Page 56 of Maneater

“What?”

“You look like shit,” she repeats.

“Well, we’re currently dealing with someone who is becoming increasingly dangerous and loud with their sabotage, and I can’t figure out who it is or why it’s happening. Not sure how I’m expected to sleep tight knowing that.”

She looks at me, then shakes her head. “No, it’s not that. You look… You look guilty.”

“Guilty?” I ask, my pulse pounding because Iamguilty. Last night in a public space, I pushed a guest against a wall and had her grinding her pussy against my leg. I would have made her come like that if we hadn’t been interrupted.

“I actually,” I start, then sigh, running a hand over my face. I didn’twantto tell Annette about what happened, but I know I have to. “I actually have to talk to you about something.”

“Oh?” Her eyes go wide with panic. “Rowan, do not tell me you’re quitting. I’ll do whatever I have to to keep you.”

That makes me smile a bit, relieving a bit of the pressure.

“No, but I’ll keep that in mind next time I want a raise.” She rolls her eyes but doesn’t continue, so I move forward. “I know that…” I hesitate, trying to pick the best words as I always do, but ever since Josie came back into my life, that skill seems to have disappeared. “I know that in the handbook for resort employees, fraternizing with guests is against the code of conduct.”

A small smile flitters over Annette’s face before melting away as she crosses her arms over her chest and leans back. “Okay.”

“I’m not fully clear about how that impacts upper management and resort guests,” I say low, since I read multiple handbooks and couldn’t quite figure out if I fall under that umbrella. “But if it does, I need to disclose to you that a guest currently at the resort is an old acquaintance of mine, and we’ve…well, we’ve reconnected.”

“An acquaintance?”

I nod, then explain. “Yes. We went to the same university when I went back for my MBA, and she lives in Hudson City. We bumped into each other at a bar the day before I came here, and she came out to stay at the resort the following day.”

“So you’re…what? Dating her?”

“I mean, I haven’t really had time to…” I decide this is not the path to go down and shift gears. “We keep bumping into each other, so I’ve spent some time with her since coming to the resort. Last night we, um.” I can feel the blush burning on my cheeks and avoid the small screen in the corner that shows my own face, knowing I’m red. “We kissed last night.”

Annette nods. “What’s her name?”

My brow furrows because I’m not sure what that has to do with anything, but I give it to her anyway.

“Josie. Josephine Montgomery.”

“Josie. Pretty name.”

“Yeah. Um…am I in trouble?”

“What?”

“Am I going to be fired? I know she’s a guest, but—” I stop my rambling when her laugh fills the room.

“You’re not fired. In fact, I’m relieved, if we’re being honest.”

“What?”

“My god, Rowan. All you do is work. When was the last time you took some time for yourself?”

”I—” I start, but she shakes her head and cuts me off.

“I’m proud of you for growing this business as quickly as you have. Your determination has clearly paid off. I’ve always valued and admired your hard work, but I also want you to be here a long time. If you burn yourself out by having no life, you’re going to quit and pull a Don Draper, join some kind of meditation commune, and we’ll never hear from you again.”

“I think that’s a little?—”

“You work too hard, Rowan. You’re going to send yourself into an early grave. You should go enjoy your success a bit.”

“I’m the youngest VP of Operations this company has ever had. I didn’t get that by sitting back and doing nothing.”