He nervously smiled, Steve observed. Did Brett have a thing for Ruby? He glanced at Ruby.… hmmm…did she have a thing for Brett?
“Thought I’d help out while I wait for Callum to finish.” Brett shifted from one foot to another.
“Thanks for the drink earlier.”
“Callum did deliver it then?”
“Yes, he said it was from Batman,” Ruby said, giggling. “I wasn’t sure who that was, so thank you.”
“No problem.”
Steve coughed.
“Oh, yes, not too much to do now, the band are nearly packed away,” Ruby said getting back into boss mode. “Brett could you help Ste…Stuart move the sofas back, please?” She’d stumbled over his name. “Oh, on second thoughts, you’re not actually working so you’re not insured. I’ll get Callum—”
“It’s okay, I can help Superman. Though, he should be able to lift them all by himself.”
“Ha ha ha! You mean you don’t have something in your utility belt?” Steve said, slapping Brett on the back. “Come on, then we can head home.”
Chapter 9
Friday 1st November
Steve had arrived into work with Ruby, and although it was later than usual, he could have done with another hour in bed. He wearily polished glasses and tidied the bar, removing further traces of last night’s Halloween party. Also, Friday meant the hotel would start getting busier with weekend travellers, the City-Breakers as Ruby referred to them, so he made the most of this quiet time to catch up with chores ready for this afternoon’s busy rush. He’d been in the UK nearly four weeks now. The time was well spent with Ruby, but would he really find his perfect – or not so perfect – woman in two months?
The phone at the bar rang, waking Steve out of his tired reverie.
“Hi, you’re through to The Terrace Bar how can I help you?”
“Oh, you’re American,” said a cheery voice.
Steve coughed, shaking his head. Concentrate! This happened when he hadn’t spoken a word all morning. “No, sorry, I’m not, I’m just working on my accents. Forgot myself for a minute.”
“What others do you do?”
“Sorry?”
“Accents. Are you an actor?”
He laughed. Good job the caller couldn’t see his expression. Get out of this one. “Hell, noooo.”
“Oh, well, that’s a shame…Anyway, I would like a bottle of champagne brought up to my room, please.”
“Of course, would you like me to run through what we have? There are three labels to choose from.”
“The Veuve Clicquot I think. Two glasses, please, and will you deliver?”
“Good choice.” The way she said ‘you’ made him uneasy. “It’ll be myself or Callum.” Callum entered the bar, mid yawn, to start his shift.
Steve finished the conversation, saying they’d deliver as soon as possible, and put the phone down.
“What was that about?” Callum said, rubbing his eyes.
“Room 104 wants a bottle of champagne taken to her room. Do you want to do it, or shall I?”
“Nah, you go. I’ll man the fort.”
Steve placed the champagne flutes on a tray lined with a cloth napkin and fetched a champagne bottle from the fridge, resting it in an ice bucket.
“If I’m not back in ten minutes, send out a search party,” Steve joked.
Steve found the room, and balancing the tray on one hand, knocked.
The door opened, and Steve’s eyes widened momentarily at the sight before him. He reined in his surprise, to look unfazed.
Marilyn.
The woman had opened the door, dressed in only a bronze, silk negligee. Without her mask, Steve guessed she was aged around her mid-fifties. The heavy make-up and blonde hair tied up made it hard to tell.
“Oh good,” she said, smoothly, “it is my superhero.” She winked. “Please can you put it on the table by the window?”
Steve paced towards the table, noticing the curtains were still drawn, the lighting low, and a smell of bubble bath. He also spied the blonde wig and white dress draped over one of the lounge chairs. Definitely Marilyn.
“Open it, please,” she said. Steve heard her lock the door. Oh, shit. His hands fumbled with the foil because he was concentrating more on the woman heading towards him. She unclipped her hair, so it swished around her shoulders. She had a good, curvy figure, hence the Marilyn costume suiting her, and the gown revealed the swell of her breasts. He spied a hint of lace underneath. Thank God she was wearing underwear.
