We pull out of the parking lot and head back on the highway. I don’t know where we are going, but we are heading away from town.
Still exhausted from last night, I get comfortable and doze off a little.
A while later, I am jolted awake when the truck comes to a stop. Disoriented, I look around. We’re at another hotel, but this one is the exact opposite of the one we stayed in last night. It’s nice, really nice.
“What are we doing here?”
“Relaxing,” Ryder explains, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Wait here, I’ll get us a room.” He gets out of the truck, then pauses. “Actually, just come with me now.”
“Okay.” I climb out of the cab, glad he is not leaving me alone. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, I’d rather be with him.
Together we walk into the fancy lobby, looking completely underdressed and out of place. The receptionist is in a suit, for Christ’s sake. I’m certain he is going to tell us to leave because we can’t afford to stay here, or at the very least, that there are no vacancies.
To my utter shock, he greets us with a bright smile, not glancing twice at our appearance.
“Welcome to the Grand Levine. Do you have a reservation with us?”
“No, I would like a room for tonight. Well, actually today and tonight. I know it’s early, so if you need to charge me for two nights, that will be fine,” Ryder explains.
“Regular check-in is at two o’clock, but you can get a room with early check-in. That would only be $100 extra, no need to pay for a full night.”
“Sounds good.”
“I have a lovely suite, facing the atrium available for $429 a night, not including breakfast.” He probably thinks we’re going to leave now, but Ryder simply pulls out his credit card and driver’s license and hands it to him. If the receptionist is surprised, he hides it well.
He hands us our room key a moment later, and we head to the elevators. As we walk through the hotel, I’m in awe of how beautiful the place is: high ceilings, shiny marble floors, and light paisley wallpaper covering the walls.
The room is just as fancy as I imagined it to be. Larger than any bedroom I’ve ever been in, it looks like something out of a home décor magazine. There is a king-sized bed in the center, covered by at least eight neatly stacked pillows. On the wall in front of it is a huge flatscreen television.
Ryder takes his shoes off and flops down onto the bed with the remote in hand. “Come on, get comfy.” He pats the spot next to him.
I grab one of the complimentary bottles of water next to the expensive-looking coffee machine and join Ryder on the bed.
He turns on the TV and starts flipping through the channels, leaving it at an action movie.
This is so weird.
Lying in bed with Ryder and watching a movie is so… normal. And that’s not something we often do. I almost ask him if he likes this, if he wants to have this between us all the time, but then I remember how it went the last time I asked him a question like that. So, I decide to bite my tongue and enjoy the moment.
Enjoy this while it lasts.
Chapter 28
Ryder
I gotup before sunrise,leaving Penny asleep in the hotel room. I used the hotel gym before heading to the closest Walmart and buying us some new clothes.
I’d left her a note so she wouldn’t freak out when she woke up. It’s after eight by the time I get back, but she is still sleeping like a baby when I enter the room.
Curled up in the center of the immense bed, surrounded by fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets, she looks small and innocent.
She doesn’t wake up when I dump out all the stuff I bought. I get dressed and lay her stuff out on the bed. Only when I brew a coffee with the in-room coffeemaker does she stir.
Sitting up, she rubs her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Hi.” She yawns, taking my newly dressed form in. “Did you leave?”
“Yeah, got you some clothes too. Put this on,” I point to the bathing suit. The hotel has a pool. I wanna go for a swim before we pick up Mojo from the vet.”
