Page 47

“Noah! Look, this isn’t a great day to argue. Maybe we can talk another time.”

Noah sighs. “I’m not here to argue with you.”

“You’re not?”

There’s a pause, and I hesitate, not sure whether to do anything or hang back. Noah asked me to be here after all, but I feel like such an interloper.

“Hi,” I give Jack a small wave, feeling awkward as hell.

Noah clears his throat. “I’m not. Look, I don't think I introduced you to my friend the other day. This is Olivia.” Heturns to me and ushers me forward. “She’s here to make sure I don’t start an argument. And I’m here to help.”

Jack blinks. “Wow.” Then his face breaks into a smile and he leans across the counter to shake my hand. “Olivia. So nice to meet you and thank you. I’m not going to ask any questions cause I don’t want to start anything, but welcome.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

“I spoke to Mum,” Noah says.

Jack’s face falls. “You OK?”

Noah looks down at his shoes. “Yeah. You?”

“I will be. I’m just under the pump here, you know?”

“Well tell us what we can do. I know Mum said you could use some help.”

Turns out there are two rooms that need cleaning right away as new guests are arriving today and called to ask if they could check in early. There is an order of linen being delivered at ten and a contractor coming to do a routine fire alarm check.

Noah nods. “Leave the cleaning to me. You take care of the front of house stuff. You’re better at it.”

“You sure?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll help!” They both turn to me.

“You don’t have to do that!”

“Come on, I’m not going to stand around and watch you clean!”

We collect the cleaning equipment and make our way to rooms four and five on the top floor. These are the biggest suites with two and three bedrooms, and they have the best views. As Noah opens the door to the first suite, I follow him in and walk straight to the sliding doors which look out over the balcony. The windows overlook the inlet, and the whole room is set up to take advantage of the view and the beautiful sunlight flooding inside. “Wow. This is nice.”

“It’s pretty great, isn’t it?”

With two of us working on it, the cleaning doesn’t take long. We have that room spotless and turned down in half an hour, and we’re ready to move on to the next.

I’m feeling pretty good until Noah opens the door to room five and we see the state it’s been left in.

Noah lets out a low curse, and my mouth falls open as I stare around the room. Garbage is everywhere. Candy wrappers litter the floor and couch. Bottles and cans and dirty plates have been left scattered around. Even some of the couch cushions have been left on the floor. In the bedrooms wet towels and bedding are everywhere, and there’s even a few used condoms in the toilet. “God, some people are animals.” He shakes his head.

Noah pushes me out of the bathroom and refuses to let me help clean the worst of it, so I pack the dishwasher and take out the trash. Something is worrying at me, but I don’t fully realize what it is until I stop for a glass of water. My belly is sore and crampy. No surprise really. I must be due for my period.

Actually, I think I’m overdue. I certainly haven’t had it since I’ve been in Kraken Cove. I’m thinking back, trying to calculate just how long it’s been, when Noah comes out of the bedroom with a bag of trash and a disgusted look on his face. “Fuck me. Remind me never to quit being a chef. There’s no way I’d do this shit every day.” He dumps the trash in the cleaning cart and together we make up the beds and straighten everything out.

I excuse myself to visit the restroom, but when I do, there’s no blood. I guess maybe I’ll get a surprise later today. I make a mental note to get some sanitary products and dismiss it as a later problem.

When we go back downstairs, Jack is dealing with the contractor and the phone is ringing. Noah answers the phone, greets guests, and deals with the delivery of linen.

Jack comes back to the front desk just after Noah steps out to pack the last of the linen away in the storage closet.