Page 6 of Just Like You
“You need to watch your tongue.” His voice was all prickles and sharp syllables.
I wanted to apologise, and I probably should have, but then I was me, and these were the kind of stunts I usually got away with. And this little pathetic…man…was riling me up.
“You were no doubt a bully at school, am I right?” He was talking slowly. All serious and I suddenly grabbed at my tie, worried he would beat me to it and strangle me, because that’s the vibe I was getting. Anger.
And not a bit of fear. I’d expected fear.
“On top of that, you now live your life trying to belittle everyone around you. What a sad life that must be. And yes, my job is to cater to your every whim, but sexually harassing the very staff who are here to look after you? Pathetic, Mr Andrieu, and as if I didn’t have enough crap to deal with? I now have to go write up another report on you and your inability to utter a simple word of gratitude.”
What gratitude?I wanted to huff out, but he didn’t give me that choice, grabbing that last word like it was a million-dollar prize. And that was the last time I saw him, because he wasn’t even at the disembarkation door to wish me farewell.
He could have let me have the last word, just a simple goodbye. But then again? He was just another twat I’d never see again. Andsuddenly I wondered why that realisation had made me feel. Because I definitely felt something, and I had no idea how to handle that.
Chapter Three
Julian
Okay, when I told people that I loved my job? I usually lied through my teeth, because this? This right here was exactly why I didn’t. The incoming crews were usually picked up in a large bus here in New York, but today we’d been downgraded to a minibus.
Yes, perhaps karma was playing a trick on us as a whole, but it was the last thing any of us needed, and now I was sat cramped in the back row with my bag on my lap, trying to balance the iPad on top as I tried to stab letters ontothe screen.
My report writing today was scathing, and I wasn’t holding back. Not only with that badly taped up toilet door, the lack of information, the missing catering, the broken seat that had still been sold, and to top it all up? Bloody Mr Andrieu was getting a dose of my very special brand of bollocking. Which, as always, would lead to nothing because he was a diamond card holder and the people in customer support would just file my anger away with a simple note on his file. And that would be the end of it.
I was still seething at his behaviour. It wasn’t often people made me feel small, and yes, I was small. Slight and not in any way tall, but his demeanour? It had riled me up, and now I couldn’t stop fidgeting.
“You really hate that iPad, don’t you?” Bea said, temporarily removing her earbuds. “I can feel every stab onto that keyboard.” She smiled. I tried to smile back, but it felt like a grimace.
I was tired. Really tired.
“Any plans?” I tried to make simple conversation.
“Shhh.” She grimaced. “I have a hot date with a hotel bed; that’s as far as my plans go. Can’t even be bothered to nip down to Bath & Body Works for some stupid candles that I absolutely don’t need.”
“Tell me about it. One innocent walk past that shop and you’ve instantly wasted a hundred dollars, lured in by pretty smells.”
“Stupid, isn’t it?” she agreed, then put her earbuds back in. I didn’t blame her. Us crew were all the same kind of people, friendly and social but we also understood when we’d had enough. Normally we’d see, and deal with, hundreds of people during a work shift, interact with all of them and on top of that, we had to work insmall spaces with complete strangers. In the end? We all wanted solitude and peace, including me.
We rarely knew anyone we worked with, and apart from Aurelia? I’d never met any of these people before. And that was exactly why I did love my job. Fleeting encounters and then back home with no strings attached.
And yes, sometimes we all went out for drinks, but most of the time, us old-timers went straight to bed.
The relief when the bus parked outside our company-provided hotel was immense, and I dragged my luggage up to get my key, wishing everyone a good night and yapping on about not being late for pickup in the morning and all that. Yadda yadda yadda. None of these people were newbies, and they knew the drill.
So did I.
Entering my small, cramped hotel room, the first mistake I could make would be to lie down on the bed. No no no. I was drenched in dirt and grime, and the uniform had to go on a hanger, and then my shirt would get shoved in my laundry tote, and a fresh one would be retrieved from the bottom of my bag and hung up to get those stubborn, inevitable wrinkles out. Then a swift shower, which thankfully woke me up a little because I needed to pop out and get something for the morning and perhaps a quick bite to eat. Food on board was available, but time wasn’t, and I hadn’t actually sat down and had a proper meal today, just shoved random edible items in my mouth when they’d presented themselves. Not a healthy lifestyle in any way, but hey. At least I didn’t suffer from Sonny’s rampant kidney stones or Aurelia’s dehydrated skin. I moisturised like a good boy and slipped into my tracksuit, lettingthe comfort of soft fabrics without tight waistbands and sharp belts relax me.
I was fine. Just rattled and weary, but a brisk walk would do me good, and there was a nice deli around the block where I could get a snack for the morning. My mouth watered for a slice of pizza. Yes, my work trousers were a little tight, but oh God. Carbs were not my friend, but I did love them. Greasy pepperoni? Yes please.
Keycard in my hand, phone in my back pocket and my glasses on; I’d had to take my contacts out on board, since I couldn’t stop rubbing my eyes. But here I was. Ready to face the world for a ten-minute carbohydrate dash. Sonny would have scolded me, but I just laughed out loud in my ridiculous haze of not letting my brain do its thing. So I flung the door open and stepped out, only to come face to face with…
“Mr Andrieu,” shot out of my mouth.
“Fuck,” he said. This man. Still in the same clothes, obviously, dragging a small suitcase and a suit carrier. Like the idiot he was.
“I can’t win today,” I huffed out in annoyance. “And really? The room right opposite? There are thousands of hotels in Manhattan!”
“Corporate account,” he said weakly, actually looking a little embarrassed. “I have no choice. Have to stay here or sleep on the streets.”
