And just like that, it was over. For him, at least. Dumbfounded, I followed him, then watched him peel off his practice clothes and pull a suit from the dressing room rail.
I stood there, aware of nothing but my own heartbeat for a few moments, and then I said, ‘Actually, I think it’s better if I go on my own.’
Justin stopped, one foot in a trouser leg. ‘What do you mean?’For the first time since we’d started arguing – well, not exactly arguing; he’d been too calm for that – since we’d beendisagreeingabout this whole situation, he looked worried.
I took a breath, tried to calm myself down. ‘I mean it’s probably a good idea to give ourselves a bit of breathing space, and I don’t want to spoil Dad’s night with an atmosphere.’ Before he could argue with me, I picked up my bag and walked out the door.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Now.
ALICE READ THE hotel sign overhead – Travel Inn, Penrith. Tiny, pale flakes spiralled in the air above her head. ‘It’s snowing.’
Ben looked up. ‘The forecast said it wasn’t going to be heavy. It probably won’t even settle.’
They made their way into the lobby along with almost two coachloads of other stranded passengers.
‘Right,’ the receptionist said when they got to the front of the queue. ‘Room one-o-three.’ And he handed over a key card, then looked expectantly at the family standing behind them.
‘What about the other key?’ Ben asked. ‘For the other room?’
The receptionist frowned and checked some papers on the desk in front of him. ‘Ben and Alice Robertson?’
‘Yes,’ Alice said.
‘No,’ Ben said simultaneously.
When the railway staff had been taking names and details for overnight accommodation, it had become apparent that she was missing a surname. Ben had suggested she just use his to save long explanations.
‘We’re not … together,’ she said to the receptionist and felt her cheeks heat as she kept her eyes away from Ben’s.
‘You’re not married?
They both shook their heads.
‘Brother and sister?’ the guy asked hopefully.
A blush crept up past Alice’s chin to warm her ears.
‘It’s complicated,’ Ben said.
The receptionist merely blinked, then said, ‘Of course, West Coast Rail may well be happy to sort out another room for one of you, but it won’t be at this hotel. We’re fully booked now, and they’re sending everyone else to Carlisle. If you’d like to stand to one side, I can get them on the phone for you.’
There was shuffling in the queue behind them. People were getting restless. ‘Carlisle is north of here,’ Ben said to her. ‘We’d be heading in completely the wrong direction.’
Alice nodded. It made no sense to go back there. It also made no sense for her and Ben to split up. ‘I don’t suppose you have any twin rooms left?’
The receptionist shook his head. ‘But some of our rooms have a sofa bed. I can put you in one of those?’
She shot a look at Ben. He met her gaze and nodded. ‘I’d have slept on the floor if need be,’ he told the receptionist, ‘but that would be great. Thank you.’
While Alice was in the bathroom, Ben slipped out of his jeans and slid between the sheets of the sofa bed situated next to the window. One of the hotel staff had come and removed the back cushions and made it up not long after they’d got to the room.It was turning out to be surprisingly comfortable.
The bathroom door opened. Alice emerged looking a little awkward in a pair of too-large pyjamas. He opened one of the reading apps on his phone to both distract himself and give her a little privacy.
The sheets on the bed rustled. ‘Are you okay if I turn out the light?’
‘Of course.’ She flipped the switch, and then the only source of light in the room was the dull glow of his phone screen. ‘Will this disturb you?’ he asked.
