Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Oh god.
This feels ominous, and my first thought is that Cole is about to propose. Which is absurd. We haven’t even been dating all that long, and we’ve talked about it. I’ve told him that I would rather my future fiancé—we both agree it’s him—pop the question to me somewhere private, just the two of us. I don’t want it to be a spectacle. Oh my god, if he proposes to me during a staff meeting, I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him—resuscitate him—and then kill him again.
I know that’s not what’s about to happen, but still, I feel woozy as I get to my feet.
Why on earth is he calling me up onstage?
It’s dead silent in the ballroom as I ascend the stairs.
“Woo! Go, Paige,” Lara calls out, trying to help cut the tension, but it’s not enough.
Camila follows this up with a resounding whistle.
I scurry up the last few steps as fast as I can, hoping to get this over with swiftly.
“What is this?” I hiss at Cole as I reach him.
His smile widens. “A promotion.”
I stutter to a stop.
Then he turns to address the audience. “Over the last few months, we’ve conducted a random survey to get a baseline for what our guests value most here at Siesta Playa”—he turns back to me—“and your excursions ranked as one of the top resort activities . . . right after our beloved buffets.”
The crowd laughs.
Meanwhile, I’m close to tears. I have to look away and collect myself. It’s one thing to love what I do and to give it my all day in and day out, strategizing how best to lead a rowdy group through a sailing trip or being my most chipper self during a hike even when I’m not feeling up to it. It’s another thing to actually be recognized for it. I always hear the complainers and the squeaky wheels. The guests who hate every minute of the torture I subject them to shout the loudest and therefore stick in my mind the most. Sure, every now and then someone will make a point to stop and tell me they had a great day or they enjoyed a particular activity. But I had no idea I was a fan favorite around here.
There are other employees who work excursions who’ve been here longer than I have, but none that care about the job like I do. For Camila and Lara, this job is a means to an end. They enjoy having a carefree island life; they aren’t looking to move up in the company.
“A promotion has been long overdue,” Cole tells me.
“In front of everyone, though . . . ?” I whisper, giving the massive audience the side-eye, like, Hello! You can see them, too, right?
Cole shrugs off my concern. “Everyone will find out eventually. This way we all get to celebrate with you.”
I hate him.
That is . . . until he tells me my new title. Right into the microphone, nice and loud, he knights me “Paige Young, director of excursions within the entertainment and hospitality department at Siesta Playa, a subsidiary of . . .” Yada yada, you get it.
Oh wow. I can quite literally feel my head expanding like a hot air balloon with this surge of new power. My heels come off the stage a little.
I’ll never let Cole live this down. Tonight, at dinner, he will have to refer to me as Director Paige Young if he wants me to pass the salt, or maybe even the esteemed Paige Young. Are only lawyers allowed to use esquire? Because that could be a seriously cool title too . . .
I’m so lost in my thoughts that it takes me a moment to realize the crowd is clapping for me, and not just in that half-assed way where they think if they do it, it’ll make this whole thing end faster. Okay, the girl got a promotion. Whoop-de-do.
They’re actually happy for me!
When I look out at the sea of smiling faces, my eyes well up with unshed tears. There’s Dr. Missick right up front, giving me two enthusiastic thumbs up. Desiree and Maddox are going crazy right behind him, thankfully fully clothed today. Serge and Blaze sit a few rows back, and I see Blaze mouth “Good job, Paula!” And for a microsecond I’m concerned that the poor guy just cannot get it together enough to remember my actual name. Then he winks and redeems himself.
Camila and Lara, Oscar, Théo—they all cheer the loudest.
Just when I think the crowd might band together and do a proper wave or give a resounding Go, Paige! Go!, the clapping trickles down and people mostly get bored again, like, What now? Am I getting a promotion?
“Will there be refreshments in the lobby? A custom cake in the shape of my head?”