Okay, so he was used to women chucking themselves at him, only he usually had a couple of bodyguards to help with the affray. And usually the women were a lot younger.
He got the cork out and managed not to spill any of the champagne, pouring a glass and handing it to her.
“Pour one for yourself.”
“Thank you,” remember your manners, “but I can’t, I’m on duty.”
“You’re not a police officer. One glass won’t harm. They won’t miss you for a bit. Will they?”
Steve fiddled with his glasses. He felt like Laurel, or was it Hardy? How did he get himself into this mess? And more importantly, how was he going to get out of it?
She poured the second glass of champagne and handed it to him, giving Steve the once over, with a flirtatious pout. The woman was checking him out. She wasn’t unattractive, and yes, he needed to find a woman, but she was possibly twenty years his senior.
“I should be going. The bar will be getting busy.” Steve put the flute down.
She picked it back up and handed it to him. “Take a sip, don’t let me drink alone. These business trips get awfully lonely.”
“Um, so you’re here on business? Not here to see the city?” It was Friday, usually all the business bods had checked out this morning.
“I need to be back for a meeting early Monday, so decided to stay on. Might pay Bath a visit, it’s such a beautiful city. You could come with me…”
She brushed his waistcoat, her manicured fingers adorned with gold rings and gemstones, toying with a button. None on her wedding finger, though. Steve took a step back.
“Sadly I’ve got to work this weekend.” He edged around the table, mentally organising his escape route.
“I feel like I know you.” Her eyes narrowed.
Oh, please do not recognise me.
He nervously pushed his glasses up for good measure. “Well, if that’s all, I’d better be going.”
“Oh, um, I’m having problems with the television. Could you see if you can get it to work?”
“Sure.” Steve cringed, and hoped it didn’t show behind the smile he had plastered on his face. He went to the TV, found the remote control and turned it on. There was nothing wrong with the damn television. “What channel would you like?”
“Oh, could I have the radio through it?”
“Of course.”
While Steve flicked through to find the radio – he knew some of the stations were set – she hovered by his side, holding both champagne glasses. “See, while you’re here, you might as well finish your drink.”
Steve took the glass, sorely tempted to gulp it down. It might calm his nerves. How far did customer service go? He didn’t dare be rude and have a complaint made to Ruby, but at the same time…
The telephone started ringing.
With a puzzled expression, the woman answered it. “Hello? Yes, yes, he’s here…okay, I’ll let him know. Thank you.” She put the phone down, and disappointment etched across her face and in her tone. “Apparently you’re needed downstairs. The manager is on the warpath. If you’re not back at the bar, your colleague said something about you being sacked.”
“Oh, right.” Thank you, Callum! Steve dropped the remote control on the bed, placed the glass by the television and was at the door faster than Superman could save Lois Lane.
“She sounds like a right bitch. Maybe I should complain?”
“No, no, don’t do that. Enjoy the rest of your stay a
t Durdham Lodge,” Steve said, hurriedly, and darted out of the door. In the safety of the lift, he wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
Back downstairs in the bar, Steve grabbed Callum’s shoulders and shook him gratefully. “Thank you, thank you, I could kiss you!”
“Let go of me! What did I do?” Callum pulled a face.
“You rescued me from room 104.”
“That was me, actually.” Alice stood the other side of the bar, and in his relief, he’d not noticed her.
He grabbed her head in both hands and kissed her forehead. “Thank you! But how’d you know?”
“Oh, I’d given Ms Jones a massage earlier, and a manicure. All she’d gone on about was the new guy behind the bar.” Alice mocked the woman with facial expressions, changing her tone of voice. “How hot he’d looked dressed as Superman, how he was kind of dorky but cute.”
Dorky but cute? Maybe the glasses were working.
“Oh man, Ms – as she prefers to be called – Jones – and I’m sure that’s not her real name – has frightened more bar staff from this hotel than I can remember,” Callum said, laughing.
