Page 13 of Snow Storm

Wes made a soft noise of protest. “Don’t you think?—”

“I think I’m exhausted. Ithinkwe’ve been driving for five hours, and I’ve just been through hell. I want to wear fuzzy socks and watch reality TV and not be judged for the sheer amount of comfort food I’m going to consume tonight.”

Wes held up his hands to protest, then froze and checked his watch. “Shit. I’m going to be late.”

“So go. I know how to check into a hotel room,” Harley said.

Wes looked torn. He took a step back, then stopped and reached out, yanking Harley to his chest. “I don’t want to leave you.” It was an odd, unfamiliar gesture between them both, but Harley appreciated the embrace. He’d been starved for comfort for a while now, so he took it where he could.

“Too bad. I want you to leave me,” Harley told him with a small sniff. And he meant it. Mostly. He didn’t want to be alone, but his brother had never been the best company. He knew Wes loved him, but it was in his own way. Not the way Harley craved to be loved. “I’m going to be fine.”

Wes bit his lip, then took a step back again. “Please make sure you answer when if your lawyer or the agency calls.”

Wes didn’t trust that Harley’s agency was going to just let this go. Or that Ethan wasn’t going to get a wild hair and decided to sue him once things calmed down. Not that Harley wouldn’t have deserved it. Ethan had antagonized him and had failed at doing his job properly, but Harley threw the punch.

“Be good,” Wes said.

“Kiss the girls for me. I left their gifts in the trunk. Yours and Carla’s too.”

Wes didn’t ask about their mom, which was good because Harley hadn’t done personal shopping for her. He’d found a gift basket online and sent it to her house. He knew she’d be happier that way anyway.

He braced himself as he watched Wes walk out, and then he turned back to the desk and remembered that he wasn’t alone. Poor Aminah was still waiting on him.

“I’m sorry. It’s been a bit of a day.”

“It’s been a bit of a month for me. I get it,” she said. She pulled a few sheets of paper from under the desk and passed them over. “We have a lot of amenities here that are both private and relaxing.”

Harley’s brows rose. Was it possible she understood him as a stranger when even his own brother didn’t? “That sounds exactly like what I need.”

“I know this is a coupley kind of place, but we do get a lot of people on their own who just need to reset.” She folded her hands on top of the small stack of brochures. “Also, it’s not like a hotel here. I mean—itis. You’ll get room service and housekeeping and whatever, but the owner is different. He’s a really down-to-earth kind of guy, and he expects the same out of his staff. It means a lot to us that you’re happy here, so if that means being left to your own devices, then just say the word. But if you need company, we can help with that too.”

It didn’t sound like a spiel. Not in the way Harley was used to. He’d been schmoozed more than once by hotels and venues. He knew how to spot someone just trying to use him for what he did. But this wasn’t that.

“Thank you.”

Aminah’s smile widened. “You’re welcome. Here’s a map to your room, and you can order room service over the phone or through the app on your TV. And if I can make a suggestion—the chicken Caesar with a side of fries and the chocolate lava cake is the best comfort food you’ll ever have.”

Harley clutched the papers and the room key to his chest. “Seriously. Thank you,” he repeated, and he’d never meant anything more in his life.

“I’m here all week,” she said with a wink, then stepped back so he could collect his things and make a graceful exit as he possibly could with two cases, a stack of papers, and no one to help.

He got the feeling people did know who he was—that his brother had warned them of the reason he was staying—but for the first time since the incident, he didn’t feel like he was some kind of social monster.

Christmas would be lonely.

But at least he wouldn’t feel like he wasn’t welcome.

Aminah had been right about the salad, fries, and the cake. He devoured everything on his plate, then raided the minibar since the whole thing was on his brother’s tab anyway. He fell asleep with some show about London real estate playing in the background and a half packet of peanut M&Ms in his hand.

He woke up with the TV off and a single M&M crushed under his cheek, the heat of his body having melted the chocolate. It was most definitely not his finest moment, but maybe one of the perks of being single.

There was no Darren to give him the look that said, “Why the fuck am I with you?”

He tried not to let that thought follow him into the bathroom, where he relieved himself, then scrubbed his teeth until he could stand the taste of his tongue again. He debated about breakfast, but a shower sounded nicer, so he washed off, finding more bits of melted chocolate on him, which probably meant they were on the sheet too.

Fantastic.

Housekeeping was going to think he shit himself.

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