Page 12 of Room 810

But as I walked back to my place, the wind whipping at my hair, I knew that longing he felt would soon pass. Everything was about to change. When he realized what I’d hidden from him, there was no way he would feel anything but regret.

7

Gabriel

WhenIawokethenext morning, it was to a splitting headache. “Ohhh, gods, whyyy?” I whimpered, clutching at my head. When I rolled out of bed, though, I found it wasn’t limited to my head. My whole body was a wreck after surfing, drinking, dancing… kissing.

I froze, trying to drag the memory into focus, but it was blurry, mostly lost in the haze of alcohol. Little by little, the image resurfaced. Did it really happen? Did IkissToby? That didn’t sound like something I would do. The promiscuous, flirty,sexyomega was a temptation, sure, but I had set boundaries in place, and I would never cross a line I had drawn for myself. Never.

Except…

When I closed my eyes, I could see it in my mind’s eye. His hair adorably tousled, his eyes bright as he gazed up at me, his lips seducing me. I could feel his body against mine, my hands groping… Shit. Shame burned at me. Who was I last night? I didn’t even recognize myself.

Blowing out a long sigh, I covered my face with my hands, massaging my throbbing temples and my eyes, gritty and dry. This was all Toby’s fault. He fed me that dreadful drink last night. He said it was meant to help me relax, but clearly it did more than that. It was more like a drug. Yes! Hedruggedme!

I shoved off the bed, focusing on my anger and letting it ignite me. Anger was easy, it was safe and familiar. I could do angry.

The world was unsteady under my feet as I lumbered over to the curtains and whipped them back, and I gasped. “It’s the apocalypse,” I muttered, frowning. The sky was an angry orange color, casting the plants outside my window in an otherworldly pall. “What the hell is going on around here?” It was disorienting, like I’d woken up somewhere else, as someone else.

“Perfect timing,” I muttered. My flight would be leaving in a few hours, headed for Miami, then from there to Italy. It was time to pack, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. I needed to wake up from this nightmare.

I grabbed the handful of clothes I’d been given and shoved them all into the Paradise Isle tote bag. My laptop was still in my carryon bag, since I hadn’t had time to get any work done. The reminder of my waiting deadlines was like another nail in the coffin. My anxiety surged, which made my headache flare, like an ice pick into my brain.

“Fuck,” I grumbled, slinging my bag strap over my shoulder. I didn’t even bother to take a shower or shave, or even change out of the clothes I slept in. I was getting the hell off this cursed island. When I woke up in Italy, I could hit the reset button. First and foremost, I would buy myself a suit. I didn’t even care about finding my lost luggage anymore; I just needed to get the heck out of swim trunks and t-shirts. Then I would write the review for The Scarlet Hotel, then Paradise Isle, and I would post them on my blog. Back to square one.

Stomping down the boardwalk in my loafers, sand between my toes, I tried to cling to my rage. Toby betrayed my trust. He took advantage of me and kissed me. Never mind the memory of my own words, “Wait… Stay.” Of course I didn’t mean them. I couldn’t be held responsible for what I did while under the influence of drugs.

There was another emotion, though, that niggled at me. It felt an awful lot like regret. Regret that he hadn’t stayed with me last night, regret that I was leaving now. He’d suggested we revisit the suggestion this morning…

“Nope. Impossible,” I grumbled, marching into the main lobby. I was grateful Toby wasn’t here. I didn’t need to say goodbye to him, I decided. It was better if I didn’t, or I might say something I would later regret, like, “Thanks for drugging me, asshole,” or maybe “I wish I could stay.” I scoffed. Why would I want to stay?! Toby was always holding my hand and leading me around like I was on some kind of leash, like I was a dog or something. If one of us was a dog, it would be him on all fours, while I plowed into him from behind—

No!That drug was still lingering in my system, making me think things. It wasn’t me! I needed to get out of here before I made a serious mistake.

There was no one behind the desk, so I just dropped the key on the counter. I pivoted around, looking for the airport shuttle, but it wasn’t waiting at the curb. And no driver, either. In fact, I didn’t see anyone. No staff, no guests. “What the hell is going on around here?”

“There’s a storm coming,” a voice said from behind me.

I spun around and came face to face with Toby. He looked apologetic, and I wondered which part of all this he was sorry for.

“Okay?” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. “So, do I have to call a cab or something? The shuttle to the airport isn’t running?”

A crease formed between his brows, his lips pinched tight, and I realized suddenly that I’d never seen him frown. He was never sad or angry or frustrated. He was always so light and carefree. “There are no flights leaving the island,” he finally said, clearing his throat lightly.

Dread began to pool low in my gut. “A boat then?” He shook his head. “I’m just stuck here?” I snapped.

“For a day or two,” he said. “I’ll make sure to get you on the first plane back to the mainland as soon as they’re running again.”

“Right.” My shoulders were tensing up, my hands balled in fists. A realization dawned on me, and I glared at Toby in accusation. “It seems pretty sudden… this storm spontaneously forming out of nowhere.”

He cast his eyes down to the floor, guilt shadowing his features.

“You knew,” I gritted out through clenched teeth. “You’ve known all weekend that the storm was coming, and you didn’t warn me?!”

“I’m sorry,” he said so softly I barely heard him, “but what’s the big deal? It’ll only be a couple of days. You were having so much fun. You finally relaxed! If you’re worried about any extra costs from the airline or something, I’ll cover any expenses.”

I dropped my bags on the floor by my feet. “What’s the big deal?! It’s ahugedeal! It’s not even about the money. This is mylife, Toby! I have a schedule to keep. I made plans, and they didn’t involve being stranded in a storm!”

He was shaking his head, finally showing the barest hint of frustration. “Life isn’t supposed to be so predictable. You can’t plan for everything. The weather is a force all its own. You should be more optimistic, focus on the bright side. You’re so lucky, you get to have a few more days in paradise.”

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