Secrets Under the Sun, page 4
“Well, thank you for having my back. I appreciate it. I won’t do it again.”
She inched closer and placed her hand on his arm. “If you really need to make or take a call, go inside the restroom. That way no one sees you. I know it’s kind of gross to take the phone in the bathroom, but at least you won’t get fired.”
The warmth of her hand on his skin tingled. What a ridiculous word, and he was sure he’d never used it before, but it was the only word he could think of to describe the feeling of her touch.
“My kids know they can’t call unless it’s an emergency, and they have to use the hotel landline to my office.” Her eyes rose, and she shrugged. “That is if I’m there. Guess I should get back to work. It was nice seeing you again. It’s too bad we never have time to chat. But the resort is busy and that’s a good thing.”
Dean patted her hand as she released his arm and strode down the hall away from him. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took a second to step into the utilities closet next to the elevator before checking it. Just Maggie letting him know she’d send his lift overnight mail. Yeah, that wasn’t an emergency.
He was the one who’d put that rule in place, but now that he’d lived it, it seemed a little overkill. Sure, he didn’t want staff staring at their phones all day, but pulling it out to check a few times a day certainly wouldn’t hurt. The staff he’d seen here so far were all great workers.
This phone rule just might interfere with his job of finding the marketing thief. And what about Eleni and her kids? What if they got hurt or needed something? Why shouldn’t they be able to call her? Who was even watching them when she worked? Her partner in homeschooling? Someone else? They didn’t seem old enough to stay on their own.
He shouldn’t be worried about her, but she was a good employee. His father had always said to reward the good workers, because you want to keep them. Maybe he and Trey had allowed the managers to take over that responsibility, but they owned the company. The staff ultimately worked for them. Thoughts rushed through his head of changes he’d like to make. He should get them jotted down so he didn’t forget.
But first, he had to vacuum the financial offices.
Chapter Four
Eleni stacked the pile of paychecks on her desk and closed out of her computer. Even though most of the resort employees had direct deposit, there were still some holdovers who liked the paycheck in hand.
Grabbing the envelopes, she poked her head in to let Aarya know where she was going, then sauntered toward the reception area. She enjoyed this job every Friday. It got her out of the office and let her visit the staff and see what was happening in the resort.
As she strolled away from the administrative offices, Hugh popped out of the room behind the registration desk. She didn’t even want to know what he was doing back there. The man had a reputation with the ladies.
When he saw her, he froze, then glared. “What are you doing out here? You aren’t off shift for another half hour. You can’t possibly have gotten all that work finished that I gave you.”
The work he’d given her that he should have done. So often she felt like letting Aarya know how much Hugh put on her shoulders that he was supposed to be doing, but he’d obviously know it was her that tattled. Eleni couldn’t afford to lose this job. There weren’t many on the island that paid enough for her to live on with the kids and her mom, so she sucked it up and worked through lunch at times if she had to. Or brought some work home if she could.
Holding up the stack of envelopes, she waved them at him. “Paychecks. They need to be delivered before people clock out.”
Hugh scowled and shook his head. “I don’t know why they can’t come to the office to get them.”
“It would take them away from their jobs. I don’t mind. It doesn’t take long.” With that, she smiled and stepped past him to the registration desk.
After a few minutes chatting with the front desk clerks, one of whom exited the back room tugging on her rumpled uniform, she moseyed to the kitchen area and peeked in on Chef and his crew. The smells always made her stomach growl.
Vlad caught her eye and beckoned her in. “Eleni, come give me your opinion on this new appetizer I created.”
She laughed and crossed the room. Chef Vlad always had something for her to taste test, whether it was still under consideration or something that had been on the menu for years.
“Happy to help.”
He handed her a napkin with a puff pastry on it. She stared at it suspiciously. There was nothing like this currently on the menu.
“What’s in it? You know I’m allergic to nuts.”
Vlad waved his hand. “No nuts. It’s a shrimp, crabmeat blend with cream cheese and herbs.”
“Ooh, that sounds yummy.” She bit in, and her taste buds exploded. “Wow, that’s incredible. Now, I wish I didn’t have my paycheck already spent. I’d bring the kids here tonight just for these.”
Vlad got a gleam in his eye and rushed over to the prep counter. He scooped up something and tucked it in a to-go bag. “I’ll put this on the table right near the door. Make sure to take it before you leave tonight.”
She pressed a kiss to Vlad’s cheek. “You’re too good to me. Thank you. I’m sure my mom and the kids will love them.”
“Tell Georgina I made them just for her. Last we spoke, she mentioned something her grandmother used to make in Greece. I’m not sure these are exactly like them, but hopefully they will still be enjoyable.”
Even though Vlad was eight years her mother’s junior, he always spoiled the older woman if she had a chance to visit. Could he be sweet on her or was he simply being nice?
“I’ll make sure to get them before I go. Thank you.” She finished the last bite, wiped her hands on a nearby towel, then turned towards the conference rooms. There were eight smaller rooms that could be opened up in different configurations to make them into two or more larger rooms.
She handed paychecks to two waitstaff, who scurried over as soon as they saw her. Sometimes, she felt like she was feeding treats to puppies.
