All You Need Is Love

Gabrielle could see him standing by the desk as soon as she walked into the hotel. His stocky frame was leaning over the reception desk and he was intently talking to Beth. He must like her she thinks as she vaguely remembered him mentioning her outside his room the other day.

She thought then of his damp belly button hairs running down towards his swimming shorts as she walked across the foyer to the office behind the reception and her stomach tingled, remembering. She couldn't help but be drawn to look again across to the couple as they talked and she noticed Beth's flushed face smiling at him. She hadn't seen Beth smile like that in a while and it made her happy that this guy could make her best friend smile again. His hair was sticking up cockerel style as usual and that made her smile for some reason too. He had on black trousers and another dark t-shirt. Once again it was hanging out on the one side and she wondered what it would be like to reach and tuck the t-shirt in, would her fingers graze his skin?

"Hi Gabrielle" said a voice coming up behind her destroying the thoughts of tucking in Tre's t-shirt.

"Erica, how are things? Are the kids OK?" she asked looking over at Erica, one of the other receptionists at the hotel.

"They're good thanks Gabby but they keep pestering me to get some autographs from the Green Day guys" she said. "What do you think?"

"Well you know it's against the rules" said Gabby "but if there is a small window of opportunity, then why not?" she said.

"Thanks, life wouldn't be worth living if I didn't get their autographs. This has to be one of the perks of working here, surely" said Erica walking beside her. They were both about to take over from Beth's night shift.

"You're looking so good Gabby. How have you been? I can't remember the last time we were on the same shift together." Erica said looking over at the woman with the auburn hair, the intriguing woman that all the other staff seemed to want to know more about.

"I've been just fine." Said Gabrielle unlocking the door to the office. She hated it when everyone asked her questions, she knew they were fishing for information about her past but she wasn't going to give away any. Only two people at this hotel knew what had happened to her seven years ago, Beth and Pop and that's the way she wanted it to stay.

"I'm looking forward to my night out on Friday with Beth, we're going to hit the town," Gabrielle said. "We're off to Luigi's, the new restaurant on the seafront."

"I've heard that Luigi's is meant to be the place to be at the moment. Apparently there's a club upstairs so make sure you dress up. You never know who'll be there," said Erica. "Anyway, have you seen them yet?" she asked opening her bag, taking out her name badge and pinning it onto her grey jacket.

"Who?" said Gabrielle checking over some mail that had been left on the desk.

"Green Day" she said. "My god Gabby, they must stand out like sore thumbs here in this golfer's haven," she said.

Yes I have seen them. I've been alone in the bedroom with one of them, the tall one with the blue eyes, lemon spice smell, the earring that has a star hanging from it, with a tattooed forearm and golden hairs... he sat there and bounced on the bed... and then in the Jacuzzi with the other guy, Tre... belly button hairs

"Gabby, you with me?" said Erica.

"Sorry Erica, just checking these letters. What were you saying? The Green Day guys... yes I saw them. Beth and I checked them in yesterday," she said tucking the stray tendril back to the place where it wouldn't stay.

"And" said Erica straightening up her skirt.

"And what?" said Gabrielle questioningly. What the hell was it about these guys that made everyone she spoke to want to talk about them all the time. Were they that special? They weren't the Beatles.

"Geez Gabby, what do you think? Billie Joe is SO hot. Did he have his eyeliner on when you saw him?"

"Eyeliner? Err.. I think so.. Yeah he's good looking I suppose, they're all quite nice really," she said walking to the reception area.

"QUITE NICE... fucking hell they're amazing," she said. "They bring the teenager out in me" she said.

... He made me feel like I was 18 again... THEY made me feel like I was 18 again

"And that's going some" laughed Gabrielle coming back to the present.

"Isn't it?" laughed Erica. "Anyway lets hope its not going to be too busy today," she said.

When they got behind the reception desk Gabrielle noticed that Tre had disappeared but a scent still lingered in the air. She recognised it immediately as Dolce & Gabanna's 'Masculine.' She remembered reading an article about it being Brad Pitt's favourite cologne so while she was waiting in the pharmacy for some medication a few months back she'd noticed the bottles on the shelf nearby and had immediately been drawn to them remembering the article. She had opened up the tester bottle and sprayed it onto her wrist and it did smell gorgeous, all musky and spicy. She'd kept sniffing at her wrist for the rest of the day but could only imagine what it would be like to smell it on a man. The Tre guy must wear it, she was sure it was him that had left that scent behind.

Beth was looking flustered and flushed. "Oh morning you two" she said quite chirpily as the two women approached reception.

"Hi Beth" said Gabrielle. "How was the shift?"

