“What do you mean?”
Matt sounds kind of fierce. It makes me want to smile. So maybe Arden has other supporters besides me.
“She didn’t have a reservation.”
“What do you mean, she didn’t have a reservation?” demands Maya. “Of course she did. She made it months ago. She told me when she did it. She even prepaid for the whole time, she said, so she could be sure there would be no mix-up! She said she had to make a fuss about it to get them to do it.”
“Well, guess who arrived yesterday and checked in on her reservation?”
“What?” shrieks Maya, while Matt snaps, “That son of a bitch.”
I nod once in his direction. Not really much more to be said.
“How could that happen?” Maya looks between Matt and me.
I shrug. “Not sure. We speculated that maybe he had the reservation number. Or she might have put his name on the reservation, too. They were together then, and she can’t remember.”
“So, they had another room? I mean, we’ll have to get it straightened out because the other room was prepaid, but at least—”
“No vacancies,” I interrupt, suddenly feeling a little awkward for some reason. I mean, I know I did the right thing, but it feels weird telling Matt and Maya that she’s staying with me.
Which makes no sense at all.
Maya’s practically up off her lounger. “So where is she? You said she was napping!”
“She is. She’s in my room.”
Three
Arden
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a morning person. That applies to naps, as well. I’m just not someone who wakes up quickly, energized or anxious to get out of bed. It takes me some time to reach full awareness. I usually doze a bit, squirm around under the covers, roll over from side to side, and generally make a nest so I can hide, like I’m pretending that I’m not really awake.
It’s a failing of mine, always has been, and it’s one that used to irritate the crap out of Eddie. I don’t know why he cared so much one way or the other; I always made it to work on time, and my sleeping habits never inconvenienced him in any way.
He was just a jerk about stuff like that. Things that weren’t his idea or his choice were always bad. Things he did were right. It took his douchey behavior with my sister for me to stop and take a look at him through clearer eyes.
And now that asshole stole my room!
So typical.
“He is going to pay,” I mutter, irritated because just thoughts of my ex make me swear like . . . well, I don’t know, but somebody who swears a lot.
Laying quietly a little longer, I gradually reach some kind of awareness and understanding of my situation. That brings the knowledge that I’m in a bed in True’s room.
Beautiful, kind True. Gay True, who will never notice me the way I’m noticing him.
“This really isn’t funny, God,” I mutter without opening my eyes.
Okay, so maybe my appreciation of this man doesn’t matter right now. I have no business getting involved with anyone. Ever again.
Being with Eddie proves that I am not a good judge of character.
I’m okay with that. I’ve accepted that I have lousy judgment. I wouldn’t even be having this conversation with myself if it weren’t for him being here at the wedding with Susan.
Why can’t they just leave me the hell alone?
A soft noise draws my eyes open, and I look around the room. The door opens slowly, and True walks in seconds later.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” he says softly.
“Hey.”
“You’re awake.”
I nod. “Just woke up. How long did I sleep?”
“Couple of hours.”
“Really?” I pop up straight in bed, the covers pooling in my lap. “Oh, my gosh! I only meant to take a power nap. You know, like ten minutes.”
True smiles kindly. “Guess you needed a little more than that.”
“Maybe so, but . . .” I shake my head. “God, what a fucked-up day.”
He laughs then. “From your perspective, I agree.”
He stops a couple of steps inside the large part of the room and looks at me strangely. What is it in his expression?
“Uh . . .” I try to think. “Is it still okay that I’m here? I mean, I can—”
“It’s fine.”
Is it my imagination, or do the words sound a little tight?
“You’re sure? I don’t want to be a burden or get in your way or anything.”
He gives me a rueful smile that reassures me a bit. “You aren’t a burden, princess. I was just thinking about what an asshole your ex is.”
I toss aside the comment about Eddie easily. Something else caught my attention.
“Princess?” I ask.
He shrugs with a grin. “Sleeping Beauty,” he reminds me.
I nod. An odd warmth floods through me. “Got it.”
Holy crap on a cracker. He gave me a nickname?
“Uh, did you have a good time?” I ask, because I have to say something. “You know. Whatever you did?” God, I sound like a second grader.
“I just went out by the pool.”
He moves farther into the room, and I can see he’s still wearing the same clothes as earlier. Khaki shorts and a light green T-shirt that says Don’t Be Negative over a picture of a camera.
“I found Matt and Maya,” he adds before I can appreciate his shirt.
“They good?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “I told ‘em what happened with the room, and they’ll help you sort it out.”
“Oh!”
A sudden, sinking feeling crawls through me. Despite what he said, I know how intrusive it must be for True to have a stranger sharing his room. He’s been sweet about things—he must have felt so put on the spot—but it can’t go on.
I paste a bright smile on my face and start to get up. “You know, I’ll just throw on some clothes and run down to the front desk. Maybe they’ve found a room for me by now. Or something. I mean, I can’t keep taking advant—”
“Stop.” His voice is sharp, surprising me into doing as he says.
I force myself to look at him. “True?”
“You aren’t taking advantage, princess. You can stay here as long as we’ve got the room. It’s not that. They were talking about the money.”
I can’t decide if it bothers me that he seems to understand what I’m thinking as soon as I do. I blink.
“The money?” I ask.
“The fact that you prepaid for your entire stay, and now dickhead is getting the room for free.”
“Oh.”
I can feel my cheeks heat, but not for the reasons True might expect. What Eddie and Susan are doing is unfair, but so are the other things they’ve done. I want to get it settled, yeah, but I’ve got bigger issues. Like, even if they do find me another room of my own, can I afford it?
There’s some stuff that True and the M&Ms don’t know. Stuff I don’t want them to know. Stuff nobody knows—except me and Eddie and Susan.
Unless they’ve been telling people.
Damn.
“Matt’s gonna see if he can convince the hotel to do something, considering how much money they’re spending here for the wedding.”