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“Of course, I’m certain. Check again. I’m certain my name is there.”

Leah was certain it was not. As Leah stared at the reservation book and tried to figure out what had happened to this woman’s reservation, she heard the woman gasp.

When Leah raised her head, the woman was smiling or rather laughing, at what Leah had no idea. She waited to see if the woman was going to let her in on what was amusing her.

“I know what happened,” the woman said. “I booked the room under an alias.”

Leah’s brows scrunched together. “Why would you do something like that?”

“Just seemed like the thing to do.” The woman lowered her gaze to the reservation book. “Shouldn’t you do that stuff on a computer?”

Leah chose to ignore the woman’s jab. “What name would it be under?”

“Try Mary Shepherd.”

And then it came rushing back to her. This was the woman who had called and requested a reservation without securing it with her credit card. At the time, it had been strange. But now, she had a better understanding.

“Okay, Mary...Or is it, Mandi?” Leah sent her a direct stare.

The woman didn’t look the least bit ruffled by the situation. “Oh, you can call me Mandi.”

Leah scratched out the name Mary Shepherd and wrote in Mandi Higgins. The name sounded familiar to her, but she didn’t have time to try to place it. She just wanted to get this woman in her room, where she wouldn’t have to deal with her any longer.

“You are in room four.” Leah reached under the counter for the key. “It’s upstairs and to your left.”

“And what room is my husband in?”

“Husband?” She didn’t know who the woman was referring to. “No one else has checked in today.”

The woman’s brows rose, as though she were surprised at the news, but then they settled as though she’d figured out the issue. “Oh, he didn’t check in today. He checked in days ago.”

Days ago? Wait. What did she say her real name was? Leah’s gaze moved to the register. Mandi Higgins. No...

Her gaze rose to meet Mandi’s. The woman was smiling at her. She was Shaun’s wife?

The news stole the breath from her lungs. How had she missed this? How had she let herself be duped by him?

“I can see by the look on your face that he didn’t tell you about me.” Mandi lifted her left hand and flashed diamond rings in her face. “When I heard about his car being damaged, I had to come. I worry about him when he’s gone.”

What was Leah supposed to say? That her husband is a lying cheater? That he acted like his wife didn’t even exist?

Nope. She wasn’t doing that. This was Shaun’s problem. He could deal with his…with his wife. It was tough to even think the word.

She needed to get away from this woman as quickly as possible because it felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. But she wasn’t going to let on to this woman—to Shaun’s wife—that she was bothered by her appearance.

Mandi glanced around. “Where is he?”

“Uh...I believe he went out.” She didn’t owe this woman any other information. She held the room key out to her. “Here you go.”

Mandi eyed up the key. “Is that to my husband’s room?”

“No.”

Mandi arched a brow. “Don’t you think I’d want to share a room with my husband?”

Leah’s back teeth ground together. “That isn’t up to me. Without your, um, husband’s consent I can’t give you access to his room.”

Mandi’s brows drew together. “And if I insist?”