Inside the casino Shelby wandered. She knew that they wouldn’t tell her at the front desk where Jake was staying, even if she happened to guess right that he was using the name Jacob Black. But walking through the floor was dumb—the chances that she would see him were slim. Still, with some fascination, she wandered the rows of singing slot machines.
It was easy to see how casinos made so much money. There were no clocks anywhere, only rows and rows of slots, punctuated by tables with Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, Roulette, and a few others she didn’t recognize. The sound of the slot machines was melodic, soothing. Cocktail waitresses kept a steady flow through the aisles with trays of drinks. Most ignored Shelby, but one woman about her age with an empty tray stopped.
“Can I get you a drink?” she asked.
“Better not,” Shelby said.
“You look like you’re on a mission,” the woman said.
Shelby hesitated. “I kind of am. Trying to find a guest, but I don’t know where he’d be.”
“I don’t have access to any information, but would he be in a normal room or something special like a suite?”
“A suite?” Shelby said, thinking of Jake’s car.
“Try the top floor. Normally you need a keycard to get up there.” The woman glanced around and then pressed something into Shelby’s palm, winking. “Wish I could help, but I seem to have lost mine.”
Shelby held the card in her palm. “But…why? Why are you helping me?”
The woman cocked her head, holding her empty tray against her thigh. “You’ve got that look about you. Like a woman in love. Call me a romantic.”
And before Shelby could thank her, the woman twirled on a heel and was gone.
Shelby touched her warm cheeks. This wasn’t love. She hardly had anything to compare it to—there wasn’t a guy she could remember who had given her any sort of feeling like this. With Matt, there was a steady current of affection. She felt as protective of him as he did of her, only without the desire for more. Rhett was handsome, but his arrogance kept him from being attractive. She’d been on a handful of dates, but never felt anything stir her heart the way it did when she met Jake.
It couldn’t be love. That took more time to grow than a few days. She had never really liked anyone before, so that’s why her feelings were so strong and had left her raw. The week had been emotional with the bank and her mother. What she felt for Jake was just her getting swept up in all the other emotions. Still—she had to see him. Maybe seeing him would help her to know.
Shelby found a bank of elevators and got in with a mixed group of people. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she pressed the button for a high floor, but not the top row of suites. It felt ostentatious somehow to wave the card around with these other people right here. Once she was alone in the elevator, she pushed the button, then waved the card in front of the sensor. A light flashed green and the button for the top floor lit up.
What would she do when she got up there? She had her phone and could text Jake. That was the logical thing to do. But somehow it felt desperate enough to have come here. Every time she pulled out her phone, her fingers hovered over the face of the phone and she just couldn’t do it.
Coward.
Sometimes chiding herself worked, but today she simply agreed. Yep. I am.
After wandering the halls for a half-hour, Shelby leaned her back up against a wall and let herself slide down to the plush carpeting. Lord, she prayed to herself. I’m still mad at you.And I know you don’t do bargains. But I sure wish you’d help me find Jake. If I’m supposed to. Please.
With no other plan, a lean wallet, and too much pride to use her phone, Shelby rested her hands on her knees until she drifted off to sleep.