Page 45 of In My Hockey Era
He sighs, rubbing a hand over his jaw.“Quinn—”
“And what’s worse?You didn’t even say anything.You justlaughed.”
His expression darkens.“What did you want me to do?Start a fight in the middle of the cocktail party?”
“No, I wanted you to take it seriously.”
He exhales hard, his frustration growing.“Youchoseto be part of this, remember?You didn’t have to come to these events, didn’t have to say yes to the book club thing—”
My stomach clenches.“Wow.”
His eyes flick to mine, regret flashing across his face like he knows he just stepped in it.
I shake my head, my throat tight.“You know what?Forget it.”
And before he can say another word, I turn and walk away.
18
ONE ROOM, ONE BED, AND ONE BIG MESS
Lucy
The second we step into the hotel lobby, I want to collapse onto the plush velvet couch by the fireplace and bury my face in a pillow.Not because I’m tired—though the travel and the event have taken their toll—but because I’m still simmering.
I’ve spent the last hour replaying Bennett’s careless words over and over in my head.You chose to be part of this.As if that means I have no right to be upset when people treat me like I don’t belong here.As if I wasn’t already second-guessing everything about this weekend.
I roll my shoulders back, focusing on the check-in desk.Get the key, get to the room, get some space from him.That’s the plan.
Bennett stands beside me, hands in his pockets, looking far too relaxed for a man who put his entire foot in his mouth not even an hour ago.I haven’t said much since we left the event, and he hasn’t pushed—not that I’d give him the satisfaction of an argument.
The hotel receptionist, a chipper woman with a name tag that reads Megan, gives us a beaming smile.“Welcome to The Grand Crescent!Checking in?”
“Yes,” I say, handing over my ID as Bennett does the same.“It should be under Lucy Quinn.”
“And Bennett Wilder,” he adds.
She types something into the computer, humming to herself.I hear Bennett shift beside me, like he wants to say something but thinks better of it.Smart man.
Megan’s brow furrows slightly, and she glances at the screen before looking back up at us.“Oh.Hmm.”
My stomach tightens.“What?”
She offers a sympathetic smile.“It looks like there was a mix-up with your reservation.The hotel is completely sold out, and instead of two rooms…” She winces.“You’re both booked into the same one.”
I blink.“Excuse me?”
“Now, Iamso sorry about this.There was an overlap in bookings, and unfortunately, we don’t have any more available rooms to separate you two.”
I turn slowly to Bennett, giving him a hard look.
He lifts his hands in surrender.“I swear, I had nothing to do with this.”
Megan gives us a hopeful look, like she’s waiting for one of us to laugh and sayOh, that’s fine!We love forced proximity!
I inhale through my nose, turning back to her.“There’s really nothing else?”
“Not tonight, I’m afraid.But I can put in a request in case anything opens up tomorrow?”
