His Secret Palace

Chapter 5 - Butterscotch

The first horse I see has a brown coat and a white splotch on his head. I like this one! “Listen up, buddy… we’ve never met, but I need you to be nice and gentle. Go easy on me, okay?”

I put my hand on his head to caress him. The horse neighs softly. That’s a good sign right? I think he’s telling me that he likes me. He’s being sweet with me.

I stick my head in the stall. He’s impressive. He’s a muscular, powerful horse. Should I just jump in there with him? It can’t be that risky.

I climb over the stable door and the horse comes and stands next to me. There’s a brush on the ground. I grab it and start rubbing him with it. I think he’s pretty happy. But… I can’t see a saddle anywhere. What should I do?

“Amazons and prehistoric men managed it, didn’t they? So, big boy? You don’t mind if I try to ride you?” I put my hand along is neck and stroke him. I think he’s agreeing to do this thing!

I grab a little stepladder and get myself mentally prepared. I climb the few steps, press down on the horse’s back and throw my leg over the top. “Gosh! You can’t be afraid of heights, right? You’re lucky!”

I give him a little pat with my hand on his flank. He gives me a whinny. I almost daren’t look down. But… I actually don’t feel that bad up here…

I feel like I know what I’m doing. Miller said it’s impossible to learn to ride in a half hour, but look at me! I’m the exception to the rule! I suppose its trust though that as long as I’m in the stable, I’m not actually riding a horse.

“What do you say, stallion? Shall we go out for a little ride?”

The horse neighs. I have the weirdest feeling that he understands everything I say! Or maybe I’m just crazy. I get down and open up the stable door. The horse comes out on his own and stops three feet from the door. He must be used to this.

“You’re so well trained! Wait! I need the stepladder!”

I go fetch it and put it against the side of the horse. I climb. Just like before, I use what I remember from my gymnastics classes to mount him. “Easy though… there’s no safety yet if I fall…”

I pat the horse’s flank to reassure him. I feel a bond between us. I’m so happy to be on top of such an incredible creature! I’m going to get the audition! The horse moves a few steps forward and starts walking around in circles.

We’re taking it real easy. He’s probably used to doing this kind of stuff with the hotel guests.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THAT HORSE?”

I turn around. I’m feeling a little panicked. s**t! The horse starts getting restless and moves faster. I’m off balance… and I fall to the ground!

That’s when I see that the man who just yelled at me is James Yvain-Cadieux himself! I get up and hobble toward him. My ankle hurts so bad! “There was no need to shout like that! You almost killed me!”

“It’s your fault! What are you doing on my horse? Without a saddle? And at night! I thought you were a thief!”

I limp closer to him… his face changes when he sees me. “Did you hurt yourself? Let me take a look.”

“No. It’s nothing…”

“I’m not actually giving you a choice. I want to look…”

I feel awkward. The tone he uses is both firm and kind. It kind of gives me a fluttery feeling. I take another step forward, but I can barely put my foot down.

“Sit down. Let me check everything is okay.” Without even asking, James pulls up the bottom of my pants to check my ankle. “Can you move it?”

I’m turning my ankle in circles. It’s a little sore. “You haven’t broken anything. Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to do that. At worst, it’ll swell up.”

“You seem to know your stuff! Thank you, doctor!”

“I just wish one of my employees hadn’t gotten hurt at work! Do you usually go gallivanting around like that?”

“Sometimes. I wanted to learn how to ride a horse. I never did it before.”

“It’s not something you can learn just like that! Especially not at night… and especially not on this horse.”

“Honestly, he was being super nice with me before you freaked him out.”

“So it’s my fault now? Butterscotch is pretty wild. He’ll only let me ride him.”

“That’s not true. He really likes me.”

James turns to Butterscotch. “Butter, is this true? Are you sweet on her?”

The horse whinnies. “You see? He’s totally in love with me.” I have a proud face.

James starts laughing and looks me right in the eye. “I don’t blame him.” James helps me up and holds out his hand. “James Yvain-Cadieux.”

As our hands touch, James stares at me with undeniable intensity. “Meridian Sasha. So you’re the big shot around here?”

“No that’s my father.” I can see him looking at my hair now. There’s an awkward silence. He puts his hand to my hair and takes out a strand of straw.

That’s pretty embarrassing. Every time I see him, I do something ridiculous. The blunder on the beach… and now falling off a horse. Great!

“I’m going to put my horse back into his stall.”

“So sorry for the inconvenience.”

He gives me a disarming smile. “I’ve been through worse! Don’t worry!”

***

The sun is just rising over the Secret Palace. Only ten minutes to go before the end of my shift. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open and I can’t stop yawning. It’s as if the hotel is bathed in cotton wool.

Everyone is asleep. The only thing I can hear is the birdsong outside. I feel my eyelids close. I force them open them again and see a silhouette crossing the lobby.

Eric Devin is marching through the room in a beautiful tailor-made suit. But he partied until four in the morning! How does he keep it up? Does he take something or what?

I watch him. I don’t want to intrude. It’s better to stay where I am and not interrupt him. That’s what a good concierge would do, right?

