Hunter follows me into our allocated bedroom, carrying our luggage.
“You know we’re only staying two nights,” he says, dumping my large suitcase by the bed. The room is done in pale blues and whites, with a view of the ocean. On one wall there’s a four-poster bed, white muslin wrapped around the frame gently undulating with the breeze from the ceiling fan. It’s like something from a fairy tale. “What have you got in here?” Hunter barks, spoiling the moment. If only I weren’t sharing this room with him.
“Plenty of space for a dead body on the way back,” I retort.
“Whatever,” Hunter replies in the lamest response he’s ever given me. “Did you think through what this means? You and I are going to be in a confined space for over forty-eight hours. Why on earth did you say yes?”
“I didn’t hear you objecting.”
“I was expecting you to make some excuse about how we weren’t that far along in our relationship or something. Most guys don’t give a shit where they sleep. It’s the women who make a big fuss about that kind of thing.”
“At least you’re not generalizing,” I say, unzipping my bag on the floor.
“You want me to lift that onto the bed?” he asks.
“Eww,no thank you. That suitcase has been through the airport. You can’t put it on that beautiful bed linen.”
“Only trying to help,” Hunter says.
I sigh, exhausted, partly from the anticipation of this trip and partly from the realization that I’m going to have to spend time and energy fighting with Hunter when all I want to be doing is making sure Katherine has the weekend of her life.
“Well, here we are,” I say. “We’ll just have to make the best of it. I can take the couch.” The navy-and-white couch isn’t big, but if I take the cushions and put them on the floor, I can make it work.
“Or we could stage a fight, and I could sleep downstairs,” he says.
“No! You can’t do that. It will upset Katherine.”
Hunter gives a small shake of his head. “We couldn’t possibly do that, now, could we?”
“This is her bachelorette party in case you’ve forgotten. She’s going to remember it as one of the best times of her life.”
“No pressure, then,” Hunter says. “I’m going into the bathroom.”
“I’m going to get us some beverages.”
“Knock yourself out.”
He probably means literally. No doubt he thinks I deserve a good concussion right about now. But he must know that it’s not my choice to be sharing a bedroom with him. Not here. Not ever.
I pad downstairs and explore the kitchen. I had a huge order of groceries delivered earlier in the day, and I was told the housekeeper would put them away. I might as well use the time to check that everything came. While I’m doing a mental inventory of the fridge, Katherine comes down.
“Everything okay with your room?” I ask.
“Oh, Lucy, it’s just the best. And you put Hershey’s Kisses by the bed.”
The housekeeper did, at my request.
“I actually have some HARIBO for Ed here somewhere.” The housekeeper called to say dry goods were laid out on the counters in the pantry. I just need to find the pantry.
“You’re so sweet and thoughtful,” Katherine says. Her praise feels so good, like warming cold hands in front of a fire.
“I just want you to have a good time,” I say. I open a door and find the pantry just as there’s a knock on the door. My stomach plunges. I hope that’s not Mom arriving early. I’m absolutely not ready for her. I want to have a shower. Maybe a shot of tequila. But it’s hours until she’s due. It can’t be her.
I cross the kitchen and open the front door. It’s a delivery driver.
Two boxes are stacked up beside him on the porch. He hands me his electronic signing pad, and I make an attempt at a signature.
I glance back at Katherine. Does she know what this is all about? She’s got her head stuck in the refrigerator and isn’t paying any attention.
