“Even better!” Eden says, and dissolves into laughter. “The only problem is, he might never be here. Someone that rich probably doesn’t get involved in like, running the place.”

“Apparently this guy is here,” Akira says. “One of the reception agents thinks he’s gay. Or hopes he is. Apparently he’s in the gym a lot. He’s got quite the bod, by all accounts.”

“Does he wear a ring?” Eden asks. “How old is he? I need details. Is he definitely gay? Is there flexibility?”

“Flexibility?” I ask, unsure what she’s talking about.

“Like is he bisexual?” Eden asks. “I could make that work.”

“We need to go,” I say, not wanting to tumble down that particular rabbit hole. “We’re meeting Hazel in the lobby. Maybe we’ll get to see the owner on our tour.”

“If I see him, I might propose on the spot,” Eden says.

“Sounds like an excellent way to lose your job,” I reply.

Eden mutters something and we make our way out of the locker room. We head to the main lobby, where we’ve been told we’re going to start our tour.

“I’m Hazel,” a tall Black woman says. “I’m heading up your induction today. Any problems with your uniform, fill out the form you received over email.”

Akira puts up her hand. “If we’re not open yet and there are no guests around, why are we wearing uniforms?”

Hazel mostly covers up her irritation. I’m not sure if she’s been asked the question a hundred times and is sick of it, or she just doesn’t like questions. Either way, Akira doesn’t seem to notice.

“If you’re in member areas, you must always be in a uniform. No excuses. Yes, you’re training, but it’s best to start as we mean to go on. The uniform helps create a mindset of professionalism and service.” She doesn’t invite any further questions. “We’re going to start with a tour and I’ll give you some information about the resort and our expectations in terms of our approach to members and service.” She pauses and winces slightly. “There will be pop quizzes along the way. I wanted to tell you up front so you don’t get a shock.”

“You’re going to test us?” Eden asks.

“Yes. The service we provide to members needs to be consistently first class across the entire resort, so there’s an expectation for all staff to share a baseline of operational knowledge. The tests help us ensure consistency and understanding. They also help us understand how well senior management are communicating.”

I’m not sure what she said, but I’m starting to feel real pressure and we’re only three minutes in.