"Quiet actually" said Beth fiddling around with her hair.

"Oh what, no rock star all night riotous parties then?" said Erica reaching into her drawer for a hair band and tying up her bleached blonde hair into a ponytail.

"Of course not, they're not like that and well you know it," said Beth signing herself out of the computer and reaching across for her bag.

The phone rang then and Erica reached to pick it up.

"You OK?" said Beth to Gabrielle. "You're looking tired today, bad night?"

"Actually I'm fine and I had a good night's sleep but I think I overdid the lengths at the pool last night, I managed fifty" she said logging herself into the computer.

"That's why you can eat everything in sight, you burn it off swimming. You eat so much and can stay so trim, it's just not fair," said Beth. "Oh and that reminds me. I've left a packet of our favourite wine gums in the drawer, I don't expect to see an empty bag tonight, you can eat the red ones but you touch any of the greens and you're dead" she laughed.

"I saw you talking to one of those guys earlier" said Gabrielle changing the subject.

"Oh" said Beth blushing. "Tre"

Gabrielle glanced over at her friend, eyebrows raised.

"Mr Cool then" said Beth. "Sorry." She said making a face.

"He looked like he was getting... . friendly" said Gabrielle turning to her friend.

"In what way?" said Beth nervously touching her face.

"The way he was leaning over the desk talking to you. He seems keen. Did he ask you out or something?"

"God no" said Beth. "What on earth would he see in me when he could have all those blonde bombshell types. For god sake, I'm past thirty now with cellulite and stretch marks, who'd want me?" she said her eyes suddenly filling up with tears.

"Oh Beth" said Gabrielle going over to her friend and putting her hand on her arm. "Don't underestimate yourself," she said. She felt awful; she'd obviously hit some sort of nerve here. "What's wrong?"

Beth fought the tears. "Its nothing, just tired, Lily's still a little unwell and... look I really should be going you know" she said. "I shall see you tomorrow, have a good day" and she turned to walk out the door but suddenly hesitated and turned to Gabrielle. Beth glanced over to check that Erica was still busy on the phone.

"He reminds me so much of you" said Beth.

"Who?" said Gabrielle a frown forming on her face.

"Him" said Beth nodding upwards.

"Who the hell is 'him'?" said Gabby copying her friend and nodding upwards.

"Tre" said Beth. "He's so like you it's untrue," she said.

"In what way is he like me? Does my hair stick up on end?" said Gabrielle trying to make light of this conversation that she wasn't sure what it was about or where it was leading. What can she mean? How can a guy from America who is in a famous rock band and plays the drums be like me?

"He reminds me of you," said Beth.

"Beth, you're confusing me here" said Gabrielle.

"His personality is like yours." She said.

"In what way?" said Gabrielle. What the hell was she meaning?

"He's well known for being a joker, clown-like you know, a fun guy," said Beth.

"And" said Gabrielle "I don't follow you" she whispered as she heard Erica finishing her phone conversation.

"He's like you were when you were younger, you know the things that you used to get up to, he's like you were before you... "

"Oh I get it." Said Gabrielle. "Like the real me, the me before... ..before the guys I met stifled me" she said.

"Yeah. The real you" said Beth. "See you tomorrow" then she was gone.
--
Gabrielle glanced up at the clock above reception. 1pm. God it was dragging today, she had a slight headache coming, the bright lights above reception were hurting her eyes and she was beginning to get hungry. She put her hand to her stomach as it growled.

"Was that your stomach?" said Erica "or was it that freight train just rumbling on past."

Gabrielle laughed. "Yeah I'm so hungry I could eat a scabby horse," she said.

"You're always hungry," said Erica, "I've never known anyone eat as much as you, not a woman anyway," she said. "Have you always eaten loads?"

"Yeah, always, I love my food." But talking about that reminded her of those awful words that he used to say ... .you're a fucking pig, you're always eating. When you're older you'll be a fat old bitch and then no-one will want you. I definitely won't... .." She shivered to herself then looked up to see Pops coming towards the desk.

"Hi Pops," said Gabrielle glancing at his fingers covered in soil, she guessed he had been tending to some of the tubs of plants that adorned the front of the hotel.

"Hi Angel, you OK today?" he said

"I'm good today," she said. "I'm just about to go off for a lunch break," she said. "Are you going to Lorna's this evening?" she said to him.

"Yes, of course" said Pop. Pop had a thatch of white hair, loads of hair in fact but his eyes and eyebrows were dark.

"We must all go out one evening, you me and Lorna," said Gabby "I liked her when I met her. You two go together" she winks.

