by Nina Kaye
I sit thoughtfully for a few moments.
‘I guess there’s some logic in that,’ I eventually admit. ‘Though I suggest you lose the word cougar from your vocabulary.’
‘Exactly. And I will do this.’ Reyes is triumphant. ‘Now, I am sorry that I trick you. I break the chica rules. But I am not sorry that my plan is working.’
‘Apology accepted.’ I smile at her affectionately, unable to stay even remotely annoyed with my adorable firecracker of a friend.
As I start to relax, the memories from the evening before come flooding back.
‘So, do you want to hear the details then?’ I ask.
‘Every single one.’ Reyes dives into the seat beside me, wide-eyed.
A couple of hours later, as I’m clearing empty glasses from the tables of some early evening customers, the phone in the store cupboard rings. Reyes pads through to answer it, then returns a few moments later.
‘It is Mister Gardiner. You go to his office. He want to talk to you about your communication expertises.’
‘Oh, right… sure,’ I reply. ‘Guess I’d better go then.’
I leave the bar and quickly make my way through the hotel, jangling with anticipation. Could this be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for? A vacancy at Head Office? That would be amazing. It could be the lucky break I’ve been waiting for; perhaps meaning I can wave goodbye to my career and money worries.
Fuelled by this optimism, I reach Aaron’s office and knock assertively on his door.
‘Come in,’ he calls in response.
I open the door and stride inside to find Aaron leaning on his desk, poring over something on his computer. His hands are semi clasped, with just his index fingers extended, tapping out his thought process.
‘Reyes said you wanted to see me?’ I prompt him.
‘That’s right,’ he says, without looking up. ‘Take a seat.’
I obediently sit down on the chair at the other side of his desk, and lean forward to signal my eagerness to get down to business. Aaron either doesn’t notice this, or he ignores it, and continues to stare at the screen for a minute or so longer, before fixing his gaze on me.
‘Something has come up that requires your skill set.’
‘What’s that?’ I try to act nonchalant, but I’m willing him to get to the point. ‘Reyes said it was communications-related?’
‘It is.’ He nods stiffly, his gaze shifting back to his computer screen momentarily, before he locks it back on me.
My almost non-existent patience finally erodes. ‘Has a vacancy come up at Head Office?’
Aaron shakes his head. ‘No, Liv. It’s me who needs your skill set.’
‘OK…’ I digest this, wondering what it means. ‘Are you looking for a communications person for the hotel? Have you been granted some budget or something?’
‘Again, no.’ Aaron eyes me almost curiously, causing me to shift slightly in my seat. ‘I said I’d let you know straight away if anything came up.’
‘Of course.’ I can feel my cheeks flaming under his scrutiny. I’m acutely aware of the crushing disappointment written on my face.
‘I’ve been asked to do an article for a well-known Scottish magazine; a piece on my career. They’re doing a feature on inspirational Scottish leaders in different professions and apparently they see me as some kind of role model.’
‘Right… wow. An acknowledgment of your hard work. That’s exciting… isn’t it?’ I take in his less than enthused demeanour.
‘I don’t do what I do for praise, Liv.’ Aaron cocks his head to the left, as if trying to ascertain the reason for my previous statement. ‘I do it because it matters to me; because helping people learn and grow is important.’
‘Which is exactly why you’ve been recognised in this way,’ I try again.
My disappointment at this not being the opportunity I was hoping for is immediately forgotten as I tune in to Aaron’s discomfort. I’ve seen this before. True leaders never want the spotlight. They show people the way, and their reward is seeing them blossom and succeed. They are a rarer breed than the type of leader Sharon is: driven by power, money and an oversized ego. The type who’d elbow anyone out the way for a shot on the podium. Aaron is clearly struggling with the attention. It’s not in his nature to sell himself publicly the way the magazine wants. This is my chance to repay some of the favours he’s so selflessly paid me.
‘So, what do you need from me?’ I ask. ‘What kind of article is it?’
