Page 25 of Love Me Ever After
Mason: What time will you finish this evening?
Mason: I’m getting worried…let me know you’re okay? X
All three messages had gone unread and unanswered, raising my levels of concern. The sensible part of me said she was busy, there was still a conference going on and she probably had a shit ton of other work to deal with. The irrational side said she’d changed her mind about us and didn’t want to tell me. I tortured myself with that thought for the rest of the session.
Finally, lunchtime rolled around. I grabbed Fraser. “You want to get out of here?”
“Have we got time? I don’t want to miss Robert’s closing speech.” Fraser glanced down at his watch.
“We’ll be back in time.” I stalked out of the hotel, Fraser trailing behind me.
We went to The Blue Goose and ordered a couple of takeaway brunch boxes, then went to sit on the marina outside the hotel. I found us a table far away from the other Lane & Parks people milling around and sat down.
“So.” Fraser opened his box and sprinkled a sachet of pepper over the contents. “You really want me to mentor you?”
“No, I mean yes. I do, it’s just…” I blew out a breath. “Me and Ems are back together. I think.”
His wooden takeaway fork clattered onto the plastic tabletop. “You what?”
I stared down at the tabletop, avoiding looking at him. “Last night. It was us in that room.”
“Again, you what?”
“I didn’t plan it, it just happened. She’s been driving me crazy since I moved in with her and Sara. Yesterday everything came to a head, and I just couldn’t resist any longer. I expected her to push me away, to tell me to fuck off, but she didn’t. Then we spent the night in my room, but when I woke up, she’d gone.” I couldn’t stop the words from coming out. I lifted my head to find Fraser with an amused grin on his face. “It’s not funny.”
“You’re right. If anyone finds out about the hotel room, you’re screwed. But I think it’s great you two have realised you’re perfect for each other.”
I shoved a forkful of salad into my mouth, chewing on the chicken and coleslaw. “I think she’s avoiding me today though.”
“Mate, she still has a hotel full of Lane & Parks staff. It’s not like she can drop everything and spend the day in bed with you.”
Fraser had a point, although I liked his way of thinking. Once this conference was over, that’s all I wanted to do with Ems.
“Who’s spending the day in bed with you?” Trevor approached us, plonking himself down in the available seat at our table. He pointed to our brunch boxes. “Where did you get those from? The menu inside is disappointing. I could do with the carbs, but they’ve chosen super foods or something to stop us all from falling asleep after lunch. Who do you have to sleep with to get a bacon sandwich?”
I knew if I wanted one, all I had to do was ask Ems. But I wouldn’t give Trevor the satisfaction. “There’s a really great cafe in town, but I don’t think you’ve got enough time to get there and back before the afternoon starts.”
Trevor’s face fell. “Guess I’ll have to get something on the train then.” He pushed his chair back and stood up. “In the meantime, I need more coffee.”
Once he’d gone, Fraser said, “I’m pleased for you and Ems. I know you make each other happy.”
He spoke the truth and I could only hope Ems hadn’t changed her mind.
12
Ems
I’d barely sleptlast night. So hyped up from being with Mason again, lying beside him in bed, I couldn’t relax and found it difficult to drift off. Unlike him, who had pretty much gone to sleep immediately and snored his way through the night. As a result, I was wandering around like a zombie, making sure everything was ready for the second day of the conference and checking in with the various teams who had worked last night.
Sonya had the morning off, so it was just me in the office which at least gave me some respite. When the head of the housekeeping team came in to see me shortly before lunch, I had a funny feeling I knew what she wanted to talk to me about.
“Ems, we had to clean twenty-five this morning as a rush job.” Mandy sat opposite me, flicking through her clipboard. She still preferred to do all her cleaning sheets and rosters by hand as opposed to using a tablet. “Today’s guests went to check in and found the room had been used. But I don’t see it on the Lane & Parks list.”
Stalling, I turned to my computer and tapped on the keyboard, pretending to locate the accommodation sheet. “I’m sure it should have been? Let me check the information Barbara sent me.”
My phone buzzed with a message. Something from Mason. I didn’t have time to deal with him now. When I didn’t reply straight away, a second message arrived. Mandy glared at me, so I switched the phone to silent and flipped it face down on the desk.
“Hmm, I can’t see anything on the list for that room. Perhaps someone decided to stay over last minute?” I hoped it sounded plausible.
