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Natalie: Where?

Not telling. Be ready at 6.

Natalie: Okay.

AM.

Natalie: Wtf, that’s like five hours from now!

And this is strictly off the record.

Natalie: Seriously?

Yeah. What’s your room number?

The bubbles start and stop for a full five minutes before the room number appears.

EIGHT

“Firestarter”

The Prodigy

Natalie

Ijerk awake as sharp knocks sound against my hotel door. It’s only when I open my eyes that I realize I’m not at home, and I fell asleep with my laptop open after failing to set an alarm.

“Shit!”

Scrambling, I pull on the Seahawks sweatshirt I bought from the hotel gift shop and crack the door. On the other side stands a handsome, well-dressed man who looks to be somewhere in his early forties, grinning at me with a phone lifted to his ear.

“Good morning,Natalie?”

“Yes,” I say, partially shielding behind the door to hide my slightly revealing pajama bottoms.

“Yeah,” he says with a low chuckle. “She most definitely overslept.”

“I’m sorry,” I blurt loudly, knowing Easton is on the other end of the line. “I can be ready in ten minutes.”

The man shakes his head, his grin widening. “He says too late.”

My chest deflates.

“Yeah, she looks like you just kicked her.”

I narrow my eyes at him as he pulls away from the phone and covers the speaker.

“Hey, I’m Joel,” he whispers.

I frown in confusion. “Hi.”

He elevates his voice for Easton. “He says ten minutes, fifteen if you bring coffees from the lobby and have an apology ready.” He pulls his phone away again and whispers conspiratorially, making him an instant ally. “He’ll wait twenty.”

I project my voice again. “I already apologized and tell his entitled ass, it’ll betwenty.”

Joel grins as Easton speaks on the other end of the line. I find myself leaning in and can’t make out a word. “Uh huh, got it,” Joel says before hanging up and giving me a wink of reassurance. “See you in twenty, Natalie.”

With that, he turns and begins to make his way toward the elevator.

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