Page 24 of The Mistletoe Makeover

I glance at Mia’s bright red toes. There’s no way we can walk anymore today. “Maybe we should get two rooms, just in case.”

“At this place?” Mia whispers, trying not to hurt Edith’s feelings.

“If a tow truck somehow miraculously shows up, we give the rooms to some other stranded travelers.”

Mia bites her lip, like she’s afraid to tell me something. “Um, could I borrow the money for the room and pay you back later? I’m running a little short this month.”

I knew Mia’s financial situation was bad, but I didn’t know it was this terrible.

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it since you’re working for me.”

She gives me a relieved nod, then lifts a hand to get Edith’s attention. “We’d like to make a reservation for two rooms.”

“Got one,” Edith says without looking up from her paper.

“She said two rooms,” I add, certain she misheard us.

Edith flattens her newspaper and glares at me, while plucking a cigarette from the pocket of her shirt. “There’s onlyone.”

The lighter flicks, then a bright flame appears before a puff of smoke crowns her head like a halo. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to smoke in a hotel lobby, but I’m not about to ask. She’s probably been smoking longer than the laws for smoking have been around.

“Take it or leave it,” she says as the cigarette dangles from the corner of her mouth like a loose crumb. “All the other rooms are occupied.”

Mia stares at the lady, her mouth agape, like she can hardly believe our luck. Maybe my bad year is rubbing off on her too.

“Do you want it or not?” Edith asks, the cigarette barely hanging on to the wrinkled corner of her lips. “Because if you don’t, I bet this guy will.” She nods toward a man beelining toward us in the snow.

“Let me discuss it with my friend,” I say to Edith, before turning toward Mia.

“Discuss what? There is nothing to discuss,” Mia says in a determined voice. “We can’t stay in the same room.”

“We’ll freeze in the car. Or you’ll lose your toes. Either way, a terrible idea.”

“There is no way I’m staying here with you,” she mutters under her breath.

“That’s funny,” I say. “Because there are loads of women who’d pay money to be in your shoes.”

She folds her arms. “Well, I am not one of them.”

Whatever progress we made earlier has been obliterated by the tension between us now.

I frantically glance outside as the snow whips furiously in the wind. “You were the one who planned this stupid Christmas trip.”

Her mouth falls open. “It’snotstupid. And it’s not my fault you took the scenic route. We’d probably be there by now if you’d taken the highway like a normal person.”

“Clearly, we’re both abnormal. Why else would you wear dress boots in a snowstorm?”

I glance up in time to see the man from the parking lot outside the lobby door. I’ve got to do something before this stranger takes the last room.

The man opens the door as the wind rushes in like an answer to prayer.

I wheel around to Edith, who’s blowing white halos of smoke as she watches snowflakes somersault from the sky.

I leap toward the counter, cutting the man off. “We’ll take the last room.”

SEVEN

Mia

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