Jake Weavering looked across to the clock in reception; it read 19:25. "Good" thought Jake, "Only half an hour then I'm off." It had been a particularly busy shift at the hotel and usually by this time of the evening most of the arrivals had checked in but for some reason tonight they were still streaming through the doors. He looked across at the Concierge desk and noted that the Bell-boys were still sorting out luggage and bags, Jake himself had just returned from helping with nearly a dozen bags and packages belonging to an arriving guest.
The telephone rang: "Reception, Jake speaking Mr Whyte, how may I help you?" The automatic caller-ID system often caught the guests out.
"Oh hi, Jake is it?" the voice at the other end was mellow and assured.
"Yes sir."
"Well Jake, my shower doesn't appear to be working, could you organise for someone to come take a look at it?"
"Certainly sir, I do apologise, someone will be with you momentarily."
Jake put the phone down after he heard the click of the receiver being replaced in its cradle at the other end. "Shit" muttered Jake under his breath this was not what he needed just as he was going off duty.
The screen told him that Declan Whyte (43) was a corporate lawyer in for the weekend on business. Jake checked the maintenance screen and noted that housekeeping had replaced a washer in a dripping tap earlier that week and the room had been unused since that service item, hopefully something simple. Jake put a call into maintenance but no response and the concierge were still overloaded with incoming guests.
"I'm just going up to 310." He told his female colleague, "Seems maintenance has dumped us in it again!" they both chuckled and Jake made his way to the main lifts. In the lift on the way up to the third floor Jake checked his appearance: at 35 he was still slim and looked younger than his years. His deep blue eyes stared back at him from the mirrored wall and he adjusted his tie. His seniority meant that although he wore the "corporate" suit he was allowed his own shirts (as long and they were light coloured) and his own ties (as long as they weren't too flashy) so today he'd chosen a pink shirt with a cut-back collar and a thick light blue silk tie which sat with a satisfyingly fat knot at his throat. The doors opened at the third floor and Jake made his way to room 310, he knocked at the door.
"Mr Whyte, Jake Weavering from reception."
"Come in." he heard from inside the room and Jake opened the door with his swipe card. Inside the room was more like a mini-suite. The main room was a reception space with a desk in the corner, sofas and a TV and hi-fi in one corner. Jake could see a lap-top on the desk and some papers strewn around on the coffee table. "Through here." the same voice floated in from another room and Jake made his way through the bedroom to the ensuite bathroom.
As he entered the bathroom Jake stopped in his tracks. His minds-eye view of Mr Whyte was completely shattered for instead of a middle-aged man what Jake saw was a fit, slim, slightly shorter man with a short towel wrapped around his waist, he had defined muscles and a carpet of dark hair covering his chest. Mr Whyte was just finishing a shave and rinsed his face before he spoke.
"Just finishing up." said the man, breaking Jake's tour of his semi-naked body. "There's water for the sink and toilet but nothing through the shower system."
"I'm sorry sir we had some maintenance done in this room a few days ago I just need to check. The shower has a separate system and I need to make sure it's been restored." Jake knelt down under the sink and opened a small inspection door with his pass key. As he suspected the shower hadn't been reset. Jake pushed the reset button and the shower sputtered into life, water streaming from the three upright poles and the overhead rose.