Page 9 of The Best Wrong Move

He sounds rushed, but there’s no way I’m letting this guy off the phone. For all I know, Phil is on a two-week vacation to Shanghai and Dom is my only hope. I start speed-talking with the goal of getting it all out before he hangs up.

“Listen, I have a big request. I need to cancel my reservation, even though I just checked in. I’m here for eight weeks so I know you’re probably dead set on having me stick it out until the end of those eight weeks, but I think if you hear my story, you’ll understand and let me cancel—”

“Excuse me,” he interrupts. “What’s your name again?”

I jump up from the closed toilet seat, pumping my fist into the air triumphantly. He’s not saying no.

“Olivia.” I try to hide my excitement that he sounds ready to listen. If he just hears me out, there’s no way he’ll turn me down.

“So, Olivia, this is really a question for Phil.”

I start pacing the tiny bathroom, not ready to give up. Over a decade in investigative journalism has led me to this moment. It’s like a hostage negotiation. If I can just keep him talking . . .

“But I’m speaking toyou, Dom, and I’m already so thankful you decided to answer my call again. How’s your day going, by the way?” I make my voice sweet and inquisitive, like I’m holding out a can of bear bait, luring him in. Like I’d actually want to get to know this random asshole, but whatever it takes to win him over.

“Where are you staying? I need more details thanthe left one,” he says. I detect a ray of sarcasm, but at least he’s starting to sound amused instead of annoyed.

I nod my head to no one in particular, breaking into a grin. This is progress. “Your townhouse.”

Silence.

“On a busy road?” I wish I could remember the street name. I should have looked it up before calling.

“In . . .”

“Hawaii.”

“Okay. Wonderful. Listen, I’m not very familiar with my rentals, to be honest. But what’s the problem? If it’s a maintenance issue, we — I mean,Phil— can just fix it.”

“My ex-fiancé, well notquitefiancé, but the guy Itriedto marry, he’s staying on the other side of the townhouse.”

He stifles a laugh.

Nice.

“That’s really unfortunate, Olivia. But I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to break a reservation. Especially an eight-week reservation.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t stay next to him. The last time I saw him, I threw cat food at him.”

He’s full-on laughing now. A deep, sexy kind of laugh that sounds vaguely familiar, if not a little muffled. But at least he’s not hanging up.

“I’m so glad you find this amusing, Dom,” I deadpan.

“Why don’t you just kiss and make up with him then? Hawaii is all about that island romance. Second chances and all that.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Listen, I feel for you, I do. But this is a personal inconvenience, not really an issue worth leaving my place empty for two months. Most of the rentals have a thirty-day minimum and I believe the policy states—”

“You know, you don’t even have curtains put up here? You have these big, voyeuristic windows leading out to the beach, in the living roomandthe bedroom, but not everyone wants to get dressed each morning in front of a big, open window!”

“That’s something else you can let Phil know.”

“But it took me six tries to get toyou. I’d rather just deal — I meantalk —with you. You’re going to be making the decision on the reservation cancellation, right?”

“Not really, I just let Phil handle everything.”

“You don’t put curtains up in your properties,andyou can’t handle this for me? Phil’s not answering and—”

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