“Easy there.” Hendrix took my elbow and steered me out of the revolving door and into the gorgeous lobby.
I loved staying at boutique hotels when I traveled, and The Magnum was one of my favorites. Full of understated elegance, they catered to a clientele who appreciated and expected nothing but the best.
“I can take it from here. I just need to check in and get my bags from the concierge.”
“You sure?” He eyed me through half-lowered lids, almost like he wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye yet.
“Miss Bremer?” An impeccably dressed man with slicked back hair and a hotel nametag approached. I recognized him as one of the guest attendants who’d helped me on previous trips.
“Yes?” I turned toward him with Growler still perched in my arms. Maybe he wanted to offer me an upgrade. I’d booked a suite already, but some of the higher-level floors had apartment-style rooms.
The man shot a quick glance to Hendrix then back at me. Lowering his voice, he leaned in. “There’s been a problem with your reservation. My apologies, but we aren’t going to be able to accommodate you this weekend.”
I looked around, sure that one of my friends had paid the man to prank me. “That’s a good one. I’m assuming my room’s ready by now?”
His lips stretched into a thin line and a deep furrow bisected his brows. “I’m not sure you understand. Your payment method failed to authorize. We had to release your reservation.”
My heart skipped several beats before it started pounding in my chest. “There has to be some mistake. Maybe I gave you the wrong card.”
He shook his head. Not a single hair moved. It was like his whole head had been painted with shellac. “I’m sorry. The hotel is booked. You’ll have to make arrangements elsewhere. I’ll have your bags brought out.”
“Everything okay?” Hendrix asked. Great. Now the rough and tumble roadie would think I was some deadbeat who couldn’t pay her bills.
“No, everything’s not okay. There has to be some sort of mistake.” I pulled my wallet out of my bag and slid my backup Visa from its slot. “Can you try another card?”
“I could, but if it comes back with the same message, I’d have to confiscate it and destroy it.” The attendant bit down on his lip,almost like it pained him to have to tell me that. “I’m sure you don’t want to cause a scene like that.”
“Come on, Daisy. We’ll find you another hotel for tonight.” Hendrix grabbed the handle of my giant suitcase.
“I don’t understand what happened. That card doesn’t even have a limit.” Mumbling like an idiot, I let him lead me back toward the revolving door. “There’s no reason it would be shut down. I share that account with...” The realization of what had most likely led to my card being declined crashed down on me. “Oh my god. I’ve been cut off.”
3
HENDRIX
Icouldn’t make out much from what I could hear of Daisy’s end of her phone conversation. It sounded like her parents didn’t want her making the trek to Dallas and had cancelled all her credit cards to try to force her to come home. There was no way I could relate. I’d been raised in foster care after being abandoned by both of my parents and had been supporting myself since the day I turned eighteen and joined the service.
She finally hung up and slid her phone back into her pocket. I waited for her to fill me in. One thing I’d learned from my years in the Army was to not go poking my nose into other peoples’ business unless I wanted to get involved. And as much as I wouldn’t mind spending more time with the curvy blonde beauty, I had enough problems of my own without taking on some of hers as well.
“I can’t believe it. They cut me off.” She put her hands to her cheeks and looked up at me.
The hopelessness in her eyes did something funny to my gut. I clamped down on my reaction, forcing myself to stay neutral. “So, you’re going to head back home?”
“No. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don’t know when all my girlfriends will be in the same place again. There’s no way I can leave now. I haven’t even seen everyone yet.” She shook her head. “They think they can control me, but I’m so tired of it.”
“So, call up one of your friends and see if you can crash with them tonight.” The solution seemed easy enough to me.
Tears filled her lower eyelids. “I can’t. They don’t get into town until tomorrow. The only one here tonight is Shelby. She’s already done enough by getting me a VIP pass.”
“Then I’ll loan you some cash. You can get a room at the hotel where I’m staying. It’s not The Magnum, but the rooms are clean, and you’ll be comfortable enough for one night.” The urge to not get involved surged through me, but I wouldn’t leave her in the middle of the sidewalk in downtown Dallas with her luggage and the fur-rat she called a dog. I could be an asshole sometimes, but only when necessary, and never to a woman in need. Especially not one whose face had been burned into my brain and who’d made me laugh out loud for the first time in years.
“I can pay you back as soon as I get home.” She drew in a shaky breath.
“I’m not worried about it.” Satisfied we had a plan and that I was less than fifteen minutes away from the cold six-pack I had chilling in my mini fridge, I grabbed the handle of her suitcase again and headed down the sidewalk.
We didn’t talk much on the short walk to my hotel. When we entered the lobby, it seemed smaller and dingier than it had when I left this morning. I tried to see it through Daisy’s eyes. Instead of fresh flowers, there were some plastic ferns set around the perimeter. Instead of thick drapes, mini blinds covered the windows. Still, it was better than sleeping on the street.
I approached the desk to see about getting her a room, preferably on a floor far away from mine. Knowing she’d be sleeping under the safe roof would be difficult enough. I couldn’t have her on the same floor.
