Page 16 of Grateful Hearts

Chantel was fumbling through her bag when she remembered that she had forgotten to pack her pajamas.

“Everything okay?” Zach asked, coming out of the bathroom and noticing her expression.

“Uh, yeah,” Chantel said, blushing slightly.Damn! Does he have to look good in everything he wears?“I just forgot to pack pajamas in my haste to leave Boston.”

Zach looked thoughtful for a moment, then reached into his bag. “Here, you can wear one of my T-shirts. It’s clean, I promise.”

He handed her an oversized, soft military green T-shirt, and she hesitated before taking it. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Zach said with a reassuring smile. “I’d feel bad if you had to sleep in jeans and your new T-shirt,” he joked, pointing to the shirt he had bought her.

Chantel took the shirt and went into the bathroom to change. As she pulled the T-shirt over her head, she couldn’t help but notice the subtle scent of Zach’s cologne lingering on the fabric. It was a warm, inviting scent that made her feel strangely comforted. The shirt was huge on her, reaching down to her knees, and she felt a bit self-conscious but also oddly at ease. It was really strange.

She stepped out of the bathroom and found Zach standing on the bed, who appeared to be inspecting the smoke alarm.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He glanced at her and smirked as she stepped down from the bed.

“Sorry. It’s a habit for me to look for hidden devices in hotel rooms.”

She raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything at first. But then really thought it.

“Does that happen a lot?” she asked.

“What?”

“People hiding cameras or other devices in hotel rooms to spy on strangers.”

“It happens more than you think.”

She curled her lip up in disgust. “That’s just creepy. I’ll make sure always to make a note to inspect my hotel room, though it’s not like I’m a world traveler or anything.”

He smirked at her. “Well, you’re traveling now. Tomorrow, during our drive, I’ll give you some more safe travel tips.

She grinned, then held out her arms slightly. “How do I look,” she asked, showing off his T-shirt.

Zach grinned, trying to hide a flicker of admiration in his eyes. “You look comfortable.”

Chantel smiled, feeling a bit more relaxed. “Thanks for this. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Zach replied, moving to the side of the bed closest to the door. “I’ll take this side. I also found an extra blanket in the closet, so we each can have our own.”

She nodded, climbing into the other side of the bed.

As they settled in, Zach turned off the bedside lamp, leaving the room in darkness. Chantel lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, trying to focus on anything other than the fact that she was sharing a bed with a near stranger.

Zach’s amused voice broke the silence. “So, I’m guessing you don’t do this often?”

Chantel chuckled softly. “Ah, no. I can honestly say that this is a first for me. Sharing a bed with a stranger was definitely not on my bingo card. But I have to admit I’m surprisingly enjoying this. It’s different.”

“Yeah,” Zach agreed, his voice gentle. “Sometimes things don’t go according to plan, but that doesn’t mean they can’t turn out okay.”

Chantel smiled in the darkness, feeling a warm sense of comfort. “You’re right. Thanks for being so cool about all this.”

“Hey, it’s not every day you meet someone new and end up sharing a heart-shaped bed,” Zach said with a chuckle.

They both settled back into the bed, and Chantel tried to relax. The room was quiet again, and she found herself listening to the soft sound of Zach’s breathing. There was something comforting about his presence, a sense of safety she hadn’t felt in a while. She couldn’t help but reflect on her recent breakup and the mess that had led her here.

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