The only check she had left was Dean’s. His schedule was so erratic, she wasn’t sure where he’d be right now. In the past month, he’d been here almost every shift she had, but he’d also done many others. Basically, he’d been plunked in wherever they needed extra help. He still remained quiet and to himself, but she’d managed to get a smile from him a couple times. And boy, did it make a difference. He was a handsome man by any standard, but when he smiled and it reached his eyes, it was deadly.
His work ethic was second to none. He’d made it a point to learn about all aspects of the resort and even what the chain of command was and who was in charge of what, and not just his own department.
Wandering down the hallway, she peeked in the doorways of most of the rooms. There were some activities tonight, and the event staff was bustling around, setting up chairs and tables and placing cloths to cover them.
Her thoughts must have conjured him up, because Dean exited the restroom with a mop and rolling bucket. Before she could reach him with his paycheck, Reva waylaid him.
“Where are the extra rectangle tables I need from the Diamond Ballroom? I asked you for them fifteen minutes ago.”
Sometimes, Eleni wanted to wrap duct tape around that woman’s mouth. Poor Dean lowered his eyes and frowned.
“I thought clean bathrooms would be more important than tables for food that wouldn’t come out for another two hours. Guests will be here long before that.”
Reva shook her blonde mane. “You thought? You aren’t paid to think here. That’s my job. Your job is to do as I say.”
Eleni hurried closer. Technically, Dean did what Santos told him to.
Reva planted her hands on her generous hips and looked about ready to fly off the handle.
“Reva, I’m sorry. I needed Dean for something, so it put him behind in his duties. That’s on me. Don’t you have event staff to haul tables back and forth from the rooms?”
The woman huffed but backed down. Even though Eleni wasn’t a manager, she was in tight enough with them that Reva wouldn’t want to rock the boat.
“There are three functions going on at the same time, and they all start in an hour. These rooms need to be set up and now. I needed the extra help.”
“Of course, you do. I understand.” Eleni softened her words. “My suggestion is to figure exactly how much staff you’ll need for these things and plan accordingly. If you need more, you have to make sure to let Hugh know when he does scheduling.”
Reva rolled her eyes and faked a smile.
“The bathrooms are on Dean’s list. However, the tables are not, and the bathrooms are indeed more important than the tables getting in place a few hours early.”
She faced Dean who’d stood by silently. He was good at that. “Is everything else finished on your list? I believe you were scheduled to leave a half hour ago.”
“The bathroom was last. I’ll get the tables before I punch out.”
Eleni patted his arm. “Excellent. I’ll help you get the tables. Reva, will that do?”
Reva faked her smile again and pivoted on her heels. “Yes, thank you.”
As they ambled down the hall toward the largest ballroom, Eleni handed Dean his check. “You’ve earned this and then some, huh?”
“Thanks for stepping in back there,” he said as he slipped the envelope in his back pocket.
She shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
He took a moment to deposit the rolling mop and bucket in a storage room, then joined her again. “May I ask you something, honestly?”
“Of course.”
“Do you like Reva?”
That wasn’t what she’d expected. Since she hated to badmouth anyone, and it was hardly professional of her to do so, she gave a half truth. “She does a fairly good job.”
He chuckled. The sound was nice, and Eleni wanted to hear it again.
“Fairly good, huh? That’s not exactly a glowing report.”
Eleni sighed as they crossed the Diamond Ballroom to the back where the tables were stored. “All the activities she plans are directed at adults. I know the resort doesn’t really cater much to children, but I think they should. Of course, maybe it’s just because I have two kids. But they’re missing out on a large market. There’s so much you can do for families, and they come back if they’ve been treated well.”
“Kids?” The face he made was comical.
Now, she laughed. “I know. I suppose kids would make your job even harder. Let’s face it, they aren’t exactly the neatest humans on this planet.
Dean glanced over his shoulder to where they’d just come from. “They might be messier, but many of them are nicer to be around.”
The evening sky was gorgeous tonight, and Dean loved looking at it. His apartment wasn’t anywhere near the water, but if he walked only a few streets over he could get there quick enough to catch the sunset. Tonight, though, he was walking in the other direction. Past Eleni’s house.
He told himself it was only because the roads were flatter this way. It had nothing to do with wanting to see her. A couple of times, he’d gotten a glimpse of her standing at her kitchen window.
Her house was a cute one-story cottage on a corner lot only two streets over from his rental. There was a small yard with two sections of picket fencing that separated the corner from the street. A flower bed spread out behind the fencing, with local flora artfully arranged. He couldn’t even begin to name what the plants were, nor did he care.
He’d changed out of his uniform and put on worn jeans and a t-shirt. The night was still warm. What a difference from early October back in New England. Not that Boston didn’t have some warmer days, but once that sun went down, so did the temps.
Noise from the yard drifted over as he approached Eleni’s house. Her kids were running around with a woman who had to be Eleni’s mother. They shared the same dark hair, though this woman’s had some gray sprinkled throughout. Maybe less than he did. The smile she beamed at the children was as warm and sweet as Eleni’s.
