Braxton stepped carefully around a coil of cables and a clipboard someone had left on the floor. His boots made soft marks in the thin layer of flour coating the tile. He moved toward me like he was approaching a startled deer, slow enough that I had time to decide whether to bolt.
I didn’t bolt. I considered it, but my feet stayed planted.
“Do you need help?” he asked quietly.
“I need a time machine,” I whispered back. “Do you have one in your rental car?”
“Not today.” His mouth tugged in the smallest smile. “Do you want me to stay?”
Yes, I thought. No, I thought right after.
This was exactly the kind of morning where needing someone felt embarrassing.
“I will be fine,” I said.
He hesitated, then nodded. “I will be nearby if you change your mind.”
He meant it. I felt that more than I heard it. Before I could reply, Kitty rushed into the kitchen.
“There you are,” she said breathlessly. “Jane, I need you. Right now. It’s an emergency.”
I pointed at the flour avalanche around me. “I am in the middle of something.”
Kitty glanced at the film crew. “So I see. But the lobby is… well… you need to see it.”
James perked up. “Lobby shots are great. Should we move there.”
“No,” Kitty said so firmly that even the director paused. “Jane needs to come alone.”
I wiped my hands and face on a towel, though it did nothing for the flour stuck to my sleeves. I followed Kitty out of the kitchen while James began giving the crew instructions on lighting his face from a forty-five-degree angle.
The hallway felt blissfully quiet compared to the chaos I left behind. I inhaled slowly, savoring the stillness, even if it lasted only a few seconds.
When we reached the lobby, I understood why Kitty had come running.
The bride and groom were here. So were their families, and their friends with a mountain of luggage.
The bride was petite and cheerful, with a smile too bright for the early hour. The groom stood beside her holding a suitcase in each hand, the picture of good intentions and mild confusion.
“Hello,” the bride chirped. “We are so excited to be here! This place is even more charming than the photos.”
“That is wonderful,” I said, glancing at Kitty. “Isn’t checkin time atthree? Early check in at one?”
Kitty’s jaw tightened with a smile that was definitely hiding something. “About the rooms,” she began.
The bride waved a hand. “We booked the whole floor.”
My stomach dipped. I looked at Kitty. “What? What does she mean by that?”
She winced.
Behind me, I heard footsteps. Dex and Lucy approached, both holding steaming mugs. They froze when they saw the crowd.
“Is this… all for the wedding?” Dex asked.
“Apparently,” Kitty whispered.
A member of James’ crew wandered over from the far corridor. “We still have three more rooms to check into,” he said cheerfully. “We need space for our equipment.”
