The hotel lobby is all quiet and nice. Beautiful, actually.
Richard heads to the desk first. Silas and I wait near the entrance, and I’m acutely aware that we’re about to check into a hotel together for the night.
Silas studies me. “I can get two rooms.”
I nod.
Richard finishes and waves at us. “You’re up.”
But he’s not leaving. Why isn’t he leaving? Silas won’t be able to book two rooms if he’s standing there.
We cross to the desk, and the woman behind it looks up and freezes.
“Mr. Locke.” Her smile is immediate. “It’s an honor.”
Silas gives her a polite closed-mouth smile. “I need a room. One night.”
I understand why he only books one room. Richard is still standing beside us, and newlyweds wouldn’t book two rooms.
She types quickly, cheeks flushed. “Of course. King bed or two queens?”
Silas hesitates. The pause is brief, half a second, but I feel it. He’s thinking about me. About only having one bed.
“One king.” I step forward and smile at the clerk. “We’re newlyweds.”
“Oh! Congratulations.” Her smile wavers. “I saw photos online. Aren’t you with all three brothers? I thought the article said—” She stops and realizes she’s asking questions that are way too personal. “Never mind. One room. King bed.”
Silas hands over his identification and credit card. “Thank you.”
She hands Silas the key cards. “Top floor. Suite. Complimentary champagne.”
Richard claps Silas on the shoulder. “See you both for breakfast. Eight o’clock?”
“We’ll be there.”
We head to the elevator, and I don’t look at Silas until the doors close, and we’re alone.
“I should go back down.” His hand hovers near the elevator button. “We need to get a second room.”
“After I just told her we’re newlyweds?” I lean against the wall. “She recognized you, Silas. What happens when she tells her friends about the Locke brother whose brand-new wife wanted separate rooms?”
His jaw tightens. “Fuck.”
“Exactly.”
He pulls his hand back from the elevator controls, and we ride the rest of the way up.
The suite is beautiful, luxurious. It has a living room, a separate bedroom with French doors, and a bathroom with a large tub for two.
There is a lot of space, but only one bed.
I stand in the doorway and stare at it.
Silas sets his portfolio case on the desk. “I’ll call the concierge. We’ll need clothes for tomorrow. Pajamas. Toiletries.”
“You can do that?”
He picks up the phone. “I can do a lot of things.”
