“Sure.”
Cara jogged up the stairwell to the second floor and followed the room numbers to 259. She banged on the door. “Aunt Betty.”
No answer. She banged again. “Aunt Betty, answer the damn door.”
The door swung open just as Coop and Phillip approached. Aunt Betty was standing in a pink-feathered robe. “Cara. What a nice surprise.”
“Where is he?” Cara demanded and pushed her way into the room to find Marco tied to the bed with a blindfold over his eyes. Thankfully, the sheet covered his groin.
“Betty…did you invite another woman? Remove my blindfold and let me see the tasty morsel.”
“My wife is off-limits,” Coop announced, removing the guy’s blindfold.
Marco glanced between them both. “The more, the merrier. You can play too.”
Cara ignored them both and turned to face Aunt Betty. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for the convention.” She smiled sweetly. “Why are you here?” She rested her palms on Cara’s arm. “And with Agent Cruz?”
Cara pressed her lips together as humiliation blossomed in her chest. She couldn’t answer Aunt Betty truthfully, not with Phillip in the room. She also couldn’t use the cover of a honeymoon without her questioning the answer. Deflection was needed. “Marco missed his speaking engagement.”
“No, I didn’t.” Marco sat on the bed, rubbing his wrists that had been tied. “That’s not until tomorrow.”
“Uh, no, sir. That was last night. The seminar committee rescheduled you for tonight and replaced your time slot last night that you missed. They were worried about you, and we’ve been searching for you ever since.”
Marco rose, pulling the sheet with him from the bed. He wrapped it around his body and walked over to Aunt Betty and cupped her cheek. “You were amazing, my bella. We’ll pick up again tonight after the seminar?”
“Afraid not.” Betty kissed him smack on the lips. “I’m going to spend some time with my niece and then head back to Florida. But thank you for the invite.”
Betty was giving the guy the boot and Marco looked as though she’d just toldhim his performance was subpar. Just wow. Cara didn’t know if she should be embarrassed or impressed.
Marco grabbed his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.
“I’m going to inform the others that he’s been found,” Phillip announced.
“Good luck with that.” Coop patted his back.
“Betty, you’ve got some explaining to do.” Coop crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head.
“What? I was here for the conference and knew you two were here, so I was going to kill two birds with one stone: check in on you and find some new toys.”
“How did you know we were here?” Cara asked.
“Well, your mother, of course.”
She walked over to the door and held it open. “Dinner, drinks, and dancing tonight. Meet me inside the restaurant at seven so we can catch up.”
“Are you kicking us out?” Cara’s mouth parted.
“Yes, dear.” Betty grinned. “Unless you’d like to stay and watch me stroke Marco’s…ego.”
Cara held up her hands. “Nope. No stroking for us. You can explain later. Come on, Coop.”
Betty stopped Coop from leaving and thrust a bag into his hands. She winked. “You should have listened to me sooner. You’re going to need these.”
Coop opened the bag and glanced inside as a smile split his lips. “Did you have a vision?”
“Didn’t need to.” Aunt Betty smiled. “I can see it in your eyes. I have to warn you though. When you think you know everything…you don’t, and when it comes to Cara, you only get one shot. Don’t forget that.”
