Love Over Riches
When Temptation Knocked
As I fixed my lipstick in the mirror, I wondered if he would come in for his regular morning coffee. The thought of seeing him made my heart beat and my mind quickly turned to thoughts of us walking out of the bar and straight into his penthouse.
I imagined him kissing me passionately in the elevator before leading me straight into his bedroom. He was a man who must have been with hundreds of women. Could it be possible that he might want me?
This crush was dangerous.
The year was 2014 and I had a job working as a hostess in the bar of a luxury, boutique hotel in Soho. The hotel was on Crosby Street, a quiet downtown side street that ran parallel to the busy tourist-filled Broadway. The hotel looked like a simple building on the outside, which meant that it was a safe space for celebrities to relax and feel at home.
At the beginning of every shift, I was given the extensive VIP list of who was coming in that day. To a New Yorker, this was nothing to bat an eyelid at, but to a young woman who had just moved from Canberra, it was like stepping into a whole new world. Supermodels, famous musicians, media moguls, actors and actresses, these were now people who I looked after everyday.
My uniform was a fitted black dress with a turtleneck and sheer sleeves, with black stockings and heels. I liked it. I have always felt comfortable in black.
As the months rolled by, I became friendly with the customers. People would stay at the hotel for extended periods of time and locals who lived in the area came by for their daily coffee. The staff became my friends. It was an exciting place to work. The guests loved me. They loved my Australian accent and how ‘down to earth’ I was. I was tipped well. I was gifted exclusive Broadway tickets to musicals. It was surreal.
“He is looking at you again...” My colleague, Amanda said.
“Who?” I replied.