Page 55 of Crashing Into Me
“Yeah, well, I need something radioactive for what I have to tell you,” she replied.
Kayden furrowed his eyebrows, and Paula took another deep breath. Shit, meet fan, she thought, and wondered how she would even begin.
MAUREEN AND KIMstood rigidly in the elevator of Spence Hotel as the doors closed. Kim erupted into more sobbing, and Maureen rolled her eyes for maybe the hundredth time that morning, finally having her fill.
“Stop it!” She yelled.
Kim instantly stopped wailing, but the tears and moaning didn't.
“Had I known you to be such a whining waste of time, I would never have brought you here!” Maureen seethed.
“I’m sorry,” Kim whispered.
“I’m sorry—I’m sorry, is that all you can say?” Maureen turned to her and held her chin, looking her in the eyes.
“You see the way my daughter handled you? That’s what I’ve been trying to teach you since I took you under my wing.”
Kim looked into Maureen’s eyes. They seemed caring but were still as cold as the snow on the ground.
“Whenever someone challenges you that way, you stand up for yourself. You do not run away and hide!” She chastised now, letting her face go.
“This is hard for me,” Kim challenged, wiping her face.
“Well, you’d better get it together soon, or you’ll be the next one to leave town, never to be heard from again.”
The elevator doors opened, and Maureen stalked out. Kim remained in the elevator a moment longer, absorbing the threat she had just been given. If she didn’t live up to Maureen’s expectations, she’d be tossed aside. It was bad enough that Kayden didn’t like her, but if Maureen turned her back on her, too, she would surely lose everything. She stepped off the elevator just as the doors began to close again.
LANA LAY SPRAWLEDacross the sheets, having finally drifted into a nap to make up for the night that had given her no rest. The room door knob began to jiggle and jolted her out of bed, her heart racing in her chest.Who was that?she thought, as she jumped out of bed and ran to the door. She looked through the peephole to see Kim standing there.
She was crying profusely and jiggling the door handle. Lana turned around, her hand over her mouth, wondering what had happened. Did Paula spill the beans already? Was Kim there to settle a score with her? She looked back through the peephole.
“What are you doing?” she heard through the door and recognized the voice immediately.
It was Maureen. Lana turned back to the door and watched them from the peephole.
“The door won’t open,” Kim sobbed.
Maureen snatched the key from her and held it up to her face.
“Wipe the tears from your eyes and you’d be able to see this is room eleven-oh-five and your room is eleven-oh-six!” She scoffed and tossed the key at her.
She stomped away down the hall, away from Kim, and slammed her door. Kim wiped the tears from her face and walked down the hall, her head hung low. Seeing the way Maureen treated her, Lana almost felt bad for her. Almost. She remembered the joy her pain had given Kim a month ago and wiped away any sympathy she might have felt.
Even though she wasn’t on Maureen’s radar, she did not feel comfortable being on the same floor as her in the hotel. Lana considered grabbing her coat and making the long hike up the hill, but she knew it was a silly idea. There was way too much snow between her and the house. She checked the door lock once again and walked back over to the bed.
She wouldn’t fall asleep again, she thought, and leaned back on the pillow, eyes more open than ever before.It was happening.
PAULA EASEDONTO the couch beside Kayden in the living room, tasting her coffee as she studied him. She frowned and set it down on the coffee table.How could he call that bile coffee,she thought?
He looked at her finally and smiled.
“I see you still don’t like my coffee,” he said and took another sip of his. “So what’s up?”
“Well, a lot is up. First, let me say, brother, I’m happy you found Lana,” she replied.
Kayden frowned. He hoped she wasn’t about to ask him what happened since he didn’t feel like going through everything all over again.
“Thanks,” he replied cautiously.
