Page 57 of The Muse
“I’m not starting anything. I guess it has something to do with your brother, anyway. You mentioned you were being followed.” He turns to me as if waiting for a response.
“Yes, another bit of my brother’s handiwork. Much like your face. He's sending me a message. But it doesn’t matter now.”
He continues to stare at me and takes a few steps towards me like I said something that’s upset him again. The look is intense and searching, giving me goosebumps in a good way. It made me nervous at first back when we began, but not now. One thing that isn’t lacking between us is passion. It’s what fuels Scott. Whether he channels it towards hate or love is another matter.
~
We’d both showered last night. After all the paint, it was essential, but I still jump under the spray when we arrive at my hotel room. I should be feeling optimistic. Hopeful. Full of positivity. After all, this time yesterday, I was pacing the walls and hoping for Scott to call. Instead, I'm weary. Maybe all the black paint has seeped into my veins and tainted me like a poison, like it has done to Scott.
I’m dressed and ready to escape into normality in a few minutes.
“Oh, I just need to speak to the desk.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you outside.”
One thing I do know is that there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll be going home, and right now, I don’t know where else I can go, so I have to extend my stay.
“Excuse me? I’m in room 131, I need to book an extra couple of nights.” I smile as I ask the stern-looking man behind the counter.
“I’ll just check for you. One moment.”
I take a deep breath and glance to see if I can see Scott.
“I’m sorry, Miss Castlewood, but we can’t extend your stay.” He gives me a tight smile but then dips his eyes back to the computer. “Check out is at noon.”
“What about another room? A suite?”
“I’m sorry. We’re hosting a wedding this weekend, and all of the rooms are taken.”
“There’s nothing?” Panic begins to seize me. Where will I go? I look back to Scott and see him pacing by the steps with his phone out, the frown still firmly in place.
“Sorry. No.”
“Can I leave my bags with you until a little later?” I need some time to pull a plan together, which doesn’t involve taking a step back to Earlwood. Nobody would be at Tallington Hall, but that seems worse than going home.
He doesn’t even look up from the screen. “Of course.”
Racing back up to my room, I look at the jumble of clothes and sigh. What I'm going to do now is anyone's guess, but in record time, I've swept everything into my bag, making sure to pack my phone charger this time, and cleared out the bathroom.
I return to the indifferent receptionist with my bags. “Checking out. I’ll be back to collect my bags at…” I wait for him to inform me of my limit.
“Four. Here’s a card.” He slides an electronic card to me. “They’ll be in that room next to the lift.”
“Thank you.”
I pocket the card and head to the exit, almost running into Scott.
“Problem?” he asks.
“No. Nothing. Come on, I’m starving.”
“Where would you like to go?” It’s the most positive he’s sounded since all this started.
“Somewhere … like the first place you took me. That tastes great but isn’t fussy.”
“Sure. Bennie’s does the best fry up, but they do pancakes and waffles, too.”
“Sounds perfect.”
