Chapter 3
“Did someone order a unicorn?” Maddox raised their voice to bounce over the heads of the dozen seven-year-olds assembled in the grassy field on the east side of the Middle Waters Resort.
They’d been chasing each other in and out of the large canopy tent that Maddox and other staff members had upcycled into a castle befitting the birthday girl, who was wearing a princess costume while the other kids wore the garb of her royal court with pint-sized noble folks in colorful robes and gallant knights armed with wooden swords.
But when they heard the question, the kids all whirled around to face Maddox.
Princess Lilly shook her blonde curls out of her eyes and gaped at the unicorn Maddox held by the reins.
Bonnie was a gentle white mare that they’d borrowed from a nearby ranch and equipped with a shiny saddle and a homemade unicorn’s horn.
The horse had been patient while Maddox carefully placed the horn on its head, which reassured them it would be equally docile with the excited children.
One of the ranch hands had tagged along to handle Bonnie and show the kids how to ride her properly.
He quickly had his hands full as the kids squealed with glee and darted toward Bonnie. Lilly was the most excited of them all, and her smile as she got first turn at riding the magical beast made Maddox’s insides hum with happiness.
While Lilly continued riding, Maddox herded the rest of the kids into a semi-organized line to await their turn.
They were so hyped up and noisy that Maddox didn’t notice that Lilly’s great aunt Rhonda had sidled up beside them until she said, “Maddox, you really are too much sometimes. You know it?”
Maddox grinned at the short, stocky woman in her late 60s dressed in sensible flannel. “Too much for the niece of Middle Waters’ favorite guest?”
“Humph! Favorite guest.” Rhonda folded her arms. “Is that customer service bullshit speak for oldest and hardest to get rid of?”
“Like we’d ever try!” Maddox answered with a chuckle.
Rhonda had been an extended-stay guest at the resort for the past five years, after her wife had died and left her in a house she didn’t want to care for and live in alone.
Maddox couldn’t imagine the resort without her now, and she treated Maddox and the other staff like kin rather than service workers.
Rhonda’s only other family was a nephew who lived miles away, but sometimes sent his daughter Lilly to stay for a few days when he had to travel for work.
Maddox watched the little girl rejoin her friends after her unicorn ride, laughing and jumping up and down. “It must be tough for her not having her dad here for her birthday.”
On their twenty-sixth birthday a few months ago, Maddox had still felt the absence of their parents, even though they’d both been gone for eight years. Maddox kicked at a piece of gravel before looking up at the kids again. “I just wanted the day to be as special as we could make it.”
Rhonda’s firm hand settled on Maddox’s arm and squeezed. “Thank you, Maddox, really. This means the world to us. You’re ridiculously thoughtful.”
Maddox’s face heated in embarrassment, even as the kindness of the words found its way inside like a potion helping to soothe the lonely memories.
But before they could think of a reply, Rhonda hit them with: “Someday, one of those spicy businesswomen you’re always seducing when they pass through here is gonna snatch you up and hang onto you for keeps. ”
“Rhonda!” Maddox choked out a laugh and then glanced around to make sure none of the kids were eavesdropping. They all seemed to be distracted, but Maddox lowered their voice, anyway. “First of all, there haven’t been that many and—”
“O-oh?” Rhonda interrupted. “So you admit you’ve seduced a few, hmm? Just how many are we talking?”
Maddox sniffed and held their hand over their chest. “A gentlethem never tells!”
Rhonda guffawed and slapped Maddox’s shoulder.
“Second of all,” Maddox pressed on, “there’s not gonna be any snatching.
I’m pretty sure the women that I’ve…hung out with here from time to time aren’t looking for future partners among the hotel staff.
And that’s cool with me because I’m not looking either.
I’ve got Gran to look after plus the different hats I have to wear here sometimes: desk clerk, bellhop, event coordinator, and chauffeur. Oh, and don’t forget unicorn wrangler!”
Rhonda’s only response to Maddox’s speech was a skeptical snort. “If you say so. But I think there’s more to life than all your hats. And you’re going to find out one of these days.”
With that, she rejoined the party, leaving Maddox to chew on her words.
More to life? What business did Maddox have wanting more?
After the chaos of losing their parents shortly before they’d turned eighteen and trying to find their footing, Maddox had found the job at the resort and stayed put for years.
They had responsibilities and people they cared about and—okay, yeah—maybe a little fun now and then when a certain type of guest came through. What more could they ask for?
Shaking off the questions Rhonda had sparked, Maddox headed back to the party. But they’d only just started setting out plates and napkins for cake when they noticed Oliver, their boss, ambling across the lawn in their direction.
Maddox smiled at the kindly older man, who was a big part of why they loved this place.
He and Gran had been friends for years, which is how Maddox had gotten the job.
He’d been patient with them when they were still learning everything and encouraging as they tried out different roles around the resort.
Not only that, he’d simply been a solid, supportive friend.
He was open and accepting of Maddox’s queerness and was one of the first people to switch from using feminine pronouns for Maddox when they’d shared that they were exploring the nonbinary label three years before.
Maybe it’s because they were so fond of Oliver that they could always read his moods without him even speaking. Today, as they watched him draw closer, Maddox sensed a seriousness about him that was unusual and concerning.
The concern only deepened when Oliver placed his hand on their shoulder. His gravelly voice was lower than usual as he said, “Maddox, can we talk in my office?”