Raven sipped the coffee and watched Rachelle open a notepad and skim through the pages.
“First order of business…” Rachelle started.
“I’m giving you a raise,” Raven broke in.
Rachelle’s eyebrows shot up. “You… are?”
Raven smiled. “You deserve it.”
“Of course, I do.” Rachelle laughed. “I just never expected to get one. I’ve worked here for so long and this will be the first.”
“Seriously?” Raven was shocked. She’d known she was underpaid, but surely, she’d at least gotten one raise in the last eight years.
Rachelle shrugged. “The work was my only reward, until now.” She smiled. “Do I get a fancy new title as well?” she joked.
Raven laughed. “What is your official title now?”
“Hotel Manager.” Rachelle rolled her eyes. “Not bad, but it doesn’t really encompass everything I do.”
Raven thought about it and nodded. “How does Resort Director sound?” Raven asked.
“Fancy,” Rachelle said with a smile. “I’ll take it.”
“Good. Now what do you say we get this meeting started.” She flipped open her own notebook and got to work.
Even though she hadn’t seen Cade all week long, they had been texting or calling one another multiple times each day and each night.
Darby and Carrie were meeting her in the lobby later for dinner for girls’ night, which was becoming a weekly thing with the friends. She’d convinced them to have dinner at the resort and hang in her rooms since she hadn’t wanted a repeat of last week.
She knew from the gossip going around town that her aunt and uncle had been questioned about the break-in, but just like Joseph’s murder, it appeared that the police weren’t sure about who had done it. At least not yet.
The gossip about Joseph’s death hadn’t died down yet. Speculations were floating around town and rumors had her at the top of the guilty list. At least she shared the number-one spot with her uncle. It wasn’t the first time she’d been guilty without proof in the eyes of the townspeople.
Since she’d been avoiding going into town all week, she hadn’t run into her aunt or uncle now that they were back in town.
Liza, on the other hand, was still living in a room in the main building where Raven had her own room. She’d moved twice already, trying to stay out of the way of the construction. She didn’t mind it since she currently only had a suitcase worth of clothes. She’d gone into town one day and had purchased a few more outfits for work along with some more casual clothes. Still, they all easily fit into the small hotel closet.
After meeting her friends in the bar, the three of them settled down at a table near the back of the area.
There were four employees working in the bar area tonight, and Raven had wanted to keep an eye on two of the newer ones to make sure they could handle a busy night. Not that she didn’t trust Rachelle’s judgment in the matter. But Raven knew one of them personally.
It wasn’t as if Heather was going around causing problems. Rachelle had let Raven know that, since she’d been hired, she’d convinced a bunch of the locals who still held grudges against Raven to start frequenting the resort bar.
Raven was fairly sure it was for her own selfish reasons, since she needed the tips.
The new uniform for the employees was classy and sleek, but somehow, on Heather, it looked downright slutty. Raven had watched the woman flirt as she worked the room, and Raven realized that the outfit she’d changed into after work was far from sexy.
She’d picked a pencil skirt and a cream-colored blouse with a matching pair of boots that she’d found at the local shoe store in town. She knew that her friends would expect her to wear something better than work slacks and this was the best she had currently. Besides the sexy red dress, which she was saving for tomorrow night.
Her friends were both dressed in what Raven would describe as club attire, making her feel even more ordinary.
Darby was dressed in a little hot-pink number with heeled boots. Her blonde hair had been curled, and she was easily wearing twice her normal makeup.
Carrie had on a slinky black dress that hugged her curves and showcased her long curly hair.
When she’d noticed what her friends were wearing, she’d instantly wished that she could have made it into the city to get something a little sexier.
“You seemed preoccupied,” Carrie said after their drinks had arrived. “Did something else happen?” she asked with a slight gasp.
“Your aunt and uncle? Did they do something more?” Darby jumped in.
“No.” Raven shook her head and then took a sip of her wine. “No, I haven’t seen or heard from them since I saw them in the diner.”
“Good.” Darby leaned back. “They haven’t been back since.”
“What’s on your mind then?” Carrie asked.
“I have a date tomorrow night with Cade,” she answered.
“Oh.” Darby smiled. “I knew there was something between the two of you.”
Carrie rolled her eyes. “Duh-doy. Everyone in town knows that Raven spent the night at Cade’s last week. That’s how someone broke into her rooms and…” Her friend stopped talking and reached over and laid her hand over hers. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m over it. I hated my wardrobe anyway.” She tried to make light of the situation. Over the past few days, she’d been consoled so many times about her ruined things that she was almost numb to it. After all, it wasn’t the first time in life she’d lost everything dear to her. This time it had just been clothes. Last time it had been so much more.
“When we head up to your room, we’ll help you pick out something sexy for your date,” Carrie said, holding up her wine glass.
“I have a little red dress Cade’s been looking forward to seeing me in,” she replied with a smile.
“Go, girl,” Darby said, holding up her wine glass.
“Let’s forget men and enjoy girl time.” Carrie held her glass up.
The three friends clicked their glasses together and drank.
Less than five minutes later, Andre Walker strolled into the bar with a few of his friends.
“Oh my god,” Darby sighed as she watched the men settle at the bar. “He’s just so… damn hot.”
Raven watched her friend’s eyes go dreamy as she looked at the group.
“Which one?” Carrie asked. The tone of jealousy in her friend’s voice had her eyes moving over towards her.
Carrie’s eyes were glued to Andre. Was there something between the two?
“Tony Ellis, of course,” Darby clarified, sounding a little shocked and offended. “Not Andre.” Darby rolled her eyes.
“What is going on between you two?” Raven asked.
Darby leaned closer; her eyes glued to Carrie’s. “Everyone in town knows that Andre and Carrie…”
Raven’s eyebrows jumped. “You two?”
“No,” Carrie denied it quickly. She took a sip of her wine as her eyes moved away from the group of men.
“No as in… not any more or no as in… never?” Raven asked with a smile.
“No as in… no.” Carrie’s tone turned sad. “Everyone in town knows Andre’s father is very anti…”