The Hotel - 11

Everyone was at dinner, and with the exception of Tessa—and Jenn and Kirby who looked as if they'd had an unresolved argument and wanted to be anywhere but together at the table—we were relaxed as we ate. We talked about everything from what show we should do next, to politics—we're all fairly liberal so that was more of a bitch session than a serious discussion—to the fact it was suddenly much colder outside and wondering if that meant it could snow sometime before we left.

"If it does, and I had my skis," Phil said.

"You'd end up breaking a leg," Noah replied. "I don't see Harker hobbling around on crutches. Now if you were playing Renfield instead of me…"

That got laughs from everyone, of course, even Tessa who had been very quiet up to that point, watching Kirby when she thought no one was looking.  

After dinner, some of us went to the cocktail lounge. Quite honestly I wasn't the least surprised to see Edwin there. He was seated at the end of the bar, talking to the bartender. He saw me and smiled, gesturing for me to join him.

"Do you live here?" I asked after ordering a beer.

"I do. We all do. In case you haven't noticed, what you've seen of the hotel so far only encompasses two-thirds of the mansion. The rest is our quarters, although the young women who work here have families in town. When the weather permits, which is at least half the year, they return home every evening. Otherwise, there are two suites set aside for them."

"Maybe I should start working for you," I quipped. "Free room and board."

He replied, sounding serious, "I'm certain I could find something for you to do that wouldn't bore you to death."

"Um, thanks but no thanks. I like my job, as stressful as it can be at times. It's, excuse the mundane expression, fulfilling."

"I'm sure it is."

"You don't get cabin fever when you're snowed in?"

"Not at all. I don't know if you've checked out the smaller lounge, but we have enough movies there to entertain us well into the next century. No television reception or WiFi connections when the snow gets bad but we manage to survive without them." He chuckled. "Felicia and I are avid hikers, even when the weather sucks, which gets us out of here."

His saying that answered one question for me. Whatever the reason was that he appeared to be interested in me, it wasn't because he was gay. Or maybe…?

"Felicia's husband is a Marine. He's been overseas for the last year so it's nice to have her company when I feel the need to stretch my legs."

I almost asked him if he got lonely, living here with only her, the bartender, and the Goodmans for company. But I didn't. For all I knew he had someone in his life we hadn't met so far.