Lovestruck Page 12

  "What a pig." Jenny grumbled. She lifted the phone receiver and wiped away the grease with a clean paper towel. When the phone appeared to be spotless, she placed the receiver against her ear to make sure she could hear a dial tone. She was surprised to hear a click and a voice talking on the opposite end.

  "Hey, Rich thanks for getting back to me." Jeffery's voice came over the line.

  Jenny wrinkled her brow. Why would Jeffery be talking to someone on a hotel landline when he had his Blackberry on him to make personal calls? She shrugged, about to place the receiver down, when she heard the other voice on the line say something that stopped her in her tracks.

  "I have your resume and can promise you an interview will be set up by next week. I can't believe the St. Jennings is closing. The hotel has been there forever."

  "Eh. What can you do? Cousin Barbara has a big fish interested in buying the building. She'll easily net a cool hundred mil on the place. She's also thinking of cutting the staff. Between now and the time we close, we still need to try to turn a profit. Even if she decides not to sell, we'll probably still need to cut costs. I've been up to my balls in meetings with these idiots over the past few days. They have no clue half of them may be cut loose." Jeffery explained.

  "What about you? Not that you should have anything to worry about with The Barracuda being your cousin. You have a pretty sweet deal there."

  "You would think the bitch would offer me a position in the main offices instead of keeping me here in this shit hole. She comes in and acts like she's god or something and tells me what to do. I've been running the show here for years, not her. She never gave a rat's ass before, but now that she can put a little more change in her pocket, she suddenly decides to show an interest. Acts as if she is so stressed out half the time.

  You'd think she would be jumping for joy unloading this load of bricks. "

  "After next week, you don't have to worry. As long as the interview goes off without a hitch, you're in, buddy," Rick said.

  "Great. The highlight of all of this is I'll be around for some of the firings. She's given me some responsibility on deciding who stays and who goes. I can't wait. It'll be great to see who'll be begging me to stay." Jeffery chuckled and Rick joined in.

  "Anyway, what are you doing . . . ?"

  Jenny pulled the phone away from her ear and gently replaced it on its cradle.

  She sat down in Jeffery's chair, shocked to her core. She wasn't surprised by the way he'd spoken on the phone, but what he had said to his friend had stunned her. How could Barbara do this to her, and her friends who needed their jobs to survive?

  Jenny covered her mouth. At first she had found it very strange that Barbara would offer her a job as her assistant, but now it made perfect sense. If Barbara thought about closing the St. Jennings, she and everyone else, including Mike and Tonya, would be out of jobs.

  She stood, not sure how to handle this information. Apparently, no one else knew . . . just Jeffrey, Barbara, and now her. But now that she knew, how would she handle it? Should she tell everyone, ask Jeffery what the hell was going on, or confront Barbara herself?

  As she tried to decide the best course of action, Jeffery waltzed in.

  He was reading his Blackberry and didn't notice Jenny standing there. He finished reading his email message and glanced around his office. "You can leave now."

  Jeffery ordered.

  Jenny moved to the side as he walked over to his desk and sat down, but she didn't leave.

  Jeffery looked up at her. "Is there something else you need?"

  Jenny felt like her heart was going to explode. She licked her lips and took a deep breath. She had a second to decide if she should mention what she had overheard on the phone.

  "I've been wondering how your meetings are going with everyone."

  Jeffery placed his Blackberry on his desk and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head and his stomach bulging out over his pants. "Pretty good.

  Nothing too out of the ordinary. You know how it went down since you had your own with Ms. Jennings."

  "Oh yeah." She wondered what Barbara had said about her to him. "Did she say anything interesting about me?"

  "You haven't been a big subject of discussion, other than mentioning your meeting went well." Jeffery made a face as he answered the questions she threw his way.

  "What exactly are these meetings for?" She persisted.

  "Typical review type stuff. Nothing to worry about."

