Scene: 2:17 AM – A quiet back office at the Tropicana.

The low hum of the hotel’s HVAC system was the only sound left as the last of the late-night guests retreated to their rooms. You kicked off your heels, finally allowing yourself to sink into the chair behind your desk. The digital clock on the wall blinked “2:17 AM.”

As if on cue, your phone buzzed.

MATT CALLING...

You smiled before even answering. “Right on schedule.”

“Hey, Manager of the Month,” Matt’s familiar voice teased through the speaker. “How many fires did you put out tonight?”

“Only three. One drunk guy tried to swim in the lobby fountain. You?”

He laughed. “Had a bachelorette party try to steal all the cocktail shakers. I’m down four and a piece of my sanity.”

You could hear the clinking of bottles in the background — he was likely still cleaning up behind the bar at the MGM Grand.