HOUSE OF CRAWFORD: CONRAD'S LEGACY.

The reception is oddly quiet this evening, Conrad thought to himself.

It was Valentine's Day, the season of love, and Conrad had expected the hotel to be flooded with couples on getaway trips. 

He, too, had made plans with his girlfriend for Valentine's Day, but she had canceled at the last minute because her boss needed her to make some last-minute adjustments to some documents.

Conrad was upset but understood, because he too had canceled their plans in the past because of his work, but Conrad was especially upset because he had pulled some strings for the plans he had made.

He had borrowed money from his friends and colleagues to take her on a three-day vacation out of town, instead, he had to cancel those plans and lose the cash too. Cash he still had to pay back. 

“Hey, did something happen? This place is not as rowdy as it should be. I thought this was Valentine's weekend.” Conrad asked their receptionist.

“Yeah, Xander booked out the entire couple suites for him and his friends from college. We uploaded the info and you know no couple will settle for anything less.” The girl answered and went back to the computer in front of her. 

“Oh. That's too bad.” Conrad muttered and went out to the restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Now, this part of the establishment was filled with couples out to celebrate their relationship. He ran into the restaurant manager. 

“The customers on table 3, aisle 5 want a refill. Conrad, why are you not there??”

Conrad turned to their manager, who looked like he had aged about an extra year since Xander arrived with his groupies. 

Xander Maxwell was the first son of the mogul who owned the chain of restaurants and hotels, Adam Maxwell. And Xander made sure everyone knew he was the heir and always made sure to torment everyone over that fact.

“I usually serve the tables on Aisle 3, Sir.” Conrad turned with the tray in his hand, trying to head over to another table he'd taken orders from the chef for. 

Sam snatched the tray off of Conrad, dropping it on the kitchen table and spearing Conrad with a hard look. 

“Go and stand by that table, Conrad. You're one of my best. And don't move an inch until Xander is ready to go. He might be a little troubled but he's also the boss's son, for God's sake!” He snapped at Conrad, sweat dripping from his black hair, peppered with a little grey.

Conrad simply grinned. He hated serving Xander but he had no choice when his manager gave an order. 

Conrad walked quickly over to that table and bowed with a flourish in front of Xander. “Conrad Sir, at your service.”

The table was the best in the restaurant, sitting smack in the middle of everything, with a great view out of the window.

Xander scowled at Conrad, looking him over like he was a little slow in the head. “Of course, you're at my service, you dummy, everyone here is at my service.” he declared arrogantly as the girl he had his arm around giggled like she was drunk. 

The sun was just going down outside the floor-to-ceiling windows but Drew knew they'd been drinking since they got to the restaurant. He ignored the insult.

“What might I get for you, Sir?” Conrad asked, folding his hands behind his back in a show of subservience. 

Meanwhile, inside, he was laughing at how childish Xander's display of his father's wealth was. 

“What might you do for me? Everything. First off, we ordered some dessert after our main course hours ago! And it is yet to get here, for fucks sake, where is Sam?!” Xander demanded. 

Sam appeared immediately, stopping before Xander's table. “Yes, yes, Sir?”

Xander reached up from his chair and slapped Sam across the face. The sound echoed harshly through the restaurant and other patrons turned to watch what was happening. 

“Is this how you serve people at my father's establishment, Sam? This subpar treatment is not acceptable!” Xander raged. 

The brunette bombshell with her breasts spilling out of her dress started to giggle again and Xander looked at Conrad and Sam for another full minute, before bursting into laughter.

“I'm just joking, dudes. Why are your faces so fucking serious?” He chortled, before leaning back in his chair again and looking around at the patrons with a grin.

“Get everyone here some dessert on my tab! And get to it fast.” Xander snapped his fingers in Conrad's face. 

Conrad turned immediately to the kitchen area, feeling bad for Sam. Xander was the epitome of all spoiled brats, even as a grown man of 25. 

Conrad got other servers and they served the entire floor desert. If Conrad knew anything about Xander, he was certain the boy wouldn't pay the bills in the end. 

After serving everyone else, Conrad returned to stand before Xander, folding his hands in front of him. 

“Hey you,” Conrad turned to the brunette. She had long lashes painted with a coat of mascara, and shining red lips, and she wore a tight blue dress with a sweetheart neckline. 

She shimmied, the big globes on her chest shaking in her dress as she looked at Conrad with a sultry smile. “Pour me a glass of wine, will you?” 

She smiled at him again and Xander looked at her, caught the smile on her face and his jaw tightened. It was barely perceptible because Xander always carried a mean face. 

Conrad knew trouble was brewing so he turned to Xander tactfully. “Sir, would you like to do the honors? Perhaps you'd like to pour the lady a drink?”

Xander's jaw relaxed as he guffawed widely, mockery in his eyes as he regarded Conrad. “Who do you think you are, speaking all posh like that? You poor fucker, posing like you're any better than what you are.”

Conrad didn't feel a thing in his words. He'd deliberately redirected him to other matters so he wouldn't get angry at the fact that his girlfriend was flirting outrageously.

The girl relaxed back in the plush loveseat she was seated in and winked at Conrad from behind Xander. Conrad made sure to keep his eyes down the rest of their meal. 

A while later they'd finished up and Conrad had rolled their trays into the kitchen area on his food cart. 

When he emerged, hoping to take care of Xander's bills and then leave for the day, he found Xander, Sam, and the brunette staring at him from their table. 

If he didn't know better he would say that was an accusation in Xanders eyes.

“Conrad,” Sam began as he got to them but he was cut short when Xander interrupted. “You fucking thief! You've swiped my card from me.”