“It’s fine,” Iris said, waving her free hand. “We’re fine wherever you put us. I’d sleep on the back deck, honestly.”
“Yeah,” Stevie said, her palm growing sweaty in Iris’s hand. She’d never seen Van and Adri bicker like this before. But she honestly didn’t care what room they stayed in. She could never keep all the names the Riveros had for their ten bedrooms straight in her head, but there was no such thing as a bad room in this house. “We’re fine.”
“Good,” Adri said. “I can take you up.”
Vanessa blinked. “I’ll just get some drinks started.” Then she turned and speed-walked into the expansive kitchen before Stevie could call out her thanks.
Stevie and Iris followed Adri up the floating staircase, carrying their suitcases with them, and down an open hallway to a room at the very end. Adri swung the door open and bright light spilled inside.
“Here we are,” she said, waving them ahead of her.
Stevie stepped into a lovely space—every bedroom was at the back of the house, so they all had balcony access and ocean views. The bed linens were white and bedecked with colorful pillows that matched those downstairs, and the en suite bathroom boasted mosaic tiles and a huge glass shower.
“Ah,” Iris said, nodding as she looked around.
“What?” Stevie asked.
Iris’s brow lifted, but she just turned to Adri. “Thank you, this is lovely.”
Adri smiled. “I’ll leave you to get settled in.” Then she turned, squeezing Stevie’s shoulder as she left.
“Wow,” Iris said once they heard Adri’s footfalls on the stairs.
“What?” Stevie asked. “What’s sowow?”
“Who are Nina and Satchi?” Iris asked.
“Regulars with the Empress. They’re playing Don Pedro and Don John. Been together for, like, five years, I think.”
Iris laughed and pushed her suitcase toward the driftwood dresser. “Right.”
“What?”
“Really? You don’t see it?”
“See what?”
Iris waved her hand at the room.
Stevie just stared at her.
“Adri changing our room last minute?” Iris said. “To this room?”
“I mean, I figured they’d put us in the same room. If what you say is true and Adri does believe we’re dating, then of course—”
“Yeah,” Iris said. “Butthisroom is for roomies. Not lovers.”
“What are you talking—”
But then she saw it.
Beds.
As in two.
Two twin beds. Opulently appointed, of course, but yeah, this was definitely a room to be shared by people who were not sleeping together. Panic surged into Stevie’s throat.
“Shit,” she said, already breathing more heavily. “She knows, doesn’t she? She knows we’re faking, and fuck, that is so humiliating, and I—”
