Page 39 of Secret Baby With My Brother's Best Friend

"They both sound good to me. But let's focus on finding the motel first. We can worry about tomorrow later."

"Okay. We should get going before it gets any darker," I told her, looking around swiftly.

"Yeah. You're right," Harper muttered.

I entered the car and grabbed my phone and wallet before locking the car. "Are you ready?" I asked as she swung her purse over her shoulder.

Harper nodded. "Sure, let's go," she said.

Chapter Twenty-One

Harper

We walked down the road, the rain-soaked pavement reflecting the dim light of the lampposts scattered along the deserted street. The wind howled around us, pushing against our bodies, the cold air sending goosebumps through my skin. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. My eyes darted about, searching for any sign of a motel—there was none.

The path stretched ahead, seemingly endless, and disappeared into the night. The scattered streetlights offered little solace, casting long shadows that danced eerily across the empty road. The silence between us was thick, disturbed only by the sound of our shoes—my heels clicking loudly. My feet were killing me, and I couldn't wait to be out of these shoes and in bed.

I dragged my feet on the ground, my stomach rumbling incessantly, my legs getting more and more wobbly by the minute—exhausted to the bone. Finally, after what felt like forever, my eyes caught the flickering neon sign some distance away outside a small rundown place with the bold text "MOTEL." I felt a sense of relief wash through me, and I turned to Logan to show him, but I didn't need to. He had also seen it. He turned to me, and our eyes met, the relief on his face mirroring mine.

The bell jingled above the door as we walked into the motel, announcing our arrival. We made our way toward the counter, and my gaze was immediately drawn to the lone woman at the reception desk. The aroma of the peanut she was eating wafted through the air, causing a rumble in my stomach. She dusted her hands and got to her feet as we drew nearer.

Her white shirt glistened under the white bulb as she stood. She was tall and appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties. She wore a pair of stylish spectacles perched delicately on her pointed nose. Her chestnut-colored hair was neatly tied in a playful ponytail.

"Good evening," she mumbled softly with a charming smile, her eyes settling on Logan and never straying. My stomach tightened, and I instantly concluded that I didn't like her.

"Evening," I chimed in a loud voice, leaning over the counter and gaining her attention for a span of five seconds before losing it to Logan.

"We would like a room," Logan said, digging into his pocket for his credit card and handing it to her.

He didn't seem to notice how intently she was staring at him, or maybe he did, and he didn't care. He had always been like that, even as a senior in school. I could still recall how the hottest girls in school threw themselves at him and my brother—They were famous for their looks.

My mind stopped. Hold up, did he just say a room? Like—my eyes widened, and I jerked my head to face him, about to voice my surprise, but before I could, the receptionist beat me to it, much to my annoyance.

"A room?" she raised an eyebrow like she had misheard him, her disappointment evident. Bitch, please. I lowered my head, grinning and gaining satisfaction in her reaction.

"Yeah, your sign out front indicates that you have just one room available," Logan pointed out, and I lifted my head, glancing at the board behind her, confirming his statement.

Ah, that explained it. Why did I feel a little disappointed, though? Logan glanced at me, his expression blank as we stared at each other.

The receptionist glanced at the board, too, for a minute. "Oh! That's true. I seem to have forgotten," she mumbled, almost to herself. "Name?"

"Logan Thompson."

"I like the ring of that name," she whispered, writing it down.

"Thanks. Can I get the key now? We're quite worn out," Logan urged a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Oh, yes," she retrieved the key from the drawer and handed it to him alongside his credit card with an overly flirtatious smile. It made me uncomfortable as I noticed her hand lingering on his for a moment longer than necessary.

"Thanks," Logan muttered, giving her a polite smile, and we made our way to the room.

As the door swung open, a small and cramped space greeted us. There was a double bed in the center, and a small couch against the wall. Just opposite of the couch was a small table and two chairs. I dropped my handbag on the bed and sunk my ass into the bed, kicking off my heels with speed and planting my bare feet on the warm rug—it was so relieving. I closed my eyes and threw my back on the bed, wanting to sleep off the stress, but I couldn't. My stomach wouldn't stop rumbling.

"You think they have food here? " I sat up and caught him staring at me. Logan instantly turned away, looking even more guilty. The action made my heart flutter.

"I don't know," he replied without looking at me. "I guess I should ask. I'm also starving," he got to his feet, and as he headed for the door, my mind flashed to the lady at the counter.

Before I knew it, I was on my feet. "Let me come with you."

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