1
“The name is Anderson. Please check again.”
“Ma’am…, I’ve checked three times. There is no reservation under that name.”
An exasperated expression crossed his face as he glanced at the frustrated line of hotel guests that had formed behind me.
“Alright, let me book right now,” I said as I took out my credit card, hoping it would go through. I knew this had been a bad idea, but my sister had pushed and pushed, saying a holiday was just what I needed. More like a hole in the head right now.
“Ma’am, we are fully booked. Now, please—”
“Okay, recommend another hotel, please, even a B&B. I just arrived, and this was my only accommodation,” I pleaded.
His polite façade was slowly slipping as grumbles started getting louder behind me. I scanned across the reception desk and met striking green eyes, cloaked by pitch-black eyebrows.
“The Summer Festival is starting tomorrow, and all accommodations are fully booked. If you could excuse me.” The hotel receptionist’s deep Spanish accent brought my attention back to him.
“But … What am I to do?” My heart fell to the ground as I imagined myself sleeping on the streets of Madrid. I didn’t have enough money to change the date of my return ticket to the US.
“Excuse me,” a sensual French intonation broke through my pity party. “I believe Robinson’s booking has two extra rooms to it. Please put her in one.”
I looked at my savior and realized it was the man from across the reception desk. Strands of his hair, dark as ink, brushed his forehead.
The receptionist nodded, happy to have a solution to his problem.
“You didn’t have to do that, but thanks,” I said, smiling at the kind stranger.
“My grandmother always said that a true gentleman helps a distressed woman. It’s a pleasure to help.”
“A very wise woman, your grandmother. But don’t presume that you’ll be allowed in my room just because you helped me.”
He smiled, showing a crooked front tooth. “I wouldn’t dare.”
The receptionist handed me my room card and a hotel brochure, and we moved to the side to allow another guest to check-in.
“Hi, I’m Alyssa Davis,” I said.
“Amastan Ag Abahag. Davis? I thought I heard Anderson when you were badgering the poor guy.”
“Anderson is my sister’s married name. She was the one who supposedly made the booking. This whole trip was her harebrained idea. Blackmailed me into taking it.”
“How do you blackmail someone into taking a holiday?” Mirth showed behind his green eyes.
“Let’s see? You make flight and hotel reservations without your sister knowing and then Jedi mind-trick her into getting onto the flight.” My eyebrow arched as I spoke.
“She must be a Jedi Master to have that kind of power.” He smiled as he played along.
The side of my mouth lifted. “Or she knows my deepest desire and used it against me.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
“I’ve said too much as it is. What about you? Robinson?”
“A friend made the group booking for the Summer Festival. That’s his surname.”
I laughed. “Oh, okay. The room you gave away - they won’t mind? I promise I’ll pay for the room and any charges to it.” I mentally finger crossed as I’d have to phone my sister and tell her the mishap and then get her credit card number to pay.
“Don’t worry about it.”
The bellhop was patiently waiting for me with my luggage, but I somehow didn’t want to leave Amastan. His green eyes had a soothing calm to it. My life had been in turmoil these past years and the tranquility reflected in his eyes was comforting.
The hotel porter was slowly moving the trolley with my luggage to the elevator to get me to walk. “I… Huh… Also, have a ticket for the Summer Festival. Maybe we’ll see each other there?” I walked backward so that I could continue talking to him.
“I’m sure we’ll meet again. Au revoir.”
The air-conditioned room greeted me as I jumped onto the pristine white sheets of the bed.
One night.
One night, until I got to hear live the music of the man who made my life bearable these past few years. I didn’t know what he looked like, as he always concealed his face with a blue veil that only showed his eyes. His name was just a symbol, and he never gave interviews.
The whole man was an enigma, and his pulsing, transcending, tribal music seemed to speak to my soul.