"You're right Angel, how about next week after work" said Pop. "She's mentioned seeing you again, but I'm not sure... you two will probably gang up on me" he laughed.

"Yeah Pop see where Lorna would like to go and we'll meet up and gang up on you and talk about all your male weaknesses." Smiled Gabrielle at this man who she adored.

Pop laughed. "Hey Angel you're looking the best I've seen you in... ."

"Yeah I know, ages," said Gabrielle rolling her eyes and finishing his words. "I'm feeling good today," she said. Feeling good because there were hot guys in the hotel who had awakened her feelings once again. Nobody had done that in years.

"I have to go and get cleaned up for Lorna's," said Pop pecking his daughter on the cheek. "Enjoy your lunch," he said heading off out of the hotel with a wave. "Don't do anything I wouldn't'" he shouted over.

Gabrielle laughed at her father. He was always so friendly and lively, all the guests got to know him fairly quickly, he was just one of those friendly guys that everyone warmed to. She loved that in him.

"I'm going over to the staff room to grab a sandwich," she said to Erica. "Then you can get your break"

"Please go now," said Erica. "Your stomach is giving me an earache," she said.

"Oh shut up" said Gabrielle. "And no going to knock on the Green Day doors for their autographs" she said. "Anyway, that Tre guy will probably eat you alive" she laughed. Belly button hairs

"Bring it on" laughed Erica.

Gabrielle sat in the canteen; it was so quiet, just a few of the housekeepers were in there. They said hello to her as she sat at a table eating her cheese and tomato sandwich, alone in her thoughts. She thought back to what Beth had said about the Tre guy being like her. The real her, the real her from years ago. Before she had met Stuart she had been the life and soul of the party everyone had said. She thought about Stuart then, Beth's brother, he was a year older than Beth almost to the day thank goodness as she couldn't actually visualise Beth sharing her birthday with anyone. Stuart was a year and a day older to be exact, handsome and popular and now he worked at the hotel and she wished he didn't. He'd always hated her larking about and joking, had said she embarrassed him. They didn't date for long thank god, he had fallen for her hugely but he really didn't do anything for her at all. Why did he work in the Leisure Centre where she saw him nearly every day? Always watching, watching her get in and out of the pool, it was the one thing she disliked about working here.

He broke her thoughts then. Stuart. Stuart entered the canteen. It was like he had read her thoughts and she cringed. He was good looking though; everyone knew it and he did too.

"Hi Stuart" Gabrielle said to him looking up. "How's things?" she said.

"We've been very busy," said Stuart looking over with his deep dark brown eyes, wonderfully sexy eyes but... . Not enough for Gabrielle.

"Hey has Beth mentioned Friday? Apparently we're all going out for a meal at that new restaurant," she said.

"Yeah she's already been on the phone. I'm looking forward to it, the place has a club upstairs and a lot of the guests from here have been, apparently its meant to be the place to be" said Stuart.

"So I've heard," said Gabby getting up from the table and placing her rubbish into the bin. "Anyway, I must get back, Erica needs her break" she said checking her watch.

"Enjoy the rest of the day" said Stuart "and see you Friday," he said watching the woman he'd always wanted disappear behind a door. She was looking good lately. He felt sad for her for all she had been through, he wanted to approach her about may be going out somewhere just the two of them but having seen the state she had been in over the past few years he had left it but looking at how she was now he decided that on Friday night he would approach her.

Gabrielle left the canteen with a pain thudding in the back of her eyes. She really must take some painkillers when she got back to the desk. She always kept a packet in her drawer. She clipped across the foyer and reached up to press her fingers into her brow where it hurt.

"Are you OK?" said an American voice. It was Tre, Mr Cool.

"Oh Hi Mr Cool" said Gabby. "I'm very well thank you, how are you?" she said. She could smell Dolce & Gabanna's 'Masculine' again. He was definitely the one wearing it and he wore it well.

"I'm good but, are you sure you're OK? Its just the way you were holding your head, you seem in pain" he said. She suddenly felt the warmth coming from him and noticed how he seemed concerned for her and just for a second or two she was oblivious to her surroundings. Right then she could have been anywhere with him for that moment, on a beach, in a bar, in a restaurant... in a bedroom. It was just the two of them looking at each other. The way he looked at her... .had he felt something similar too? How had she looked back at him?

"I have a headache, that's all" she smiled at him her cheeks colouring up.

"Tre" a voice shouted from behind. They turned together and it was the spiky black haired guy, Mr Billie Joe Armstrong. He was coming towards them and she realised she'd spoken for too long. "I really must go," she said and Tre watched her walk off to the reception area.