“You knew about her?” Steve turned on Callum, his cheeks flushing with anger.
“Yeah, she’s a regular to the hotel, but hey,” he held his hands up defensively, “I didn’t realise that was who the champagne was for. When Alice asked where you’d gone, I told her the room number—”
“And so I quickly made the call.”
“How can I ever repay you?” Steve teased, hugging her.
“You could take me out tonight, Stuart?” Alice beamed. “I really want to see the new Thor film that’s just come out, and I’ve got no one to go with as my mate has stood me up.”
“Oh, right,” Steve said. He hadn’t expected a date. But Alice was more the kind of girl to date, than Ms Jones upstairs. He had to start somewhere. “Of course, what time shall I pick you up?”
***
“You’re going out with Alice?” Ruby said, her tone mixed with surprise and possibly disapproval. She stood outside the bathroom watching Steve gel his hair.
“Yeah,” Steve said, relaying what had happened earlier during the day with Ms Jones.
“Maybe I really should ban that woman.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Steve frowned at Ruby. He’d experienced some scary situations in his time involving women, and that one would be added to his ‘close call’ list, mainly because he hadn’t had a bodyguard to bail him out.
“Okay, I’ll look into it. She can’t harass my staff. I can’t do anything about it if no one tells me though. It’s the first I’ve heard about it.”
“Callum said Pete knew.”
“Pfft! Pete! That explains everything. He’s wet behind the bloody ears.”
“Right, how do I look?” Steve posed in front of Ruby.
“You’re forgetting one thing.” She handed him his glasses from the bathroom shelf.
“Damn it.”
“You have to wear them,” she scolded with a stern look to match.
“I know, I know.” Steve put them on. The glasses did help remind him to be Stuart.
“Right, have you got everything?”
“You’re not Mum, but yes, I booked the tickets when I got home.”
“It’s crazy to go when the films just started showing. I always wait a couple of weeks.”
“Apparently she was supposed to be going with a friend this weekend, and I do owe her.” Steve was rather surprised Alice had suggested the action movie Thor: The Dark World. He’d anticipated some romantic comedy – which he would have equally enjoyed of course. But he always loved a good action movie. Plus, romantic comedies could set the wrong atmosphere for a first date. If the girl started weeping at the sad bit, did you hand her a tissue, put your arm around her? What then? Action movies were safer. He’d just have to watch her drool over Chris Hemsworth.
“So it’s not a date?”
Steve shrugged his shoulders. “I think it is.” He’d certainly taken care in his appearance, choosing the best shirt from his limited wardrobe.
Steve borrowed Ruby’s car, throwing any rubbish cluttering the footwell into the back, and collected Alice. Her face didn’t look any different than at work, as she always wore her make-up heavy due to her job, but tonight, her chestnut hair loose, resting below her shoulders and softened her features.
“I didn’t know what to wear. Hope I look okay,” she said, sliding into the passenger seat wearing skinny jeans.
He’d chosen to wear jeans too. They weren’t dining in a fine restaurant, they were grabbing a bite to eat, then going to the cinema. She could have been wearing a black bin liner and still would have looked stunning.
“You look great. You always look great.”
“Thanks, Stuart” Alice beamed at him.
Someone like Alice would fit right in with his lifestyle.
“Where do you fancy eating?” Steve said, as they strolled around the restaurants in Cabot Circus unsure whether to hold her hand or put his arm around her shoulder.
“What do you want to eat?”
“I don’t mind, honestly. I’ll eat anything. I’m a man.”
Alice giggled. “Okay, Frankie and Benny’s because I like their pasta, and you can have a manly steak if you want.”
“What the lady wants, the lady gets. Frankie and Benny’s it is.”
Steve held the door open, allowing Alice to enter first. They were quickly seated in a cosy booth with their drinks order taken.
“Seriously, thanks for this afternoon. Not sure what I would have done without your phone call,” Steve said, looking over his menu.