  Jenny couldn't believe Jeffery could lie so easily. She was utterly disgusted by him, the whole situation, and appalled with herself for falling for a woman who could be so callous. Barbara and Jeffrey were two peas in a pod.

  "That's good to know. For a moment I thought . . . well, it's silly, but maybe these meetings are to fish out certain employees who are lacking in their work."

  "What are you getting at, Jenny?" Jeffery asked. He sat up and tapped his fingers against his chair.

  "From other stories I've heard—"

  "Jenny, go home. There's nothing else to talk about on this topic. I don't know what you've heard, but you should know better than to listen to rumors. Sometimes you worry about things that don't concern you."

  Jenny clenched her fist as she tried to hold back a retort that would get her fired.

  "Okay. Thanks."

  As she walked away, Jeffery called out to her one last time.

  "Jenny, if you see Mike tell him I have the book he wanted to borrow from me."

  "I'll make sure to give him the message," she said in a taut voice and walked out the door. Without saying a word to anyone else, she rushed into the locker room and ran straight into the bathroom where only a few short hours ago she'd spent those brief, too-perfect moments with Barbara. As she splashed her face with cold water, she held back a sob. It didn't help. A few tears fell from her eyes and dripped down her cheeks.

  Chapter Eleven

  After Jenny had her mini-breakdown in the bathroom, she calmed down. At the moment, she didn't know what to do next. She found herself in a position of being damned if you do, damned if you don't. She knew she couldn't stay in the bathroom all night. Her friends were waiting for her to stop by The Watering Hole.

  She took in a few deep breaths and went over to her locker to get her things. She had two text messages from Mike, one missed call, and a phone message. Looking at the number, she recognized it as Barbara's. If she listened to the message, she would call her back and have it out with her. Instead, she would go have a drink with her friends and figure out what to do later.

  Jenny walked out of the hotel in a daze, deep in thought. The rain had stopped and the night had turned clear, with only a few scattered clouds remaining in the sky.

  She walked around the puddles on the sidewalk. She felt utterly exhausted, not just because of all the sexual exercise she had engaged in with Barbara, but because she felt used. It didn't help matters she knew key information everyone she worked with had a right to know. She walked to the bar with a heavy heart. She planned on having one beer but craved something a lot stronger—like a few shots of vodka or tequila.

  For a Sunday night, The Watering Hole looked pretty crowded with regulars and others who wanted to get one last drink in before they started work or other important responsibilities come Monday. Just like the famed bar Cheers on television, The Watering Hole was a place to go where everyone really did know your name. The moment Jenny entered the bar, many happy memories came rushing back and she smiled over the trouble she, Mike and Tonya would get into as they got drunk under the watchful eye of James. Tonya's brother could be a big stickler but there were times he allowed the bar crowd to let loose, particularly on St. Patrick's Day, when bagpipers played to get the crowd excited. This would lead to some of the female patrons dancing on top of the bar. Jenny had been one of them once or twice.

  The Watering Hole could be classified as a dive bar with wooden benches and tables in the front. In the back were pool tables, dart
boards and a few televisions to watch sporting events. The regulars came there for non-watered-down drinks and the low-priced happy hour during the week.

  Jenny saw Mike and Tonya sitting in the corner booth, sharing a pitcher of beer.

  Mike faced the door, which he always did, in order have a clear view of James, who worked tonight. James chatted with an attractive guy in a suit, a Wall Street type, who drank from a glass of clear liquid.

  James looked up and smiled when he saw Jenny. "Hey, Jens." He waved. She appreciated his nice smile and sparkling blue eyes. He had also started going gray around the temples and she couldn't help but compare him to Anderson Cooper, the news reporter from the cable news network she sometimes watched. She started to walk over and say hello, but Mike motioned for her to come over.

  "I'll catch ya later, Jamie," Jenny said.

  James looked over at the booth where his sister and Mike sat and lifted his hand in understanding. "Just come over when you need another pitcher."

