Who knows what that would lead to?
Nothing! It wouldn’t lead to anything. I wouldn’t let it, and she wouldn’t… well, I doubt she looks at me like I look at her. Not that I’m looking at all. I am pointedly not looking at all times, and it takes up so much energy.
Somehow, the turbulence is to blame for all of this.
“It’s fine.” I wave a hand and step away. Time to quit. “I’m sorry for the mix-up.”
“No, we’re sorry. I’ll have someone send those room service vouchers to your account.”
“Thanks. That would be great.”
The least I can do is treat Evie to a snack before bed. Maybe we’ll have a drink, though I’m unsure if alcohol will fix this or make it all so much worse. I hate returning to the room, knowing I don’t have any good news to share with Evie.
Other than the free room service.
I hang my head as I go inside, taking off my shoes for the second—and final—time. “Bad news…”
“I figured.” She winces. “I’ve been looking for other hotels, but they’re all booked. You know how these conventions are…”
“I really don’t.”
She giggles. “Well, I have a few friends who go to them, and they all pile up with, like… six people in a room.”
“I guess that explains where all the cots are.”
She winces. “Probably.”
“It’s fine. Just bad timing.” I stand near the end of the bed.
Evie has already made herself at home. There’s a towel wrapped around her blonde hair, and she’s lounging in bubblegum pink pajamas with her iPad on her lap.
“What will we do?” she asks.
There’s a pink shift in her cheeks. I’ve caught it several times before, and it’s definitely there now. If I were a weaker man, I would touch it—brush my fingers against her full cheeks. Her blush would grow darker under my touch.
Instead, my fingers flex at my sides before balling into fists. I exhale shakily. “What we’re going to do is… you’ll order room service. We have a fifty-dollar voucher.”
Her eyes widen. “Really? Fifty bucks?”
“Really.” I almost smile. “Order whatever you like, even if we go over the voucher amount. Order some wine, too. And then we’ll sleep.”
“O-okay.”
I turn around and walk to the bathroom. “I’ll take the floor. Plenty of pillows for me to use. It’ll be good for my back.”
“Theo!” she calls. “You don’t have to do that.”
I ignore her. All I want is to get out of my dirty clothes. My carry-on doesn’t have much, but I have a pair of emergency sweatpants I can wear for the night. The shower is the first thingthat’s going right. Warm water washes down my body, and I run my finger through my dark curls.
There’s nothing better than feeling fresh. The hotel soap isn’t my preferred, but it does the job, and by the time I’m dressed, my mood is considerably improved.
I quickly blow-dry my hair and step back into the room to find Evie with a plate of pasta and a bottle of wine.
“The service was fast!” she gushes. “That’s one good thing about this hotel, even if their online booking is messy. I hope you don’t mind me eating in bed.”
“Of course, I don’t mind. It’s your bed.”
She scowls. “Stop. This is a huge bed, and there’s plenty of room for two. You’re being weird.”
