Sterling Inn

Check-In

"There's the O'Brien group coming in as Reservation 2064. Pull it up."

I wanted to roll my eyes. I knew the program top to bottom. But Red still made me run through each essential function as if it was the very first time I had used it. Sterling sulked in collapsing in the chair with an agitated huff. "The retard ate all the toothpaste."

"Watch your mouth Sterling!"

Sterling just rolled his eyes and glared moodily at the door, as if waiting for the onslaught of check-ins. "So for the O'Brien reservation--"

"Just get credit card numbers for any damages. I know."

Red gave me a tight look. "If you need anything dial 1."

"Don't worry."

Red nodded and squeezed my hand. "I know. Sterling, best behavior."

Sterling scoffed and Red rolled his eyes. "And he ate the entire tube?"

"That's what I said."

He groaned and started toward the kitchen. Sterling groped in his pocket for his cellphone and took it out, typing away obnoxiously while I prepped the sign-in sheets. "How busy are we tonight?"

"Full house." I reported grimly.

Sterling moaned in disinterest. "Honestly, I can even handle this place anymore. Weekends don't exist."

"Welcome to hospitality." I joked weakly.

He gave me a piercing look. "I'm sure this all great for an omega but for me this torture. I can be doing better things than this."

"Like mowing while texting?"

"Shut your face Orion."

I left him in his own moody silence. I didn't need him dampening my mood and making tonight harder. I ended up slipping out the back with a pack of cigarettes to calm my nerves. Smoking was disgusting habit that I picked up from Sterling. He and his friends had made it seem so cool... "You know if any of them catch you smoking you're dead."

I jumped as Sterling appeared as he normally did--silently. "Yeah well, I'm an adult aren't I?"

"Uh no. Not in this jurisdiction. Not until your properly mated." His voice took on a mocking tone and I resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off. "Want one?"

He looked at the offered pack and snagged one. "I wish I never gave you a drag from mine." He commented suddenly. "Although seeing you choke was pretty funny."

The smoke had burned so horribly. Now I enjoyed it. I took a long drag and Sterling placed the filter between his two lips, holding out a large hand expectantly. For some stupid reason I thought about putting my own hand in it. Instead I let the smoke curl from my mouth and nose as I reached in my pocket for the packet of matches. He struck one, lighting the end. He inhaled deeply and his dark eyes shut. He held for what seemed like an impossibly long time and spoke without seeming even slightly winded. "These are the shittiest cigs ever." He commented before blowing out the cloud complete and bringing it to his lips again.

"They were cheap back ups. I had wanted to go to town today but you were pissy."

A ghost of irritable passed over Sterling's face as he glowered at me. "You seriously don't know how trapped I am here. I hate it. I hate this. Mowing lawns and hauling leaves? Trimming hedges? Moving fucking luggage? This can't be the rest of my life Rion. Don't you have any larger ambitions that standing behind a check in counter and cleaning units?"

I was momentarily distracted by the nickname before I considered his words. "I'm an omega Sterling. I don't get to have ambitions."

I finished the cigarette and ran the hot end of he filter over be rough bark of the pale beside us to put it out. I pocketed the butt and glanced at my watch. "We gotta go."

"Yeah, yeah. Gimme a second." He finished his smoke with record speed and blew out the smoke as he crushed he lit end of the filter between his fingers, most likely ignoring the blistering that occurred. "Let's go loser."

The smell of smoke hung in our clothing as we went inside. I dug for a tic tac and deodorizer. As per usual Sterling helped himself and leaned heavily against the check in desk with a sigh. "Right back to where we started." He mumbled to himself.

The candy clicked against his teeth and when he spoke to me, his minty breath blew tantalizingly against my senses. "Not really. It's a lot later now." I commented.

Almost on cue Red came strolling through pausing momentarily to assess his son. "Would it kill you to stand up straight?" He complained in a relatively defeated tone. He shook his head to himself. "Never mind. I don't want to hear it."

Sterling, ultimately challenged retorted. "It might." Just to spite him.

The aging father just rolled his eyes and eyed in on me. "At six thirty if most of the check ins are here go to the kitchen and get ready to help your dad serve."

"Okay."

He continued on his way, adjusting a large fake potted plant on his way. "You like bugging him," I pointed out.

Sterling glared at me. "He likes bugging me Orion. I just give it right back."

"He's stressed. With you and Casey and the new baby--" I began to reason. Surely I would be stressed.

Sterling scoffed. "The new baby. Another retard probably."

I rolled my eyes. "You're such a jerk Sterling."

"I haven't been too a good party in ages." Sterling sighed. "Remember he graduation party we had in town? Where we snuck out and got back at two am?"

"And got caught." I remembered. "And grounded."

He shrugged. "It's part of the risk."

"I don't miss it. The loudness, drinking until you're ill..." but I did miss the friends. Even if they only lasted until graduation.

"But the hangovers were the best part." He needed. "God I was hung over during finals. Still got a B though."

Sterling was quite intelligent but it wasn't cool to be smart so he had given a half effort through school. It had paid off socially but I think he now realized how limited he was. Our first check ins came. The grandparents of the graduate, two sweet older people who tipped me and Sterling well. They were so nice even Stelsing smiled at them--and that's saying something.

The next were middle aged and obviously in a foul mood. They criticized me for taking too long entering the credit card number and scolded Sterling about being careful with the designer bags. Knowing him he probably intentionally scuffed it on each step. From then the flow as steady. I finished with one as another entered. It was all relatively calm until Ishak O'Brien actually showed. I remembered him immediately from parties. He was loud, rowdy and quite crude.

And he recognized Sterling and didn't take long to snidely inquire on if he was going to be a bellboy for the rest of his life. "It's a summer gig."

"At your Inn." O'Brien snickered. "Be careful with my bags, okay?"

Sterling jaw clenched and he noticed. He stood up a bit straighter and took a cocky step forward. "Gotta problem? Bellboy?"

I expected Sterling to lash out right there but he showed incredible self control and decorum nodding his head. "Of course."

Thoughts?