Page 108 of Again, In Autumn

Adam stands at my shoulder. His voice turns gravely. “Redrum. Redrum.” A condescending frown tips the side of his lips. “You don’t know what I’m talking about do you? You poor illiterate girl…”

“You’d better be nice to me or I’ll hatchet the bathroom door down when you least expect it.”

“There she is.”

Suddenly, the door next to us opens, and I hear my name being called.

“Go, go!” I mutter to Adam.

Francesca peeks her head out before I can see if or where he’s gone. She stares only at me, though, saying, “I thought that was you, Vee! Oh good, you’re in the room next door. Check it out, it’s insane. We have a balcony! I feel like a queen!”

“Okay.” I smile.

“Ooh, and I’m going to come over tonight and we can hang out in your room!” She squeals. She’s already in a plushy white bathrobe that she did not pack for herself.

I give her an awkward thumbs up. “That’s a cool thought that you have, cool, okay then.”

Francesca leans back into her room and then adds, “We’re going to get dressed for dinner and then find that wine tasting. See you out there.”

“Bye,” I respond, thumb still in the air.

She shuts the door, and I spin around.

Adam peeks his head out from an alcove in the wall where a piece of art hangs. He whispers, “I feel like a dirty little secret.”

“They can’t know we’re sharing a room,” I explain, putting my key in the lock.

“No, I agree. Too weird.”

I open the door. “They’ll think we’re having sex.”

His mouth twitches. “I understand the implication, no need to spell it out.”

We step inside and shut the door behind us.

“Well, damn,” Adam mutters.

The room, encased in a rich floral wallpaper that looks like an oil painting, feels as large as a studio apartment.

I drop my jaw. “He inherited this house? Is he some kind of royalty?”

Adam releases a whistle and head shake. “We bartended together my first year in Nashville and he was always asking to borrow cash.” He touches the petal of a red rose to test its realness. “I am getting what I’m owed with interest tonight.”

French doors lead to a balcony overlooking the garden and a pair of leather chairs sit on either side of a skinny cherry wood fireplace. A deep red tufted headboard surrounds the generous king-sized bed. Adam and I stare at it, then each other, at the same time.

“I’m going to check the bathroom,” I croak.

“Yeah, I’m going outside.”

I open the doors to the bathroom and hiss, “Adam. Look at this!”

He peers over my shoulder at the floor to ceiling marble bathroom and repeats, “Damn.”

“Oh my God, I always dreamed of having a bathroom like this.”

“You dream about bathrooms?” he asks.

“Yes.” Obviously. “I’m a woman.”

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