Page 26 of Thrown

“I have a reservation for Hawthorne,” Robbie said with a kind but tired smile as they stood at the front desk.

“Yes, Hawthorne,” the woman behind the desk said. She smiled at both of them, then checked Robbie’s ID as she tapped away on her computer.

Toby glanced around the lobby. There were signs for the hotel restaurant, a Starbucks off to one side, and an electronic directory that flashed a message congratulating Rick and Melody on their wedding. There were also a few posters touting The Ceramics Challenge, which appeared to be the major draw in the area.

“There you go,” the woman behind the counter’s voice pulled Toby’s attention again. “Your room is on the second floor. The lifts are to the right, past the vending machine, and?—”

“I believe there should be two rooms?” Robbie interrupted her.

The woman blinked at Robbie.

A horrible feeling started to blossom in Toby’s gut.

“No, there’s just the one room,” the woman said.

“But we need two rooms,” Toby said. “One for each of us.”

“I’m sorry, but the reservation was only for one room,” the woman said, tapping away on her computer again. “Yes, just one room.”

“We’ll need another,” Robbie said.

Toby widened his eyes at him. If they got another room, Robbie had damn well better be the one to pay for it.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne, but we’re entirely booked this week,” the woman said. “The wedding party has reserved mostof the rooms. I’m surprised they were able to squeeze your reservation in at all.”

“So you’re saying there’s only one room and the two of us will have to share,” Toby said, eyeing Robbie with a frown.

“Yes, sir, I’m afraid so,” the woman said with an apologetic smile.

Toby closed his eyes for a moment and prayed for patience. It figured. Five hours trapped together in a car, and now he and Robbie would have to share a hotel room for two nights.

NINE

Perfect.Just perfect. It was like something out of the lurid novels Rebecca liked to read. In fact, since Rebecca was the one who had made the reservation, Robbie was certain his sister had booked only one room on purpose.

“You can always stay at a different hotel,” Robbie told Tillman as they stepped away from the front desk, hitching his bag higher on his shoulder and scowling. “I saw a few others as we were coming in.”

“Not on your life,” Tillman said with a humorless laugh, surprising Robbie. When Robbie stared at him in surprise as they reached the lift, Tillman sent him an incredulous look and said, “I’m not letting you have all the fun of staying in a posh hotel like this while I bunk in at some budget place.”

Robbie hit the lift call button a little too hard in his irritation. “That wasn’t what I was suggesting at all,” he snapped. “I just thought you would be more comfortable with your own room.”

“Thatyouwould be more comfortable, you mean,” Tillman shot back.

Robbie let out a sharp breath as the lift doors open and they stepped in. “I’m not arguing with you anymore,” he said, rubbingone temple as Tillman hit the button for the second floor. “I just don’t have it in me anymore. Do whatever you’d like, I’m not going to stop you.”

Tillman didn’t reply. He adjusted his bag over his shoulder and stared determinedly at the lift doors until they opened onto the second floor.

Robbie could sense Tillman was tired. He was, too, for that matter. Even though all they’d done all day was drive, so many hours sitting tense and silent in a car with someone who had gotten under your skin took a lot out of you. From the look of Tillman’s house, he’d probably been surrounded by chaos from the moment he woke up and just wanted a little peace now.

They headed down the quiet corridor, searching for their room. Robbie had to admit that the sight of Tillman with his niece and nephew had impacted him in ways he hadn’t expected. Tillman was such a natural with children. He’d seen that in the ceramics studio. It had been clear after only a few minutes that his niece and nephew adored him.

He wondered what children saw in Tillman that he wasn’t seeing.

Or maybe it was seeing it, he just wasn’t letting himself process how what he was seeing made him feel.

Or maybe he was, and that was the problem.

They found their room at the end of the hall without any more fuss.

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