“Eyes forward,” Dax mutters.
“We’re renting this place,” Malik says. He’s the calmest of the four, but I can see the tension in his shoulders. He’s dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but somehow still manages to look like he’s about to chair a board meeting. Perfect dark skin and dark eyes to match. “We booked it three months ago.”
“So did I,” I shoot back, then my brows furrow, because this can’t be right. “It’s a luxury honeymoon villa. It’s literally designed for two people. One master suite. That’s it, so I’m pretty sure you’re at the wrong place.”
Cole’s lopsided smile appears. “We’re pack. One bed is enough.”
Something in his gaze erases whatever comeback I might have thought of.
Jalen, the quiet one, is already pulling out his phone. “Let me check the confirmation email.”
“I’ll check mine too,” I mutter, retreating to grab my phone from the kitchen counter.
This can’t be happening. This cannot actually be happening.
I pull up my email and scroll to the booking confirmation. Property: Hula Hula Beach House. Dates: November 3-10. Confirmation number: 2669.
I march back to the door, phone thrust out like a weapon. “See? November third through tenth. That’s this week.”
Jalen shows me his phone. Property: Hula Hula Beach House. Dates: November 3-10. Confirmation number: 2669.
The same confirmation number.
“Oh my god,” I breathe. “They double-booked us.”
“That’s not possible,” Dax says. “We used Sweetwater Coastal Rentals. They don’t make mistakes like that.”
“Well, they apparently do,” I snap, “because here we both are with the same confirmation number.”
Malik is already dialing, phone pressed to his ear. “I’m calling the rental company.”
We stand in awkward silence while he waits. Cole shifts his weight, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe while looking entirely too amused by this situation. Dax has his arms crossed, glowering at me like this is somehow my fault. Jalen keeps glancing between me and the house, his expression unreadable.
“Yes, this is Malik Knightley,” Malik says into the phone. “We have a reservation for Hula Hula Beach House, confirmation number 2669. We’ve arrived to find... yes, we’re aware there’s another guest. That’s exactly the problem.”
He listens, his jaw tightening incrementally.
“I see. And you didn’t think to notify either party that there was an issue with the booking?” Pause. “The automated system should have caught this. Yes, I understand it’s a technical error, but that doesn’t solve our immediate—” Another pause, longer this time. “I see. No, I understand. Thank you for your time.”
He hangs up and takes a long, measured breath.
“Well?” Dax prompts.
“There was a system migration last month. Some bookings got duplicated in the database. They’re offering a full refund and a complimentary stay at a future date.”
“Great,” I say. “So, you can leave and come back on that future date.”
“We’re not leaving,” Dax says flatly.
“Neither am I!”
“We booked first,” Cole points out, though he’s still smiling like this is all terribly entertaining.
“How do you know that?” I demand. “The confirmation numbers are the same. For all we know, I booked first.”
“Does it matter?” Jalen asks quietly. He’s looking at me more closely now, and I see the exact moment he notices. His eyes widen slightly. “Are you... are you okay? You look flushed.”
Oh god. Oh no.
