Hearts Between Colors (Isla Contejo #3)

Chapter 4

KAGAGALING ko lang mula sa banyo dahil naligo ako at kasalukuyan akong nagtutuyo ng buhok nang marinig ko ang katok sa pinto ng hotel room ko. Maybe it was Junaira or Franz that's why I didn't bother anymore to get dressed first. I was only wearing my bathrobe.

Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay nalaglag ang panga ko nang hindi ko mabungaran kahit isa kina Juna o Franz. The front desk manager was in front of my door who was also a bit shocked when his eyes went down on my body.

May takip naman ang buong katawan ko ng bathrobe pero syempre, nakakailang pa rin kaya napahawak pa ako sa tali ng robe. Just to make sure that it was tightly ribboned.

"Uh..." Lito ako sa kung anong sasabihin.

Napatikhim siya at nag-iwas ng tingin. I scanned him for a second while he still couldn't look at me straight. He was wearing his usual maroon uniform and black slacks. As usual, he looked freaking fresh and very handsome. I still couldn't believe that he was a manager. He seriously could pass as a model or an actor.

When he returned his eyes on me, I saw how it soften as he sighed and gave me a charming smile. Napakurap-kurap ako at pakiramdam ko ay may nanlambot sa akin. I also felt like something moved in my stomach. Weird.

"Good morning, ma'am," bati niya.

Nagpabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa mga mata niya -- lito pa rin na ke-aga-aga ay narito siya at hindi ko malaman kung ano ang sadya.

"What can I do for you?" I asked.

Muli siyang nagpakawala ng hininga bago sumagot.

"I'm here to apologize, Ms. Ordoveza..." he trailed. "For what happened at your check-in."

Umawang ang bibig ko at mabagal na napatango sa realisasyon. Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ko sa kaniya at humalukipkip. Seryoso naman siyang nakatitig sa akin na tila ba naghihintay pa ng ibang reaksyon mula sa akin. What? Did he expect me to say something? He should be the one saying a lot 'cause he was the one apologizing to me.

"I assure you that it won't happen again. I am..." He sighed. "I am deeply sorry."

Amusement suddenly coated my expression as I stared at him longer. His eyes were starting to be avoidant now. It was like he was feeling embarrassed and he didn't know what to say anymore.

I was also trying to figure out if he was really genuinely sorry for being rude or he just had to do it because he was ordered to do so. Alalang-alala ko pa 'yong reply sa email ko n'ong CMO nilang si Inno Contejo kagabi. Ang sabi'y sisiguraduhin nila na makakapag-sorry sa akin ito nang personal.

Malamang ay baka napilitan lang naman ang isang 'to na humingi ng paumanhin sa akin dahil inutusan ng nakatataas. But anyway, at least he made an effort to go here to apologize. I must appreciate that no matter if it was sincere o or not.

Pero... mukhang mas gusto kong inisin muna siya sa ngayon. Para naman makabawi ako sa kasarkastikuhan niya sa akin noong mag-check in ako.

"Are you really sorry for being rude to me or you're only sorry because you were ordered to do so?"

Ang malambot at mapagkumbaba niyang ekspresyon ay unti-unting napalitan ng mariing tingin at simangot. Pinigilan ko ang pagngisi at pinanatili ang mataray na paninitig sa kaniya.

Ha-ha-ha. Sabi na nga ba't napipilitan lang ang isang 'to. Kunwari pang ang bait-bait na humarap sa akin pero isang pitik ko lang, lumalabas na ang sungay at buntot.

Akala niya ha. Akala yata niya'y madadaan niya 'ko sa kaguwapuhan at sa charming smile niya! Siguro ay gano'n palagi ang ginagawa niyang pang-suyo sa mga babaeng guest na inirereklamo siya. Kaunting ngiti. Kaunting malambot na titig at malambing na salita, bumibigay na agad ang mga babae at pinapatawad siya!