He spots me and cracks an amused smile.

I have no option to ignore him. “No Choco Royal cereal this morning, sir?”

Mr. Devin smiles at me as he walks by. He looks like a businessman in a hurry, but I can tell he still wants to come across as cool and relaxed whatever the situation. “Too early for that, Cereal Killer! Never before five!”

Eric Devin joins James Yvain-Cadieux in the ballroom. I stand by the door so I can listen in on them. I only have a little bit of my shift left. At least it’ll give me something to do!

They seem to have been friends all their lives. I watch them hug each other… and there’s a lot of back slapping going on. The two men are discussing preparations for the gala as if Mr. Devin works in this place too…

They way they’re acting together makes it seems difficult to imagine I’m wrong. Eric Devin can’t just be a nosy guests. He’s chatting to James out where to put the orchestra. He’s definitely involved in the organization of the big night.

“I’m finally going to be able to serve Cadieux champagne at one of my own events! Let’s celebrate!”

Mr. Devin opens a bottle of Cadieux champagne and fills two glasses. James bursts out laughing as he watches him do it. “Eric… it’s seven in the morning. You can’t be serious!”

Eric drinks his glass of champagne while adopting an overly straight face. “When am I ever not serious? I just wish Cadieux champagnes were served in hotels other than the Secret Palace.”

“You’re preaching to the converted! I’d like to expand the brand. It’s be good for the hotel, too! But I’m not the one who needs convincing!”

I keep my distance from them. I’d like to give my opinion on it but I don’t join their discussion. It would be so inappropriate to barge into in the middle of their conversation to tell them what I think about how the room should be set up for the big gala.

Eric chooses to put the orchestra at the back of the room… to highlight the dance floor. And James totally agrees with the idea. They seem to be working well together. It’s great teamwork. I’m a little lost in thought when suddenly… I hear Eric talking about me.

“I hope the concierge who took care of my party last night will be there! She’s pretty resourceful! And between you and me, she’s not bad looker at all…”

I’m a little shocked. So that’s it? That’s what’s happening here? Seriously? This is the part where the rich guy sets his sights on the hotel maid? What a cliché… I can’t believe that guys still talk like this these days! And they’re not even old!

James can’t hold back a smile as he punches his friend on the shoulder. “If you think she’s doing a good job, congratulate her instead of trying to play her like a badass Californian baron!”

Eric doesn’t even flinch. He can take a joke. But then… just as I’m trying to stifle a yawn, he beckons me from across the room. “Hey! You girl! Come here, my little Cereal Killer! My paintball night was great thanks to you! It was just perfect! Way to go!”

What’s with the ‘girl’ and the ‘little’? I can just about cope with ‘Cereal Killer’, but… I might have to smack him if he talks to me like that again. “I have to admit, I was a little surprised by your request for paintball guns… but I’m glad you had a good time!”

“It wasn’t a good time! It was crazy! We wrecked that suite! I just feel bad for Mike Hell Angelo. He’s going to have a lot of work to do. We redecorated it from top to bottom! The place looks like a work of art!”

I can’t help but empathize with poor Owen who’s gonna have to clean up the mess made by this weirdo and his ridiculous friends.

“Well, I feel sorry for him too...” f**k! The words came out too quickly… I turn to James to check his reaction. It doesn’t look good. Damn it! I should have held my tongue.

“She’s got a point, Eric. You go too far with the hotel staff sometimes. You’ve got to think about calming it down some. The staff here should be treated well. I don’t want any of them handling in their notice…” James’ face visibly relaxes and his smile becomes sparkling and devastating again. Just how I like it!

“Aye, aye, Captain! I agree that it would be unfortunate if Meridian were to deprive us of her company so soon…” As he’s talking, Eric grabs my hand, puts it to his mouth and kisses it. “Miss Meridian, I apologize. And I promise to make it up to you…”

Eric leaves and gives James a knowing smile before winking at me. he could have found something more original to say. i***t.

I feel I could burst out laughing but I daren’t do it in front of James. I clear my throat to keep my composure.

“Sorry, Meridian. Eric may be a little eccentric, but he’s not a mean guy. And if he says you’re doing a good job, he’s being sincere. And I, too, would like to congratulate you. Making Eric Devin a happy man isn’t something that comes easy to everyone.”

I nod. I know he’s right. But then a huge yawn escapes from my mouth. It’s just ridiculous. Contrary to what I feared, James obviously thinks it’s funny. His eyes are full of laughter as that already familiar scene crosses his lips.

“It must have been a long and trying night for you! You deserve a good rest. It’s high time you went home, Meridian.”

“Please just call me Mer … and it’ll pass! I could do another night shift right now! No problem!”

James doesn’t look like he believes me. But I think he appreciates my desire to work hard as much as I admire his smile.

“Seriously! I’m in a great shape! It doesn’t look like it, but I feel like a million bucks!” Hey, Mer… You’re going a bit too far now! A million bucks? Really? I know how to check for broken ankles, but I don’t know anything about broken brains!

James walks off, but turns around one last time to throw me a smile that beats all the others he’s given me hands down.