  "Will do," Jenny responded and walked over to her friends.

  When she reached the booth, Mike made room for her to sit next to him. Without a word, she picked up an empty glass that stood in the middle of table, poured a full glass of beer and chugged. Both Tonya and Mike watched in silence, most likely due to the fact that they'd never seen her do such a thing.

  In less than a minute Jenny finished the beer and let out a loud burp. "Excuse me." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I think I'm going to need something a bit stronger than just beer."

  "Whoa there, girl. What happened to having one drink and then you leaving to go to your study cave?" Tonya asked as she poured the last of the beer into her glass.

  "We're out anyway. I'll go get more." She got up to go get another round when Mike stopped her by taking the pitcher from her.

  "Let me get this one."

  Both Jenny and Tonya looked at each other, amused.

  Tonya placed her hand on Mike's shoulder. "Listen buddy. James is not interested in you. You gotta get over this crush you have on him. It's been going on for way too long."

  Mike gave the girls a pout. "I can still talk to the guy. Anyway, he doesn't look too happy at the moment. I don't like that slick guy sitting at the bar. He rubs me the wrong way."

  Jenny and Tonya looked over at James. He frowned at something the Wall Street guy said, but then turned away to take another patron's order.

  Tonya picked up her beer and took a sip. "That dude is so not his type. Jamie would never go for a button up stiff neck like him. Look at the guy, chatting him up.

  Probably thinks if he makes nice, he'll get some free booze. You know my brother. He's just being friendly. Now either give me the pitcher or I'm going to bop you over the head with it. You stay put and figure out why Jenny is so moody."

  Tonya grabbed the empty pitcher from Mike and walked up to the bar where James was pouring some beers.

  Mike watched Tonya as she joked with her brother. Their laughter could be heard across the room. Mike banged the back of his head against the wooden booth. "I do need help, and I need to get laid. I've never been this horny before. Why won't he screw me?"

  Jenny rubbed her fingers on the surface of the table. "I'm not moody, it's just . . .

  do you know Jeffery is an asshole?"

  "Like that's anything new. He keeps asking me out."

  "Before I left, he said to tell you he has the book you wanted to borrow from him."

  Mike grunted. "He would just love me to have something of his. I've never asked him for any book. He overheard me talking to Patrick the handyman about how I wanted to see the Andy Warhol exhibit down in the East Village. Jeffrey appears like a vampire from the shadows and says how he has an autobiography I can borrow from him. Maybe we can even go to the exhibit together. Gag me." Mike moved his finger in and out of mouth.

  Jenny bumped her shoulder against his." Maybe you should go out with him once. Then he'll stop bothering you."

  "Um, no, my naïve girlfriend. If I do, Jeffery will be all over me like white on rice.

  The next thing he'll want to do is go to gay clubs where it will give him the perfect excuse to stick his tongue down my throat or suck me off."

  "Michael! That's just too—ugh." Jenny made a face and Mike laughed.

  "Anyway, enough about me. Why are you so down and what's it got to do with Bane? Did he say something to upset you before you left work?"

  "Let's just say I found out something that could ruin all our lives." Jenny looked down at the table again as her heart pounded. She wanted to tell Mike and Tonya her situation with Barbara but didn't want them to feel sorry for her or think she was so inexperienced, like Mike thought, for having an intimate relationship with their boss.

  "Ruin our lives? Now I have to—" Mike began but stopped when Tonya came back with another pitcher of beer and a shot for Jenny.

  "Here we go. I also got you a shot of rumple mints, compliments of the house."

  She slid into the booth and poured herself a beer.

  "Thanks, Tonya." Jenny wrinkled her nose. "Couldn't you've asked for vodka or tequila instead? Rumple mints is such a girly drink and won't go down well with beer."

  "Please. You're one-hundred-percent girly, and after that shot, you won't want to drink anything else. I'm keeping your best interest at heart, seeing as I'm such a good friend and all." Tonya patted her unkempt hair.

