Ten minutes later, I sit alone at the table. My leg bounces with concern and annoyance.
Why would she ditch me?
“Sir, is there anything else I can get you?” the waiter asks me again. He’s probably ready for me not to be taking up his table.
I shake my head as I stand up, then pull out my wallet for two $20 bills. “No, sorry for sitting here for so long.” Handing him the extra tip, I leave the restaurant with a cloud hanging over my head.
I kick myself mentally for not getting her number. I can’t call her to make sure she’s okay. As disappointed as I am that she didn’t want to spend the night with me as much as I wanted to spend it with her, I’m more worried than anything else. I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep if I don’t at least figure out how to get in touch with her.
I don’t even know her last name.
The entire walk back to the hotel, I’m trying to figure out how to go about this. I might just have to resort to begging the front desk. They better not give me her room number, or I’ll be speaking with management about their staff giving out women’s room numbers to random men, but maybethey would be willing to find her with just her first name and call her room for me.
Surely, there isn’t more than one Olive staying at the hotel.
I release an irritated breath when I get in line behind three other people waiting for the one front desk attendant. It takes fifteen minutes before it’s my turn.
The young, pretty girl smiles brightly as I approach. “Hello, sir. How can I help you tonight?”
I have no interest in her, especially since I can’t get the taste of Olive out of my mouth, but I place my elbows on the desk and lean forward, returning her smile. Glancing down at her name tag, I say, “Hi, Danielle. I need a favor.” I cringe internally as I wink. “I have a coworker I need to call, but she’s new, and I can’t remember her last name. I know you can’t give me her room number, but can you call her room for me?”
Her smile falters. “You don’t know her last name?”
I shake my head. “I don’t. Like I said, she’s new, and I can’t remember.”
She hesitates, glancing down at her computer. This isn’t promising. I straighten and look around the lobby, doing a double take when a familiar face walks through the door.
“Uh, never mind. My other coworker walked in. I’ll ask him.” I rap my knuckles on the desk twice and stride across the lobby, intercepting Cade when he’s halfway to the elevators. “Cade, I need your help.”
I receive a skeptical look. “With what?”
Crossing my arms, I look to the side, trying to decide how much detail to give and explain, “Olive and I were out, and I went to pay our check. When I came back to the table, she was gone.” I drop my hands to my hips. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
He narrows his eyes. “You were out?”
I nod.
“With Olive?” he asks, like it’s hard to believe.
I nod again, but expand, “We didn’t mean to, but we ran into each other in the casino. And ended up going to get dessert somewhere else after.”
Cade rolls his eyes to the ceiling as he mumbles, “That girl and her sweet tooth, gets her ass in trouble. Guess she was right about you.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about when he says Olive was right about me, but I internally celebrate when he pulls his phone from his pocket. The ringing comes through his phone as he holds it to his ear.
“Hi, this is Olive-”
Cade hangs up. Typing furiously on his phone, he looks up at me. “I just texted her. Let’s see if she answers.” He tilts his head while keeping his gaze on me. “You want to tell me more about what you two were doing?”
My mind races on how to respond to him when his phone vibrates.
“Hm, saved by the bell, I guess.” The look he gives me is different after he reads whatever text he just received. Sadder, maybe. “She’s fine. She’s in her room.”
A breath of relief leaves me as my eyes close. “Thank goodness.”
When I open my eyes, Cade is looking at me curiously. “I hope you aren’t a dick, Nate.”
“I’m not.” The words rush out of me.
