Finding Out the Only Thing Left to Lose Is Time

My phone was buzzing repeatedly so I let out a groan as I stretched and rolled onto my side to check. It was Tino.

Where are you, man? You missed breakfast

I checked the time. It was 5pm and I also had another message, I just can’t believe that I slept all day. So much for getting straight to work.

The other message was from Maybelle, seeing her name on my screen made me smile. Morning sunshine. x

That was sent at 6AM. Really? The girl has a birthday party and still manages to get up at 6AM? How is that even possible?

Morning, Belle. How is your head? :P

After putting my phone on to charge, I hopped into the shower. The warm water relaxed my muscles, god hotel beds sucked. Every inch of me ached. I spent nearly half an hour just letting my skin soak as I cleaned my hair. When I got out, I wrapped a towel around my waist and went to change into my clean clothes that I laid out before I went into the bathroom. Once changed I called Tino and said I’d meet him at his room, then apologised for sleeping all day. Dinner was 6:30 so at least I didn’t miss that.

Tino stepped out of his room just as I got there and smiled at me, ‘You left early last night, dude. The party was amazing.’

‘I was tired, sorry, man.’ We headed down to the dinner hall to get some food, when my phone buzzed my pocket; Maybelle again.

Perfectly fine, ta :) You all rested up?

Since we obviously couldn’t get any work done til monday, now. I wondered if she wanted to meet up and hang out after I had dinner. Probably not, why would she want to hang out with me?

‘Who ya textin’?’ Tino chuckled and nudged me, I was completely unaware of the grin on my face.

‘Just Be...Maybelle.’ Swiftly, I glided my fingers across the screen of my iPhone, texting back to ask if she wanted to hang out then stuffed my phone back into my pocket, walking towards the food and began to put some stuff on a plate for myself.
I could feel Tino’s eyes burning into the back of my head, watching my every move.

‘How did you get her number? I don’t recall seeing you two swap digits last night.’ There was a hint of curiosity in his voice.

‘We met at Hyde Park yesterday,’ With a roll of my shoulders I grabbed a knife, fork and napkin before wandering off to find a table, Tino still hot on my heels.

‘Oh you did, did you? You like her, don’t you? Gonna do anything about it?’

‘21 questions, eh?’ I laughed and sat down then shook my head. ‘I hardly know the girl, if it turns out I do then no because she lives in England and we go back to America in 8 weeks.’

‘Maybe she’d go with you.’

‘What is wrong with you? We just met, stop it.’

Whenever I shown a hint of liking someone, if the guys liked the girl they would always try and get us together, more often than not it never worked because I wouldn’t build a girl up only to let her be disappointed because I’m devoted to my job.

‘She works down the road, you know. Go speak to her.’

‘How do you know?’ He could be a creep sometimes.

‘She told me so last night, she’s lovely and a hard worker, she took over her dads hotel when he passed away’’

In all honesty, I wanted to learn this from Maybelle herself, not Tino, so admittedly I was beginning to get pissed off. ‘If you like her so much you date her.’ Why did I say that? What if he actually did? I’m such an idiot at times.

‘Calm down, Austin. I don’t want to date her. I got my eye on someone back home. However, I just wanted to know why you couldn’t take your eyes off her. I mean, she’s really fucking beautiful so I don’t blame you. But I know with you, you see past the looks, so tell me...what is it?’

I glared at him, wanting to drop the subject, picking at my dinner as I was no longer hungry, then my phone interrupted my thoughts.

I’m working all night :( but you can come hang out in my office for a bit if you want?

I gladly accepted and left Tino in the lobby, after we had finished eating. I used my phone to get me to the building she worked at. It was another hotel, looked nicer than the one we were currently in.

I stepped inside and looked around, kinda posh. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Staff dotted around everywhere in royal blue uniforms.
Customers wandered around happily, new customers walked in, looking around, like me in awe before they approached the check in desk.

‘Can I help you, sir?’ A polite young girl asked from behind me.

‘Um, yes, I’m looking for Maybelle Dean?’

‘What is it regarding, may I ask?’

‘He’s a friend, Poppy.’ I heard Maybelle’s voice float into the room and she approached me. She was wearing a suit that seemed to accent her curves. Her heels made her come to my shoulders. ‘You can go back to work now.’

The girl named Poppy nodded and smiled before wandering off to offer help to anyone else.

‘You own this...?’

She nodded and watched me as I continued to look around ‘Yes, I do.’

Wow. So she’s like...really rich.
‘But you’re so young...’

‘And also parentless, someone needed to take over the family business. Matt wouldn’t so someone had to step up.’ She motioned for me to follow her and we went into her office. It was huge, she even had a sofa in there.

‘You have a brother?’

She nodded but said nothing more, looking a little angry at something. ‘I’m sorry, we won’t talk about him.’

‘It’s okay. He’s in prison. Just...get a little pissed off when I think about him.’

For the next few hours, we spoke about pretty much everything whilst she typed away on her computer, huffing every now and then and taking calls. She got frustrated at someone, only guessing a member of staff who called in sick, since she said ‘You do this way too often now, you better book your ideas up or you’ll be out of a job.’

It was kinda hot seeing her pissed off, but then I also felt bad for her. It must be stressful to run your own hotel.

‘Hey listen.’ She looked up from her computer, eyes on me ‘You’re staying in the Central Park Hotel, right?’

‘Yeah, why?’

She shrugged and said ‘Well yeah, you go get the guys and your stuff, check out early. I got you booked in here. Each got your own suite.’

‘We can’t afford that, Maybelle.’

‘Who said you’re paying?’ Her lips curved into a small smirk and she went back to her computer.

So this would mean I get to see her nearly every day, right?