"I'm just not feeling very good after that hike," I said. I was barely hanging on, I didn't want to cry in front of my boss, but I was getting very close to doing just that.
"I can't let you go today," he said.
A sob fought its way out of my mouth before I could stop it. I clamped my hand over my mouth to stop myself, but I was too late. I was already gone. I bent in half, sobbing. I felt like my whole world had just shattered, and everything I had built for myself in Lanai was going to be ruined.
"Oh my God," I heard Joseph say over my sobs. I heard him move and felt his hands on my back. "Just leave. Take the rest of the day off and come back tomorrow," he said awkwardly. I tried to speak to thank him, but I couldn't. He patted my back woodenly, gently ushering me outside.
I went back to the changing room and washed my face. God. How embarrassing. I quickly left, not bothering to change out of my hiking gear. I just needed a minute. I’d be fine after a couple hours alone.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nate
It was about lunch time when I got back to the resort. Noon: the time I'd usually be getting up. This was nice. You actually got a lot done when you woke up earlier in the day. Who knew?
I wanted to see Abby. Her boss and I had an understanding. I'd just ask him to let me steal her away on a tour of the island or something. He'd let her if it was me. I wanted to start now. We'd go out to eat or something. Or even stay in my suite together and order food up. Go to the beach, stay at her house. Anything. I just wanted it to be with her.
I got to the main building, making a beeline for the desk before I stopped short. The person there wasn't a gorgeous, petite blonde. It wasn't Makani, either. I slowed down walking over to her.
"Good afternoon, sir; how are you today?" she asked me, smiling.
"Great. Thanks. Where is Abby? She's usually at this desk. I need to talk to her."
"Abby isn't working today. I'm sure I'll be able to assist you with your inquiry."
"Why not? Where is she?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that for you. She took the rest of the day off. What did you want to ask her? I'm sure I can help you," she said.
"Where is the manager? I need to talk to him," I said. I watched her face as she seemed to sit there and contemplate whether she was going to do what I had just asked her to do.
"One moment, please," she said. She picked her phone up and dialed a number.
"Are you calling him?" I asked. She nodded, answering the phone. "Tell him Nate Stone wants to talk to him," I said.
"One moment, sir. I'll be right with you," she said to me placing her hand on the mouthpiece.
"Let me talk to him," I said again, louder. I was getting irritated. She listened to her boss on the phone for a few seconds before she looked at me.
"Mr. Kalo has asked to speak to you," she said quietly, handing me the receiver. Didn't I fucking tell her? I put the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Stone. How are you?”
"Yeah, great. I need to know where Abby is," I said, impatiently.
"Abby requested to take the rest of the day off," he said
"Why? Where did she go?"
"She said it was an emergency. She will be back at her station tomorrow morning," he said. I thanked him and handed the phone back to the desk girl. I walked away, up towards my suite.
Emergency. She had had an emergency. What did that even mean? Where the hell would she go? Something in me hoped that when I opened my suite, she'd be up there. That she'd have gotten one of the people from housekeeping or something to let her in and wanted to surprise me.
Would she really lie like that to get out of work just to see me? It seemed a little unlikely, that wasn't her, even if I sort of wished that was something that she would have done. She loved her work. I got to my suite and threw the door open, walking straight to the bedroom. It was empty. Spotless, but empty. I checked the other rooms, even the deck, looking for her. She wasn't there.
Stay calm, man. Everything is fine. I was probably just looking in the wrong place. I n