“No, it’s true. I’ve worked in two other hotels before this one, and in both places, I watched how the superiors always yelled at the staff, whether it was their fault or not. If a guest makes a complaint, their word is taken as gospel, and no one cares about the other side of the story.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“We’re expendable, Molly,” Alani said. “But a guest must always be kept happy.”
“That’s not how I see it at all,” I said firmly. “We’re in the hospitality trade, and of course a guest must be kept happy…but within reason. If they do something wrong, they should be held accountable. Tristan feels that way, too.”
Alani smiled. “I heard what he did for Simon,” she said.
“He’s suspended without pay for three months and won’t be eligible for any raises during the course of this year while his behavior and performance is being evaluated,” I nodded. “But considering the story he told Tristan about his mother was true, Tristan paid for her operation himself.”
“That was a wonderful thing he did,” Alani said. “Did you have anything to do with his decision?”
“Not even a little bit,” I said, giving credit where credit was due. “That was all Tristan, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
“You’ve been a good influence on him.”
“Oh, I don’t think that decision has anything to do with me.”
“I think it does,” Alani said with certainty. “Tristan was a decent boss beforehand, but he was never very involved with the staff. Nor would he have handled the situation with the Beaumonts the way he did if you hadn’t been there.”
“You really believe that?”
“I honestly do,” she said. “I can’t believe you haven’t noticed the difference.”
I thought about it for a second and then sighed. “To be honest, we don’t spend enough time together for me to notice much of anything.”
“He’s still very busy, isn’t he?”
“It’s been months now, and things don’t seem to be letting up.”
“He does have other hotels to see to,” she pointed out.
“I know,” I said. “And I don’t hold it against him for being busy all the time; it’s just sometimes…”
“What?” she pressed.
I sighed again. “I guess it feels like our relationship is stagnant. It’s like we’re living in this bubble that’s removed from the outside world. We work, and we come together at the end of the day, but sometimes it feels like sex is the one thing that bonds us.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Alani said, with a smile.
“It wouldn’t be,” I said. “But sometimes it’s the only thing we have. And that does bother me. Also, he hasn’t told my brother we’re dating yet.”
“Why haven’t you told your brother?” Alani wanted to know.
“Because Tristan asked me not to,” I admitted. “He told me that he needed to be the one to tell Jason. And, I understood that. They’ve been friends for years, and it seems right that Jason should hear about our relationship from Tristan. But it’s been awhile now, and he still hasn’t mentioned anything to my brother.”
“And that’s bothering you a little, too?”
“Well, it’s like he’s ashamed of us.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“No, I guess not,” I sighed. “But it does feel like he’s scared… Not of
telling Jason specifically, but of announcing to the world that he’s in a committed relationship. Because that would make it real, and once it’s real, then we’re looking at the future and the next step, and I don’t know if Tristan is ready for all that.”
Alani listened carefully and nodded. “Can I ask you a personal question?”