He grimaces, glancing back at the PC screen again. ‘That’s the problem. They didn’t give me much of a brief. Just asked me to write something about how I got to where I am in my career, and that shows who I am as a leader. They said they’ll reshape it for the article.’
‘OK.’ I smile at him. ‘We can work with that. What have you written so far?’
Aaron swivels his PC screen round so I can see what’s there. I quickly read through the three lengthy paragraphs he’s composed, and it doesn’t take long to identify the problem. It’s glaringly obvious. I just have to make sure I’m diplomatic in my feedback to him.
‘The good news is that you write well…’ I pause, as I consider how to frame the more constructive elements of my feedback.
‘Do not dance around me, Liv.’ Aaron removes his glasses and leans back in his seat. ‘I’m not someone who needs the niceties.’
‘Right, of course.’ I ditch the dialogue that’s forming in my head. ‘As I said – and I mean this – you write well. This…’ I wave my hand towards the screen. ‘It’s a great promotional piece for the hotel. But where are you in it? The reader will want to know where you’ve come from, the challenges you’ve overcome in your career, how you’ve honed your leadership style. They need to see your success and just a smidgen of your vulnerability, so they can identify with you.’
‘I thought you might say something like that.’ Aaron rubs his chin reflectively. ‘That kind of… fluff… it doesn’t come easily to me.’
I laugh, then put my hand to my mouth in apology. ‘It’s not “fluff”, Aaron. It’s important. You’re the reason the staff in this hotel are happy, why they give great service and why they stay here. Which is ultimately why the customers give great ratings on TripAdvisor and why they keep coming back. You’ve created a working environment where people can see a career and a future, not just a way of paying the bills. And although you’re not the… how do I put this… the touchy-feely kind, the people I’ve spoken to here are in no doubt of your support. That’s what you need to get across in this article – along with a bit about who you are outside of work, any work you do in the community, how you fit being a dad into the picture, that kind of thing.’
I stop talking and look at Aaron, who’s grinning at me in his almost unsettling way.
‘What?’ I ask, bemused.
‘I assumed you’d be good at this stuff, but I’ve never seen you in action. Very impressive. Exactly the angle I need. Now, if you could repeat all that, a bit more slowly, I’ll take some notes.’
He puts his glasses back on, sits forward and pulls the screen back round to face him. Then he starts to type as a try my best to relay back what I’ve just said. Once I’m done, Aaron thanks me, almost absently, still totally immersed in the notes he’s just created, and it’s clear my job is done. It’s almost as if he’s forgotten I’m there.
‘Right, well, I’ll get back to work then.’ I get to my feet uncertainly. ‘Err… if you want me to read it through once you’ve written it, I’d be more than happy to.’
Aaron finally tears himself away from his computer screen. ‘This is excellent. I know exactly what to do with it now. It won’t need a read-through; I just wanted to get the content right. Thanks for your help on this, Liv.’
‘No problem at all.’ I smile warmly at him, but he’s already retreated behind the computer screen again, now typing furiously. ‘OK, see you then.’
There’s no response from Aaron as I leave his office, closing
the door behind me, and I can’t help chuckling to myself as I return to the bar. He’s the ultimate paradox, Aaron. To the untrained eye, he comes across as cold, abrupt and almost socially inept. But under the surface is a man who cares; seeing others succeed is what makes him tick. I just hope he does himself justice in this article.
It’s after one in the morning by the time the last gaggle of customers leave, and we’re completing the shutdown of the bar. It’s been a fairly busy evening, and with it being Amir’s day off, we’ve had little time to chat since I filled a riveted Reyes in on my date with Josh.
‘I do not see Josh tonight,’ Reyes comments, as she starts to cash up the till. ‘Is he here?’
‘He’s on a day off today.’ I look up briefly from the table I’m wiping down. ‘Cheeky sod only shared that information once we were several hours in, and the idea of no hangover was a distant memory.’
‘He has cheek.’ Reyes laughs, nodding agreement. ‘But also charm. His charming is what is…’
‘Irresistible?’ I offer.
