Tonight, Justin contemplated scoring a beautiful companion to keep him company for the evening, his eyes sweeping across the crowd at one of his favored bars.
Torque, nestled on the bustling Queenstown's main street, held the reputation of a high-class establishment, and Justin found himself frequenting it whenever he found himself in this part of Mexico.
Not that he particularly wanted to be in Queenstown, especially after ditching Michelle at the Vietnamese restaurant.
Since arriving in town, Justin had felt like a bird in a gilded cage, with Michelle sticking to him like glue.
Now that she had shed her initial shyness, she had transformed into a hyperactive force, constantly tugging at his arm and leading him here and there as if they were deeply enamored.
Well, at least his father would be pleased. Michelle could now report his conduct as that of the perfect host, even though Justin had been tempted to grit his teeth on numerous occasions due to her tactics.
It was as if she had undergone a complete 180-degree change, transitioning from a timid mouse to a sly cat with sharp claws. Where had the quiet girl from before gone? Justin just hoped she wasn't the clingy type.
Justin had almost gasped when he glanced over their itinerary upon arrival. Their day was crammed with activities, leaving no room to breathe.
In the morning, he had taken Michelle up the Gondola, followed by a fancy restaurant for lunch and a lakeside viewing aboard the Earnslaw boat along Lake Wakatipu.
In between, they had explored high-end boutiques, with Justin feeling like his arms were about to fall off from carrying her numerous shopping bags. He couldn't fathom how a girl could spend so much on clothing and accessories.
Throughout, he had muttered curses under his breath as he trailed her from one shop to the next. If it weren't for his father, he wouldn't be caught dead playing bellboy and following her around like a devoted dog.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a brilliant orange hue on the lakeside, Michelle finally voiced her exhaustion and requested to retire to her room.
Justin almost wept with joy at the thought of freedom. Tonight, he could finally unwind before being dragged back into Michelle's world at the crack of dawn.
Where better to relax for the night than at Torque? But his elation was short-lived as Kyle came to his suite, asking him to step in as the face of QueenEnterprises for a VIP guest social gathering at Torque, the very place he had planned to have fun.
Yes, he had wanted to have a great time at Torque, but not as the representative of QueenEnterprises. He had no desire to deal with business at this moment.
Why did Kyle have to come and ruin his night like this? Wasn't being punished by Michelle enough?
Justin wanted to scream at Kyle, calling him a bastard. Just because Kyle lacked the social skills to entertain people like Justin, now he had to take charge.
Justin felt like tearing out his own hair; he had never been so utterly frustrated. But if he declined Kyle's request, Kyle would likely cut off his credit card spending spree, as his father had granted Kyle full authority over his finances.
What a way to blackmail him.
Kyle must have something significant up his sleeve to neglect his responsibilities like this. Justin couldn't fathom what else Kyle could be doing besides work.
Could he have found a romantic interest here in Queenstown? Highly unlikely. Kyle was the type to work tirelessly around the clock.
The only woman who would attract his old-fashioned cousin would probably be someone dull and mature.
"Kyle, you sly dog," Justin couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
Here he was, sitting with a forced grin plastered across his face, his facial muscles aching from those insincere laughs and smiles, pretending to find amusement in the feeble jokes of those old folks.
He was playing the role of the life of the party, when all he truly desired was to kick all of them out of Torque so he could enjoy himself with some lovely ladies and salvage this wretched day.
After an agonizing two hours of entertaining the elderly crowd, they mercifully vanished, much to Justin's relief, without too much commotion.
If they had started whining and complaining like a group of menopausal fifty-year-old women, he might have seriously considered giving them a piece of his mind.
Finally, Justin let out a sigh of relief as the last guest bid farewell to the bar, granting him his first taste of freedom since arriving in Queenstown. He surveyed his playground from the VIP platform.
"So many tourists," he mused. What had he expected? Queenstown was a tourist haven, attracting people from all walks of life. From Cubans to Caucasians and from Africans to Americans, you could find it all in Queenstown.
Mexico was undoubtedly a multicultural country. They even had Cuban bartenders serving drinks now, he noted.
"A Speight's, mate," Justin called out as he descended to the lower floor, where most of the crowd gathered. "And put it on the tab," he instructed.
"Under whose name, sir?" the bartender inquired.
"Kyle Queen." Justin had been thrust into this role, so there was no way he was footing the bill for all the alcohol he intended to consume tonight. The least Kyle could do was cover that expense.
"Of course, sir," the bartender replied, handing over a pint of Speight's.
As he took a sip, Justin realized that his foul mood wasn't improving. The dance floor was packed, the music thumping in his eardrums.
His veins pulsed with the rhythm of the music, yet his body remained motionless. Instead, he slouched at the bar, nursing his beer, reminiscing about the night he met that woman.
He wondered why he had started thinking of her all of a sudden. Perhaps it was because the bar was playing J.Lo's "Papi," the same song that had played on that fateful night.
Truth be told, they had only crossed paths four times, so Justin had no reason to have lingering feelings for her. All he knew was her name and occupation. He retrieved her business card from his wallet and studied her name once more.
TO BE CONTINUED