“This is the classic, welcome to Seascape Villa cocktail. Enjoy.”
They all watch me, making the drink into a challenge. I take a sip. It burns, but I think I can handle it. It turns out drinking is easier than making conversation. A few moments later the cup is half-empty, and Nick is topping it off.
“Are you from the village?” I ask Dawn, when the silence stretches out.
She gestures around the room. “Most of us went to high school together. Good old Seascape Village High.”
I realize that most of them are about the same age. Cruise’s age? I’d say he’s about twenty-five. I wonder if they realize I’m only twenty-two. I don’t suppose it matters, though maybe they think it does, since I’m their supervisor. The lights seem bright in the villa. I keep blinking. I hold the cup in my hand and tell myself to slow down – I drank that first half way too fast, and I can’t be getting drunk in front of the other employees.
I hear a sound from the back of the villa and realize, stupidly, that there’s another room, behind a closed door. Of course, the villas have a kitchenette.
The door swings open, and he enters. He sees me, and his eyes go wide.
“What is she doing here?”
My heart sinks to my shoes. Maybe Nick was just messing with me and Cruise didn’t really invite me. Didn’t really want me here. I want to sink into the floor and disappear.
“Nick. How long has she been here? I told you to tell me when she got here.”
Dawn rolls her eyes. “She just got here. We were making her a drink.”
“I’ll do that,” Cruise says. “She’s my guest.”
“And what are we?” the guy on the bed asks.
“You,” Cruise says, “are the freeloaders who show up to drink my alcohol.”
“Fuck that,” the guy says. “We were the people who were here for you when—”
“He wants to spend time with the new girl,” Dawn interrupts. “We get it, Cruise. A brand new conquest. You’ve been through every female in Seascape Village, right?
She cocks her head to the side, her voice loud and accusing.
He shakes his head. “Don’t push me, Dawn.”
“Why, because you’re so big and bad? Because you got scary while you were gone? Pumping iron and fighting, while the rest of us had to scratch out a living—”
His rage is sudden and frightening.
“You don’t know a damn thing about it.”
“I know you had all the money we never had, and you still wanted—”
Cruise slams his hand down on the table. For a moment no one breathes. “That’s it, party’s over. Everyone out.” His eyes flick to me. “Except Maya.”
“Fuck that, man,” the guy on the bed mutters, but the girl he’s with takes his arm.
“We can walk on the beach,” she says. “It’ll be romantic.”
All four of them hurry out the door. Cruise checks the kitchenette. He doesn’t say anything, so I guess we’re alone. Suddenly the cottage feels even more crowded than before.
“I guess I’ll go,” I mumble, still trying to make sense of what’s going on. I look for a coaster, and when I can’t find one, put my plastic cup on the bureau, and turn toward the door.
“No,” he says softly. “You just got here.”
“But why am I here?” I ask, looking up and trying to focus on those blue eyes. “Did you really ask Nick to invite me here, to…party?” He doesn't answer and I can’t seem to keep quiet. “To party with you?” I must sound like an idiot.
“Yeah.”
I’m so confused. Today he took me to a restaurant that obviously has sentimental value to him. He called me a friend, and then afterwards he stalked away. angry. Now he’s inviting me to his villa, the place where he entertains friends. He kicked out his friends and we’re alone. Where do I fit into this? Who does he want me to be?
“Well, here I am. Did I pass the test?” I ask, to try to get a feel for what I’m doing here.
He laughs, but it isn’t a nice laugh. “The test hasn’t even started yet.” Cruise leans in, puts his hand under my chin and tips it up slightly, gazes into my eyes, with a stare so intense, that I go weak in the knees, and then he kisses me. It isn’t a gentle like today, when he was comforting me. He tastes of bourbon, and his lips are insistent. His tongue teases my tongue, and nearly gasp as our tongues touch.