‘Exactly this,’ Reyes confirms. ‘This makes me think why you stay with this story that you wake up alone in your own apartment this morning.’
‘It’s because I did!’ I lob the cloth at her playfully and she ducks behind the till. ‘It happened just as I said. We had a brilliant night. Great chat, far too much alcohol, a lot of drunken kissing. But I went home alone. As did Josh. He was a perfect gentleman.’
‘This is even better than I think.’ Reyes’s eyes twinkle excitedly. ‘Josh is respectful charmer.’
‘He is,’ I agree. ‘If he had tried anything more, I think it would have spoiled things between us. That us done?’
‘Nearly.’ Reyes nods. ‘But first I must finish the cashing up.’
‘Want me to get your stuff from the locker room?’ I ask.
‘Please, Chica.’ She hands me her locker key. ‘I see you back here in five minutes.’
I wander out of the bar, into the main hotel, then through the staff corridor to the changing rooms. I remove our coats and bags from our lockers, and then I rummage in my bag and pull out my phone. My stomach does a full-on break dance as I see I have a text from Josh.
Hey beautiful. How’s your shift been? I’ve been thinking about you all day. x
He’s been thinking about me all day? Is that for real? Or just a charming line I’m supposed to naively fall for? As I’ve just perfectly demonstrated. Surely not. I let out a little peep of excitement.
Embarrassed, I look around me, expecting the mortifying presence of someone who has just witnessed my ridiculous teenage behaviour. I tentatively check the toilet cubicles and the showers, but I’m definitely alone. I sink onto the wooden changing bench, and for a few moments, just allow my senses to go into overdrive.
I think about Josh’s tender touch; the way he took control, but also made me feel completely at ease. His soft lips gently caressing my face, then planting firm, but sensual kisses on my mouth. His breath tickling my neck as he pulled my body close to him, locking me into the most exquisite embrace. He is so damn hot. And really sweet and caring. I felt so safe in his arms. Oh, I am a goner. There’s no point in fighting it.
Suddenly, the door to the locker room flies open, startling me, as a member of the night team enters. Like a teenage boy caught poring over the women’s underwear pages of an online store, I jump to my feet guiltily, grab Reyes’s and my things, and scurry out into the corridor.
As I hurry back to the bar, I tap out a reply to Josh, making absolutely sure I don’t share an ounce of my adolescent excitement.
Hi you. Shift was all right. Could have done without the hangover. Lucky you having time to think about something other than work. ;) xx
Pleased with my flirty and slightly provocative response, I shove my phone back in my bag just as I enter the bar.
‘Were you getting lost?’ Reyes looks as me quizzically as I join her in the storeroom behind the bar.
‘Sort of.’ I smile and feel my cheeks start to heat up. ‘I got a text from Josh. Was just replying.’
‘Ah, this is excellent news!’ Reyes claps her hands together in glee. ‘I am so happy I trick you. Romancing is essential for living. Like alcohol. We need both to survive.’
As she says this, a thought pops into my mind.
‘Oh, I totally forgot to tell you!’
‘You forget to tell me what?’ Reyes asks.
‘About my new blog. Dylan helped me set it up so I can try and make some extra money. It’s a secret though. You can’t tell anyone. It’s just a bit of fun – writing about dating and gin. I’m using this place as a source of inspiration.’
‘Chica! You are using your talents? I am so happy for hearing this. Show me. I tell no one.’
I pull my phone out of my bag – noting that Josh hasn’t yet responded – navigate to my blog page and hand the phone to Reyes. She sits down on one of the seats, immediately engrossed.
What do you get when you cross gin and dating?
This is not a riddle. Although you’d be forgiven for suggesting ‘a love of alcohol’ or ‘bad judgement’ – particularly if your romantic encounters are as excruciating as some of those I witness.