"You OK dude?" said Tre. "Want to have a beer with me?" he said.

"Nah thanks. Hey listen Tre, I've just heard spoken to Adrienne. You know she said she was going to fly out this evening and spend the rest of the week here with us?" he said ruffling his hair and rubbing his nose.

"Yeah" said Tre. "What's up?"

"She's been having toothache all night and has now got to have some emergency dental treatment. She can't come over so I'm going to fly back," he said. "I need to be with her, you know what its like" said Billie. "I can't seem to find Mike anywhere. Are you going to stay here, or fly back home with me?" said Billie.

Tre glanced over and watched Gabrielle walking towards the reception area.

Billie smiled. "You're going to stay, right," he said clocking the way his friend looked at the reception girl.

"Yeah. I'm staying," said Tre.
*
Gabrielle was progressively feeling unwell. She had taken two painkillers but they hadn't done any good. Her throat was feeling scratchy and she felt shivery all of a sudden.

"Are you OK Gabby?" said Erica. "You look flushed," she said coming towards her.

"I feel a bit lousy," said Gabrielle. "May be I'm coming down with something. I think I'll get straight to bed tonight with a hot lemon drink."

Someone the other side of the desk coughed to get her attention. It was a delivery guy and he was carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. Yellow roses. God Gabby hated them; she hated the sight of yellow roses, ever since...

"These are to be delivered to a Mrs Watkins in room 500" said the delivery guy handing over the bouquet. "Oh and here's a small card to go with them" he said.

"Thanks" said Gabby. I'll see she gets them," she said taking the bouquet from the guy. She laid them on the reception area while she tapped some information into the computer.

"I'll just take these up to room 500" said Gabby turning to Erica "and then I may get off home" she sniffed. Her nose was starting to run now so she reached for a tissue out of a box nearby.

"Yeah, you don't look well at all Gabrielle, why not just get off home after delivering those flowers," said Erica taking a phone call.

Gabrielle picked up the bouquet and headed over to the elevator. She pressed once at the up button and the doors immediately pinged opened. She stepped in and noticed her appearance in the elevator mirror, she was clammy with flushed skin and a drippy nose, very unattractive. She felt dreadful and it was a good job she couldn't smell the yellow roses for she hated them with a vengeance. She turned as the elevator doors started to close but someone just managed to slip through them before they met. Mike.

"Oh Hi Gabrielle" he said entering the elevator and standing quite close to her. "Nice flowers" he said nodding at the bouquet. "You shouldn't have," he laughed.

"Actually Mr Pritchard, they're gross flowers. They're the worst type of flower in the world and I hate them," she said. She already knew she had said too much but she felt lousy and didn't care at that very moment.

"Which floor do you need?" said Mike. She must be ill she thought, she hadn't even pressed the floor she required.

"Five please," said Gabby. Her joints were starting to ache. She longed to just deliver these flowers, get the hell out of here and get home, get into her cool sheets and let sleep take over...

The elevator suddenly lurched to a standstill before it had even started up and the lights flickered out. There was only a small emergency light in the corner. It wasn't very bright but it was enough to see what was going on.

"Oh crap," said Mike. "I think we have broken down," he said.

"Damn" said Gabby, which was all she needed. Trapped in a lift, with the beginnings of the flu with the most disgusting bouquet of flowers ever. The only consolation was that she was with Mike. It was a shame she couldn't smell his lemony spicy smell, now may be that would clear her nostrils.

She went over to the intercom on the panel alongside the floor buttons. "Hello?" she said into it. "Anyone there? This is Gabrielle and I'm trapped in the elevator with a guest. I think we're still on the ground floor," she said.

"Gabby its Erica. It's ok. We've called the maintenance guys and they should have you out in about ten minutes? How are you feeling?"

"Actually, I'm feeling awful but I should be OK for a bit, its just so bloody hot in here though" she said. "I hope these dreaded flowers don't die on me," she laughed.

"You'd like that, you know there you're favourites" laughed Erica. "See you in a while" she said.

Gabby placed the flowers down onto the floor in the corner; she felt she could no longer hold them.

"You're right," said Mike. "It is hot in here" he said taking off his jacket to reveal a sleeveless top. She noticed his lean toned arms and tattoos but quickly drew her eyes away from them, didn't want to be caught staring.

It was stifling in there and Gabby started to feel quite ill.

"You're not well are you?" said Mike suddenly. "Why don't you sit down, I don't want you passing out on me," he said. "Come on, let's sit down together, who knows how long we're going to be in here" he said.

