Page 13 of In Bed with the Ice Queen

The moment passed as they both waited for their keys. “Just remember,” Sloane finally said, forcing a smile. “You’re here to showcase how adaptable to our company culture you can be.”

Helena didn’t even look at her, adjusting her blazer as she straightened. “We’ll see,” she replied flatly.

Sloane stood by the check-in desk of the resort, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. This was supposed to be a relaxing trip, a welcome break from her busy life as a corporate lawyer. But standing next to her was Helena, and from the moment they saw each other, Sloane could feel the familiar icy aura that surrounded her.

"Welcome to Paradise Resort! How can I help you today?" The attendant smiled brightly, his shirt crisp and clean, standing out against the backdrop of tropical flowers surrounding the desk.

Sloane smiled back. "Hi, we’re here to check in."

"Great! Can I have your names, please?" the attendant asked, typing on the keyboard.

"Sloane Callahan," Sloane said, her voice steady.

"Helena Wolfe," Helena added impatiently, her tone flat as if she were reading from a script. She glanced annoyingly at Sloane.

The attendant nodded as he typed their names. "All set! Room 301." He handed Sloane a key, the metal warm in her palm.

"Wait, what about me?" Helena’s voice shot through the air, sharp and piercing.

"301. That's what I said," the attendant replied, glancing at the screen again.

"No, no. That can’t be right. I want to see the computer," Helena demanded, her eyes narrowing.

Sloane’s heart raced as she looked between Helena and the man.

The attendant blinked, surprised. "Uh, let me check again," he said, his fingers dancing over the keys. "Yes, here it is. Both of you are listed for room 301."

"This won’t do. I cannot share a room with her. We don’t even know each other!" Helena snapped, pointing at Sloane as if she were a piece of garbage.

“I’ll book another room.”

The attendant frowned, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, ma’am. The hotel is fully booked."

"This is ridiculous!" Helena huffed, crossing her arms.

Sloane furrowed her brow, bewildered. "Helena, it's just for a couple of nights. I’m not justifying this in any way; I thought I’d have my own accommodations as well. But we’ve been working together, so don’t act like we’ve never met.

Sloane felt a mix of anxiety and frustration bubbling inside her. She had been trying hard to keep her cool with Helena, but it wasn’t easy with her icy demeanor pressing down on her, making everything tense and awkward.

“I’ll go to a different hotel.” Helena’s voice was cold as ice.

“There won’t be any other accommodation on the island, Ms. Wolfe,” the attendant said, a concerned look on his face. “Not this weekend, not with our annual beach event on. To be honest, the Thompson Industries event was a challenge to get all the guests booked in for a start.”

After it was clear there were no other options, Helena huffed. "Fine, I guess I have no choice,” she said, marching away towards the elevator, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. Sloane hesitated for a moment before trailing behind her.

As they walked to room 301, Sloane looked around. The resort was beautiful. Colorful flowers bloomed everywhere, and a gentle breeze floated by, smelling of salt and sunshine.

Helena led the way, not speaking a word, just guiding them through the flower-laden path and up an elevator. They reached room 301, and Sloane opened the door. The room was spacious and bright, decorated with vibrant patterns and soft lighting. Her eyes widened as she took in the view of the glistening ocean from their large window. But her excitement faded when she noticed there was only one queen-sized bed.

"Great," Helena said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just great. Look at this place. One bed for two people." She rolled her eyes, her irritation palpable.

"And a couch. I mean, it’s nice," Sloane said cautiously, trying to soothe the situation. "It’s just a couple of days…"

"Stop trying to sugarcoat this!" Helena snapped, already reaching for her phone. "I’m going to call someone who can fix this."

Sloane watched as Helena started dialing, the phone ringing loudly in the room. The tension hung heavy in the air, and Sloane felt her stomach twist with anxiety. She wished they had gotten separate rooms, wished Helena would just relax, but none of that seemed likely at the moment. How did this happen?

As the phone rang on the other end, Sloane took a deep breath, wondering what was going to happen next.

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