Amelia's POV

I wore headphones that played every type of song except for two genres: Love and Sadness. I wasn't even sure if sad was a genre but, it was too me. I couldn't listen to them today- not on Jordan's birthday.

Working was my distraction. No matter how much I hated being a maid, I could put anger into tearing off sheets and scrubbing bathrooms. I couldn't do that to food. Cooking for me was therapeutic.I could eat my anger but, I couldn't cook angry.

I was on my designated floor again. Karen decided to keep me on level 17 but, add on 18 as well. There were other girls on rotations for these floors too- I just had to make sure to mark which ones got done so they knew what rooms still needed to be cleaned. Overnight shifts did what was left over. Luck for me- they didn't leave me with a shít ton. I would be getting out in two hours and I had yet to cry here. I was pulling through it.

I had five rooms left and then I would just be on room service duty. All of the rooms had been stripped and cleaned- I just had to make the beds. They were all empty so I wasn't too worried about it.

I was currently making the bed to room 1723. They had checked out earlier today and so now, a new guest would be coming. I danced around the bed, listening to Starboy. It was one of those songs I couldn't help but to move my hips to. I climb on the bed, getting the sheet corners before doing the top sheet. When it drops, a figure is standing there.

"Holy fúcking Jesus!" I scream.

"Sorry!" He exclaims, bags in his hands.

"What are you doing here?!" I yell at him.

"What do you mean? This is my room?" He says laughing.

"No! No one is staying here tonight."

"Look again." He says and I do. Looking at my screenshot of my schedule, I show him that no one is supposed to be in this room. "When was that taken?"

"Earlier this morning."

"I rebooked. I'm staying longer." He says and I quickly pull up the one on my IPad and there it was, he was staying here.

"Shít, I'm sorry." I tell him. My cheeks redden.

"You're fine. You were just doing your job." He tells me. "It's Amelia right?"

"Yeah," I look at him and it finally clicks. "Oh, you're not Australian guy."

He belts out a laugh, "Elijah is my name."

I hold out my hand and he takes it, shaking it. The breeze of warmth flows through me and I let my eyes close to the feeling. But, then I realize that I am enjoying it too much and pull away. His eyes watch me, interested.

"Do you need help?"

I shake my head, "It's kinda my job."

"It's okay. It's just a comforter."

I throw the blanket on the bed, smoothing it out quickly. "Done."

He shakes his head, "Ms. Independent."

"How'd you guess?" I joke. Noticing his bags, I wonder why there were so many.

"My bag got lost on the plane." He answers.

"I said that out loud?"

"Yep."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean to be nosy." I try to explain and he rests a hand on my shoulder. I jump at the spark coming from his hand. He looks at me as if he regrets touching me but at the same time, looks for a reaction.

"It's okay." He smiles, and I nod. Usually I would be uncomfortable with a stranger touching me but, I just want to lean into him.

But, I know better than that.

"Well, I should be going. Other rooms to get to." I say, backing up. I grab my cart and begin to walk out of the room.

"Amelia!" He calls out as I stop without my body even thinking about it. I turn around to see him, small strands of black hair falling to his eyes. "What are you doing here so late? I mean, it's almost one in the morning."

I gulp. No way was I about to say, "My fiance's birthday is today but he's dead now". Instead, I just get angry. My body goes cold, "I could ask why you've been shopping all night but, it's none of my damn business."

Elijah steps back, "Listen I'm sorry for asking-"

"I don't care. I'm here because I've got a daughter who needs a mom to provide for her." I spit and walk out of the room. I wasn't sure what came over me but, the angrier I became, the colder my body felt.

I walked to the elevator and waited for it to take me to floor 18. Once there, I walked to my room and began to make the bed. It was a queen sized bed and I put the sheet on wrong. Checking the tag, it said that it was queen size so I changed it around. It was still not right. It set me off and I crumpled it up and threw it onto the ground. I felt like a child but I was so damn angry.

"Why did you have to fúcking leave like that?" I whisper to myself as if Jordan could hear me.

Tears stream down my face but I look up to prevent them. I couldn't have guests seeing me with red eyes. I pick the sheet back up and make the bed. I make the following beds until I am done. As I put my cart away, Karen tells me it's a slow night and she gives me the rest of the night off. I thank her before clocking out and going home to Nova. And when I do make it home, I crawl into her bed and fall asleep snuggling my baby girl.

-      -     -

Elijah's POV

"I'm here because I've got a daughter who needs a mom to provide for her."

"...I've got a daughter..."

"...daughter..."

It's been two days since I've seen Amelia and it's killing me. I made a quick trip back home to sign some papers, making sure my people got to see their mates and either bring them to Graceful or if they would be leaving us. Of course I was always sad to see people of my pack leave but, it was for a reason. Their mate.

Now that I had mine, I needed to figure out how to get her attention. Leaving New York City wasn't what I wanted to do but, now that I was back, I had a plan.

She has a daughter. Does she have a boyfriend? A husband? I've been trying to think if I've ever seen a ring on her finger and I'm not sure. It's been driving me insane to think that my mate has a daughter. When I first found out, I was enraged. I took the small tubes of liquor from the fridge and drank them all before calling the bar. I got drunk. I felt like everything was exactly how it wasn't supposed to end up. My mate wasn't supposed to be human. I wasn't supposed to have fúcked a random girl. She shouldn't have a daughter.

I woke up the next morning with a slight headache. I made my way downstairs to the small pharmacy inside the hotel to grab some medication when I heard a small voice.

A little girl was yelling- giggling with joy while her father chased her around the store. Most would find it annoying. I was used to this behavior. I watched her light up once he caught her. The way he looked at her- as if she was everything. Eventually, a woman- his wife I presumed had intervened. She had cashed out and told them it was time to go back to the room. He nodded and tried to put his little girl down. When she clung to him, he kept her on his hip with her head resting on his shoulder.

It was then I remembered that I had always wanted to have a family. I've wanted to be a dad. I had forgotten that despite Amelia having a child, that child was a part of her. She wasn't a burden to be dealt with- not an obstacle but, a little girl.

While back in the city, I discovered a flower shop not too far from Marriott. I picked a bunch- not sure what kind. There was a little bit of everything it looked like. It was colorful too. I paid for them and went up to my room.

I decided that tonight would be the night I would ask her on a date. Was it too soon? Absolutely. She barely knew me. But, I was just going to ask her to dinner here at the hotel. I figured she was familiar with this place more than me and she could trust her co-workers if she thought I was a threat.

Which I am not.

I knew she would be cleaning my room soon. I try to keep things less messy cause it feels odd for me to clean it. But, it is her job. I usually keep everything in the garbage except leave a wrapper out. And then I put all my clothes away so nothing got in her way. I decided the best way to get her attention was to just leave the flowers and write her a note. I would have to leave the room but, I couldn't just stalk her and find out where she was. All I knew about her was that she cleans this floor.