She did as she was told; she was in no mood to argue. She sat down in one corner of the elevator and Mike at in the other. Their feet were practically touching. He was so long and lean, the opposite of his friend Tre.

"I've felt ill most of the day, I think I'm coming down with something," said Gabby. "I hope you don't catch it, what with being in this confined space," she said.

"Please call me Mike," he said. Not this conversation again. She couldn't be bothered to argue, there was no one here, what the hell.

He still had his star earring in and as he turned his head it bobbed slightly against his rugged face and caught the light, what little light there was to catch. She was also desperate to take a look at his tattoos to see what the guy had painted on him. She caught sight of a few stars painted there. Stars? What was all that about? Estelle she caught the name on his arm. His wife? His girlfriend? Mother? Estelle, what a beautiful name.

"Actually, what is your real name?" said Gabrielle unexpectedly. "Is it Pritchard or Dirnt? I was so confused when I checked you in yesterday" she said starting to undo her hotel jacket from the heat.

"I was born with Pritchard but Dirnt is my stage name." Said Mike.

"You have a stage name?" she smiled. "I didn't think people had those anymore. Very seventies" she laughed.

"Well we have been going for quite a few years now" said Mike. "But not as far back as the seventies." He was sure that this girl was only mid-20s. It amused him when he met someone that didn't know his music and didn't know of their background. So many people they met thought they knew them personally, there was so much information about them splashed around the internet and that was only a smidgeon, people didn't really know them at all

"How many years?" said Gabrielle fanning herself with her hand from the heat.

"About 16 or 17 - Billie and I have known each other since school. We were ten when we met." He said.

"Really?" she raised her eyebrows. "That's unusual. I've known Beth since we were about 16, she's my oldest friend."

"Would the Beth you're talking about be the Beth on reception?" he asked.

"Yes. Beth of the Irish descendency who your friend happens to like." Said Gabrielle.

"I must fill you in on Tre" said Mike. "He tends to find someone he falls for nearly every place we go... its like its his duty to have a lady to focus on. I think he's addicted to sex so you must warn your friend about him." He said.

"Who Beth? She'd quit enjoy the attention, she's newly single and.. yeah I think it would do her good to get some of your Tre friend's attention" she laughed.

"And you?" said Mike "are you single?" he asked looking at her with his brilliant blue eyes.

"Yes I'm single," said Gabrielle. The jellybean was back in her stomach. She glanced then at his hands, whose fingers were long and lean, guitarist's fingers working up and down the guitar...

"So Mike, do you like it here in our hotel?" said Gabrielle shifting her position and taking off her jacket. She was flirting here but she didn't care. May be it was because she was ill.

She undid the top button of her blouse and ran her hand over her slightly damp neck. She felt heady and ill, the scent from the flowers was getting stronger and she felt light-headed from them, from the darkness and the flirtatious chatter.

"Gabrielle?" said Mike.

"Yes" said Gabrielle slipping off her shoes. The lift jolted then and she slightly fell against Mike.

"Could I take you out sometime... . May be we could do something on Friday, I'd really like to see you, you know, properly?" he said.

As he was saying this, the doors to the elevator flew open and there were a few people standing in front of the doors. They must have heard everything that Mike had said, especially the last part. She squinted her eyes against the brightness flooding in to the elevator. Erica was there and so was Tre. She could see Billie and another woman was standing next to him, a tall, thin blonde woman who was frowning.

"Brittney" said Mike suddenly in recognition and standing up. "What are you doing here?" he said.

"I'd like to say the same thing about you" said Brittney. "What are you doing here and with... ..her... . a hotel worker. Surely this is not allowed" she spat "to be in such a compromising position with a guest" she said staring icy blue eyes towards Gabrielle. "Where's the manager? I bet he'd like to be informed of this cosy liaison. Did you plan this? Did you plan for the lift to break down so that you could get close to my boyfriend?" she said glaring at Gabrielle.

"Boyfriend?" said Gabby glancing up at Mike but he wasn't looking at anything, just looking down at his feet.

"Yes you cheap bitch, he's my boyfriend," said Brittney.

"Hey that's enough," said Tre stepping forward into the elevator. Can't you see the lady's unwell he said bending to try and help Gabrielle up from the floor. He took hold firmly of her elbow and held her fairly close to him protectively. He could feel the heat from her temperature, she was burning up.

"She'll be unwell soon when I've informed the management here. I shall see that this won't happen again," she snapped. "You'll probably lose your job over this. Could someone please get the manager or the owner of this place?" said Brittney looking about her.

"Actually" said Gabrielle who was now leaning against Tre as she felt dizzy suddenly.

"Actually I'm the owner," she said falling against Tre.