“She comes to the hotel once a month. Sometimes she’s no trouble, sometimes she’s a pain in the arse.” Alice closed her menu.
“If a guy tried it on with one of you girls, it would be a different story.”
“I know.” Alice giggled. “But you survived, so best put it behind you. It’s all fun and games working in a hotel.”
The waiter returned with their drinks; Alice a glass of white wine and Steve a coke filled with more ice than required. He then took their food order and left them again. Steve found it hard to know what to talk about. Although Alice was attractive, he couldn’t decide if he was attracted to her. He was, of course he was, but he wanted to find someone who he connected with, minds as well as bodies. Laughter. Great sex wasn’t that great if you couldn’t laugh with that person too.
This was only the first date, admittedly. However he didn’t have much time; he’d have to treat it like speed-dating.
The food arrived, and as they devoured the food – he was starving – Steve kept the conversation on Alice, trying to find out more about her. He got the full run down of her life’s history, almost. How long she’d worked at the hotel, and how long she’d been single. She liked talking about herself. And other people too.
“All the chambermaids are shagging the waiters,” she said. This wasn’t the first time Steve had heard this, Callum talked about it too. “I could tell you some stories. Sometimes it takes a bit longer to get a room ready for the next guests.” She chuckled. “I think…” she paused, as if in thought, “Brett and Lydia had something going at one point.”
“Really?” His interest spiked. It was none of his business…But hadn’t Brett showed a liking towards Ruby? So his concern was as a big brother.
“They say they’re just friends, but I’m not convinced.”
The waiter cleared their plates, and Steve glanced at his watch.
“Did you want a dessert or happy with popcorn in the movie?”
“I can’t eat another thing else.” Alice patted her stomach. “We better go so we can get good seats.”
Steve caught the waiter’s attention and paid the bill. He didn’t push anything more about Brett and Lydia. He didn’t want to know, or seem to Alice as if he was prying.
After some time queuing, Steve sank into the cinema chair. They were wi
de and comfortable, with plenty of leg room, which meant Alice wasn’t sitting too close to him.
Or should he raise the arm of the chair, so they could cuddle…Would she expect a cuddle?
It was only a first date, and the whole evening had felt more like friends out together, than a nervous couple. Maybe Alice couldn’t see the ‘tenth sexiest man’ in front of her. Were the glasses actually working?
Before turning her phone to silent, Alice showed him her Facebook profile. She’d tagged herself in Cabot Circus watching Thor: The Dark World. “Unfortunately I can’t tag you. Are you on Facebook?”
Steve switched his own phone off as he shook his head. God no! Ruby had toyed with the idea briefly about setting him up on Facebook, but then agreed best to stay off social media as a precaution. “I don’t have time for Facebook.” Other people did his real Facebook for him. Marie, his PA liked to keep track of any fan pages, and he had an official page maintained through his publicist.
During the trailers, they made small talk, agreeing or disagreeing about other movies they’d like to see – not necessarily together. He hid his anxiety, relieved his face didn’t flash up on the screen. Perfection had been out during the spring and his next movie wasn’t due out till the following year, but there was always the fear that they might run the trailer. When the film started, he relaxed fully. Two hours without having to make small talk with Alice, and two hours of getting involved in a story, his favourite subject.
Sometimes Steve liked to watch the movies his agent had put him forward for, and he’d been unsuccessful in getting. Not necessarily to torture himself over it, but he wanted to see what that actor had that maybe Steve didn’t, look at the things he needed to improve on. Assess the other actor’s qualities.
Alice didn’t budge throughout the whole movie. They’d both laughed at the funny parts. The credits rolled at the end, and Steve made to get up, but Alice grabbed his arm to stop him. “We have to stay till the end. Usually something happens,” she said.
Steve nodded, and settled back into his chair. He could still feel the warmth of her hand on his skin.
“Did you enjoy it?” he asked, aware that others were leaving around them, though some stayed too. Probably a stupid question, as Alice, like him, had been engrossed in the movie.
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