Page 16 of About Last Night

"If you have other ID on you, my assistant can verify your credentials over the phone."

Her shoulders fell. "Actually, I don't have ID with me, either." She conjured up a laugh. "You see, my sister dropped me off to visit my fiancé. I, um, hadn't planned an extended visit." Her temperature raised with every mortifying word that seemed determined to spill out of her mouth for both men to hear.

The dark-haired man's gaze dropped to her black hose and high heels for a split second, then he lifted one bushy eyebrow. "I see. And how are both of you feeling?"

She squirmed and manufactured a you're-not-going-to-believe-this laugh. "Well, it turned out that my fiancé isn't here after all. He let another man have his room for the night. His Best Man.OurBest Man, that is. For the wedding."

Mr. Oliver pursed his mouth and put pen to paper. "The man's name?"

"D-Derek Stillman."

An amused smile crossed his face. "Is that with two D's?"

The doctor looked completely lost. "Forgive me, but I'm a very busy man—"

"Wait, Dr. Pedro." Janine looked behind her, relieved to see Derek was definitely out of earshot, then turned back and encompassed both men with the smile she'd been practicing for her wedding photos. "Perhaps I could at least get a separate room." When the doctor hesitated, she added, "I barely know the man, and he's exhibiting symptoms."Two of many reasons for separate quarters.

Dr. Pedro made a sympathetic sound, then looked to Mr. Oliver. "Do you have any empty rooms?"

The general manager shook his head.

The doctor shrugged. "I'm sorry, Ms. Murphy."

"Perhaps I can stay with the medics," she urged, grasping at straws.

Her face must have reflected her distress because his face softened into an indulgent smile. "No, but maybe we can arrange to place you with a female guest who isn't exhibiting symptoms and who hasn't been exposed to someone who is."

She smiled, enormously cheered.

"Unless you've already spent time in the man's room."

Her smile dropped while Mr. Oliver's eyebrows climbed. She considered lying, then glanced back to the doctor and nodded miserably.

"For how long?"

"About thirty minutes, total."

He pursed his lips. "That's not so bad."

Hope resurrected, she smiled.

"But how close was your contact?"

Her smile dropped again. "Fairly close. I checked to see if he had a… fever."Among other things.

The manager must have read her wicked mind, because his lips twitched with suppressed mirth.

"Well, if that's all—" the doctor began.

"No," she broke in, exasperated with herself, but knowing she had to tell the truth. "Actually, I k-kissed him."

Both men blinked.

"Completely by accident," she assured them hastily. "I thought he was my fiancé." She sounded like a raving idiot, but she couldn't seem to stop, as if she needed to purge herself.

Dr. Pedro's eyes widened. "Are the men identical twins?"

"N-no, but it was very dark in the room."

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