Page 36 of Sweeter than Honey

Mel frowns. “Celine and Amara are in a relationship?”

“Um…” I fiddle with my collar anxiously. I’m in way too deep here. “I mean like,ifthey were to get into a relationship. Or if anyone were to get into a relationship…”

“Well, it would be different, for Celine and Amara,” Mel replies. “Amara isn’t officially on payroll anymore. She just works when she feels like it. And Celine is technically an employee of one of Tudor’s holding companies, not the Respite hotel corporation, so even if she was, they’re employed under two different businesses.”

“Ok, but, say two people who are both employed at the hotel were to…decide to start seeing each other. What would happen?”

“Well,” Mel leans back a little in her chair, stretching out her long legs and arms for a painfully long minute as she considers my question. “It’s never happened before. I guess we would have to fire one of them, probably.”

“Firethem?” I reply. “Are you sure?”

“Well, it’s certainly an unethical situation.” Mel shrugs. “You can’t have two employees working together who are in a relationship. Maybe two people in different departments, or who don’t report to each other. But if it was two people in the same department, yes, I think the only solution would be to let one of them go. Probably the one with the least seniority.”

My voice comes out a little squeaky. “Oh. Ok.”

Mel’s lime green eyebrows drop down low over her eyes. “Lily, do you know someone who’s having a workplace relationship? If you do, you have to report it.”

“Oh, no I don’t!” I tell her quickly, standing back up again. “Like I said, it was just something a friend of mine asked. Just curious.”

I give a small cough and I hurry out of the office without another word.

As I return to my desk, I’m surprised by how disappointed I feel. I didn’t think the answer would be to getfired, I thought maybe there was a policy where like…I don’t know, there could be some boundaries put in place or something? I guess I hadn’t thought it through.

Idefinitelycan’t lose my job. Every year, it’s more and more expensive to take care of Eli, and my mother’s health has been declining. Living in the city isn’t cheap, and my salary at the hotel is good, especially given my experience and background. I’m not going to find something better.

And I love working here. I don’t want to lose my job!

It’s a silly thing to worry about anyway. There’s no way that Renata is interested in me romantically. What could I possibly have to offer her? She could easily get anyone she wants. She’ll probably find some super-powerful, gorgeous witch lover like Amara who’s a thousand years old and can give you orgasms just by twitching her nose. Then she’ll forget all about my favourite flowers and how she gave me her blood on the holding floor.

She was just being nice, that’s it. She never felt the same way about me. There’s no point in torturing myself pining after her.

From now on, I’m going to keep it strictly professional. No fantasies, just work!

And then I’m sure these feelings will go away.

They have to, right?

I put my head down and get through the remaining hours of my shift. I try not to look at the time too often, but it’s impossible as the clock ticks down to sunset.

When I hear the crisp click of her heels on the office floor, I try to keep my heart rate down, although I’m not too sure how successful I am.

“Good evening, Lily,” says that incredible, smooth voice.

“Good evening, Ms. Espina,” I reply. I give her a sweet smile, keeping my tone chipper but professional. I’m nailing this already. “I trust you had a restful slumber?”

“I did, thank you,” she replies. “How are you? Have you healed completely?”

“I’m wonderful, I appreciate you asking.”

“And did you like the flowers?” she asks, a little grin on her face. “The peonies?”

“Oh, yes,” I respond, fighting hard against the heat rising in my cheek. “They’re my favourite.”

“I remember,” she says. My stomach does a backflip. Itwasher!

“That’s so thoughtful of you, Ms. Espina,” I say, swallowing thickly.

“And I have something else to show you,” she says. “If you have a moment.”