He tried not to stare as he sauntered by. Lots of people walked around the island or rode bikes, so seeing someone out for a nightly stroll was common. Even so, today he was walking on her side of the road.
“Dessert.” Eleni called out, the word causing Dean to freeze for a second. He lowered his head and shuffled past, not wanting to be caught stalking her.
“Dean? Hello. How are you?”
Popping his head up, he added a surprised expression and a head nod. “Hey. You live here?”
The kids came running over, and Xander hopped up and down in front of him. “Hi, Mr. Dean. Remember me? I’m Xander. I asked if you wanted to play basketball, remember?”
It was hard to ignore the exuberance of the boy. “I remember you. And your sister. Thea, right?”
“Yes. It’s Anthea, but my nickname is Thea. You can call me that, too.”
“Thank you, Thea. You can call me Dean. I’m not a super formal guy.”
Xander ducked his head. “Mom makes us call all the old people Mr. and Mrs. and their name. Says it’s out of respect.”
Dean wasn’t sure if he should be insulted at the old people comment, but he supposed compared to these kids, he certainly was.
Dean glanced at Eleni and grinned. “It’s a good thing for her to teach you manners. That’s an important skill to have in life.”
“I just brought brownies out for the kids. Would you like one, Dean?” She held out a plate with scrumptious chocolate decadence on it. They smelled incredible. When was the last time he’d eaten a homemade brownie?
“I, um, don’t want to intrude. I was just taking a walk after dinner.”
“What did you eat?” Xander asked, chomping a large bite from the dessert. “We had pork chops and rice pilaf.”
“That sounds nice. I, um, just had some macaroni.”
Thea raised her eyes to him. “Did it have sauce and cheese with bread crumbs sprinkled over the top and was it baked in the oven? That’s how Mom makes it. It’s really good.”
“No, it was plain. Well, I added a little butter to it.” He didn’t have a whole lot of food in his apartment. After a month here, you’d think he’d get used to the fact dinner wasn’t waiting for him in the kitchen like back home.
Thea made a face. “You need to get Mom to give you her recipe. Way better than plain with butter.” Thea grabbed her brownie, then sauntered off to sit on a chair near the older woman.
“If you’ve got time, come on over and meet my mom.” Eleni cocked her head toward the table and chairs that were near the house.
“Mom, this is Dean. I work with him.” Eleni did something with her hands when she introduced him. Sign Language?
“It’s nice to meet you, Dean. Eleni mentioned you just moved here. Have you enjoyed the island so far?”
Her voice was clear, and Dean got confused. Was the woman deaf or had he misunderstood what Eleni had done before.
“My mom lost her hearing over the past three years. We’ve been dabbling in American Sign Language, so she can understand us better. But her speech is still fine. Just face her when you talk and speak slow, but not so your lips do weird things.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too. I like the island.” He kept it plain and simple. Hopefully, she got the message. He eyed Eleni. “How do I say that in sign language?”
Eleni swept one hand over the other, then touched her fists together with her index fingers raised. Then, she pointed to her mother. He repeated the gestures. Her mom beamed.
“He’s a fast learner, and so sweet to accommodate me. I’m Georgina Matsoukas. You can call me Georgie. Have a seat and a brownie.”
Eleni had set the plate on the table and lowered herself to one of the chairs. He settled in between her and Thea and reached for a brownie.
Xander finished the chocolate confection, then grabbed a basketball by his feet. “Mom, I’m going to shoot some hoops, okay? Can you come, Mr. Dean?”
“Let him eat his brownie first. And watch for cars,” Eleni warned.
“I’ll go play with him. I can still throw a ball in the net.” Georgina got up, followed by Thea, and tagged along behind Xander. Dean grinned when the older woman stole the ball from her grandson and swished it right through the hoop.
“Matsoukas?” He glanced at Eleni “You’re Greek? But Griffin…?”
Eleni shook her head. “My husband wasn’t Greek. Mom lived in Greece until she was about ten. I grew up in the States.”
“Your husband? I never asked—”
“He passed away five years ago.”
Something Dean already knew, but he could hardly explain how he knew.
“I’m sorry. The children must have been very young.”
Her gaze strayed to where they played on the quiet street. Most of the streets on the island were quiet. Unless you were going from one side of the island to the other, many locals walked, took bikes, or the occasional golf cart.
“Yes, they were three. Unfortunately, they don’t remember him much.” Frowning, she looked at her feet.
“Greece. Have you ever been there?” Better to change the subject.
A smile danced across her face. That was more like it. Her eyes turned dreamy, and she sighed. “No, but I’d love to go and bring Mom back there. Show the kids where she grew up. A little piece of their past.”
Suddenly, he wanted to give her that. Just to see her smile like she was.
“Yios has a resort on Mykonos, you know.”
Her laugh split the air. “Yes, but can you imagine what airfare for four people would be? Plus, I doubt I’d get free hotel rooms.” She patted his arm. “It’s not really in my budget at the moment. Maybe someday.”
Someday? Like when she’d sold a few more marketing ideas? He hated the thought of her resorting to that. When she got up and began playing basketball with her kids, he had a hard time seeing her in the role of spy.
