With a sigh, she gave up the fight. Closing her eyes, she indulged in her first good nap in ages. How could she do anything other than relax while in such a fantastic place? Tonight, she needed to be fully alert when she went on the prowl.
Chapter Five
Haley awoke with a huge yawn, stretching her arms above her head until she grasped the headboard. She’d left the curtains open and she watched as the last rays of a spectacular sunset glowed through the huge open windows, a salty breeze blowing in from the Pacific Ocean.
A smile flitted across her face as she let go of the deep cherry wood and sat up. Her days of finals at school and planning her summer assignment had worn her out and she hadn’t rested this well in what seemed like eons. She’d have to find out where Crew purchased his beds because the mattress was simply divine.
As a loud growl from her stomach interrupted her happy thoughts, Haley laughed, then bounded out of bed. She loved waking, finding herself in a whole new day — well, a whole new night, since it was beginning to get dark outside.
Rapidly moving to the bathroom, she stripped down and jumped into the oversized shower, moaning as the forceful jets did their job of fully waking her up and of washing the grime of the day down the drain.
Maybe it was time she dipped into her inheritance funds for more than her schooling; she had a feeling that after staying in such a nice place, it would be difficult to go back to her small apartment in Seattle. If she could transport this shower, it might not be so bad…
The brass fixtures and granite tile gleamed, and the beveled glass was crystal clear. The bathroom even had a separate beauty area with a dark velvet bench where she could sit if she wanted to apply makeup and do her hair. It wasn’t her style to get done up, but maybe she should experiment, spend some more time on trying to look her best.
It was evident that Crew insisted on only the best, because the shampoo was amazing and the scent of peaches and mangoes drifted around her as suds enveloped her hair. Maybe there was something in aromatherapy — Haley was energized to face the night and Plan B in the seduction stakes.
Within an hour she was showered, dressed, and ready to seek out conversation and perhaps a bit of food, so she decided on the jazz bar inside the resort. And since Haley had worked a number of years in restaurants, she knew it was wise to make friends with the resort staff and especially the cooks. If you were friendly with them, tipped well, and sucked up a bit, you could eat so much better and get to try dishes no one else knew existed.
Anticipation hurried her movements. She tucked some cash into her pockets, along with her room key, then grabbed her small handbag. She preferred leaving it behind, but it had a couple of essential items she couldn’t go without.
Ready to roll. She had a determined set to her mouth as she shut the suite door behind her and made her way toward the elevators. It was time to find a teacher.
The lobby was even busier now than when she’d arrived, with people speaking excitedly as they sat in the high-backed chairs circling small tables with stunning vases sitting atop them. The flowers had to be real, making her want to touch them to make sure, but she kept on moving forward, on a mission to find a friendly staff member to give her information. She wished she had the courage to sit down and join in a conversation with the other hotel guests, but she didn’t at this point. Maybe soon...
Put a uniform on a person, and she could open up like a pirated book, but a man wearing a business suit like her grandfather had worn made her want to hide in the farthest corner. She was going to work on that —– even if it took her a while, as change often did, she’d eventually gain the courage to step outside her comfort zone.
Approaching the busy bar, she saw and heard an attractive musician playing soft music in the corner. His fingers caressed the keys of the grand piano, and several guests at nearby tables applauded when he finished a piece.
Hmmm. Those fingers showed promise.
Haley could picture herself sitting next to him on the bench, his chords washing over her as her own fingers drifted up his thigh. Whoa! Such thoughts weren’t helping her. She had a mission — a mission to ask the man she liked back home out on a date — not to hit on every eligible bachelor in this place. All she needed was to find a man willing to give her some pointers, give her some confidence, teach her how to seduce the man she wanted.
So far tonight, luck was with her: she found an open bar stool at the back of the counter, a spot almost guaranteed, in her experience, to get the most attention from the bartender. Seeing an ashtray nearby, she knew this was where he’d sneak over when he had a few moments to drag in a couple puffs of nicotine.
“Good evening. What are you drinking?” he asked hurriedly, barely glancing at her. This, Haley was used to. Story of my life.
“How about you surprise me? You look like a man who knows how to make a good drink,” she said with an open smile, and she pulled out her emergency cigarettes. She hated the smelly things, but she’d found they could be a great ice-breaker when she was with a smoker.
That gained his attention. He looked longingly at her thin white cigarette as she lit it with a flick of her cheap plastic lighter. Making sure she didn’t inhale — she hardly wanted to start coughing all over the poor man — she took a shallow puff while waiting for him to reply.
“Ah, an adventurous woman. I like that,” he said with a smile, showing he had one tooth missing in the corner of his mouth. It added character to his leathery cheeks.
Within a minute, he brought her a large layered cocktail with fruit on a stick. What fun!
“This here I call Marlin’s special,” he said with a chuckle. “Do you want to open a tab?”
“I’m assuming you’re Marlin?” When he nodded, she continued. “Well, Marlin, that would be lovely. Do you need my credit card or room key?” When his eyes drifted to her dangling cigarette again, Haley remembered to take a puff, before catching his eye.
“I’m being so rude. Would you like one?”
Marlin looked around to be sure nothing needed to be done at his bar, and then held out his hand. “That would be great, and your room key is sufficient.”
Gotcha! Haley thought. Yes, she knew how to speak to staff.
Within an hour Haley knew that Marlin had a wife he’d been married to for thirty years, two grown children, and two unexpected, but wanted, surprises. He’d moved to Catalina Island ten years earlier, and he was elated to be working at the Catalina Couture Resort, telling her it was the nicest bar he’d ever run. She had to agree with him there.