  Jenny took in her friend's bedraggled appearance, her bloodshot eyes, and wondered if Tonya had trouble sleeping at night because of the separation. She hated to add to her friend's burdens by dropping the bomb that all their jobs were in jeopardy.

  "Bottoms up." She saluted with her glass in the air and took a deep gulp. She wheezed and grabbed Mike's beer, taking a long sip. "This is so nasty." She burped and patted her stomach.

  Mike shook his head and took his beer back. He sipped and stared across the room. Jenny and Tonya shared a look again and Jenny poured her own beer chaser.

  "Now that Tonya's back, you can tell us how our lives are going to be ruined,"

  Mike said as he continued to watch the bar.

  "As if my life could get any worse." Tonya lamented and looked down into her glass.

  "I know I shouldn't tell anybody, but I overheard a conversation between Jeffery and his friend—"

  "Shit! Jeffery has friends?" Mike asked, shocked.

  Tonya giggled.

  "Yup. His friend is willing to help him find another job."

  "Why is this a bad thing? We should be celebrating." Tonya tapped her glass with Mike's.

  "If only that was the main reason. What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this booth. I don't want it to get around the hotel in case I'm wrong. And I hope I am." Jenny leaned in closer and looked around.

  Both Mike and Tonya leaned forward. "This must be good if you don't want the twenty odd people around us to overhear." Mike commented as he looked over at James again.

  Jenny grabbed his chin and turned his face back toward hers. "Can you keep your lust under control for one moment and pay attention to me?'

  Mike nodded and moved his face away. "Okay. Calm down. Maybe you need to call your mate at school for another lesbo love fest."

  Tonya gasped. "You finally got some action? With who? Is that why you want us to be all hush-hush? Did it suck? Is that why you're cranky because you didn't get your rocks off?"

  "Jesus Christ, guys. This isn't about me getting laid. It's about our jobs." Jenny gritted her teeth to keep from yelling.

  "What about our jobs?" Tonya asked, unconcerned as she poured more beer into her glass.

  "If you two can stop your chattering for a moment I'll tell you. I picked up Jeffery's phone and heard him talking to his friend on another line. The reason Barb—

  The Barracuda—is suddenly so involved in the St. Jennings and has scheduled these employee meetings is because she has a limited amount of time to make a decision about the future of the hotel. She either closes the place down
, sells it off to some rich guy, or she fires some of the staff."

  Both Mike and Tonya looked at each other "Bull shit." They said in unison Jenny waved her hands in the air. "Hello? I'm not making this up. I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. Or should I say, the jackass's mouth."

  "Jen, don't jump to conclusions. The rumor about Jennings selling the hotel has been around for a long time. The St. Jennings has been in her family for years. She isn't going to hand it over just to put more money in her pocket." Mike explained.

  Jenny pushed away her glass. "But why would Jeffery tell his friend, and also look for a new job? He's got it made where he is."

  "Because he wants to make himself sound good. If he's such a good employee, why isn't he working in the ivory towers with her highness?" Tonya asked.

  "Why do you call her that? She isn't too bad," Jenny said before she could stop herself.

  "Excuse me. You never had a problem before . . . wait just a minute. I smell something different in the air." Tonya sniffed to prove her point. "I don't think Mike is the only one here with a crush on someone. Could it be, Miss Caffey, you have a crush on a certain someone also?"

  Jenny lowered her chin to hide the blush rising. She bit her lip.

  "Aha! I knew it. You have a thing for The Barracuda!" Tonya sounded pleased with herself.

  "It's nothing," Jenny mumbled, not meeting her friend's eyes.

  "It's okay, babe. Welcome to the world of unrequited love. It's a bitch." Mike picked up his glass to hit it against Jenny's, but she crossed her arms.

  "It's not a crush." Jenny tapped her foot. She wanted to tell Mike and Tonya about her and Barbara but held back.