trip. You’re going to be here for the season, right?”
She laughed. “I’ll forgive you because you’re still young. How old are you?”
“Eighteen,” he laughed. “But it’s true. Back home, my mom and sisters never travel without tons of luggage.”
“Well, I shipped some stuff, but most of my things are in storage. I can’t fathom shipping everything here in case things don’t work out, you know?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been working here for a week, but the resort is really nice. It’s broken up into sections, depending on the type of guest we have.”
She rolled her suitcase and matched his quick steps to the new Mercedes SUV he stopped at. Eyes wide with surprise, she stared at the vehicle and then at Mark. “Why would they send this just for me?”
He chuckled and shrugged. “Beats me. Grandma said you were VIP, and we needed to treat you as such.” He slipped one bag into the trunk and then turned to take the other from her hand. “Why are you so important? Are you the owner’s wife or something?”
“What? No!” She handed him the bag with confusion. “I have no idea why she feels I’m a VIP, I’m actually not. I’m the new PR Vice President, but I’m nobody that important.”
He watched her for a moment and then held the vehicle door open. “Well, you might not think you are all that important, but I was ordered to treat you like a VIP, and that’s what I shall do.” He grinned. “So please get in and let’s get going. There’s water and snacks ready for you.”
She slipped into the back seat and groaned at the cool leather. She swore her skin sizzled when it hit the cold air. The SUV was nice and comfortable, and as promised, chilled water bottles and snacks had been placed between the two back seats.
Too excited and nervous to eat, she instead drank from a bottle of water and looked out the window at the palm trees and the city as he drove them onto the highway.
“So how are you liking Fire Mountain?” she asked Mark, trying to make some conversation.
“It’s all right. My grandmother persuaded me to work here for the summer and see how I like it. I didn’t actually have any plans but wanted to make some money,” he said.
“Who’s your grandmother, exactly?”
“Isadora Kenlin. She’s a sweet old lady, but I don’t know that this job is for me. I know she wants me to spend time on the island, but we’ll see. I just met one of the guys there who seems pretty cool.” He shrugged.
She frowned. “Does the job not pay well enough?”
“It pays all right. But I’m looking for something that’ll make me rich quick. She just made it sound like I’d be making more money.”
He quoted his pay, and her jaw fell open. “You’re making that much?”
“Kind of low, right?”
“I’m not sure what type of pay you’re used to, but that is management-level pay you’re being given. What do they have you do?”
“The job is kind of boring. All I do is pick up people at the airport and take them to their section of the resort and whatever.”
“That’s it?” She blinked and couldn’t stop the surprise in her tone. The kid was making more than she made at most of her jobs and all he had to do was drive guests to the resort, and he wanted more money. He clearly had no idea of what people got paid in the real world.
“Yeah, why?” He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Should I be asking for more?”
“No. I,” she cleared her throat. “I think you should wait it out a little bit and see how you feel about the job. Maybe something else will open up that is more to your liking, but don’t quit because you feel you’re not making enough. I mean,” she blew out a breath, “you’re earning more than most hotel assistant managers. You should try to hold on to the job. Grow into the company.”
“Meh. We’ll see,” he said noncommittally.
She had to fight the urge to smack the kid upside the head. How could he even think he would make more money in any other job without any experience or education? He was only eighteen and being paid more than a bunch of the managers at the last hotel she’d worked at and he was only a driver. The boy had no idea how good he had it.
“So, how different are the sections