“I mean, it’s likely they will. They have to be here during the week, right? Because they have to take calls from potential customers. It’s dead now because there was no event and everyone took the weekend off, but someone will come in on Monday.”
He nodded slowly. “I think you’re probably right,” he said. “But what are we supposed to do here untilMonday?”
“The kitchen is this way,” she said. “We can get ourselves some food. And then we can find some beds somewhere. I doubt we can get into the guestrooms, they’ll be locked, but I’m sure we can findsomewhereto sleep.”
She fully expected more ranting from Theo about how crazy and inconvenient this all was, how he wished she had anticipated what would happen when they got here, but he didn’t say anything.
She found herself feeling guilty all of a sudden. Even though she had protested at every turn, she did have some responsibility for what was happening here, and she knew it. She felt as though it was her duty to make things right.
Theo leaned against the wall of the kitchen and watched as Harper went to the refrigerator which, thankfully, was operational due the entire kitchen being gas-powered, a fact that the owners had told her in the past. “I think we’re technically breaking and entering right now,” he observed as she began to pull things out.
“We’ll pay for all this,” she said. “I’ve worked with Creston Lodge before. They know me. They’ll forgive me for this.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. This is part of the reason I wanted to consider them for the wedding,” she said.
“Because you wanted to throw some business to some friends of yours?”
“No. Because I’ve worked with them and I trust them,” she said. “I’m not trying to rub it in, Theo, but the fact that that Genevieve Wallace woman was most excited about the prospect of throwing a wedding for celebrities is a big red flag to me. Do you really think she’d do her best for Max and Tara once she discovered they weren’t famous? I don’t think she would. I think she would resent them — and us — and give us the bare minimum. But I trust the team here to do their absolute best for us. It might not be the fanciest place in Houston, but the service would be top-tier, I promise you that.”
She pulled a couple of steaks out of the upright freezer, found a metal bowl, and filled it with water so that they could begin to thaw. “Steak dinner?” she asked.
“Do you know how to cook those?”
“Sure, I do.”
“Well, okay, if you think it’s a good idea.”
“Why don’t you look around and find plates and silverware? And once these are done, we can take them out into the lobby and eat them at the bar or something?”
“If you think so,” he agreed placidly and began to hunt around for silverware.
The two of them worked side by side in silence for a while, and Harper found that she was grateful for the quiet. She didn’t want to fall into a trap of continuing to apologize for the mistake she’d made. There was onlysomuch resentment he could reasonably have, given that it had been an honest error.
But at the same time… they really were in a predicament. And this was a man who had made it clear how little he liked the prospect of being kept from his work. Of course he was upset by what was going on. She couldn’t blame him for that.
Let some time go by. Apologize to him again in a few days, once we’re back at home and all of this is in the past. He’ll be better able to receive an apology then, and you’ll be able to give it without feeling awkward. For right now, let’s just get through this.
Even to her, it seemed almost impossible. A whole day here. Two nights! And that was if she was right and someonedidshow up on Monday morning to get them out of here. If that didn’t happen, they were going to lose their minds and have to try to get out on foot, because neither of them would be able to tolerate waiting around with no end in sight.
When the steaks were ready, Harper looked up to tell him so, only to realize that she was alone in the kitchen. At some point, Theo had slipped out. She frowned, looking around, and sawthat he had left two plates on the counter near the stove. She transferred the steaks onto them, picked the plates up, and left the kitchen for the main lobby, wondering if she would find him there.
She froze, startled.
There was a fire crackling in the sheltered indoor firepit that stood in the very center of the lobby, surrounded by seats. Theo had taken one of the chairs. He’d opened a bottle of wine, which he must have taken from the bar, and two glasses had been set out.
“As long as we’re paying them back for this impromptu stay, we might as well make the most of it,” he said, and gestured for Harper to come and join him beside the fire.
CHAPTER 13
THEO
“Ihave to hand it to you,” Harper said. “This is really nice, Theo.”
He raised his eyebrows, looking up from the perfectly cooked steak he had just cut into. “Youhave to hand it tome? You’re the one who made dinner. I’ve just been out here pouring wine.”
“And making this fire,” Harper said. “I wouldn’t have thought of doing that.”
