“Was it really wasted, though?” I asked. “You’ve been glued to that laptop for nearly the entire flight. You’re working. Zero wasted time. And trust me, I’ve dealt with way too many close calls to not pad in some space whenever it’s possible. I’m not willing to take any chances, thank you very much.”
I didn’t give him any room to argue back, so he sat in silence, stewing, which continued all the way to our arrival at The Ashford on the Main Line.
“This isstunning,” I marveled as we walked through the arched doorway and navigated the crowds in the lobby.
It was my first time in a Ashford resort, and I could see why everyone considered them the top of the line. Luxury like this, with the six-foot-tall planters packed with flowers in every corner, the live pianist in the corner of the lobby, and the polished black marble floor, was totally foreign to me.
“Mr. Ashford,welcome,” the doorman beamed at us and gave an almost imperceptible bow. “We’re so happy to have you back!”
He responded with a curt nod as we walked through the doors. “Thank you, Jeremy.”
I was embarrassed by how abrupt Harrison seemed, so I attempted to make up for it. “The weather is terrible! I hope you’re keeping dry.”
We both glanced out the double doors at the sheets of rain and blackness, even though it was only four o’clock.
“Gonna be bad until late. Not the best weather for a night out on the town,” Jeremy said apologetically, like he was somehow to blame for the rain.
“We’ll be fine,” Harrison said over his shoulder.
I winced as he sliced his way through the crowd.
“Long day,” I said apologetically to Jeremy.
“Understood,” he nodded. “Don’t worry, Regina will take care of you. Enjoy your stay.”
Poor Jeremy was probably very used to dealing with big personalities and bad manners. I wondered if Harrison’s brother was a bosshole as well.
I joined Harrison at the VIP check-in counter, where a pretty, dark-haired woman was beaming at him despite his glower.
“Drew took care of your room assignment,” the woman explained, angling to direct her smile at me as well as at Harrison, though she looked a bit confused when her eyes dropped down to my hands. “We’re fully committed for the next few nights, but you know your brother can move mountains.”
“Yes, something like that,” Harrison said dismissively.
He held out his hand for the key, and I had to force myself not to karate-chop him for being so damn abrupt.
“Do you need assistance up to your room?” the woman asked.
“No, we’re fine,” Harrison replied. “Thank you.”
I tripped behind him like a puppy, weaving through the crowd of guests. “Is it always this busy?”
He shook his head. “We stay booked, but this is extreme. There must be some kind of special event going on. We’d better not be on a noisy floor.”
I hoped for everyone on the staff that was the case.
Harrison paused when we stepped on the elevator. “Now wait a second…”
“What?”
His jaw flexed, and he shook his head. He slammed the key card against the pad, and the elevator started off so gently that I wouldn’t have thought we were even moving if the number display hadn’t started climbing.
I peered at the floors as we shot up. “We’re on the top?”
“So it seems,” he said through gritted teeth.
The elevator came to a stop with the quietestbeep, and when we got off, Harrison let out an angry sigh.
“This isnotfunny.”
