fist in the air
Raise your voice and declare
Singing, ‘We don’t care!’
WE DON’T CARE!”

My head bobbed to the song as it continued to blast through my car. I wondered who the band was and why I hadn’t heard them before. At the end of the song the radio DJ had answered both of my questions. How lucky.
“That was One For The Radio by the hot British band McFly. Heard they just finished up their 5th studio album here in America with legendary music producer Dallas Austin. Be prepared to hear more from the McFly boys because it seems that they are taking over the world,” he trailed off.

Huh, McFly. Isn’t that the name from Back to the Future? I will have to check them out sometime.

>>>

My alarm had yet to go off, but I was already up. I had odd dreams throughout the night, but I wasn’t going to let it ruin my day ahead. I got ready, ate a small amount of breakfast and decided to head to work a little early to let Sam get to his maintenance duties.

The drive from my small apartment complex to the inn wasn’t long. It took me a total of 5 minutes, give or take a minute or two. I parked the car in the back lot today so the sun wouldn’t get to it; the back was shaded more than the front and it was supposed to be a very warm and sunny day.

I walked through the back door to the inn and saw Sam playing a game on the computer, half asleep still. “Mornin’ Sam!” I shouted from behind him, my voice very chipper for the morning.

He jumped in his seat, a little startled. “Morn’. You’re here a little early, right?” he glanced at the clock to make sure that it was right.

“Yeah. I woke early and felt like I would be nice and come in early so you can get those things done. Any new check ins?” I asked, tossing my stuff on a table behind the counter. I settled myself onto the floor, leaning against the wall to try and wake up a second.

He shook his head, “No. I got a few calls though so some people might show up today. I am going to go and fix the leak outside real quick. Oh, and thanks.” Sam got up from the seat and ran to get his tools to start working.

“What are you doing down there?” a new, yet familiar voice questioned.

My eyes gazed up from the floor I’d been staring at to see a wide awake Dougie leaning over the counter. “Just got in and was talking to Sam, the maintenance man. How come you’re up so early?” I asked as I stood from my spot against the paneled wall.

“Couldn’t sleep anymore. That nap ended up being the whole night,” he gave a light, airy chuckle as he smiled at me. “You got any plans today?” he asked as he watched me getting settled into the seat.

I spread my hands out, gesturing to everything that lay in front of me for work, “Work. You?” I couldn’t help, but to look into his eyes as I talked to him; they were so captivating, so inviting and warm. This man made me feel at peace with myself and the world which was weird and exciting all at once.

“Oh yeah, sorry. Not really. I might go into the town again and check out some of the shops. Do you get a lunch break?” Dougie questioned me again.

This time I laughed lightly at his question, “Yes, why might you ask?”

His face went from happy and gleaming to shy and nervous in a second. Dougie’s glance dropped from mine as he asked the next question, “I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch with me.” His voice was barely audible, but I could still hear the words he spoke.

I was about to answer, but he broke me from my sentence quickly adding in, “Just so I’m not lonely, you know.”

My lips held a smile as I agreed to go to lunch with the man. “Of course, it sounds lovely. How about around 12:30? That good for you?”

“’It’s great! Oh, and I almost forgot,” he said turning around before he left, “Where’s the dining area? I want some food.”

A chuckle escaped my lips while I replied, “That way.”

“Cheers.”

>>>

The morning actually had gone by quite fast considering I had been busy checking costumers in. Sam hadn’t lied when he thought people would be checking in today. Five of our rooms were now occupied and I was just wrapping up all of the computer and paperwork.

The radio was playing in the background lightly and as I finished up the work I remembered I wanted to look that McFly band up on the internet. I opened a new browser and went straight to Google. I typed in McFly, hit the search button, and waited for the page to load. “UGH! Why are you taking so long?”

I sat back as I tried to wait patiently for it to load, but then I saw Dougie walking up the front steps and I got excited.

“Hey, you ready for some lunch?” he asked stepping through the door.

“Yes sir,” I said quickly, the excitement in my voice showing dramatically. The page had loaded, but I figured I would look it up again later, quickly closing it and grabbing my purse. “Hey, Rose!” I shouted before heading out the door, “Going to lunch, be back in an hour.”

“’Kay Rae. See you later,” she said with a big, obnoxious grin slung across her lips.

“So do you wanna take my car or just walk?” I asked Dougie as the two of us sauntered down the steps.

Dougie shrugged his shoulders, “We can walk. It’s gorgeous out today.”

