Page 108 of Pretty Obsessed

Emory Ker

I’d never had so many nerves getting to a hotel. He’d been here. He’d checked in. All I had to do was give my name and I’d get a key, but why did it feel like there was a flaw in our plan? Some hole we’d missed, leaving us exposed to bigger issues? Japan felt like a world away. We were together and with the band. There were tons of people who traveled with them. They had production and friends and family and crew.

This felt like…a hook-up. Was that the root of my apprehension? It felt different. Like this was new territory for us. More than friends but less than…anything else I guess.

“I should already be checked in. I’m picking up a key,” I said the words over and over until I got to the counter.

“Name.” The woman didn’t even look up at me. Eyes on her screen.

“Emory Ker,” I said under my breath. What if she’d heard the rumors? What if she’d seen River here? Anyone could connect the dots. Should we have used an alias for me? Fuck. I was going to give myself a coronary with my damn worrying. I was never like this.

Calm the fuck down.

“What?” she asked. Her eyes flicked up to meet mine. There wasn’t a spark of recognition there.

“Emory Ker,” I said, this time too loud.

“Oh, in the suite.” She rolled her eyes and muttered about all these famous YouTubers she didn’t recognize but produced a key card. “You can load this into your phone or use it as is.”

I scooped it off the counter and walked away before I burst out laughing. Better to be thought of as someone she didn’t recognize than who I was. It eased my nerves as I took the private elevator. Pushing open the door, his scent hit me. I closed my eyes, breathing in his cologne.

Why was it hard to be away from him after such a short time?

I already didn’t want to leave.

I thought about pouring myself a drink to ease the time but stopped myself on the way to the minibar. Not after what River had trusted me with. Even if I finished before he got here, I didn’t want to taste like alcohol. I poured myself a glass of soda water instead and got out my laptop. If I didn’t find something to focus on, I’d be checking my phone every five minutes, or worse, considering going.

I imagined myself there. The way he’d look at me across the room. How we’d fight to not touch each other. How bad I’d want to kiss him.

Shit.

I pulled out my phone.

Emory: Where are you guys at tonight?

I prayed he didn’t answer while dying for him to.

Iris: I’m betting you don’t want to know.

Emory: I do and I don’t.

Emory: Is he having fun?

Is he with someone else? I didn’t dare ask.

Iris: did you message him?

Emory: No, I figured I’d see if it was safe…

Would he catch my meaning? I swallowed the jealousy building in my throat. There was no room for that here. I’d known what I was getting into doing this. But I hated that Pat’s words kept coming back to haunt me. It wasn’t even River’s fault he had people all over him day in and day out. It was part of his job. Sex sold when it came to rock and roll.

Iris: He’s already left.

Emory: What?

Iris: He rang in his birthday, blew out some candles and left.

Iris: He wants to be there with you, and I don’t blame him.

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