I work in a bar, where gin and dating have become a huge part of my life – other people dating, not me – and I’ve found a curious and exciting link between the two: They fascinate me, and I can write about them together. So here goes…
Yesterday, while concocting a deliciously classic Singapore Sling – made with gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Benedictine, grenadine, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters – I happened to glance at the revolving door, and spotted a terrified-looking man (boy? – although he passed the ID check) skulking into the bar, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. He was short, with hair from the nineties (curtains, I think they called them), bad skin and facial hair a fifteen-year-old boy could easily compete with. He seemed so tortured, it made me wonder why he’d even put himself through such discomfort. He would have looked less out of place at a toddler’s birthday party.
All became clear when his date showed up. There’s bombshells and then there’s this woman: tall, oozing elegance, a body any girl would sell her granny for, mountainous cleavage, and with a mane of blonde hair and big pouty lips. It was like heaven had thrown up, and this was what it produced.
Of course, you must see the issue straight away. How can she be meeting him? Did he use a different photo online and now he’s hoping she won’t notice?
Riveted, I could only half-focus on the next order – luckily a simple Pink Gin, a drink with a real bitter kick, best made with Plymouth Gin and a dash of Angostura bitters – as the introductions commenced. She’d recognised him, so my fake photo theory was out the window.
What followed was even more confounding. Once he’d packed away a few G&Ts he was on a roll. The conversation was flowing, intellectual, with endless humorous banter – and she was hooked. Having expected this to be the shortest date in history, I had to throw the two of them out at closing time. And that was difficult, because it almost involved having to surgically remove her tongue from this throat.
The most baffling experience, but proof that opposites really can attract. It’s so refreshing to see that it’s not always the hot beefcakes who win the Bond girl.
This week’s gin recommendation, inspired by these two lovebirds, is another unlikely pairing: try a garnish of tomato and basil with your next Friday G&T. It might sound like a salad gone wrong, but then you probably didn’t think my alternative Romeo and Juliet would work out either.
Looking forward to your verdicts!
As Reyes gradually scrolls down the post, I hold my breath in anticipation, awaiting her appraisal of my work. Dylan may have enjoyed it, but Reyes is more representative of my target market. She finishes reading and then looks up at me.
‘You really write this?’
‘I did it yesterday.’ I nod. ‘What do you th
ink?’
‘I think that you are genius. This is amazing.’ Reyes is wide-eyed. ‘I am finding this funny and interesting. I know about gin, yes, but if I do not, I am wanting to try these drinks.’
‘You really like it?’ I ask.
‘I do not just like it. I am loving it!’ Reyes jumps up and gives me a huge hug. ‘Felicitaciones, Chica. You will be big success.’
‘Oh, I’m so glad.’ I beam with relieved pride. ‘I was quite pleased with it, but you never really know.’
‘You have any commenting by your readers?’
‘You know.’ I rub my forehead. ‘With all the distraction with my impromptu date last night, I never thought to check that. Check for me?’
Still holding my phone, Reyes scrolls further down my blog page, then gasps.
‘Chica! You have many comments already. And…’ She’s silent for a few moments as she scans down them. ‘They are liking your post. Look.’
She hands me the phone.
‘Seriously?’ I spend a minute or so scrolling through the twenty or so comments myself. ‘Oh, wow. Some of them have even tried my tomato and basil recommendation.’
‘You must answer,’ says Reyes. ‘If you want following, you must talk with them.’
‘You’re absolutely right.’ I continue to scroll up and down my page in amazement. ‘I wonder how many subscribers I have now.’
I quickly log into my blog admin page and navigate to the subscriber stats.
‘Bloody hell!’ I clamp my hand over my mouth. ‘I’ve got nearly a thousand subscribers. After one post? That’s crazy!’
‘This is amazing! How so many?’ Reyes asks.
‘Dylan, again. As well as setting me up with my site, he’s using his contacts at work and his Twitter following to help me get subscribers. Yesterday, someone I know actually retweeted the link to it, so then I did too! It was great – meant I could share it, without compromising my anonymity.’
‘He is good man.’ Reyes looks very impressed. ‘He has romancing in his life, Dylan?’
‘Unfortunately, not.’ I shake my head. ‘His ex really messed him up. I’ve just helped him set up an online dating profile on LoveMatch though, so fingers crossed.’