“Mhm,” I mumbled as I felt the sun beat on my face. “So what did you end up doing this morning?” making friendly conversation was a lot easier with Dougie than it was with other guys that I found attractive. I seemed to be at ease with him; maybe it was a sign of a good friendship that was blossoming.

“Not too much. I wandered around the town for a bit, browsed the shops,” Dougie told me as we walked along the side of the road, his arms swinging at his sides.

I racked my brain for something fun or interesting to talk about with him. There was so much I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want to seem intrusive or creepy. “Do you know where you want to eat?”
“I saw this place called, um,” he stopped in his tracks as he racked his brain for the restaurant’s name. “Oh, it was called Sheldon’s. Mind if we go there?”

“Of course, that place is amazing. Plus there staff is excellent,” I agreed and began to walk towards the small restaurant in the middle of town.

When we arrived I was surprised when Dougie went before me, holding the door open so that I was to enter before him. “Thank you. You are such a gentleman,” I complimented him.

He just gave a hearty chuckle and agreed, “I know.”

“Two?” the hostess asked as we walked up to her podium.

“Yep,” I told her, Dougie standing right behind me. I could feel his breath on my neck and chills shot through my body.

“You cold?” Dougie asked seeing the small little chill bumps that were forming on my arm.

I shook my head, “Yeah, that’s it.”

She sat us by the window and told us our waitress would be their shortly. Before she left I saw her give Dougie a look over, her lips going into a smirk and her eyes becoming devious. My body tensed up at the thought of her thinking about him.

“You okay?” I heard Dougie say, interrupting my aggressive thoughts toward the girl. My face must have showed the emotion that I was feeling right then.

“Mhm, so what do you think you are going to eat?” I asked him, hiding behind the menu so he wouldn’t see my face flush red.

He didn’t respond right away as he read over a few things. “Not sure. Thinking some chicken or something, you?”

“I get the lasagna. I have loved it since I was little.”

“Okay, then I will have it as well,” he said putting his menu down, a smirk playing at his lips.

The waitress walked up to our table, her eyes on Dougie. Up and down they traveled his features just like the hostess had, and once again I felt that anger rising in my body. Trying my hardest, I pushed it back down. There was no reason for me to be acting like this. He was a guest where I worked and I barely even knew the man.

“Are you ready to order? Or do you just want to start with the drinks?” she had asked, never taking her eyes off him.

Dougie hadn’t noticed though, I looked at him and he was staring back at me. When he noticed I was looking at him he gave a small shy smile and glanced at the waitress. “Um, a Foster’s for me, what about you?”

“Just some water, thanks. Remember, I am still technically working,” I grinned at him.

“Oh, yeah,” he blushed a little as he remembered I was only on a lunch break with him.

“Do you know what you’d like to eat yet?” she asked, directing the question once again to him solely.

“Lasagna, for the both of us,” he added in.

She scribbled it down quickly and gave a quick smile, “Okay, I will go get your drinks and put them in.”

I could have sworn that she winked at him, but it could have just my imagination making things up.

“So Dougie,” I started. He looked at me, our eyes on each other now. “What do you do for a living?” I figured it was a good enough way to start a conversation. Plus, it wasn’t anything too private, I hoped.

Dougie shuffled in his seat for a moment. He seemed to get a little uncomfortable and I couldn’t understand why. “Um, I…I work at a store?”

“Is that a question or the answer?” I asked refraining from a laugh that was begging to escape from within me.

“It’s a statement, yeah,” he said with a laugh.

The laugh slipped out of me this time, but it felt okay to laugh since he was. “Um, so do you go to school?”

“What is this? 20 questions?” he questioned me with a smirk.

“Sorry,” I mumbled somewhat embarrassed now.

Dougie smiled at me, easing me a bit. “No, I never finished actually. That though, is another story entirely.”

“Ah, okay. Oh!” my brain switched on, giving me a thought to ask Dougie about that band. “You’re from England, right?”

“Yeah…” he said listening.

“Do you know who McFly is?” I leaned on the table, feeling comfortable being around him.

Dougie froze in his seat. He wasn’t sure what to say. His mind began racing and he was sure that the panic showed all across his face. “Um, yeah. Their crap. Don’t listen to them,” he muttered out.

“Oh, well I heard them on the radio and they seemed pretty good to me. I was going to look them up when I got back.”

“NO!” he practically shouted at me. He saw the look on my face and softened a little, his gorgeous smile resting back into place where it belonged. “Well, I mean, their bass player, he is pretty amazing, but they are not great. You shouldn’t look them up.”

He was acting strange now, almost as if he was trying to cover something up. Right now I was going to just let it pass, but I am sure I would eventually find out what was wrong with him.