Page 72 of Love Story

Conor muttered something about ejecting passengers, and Haider grumbled about people with no taste.

It diverted my mind, but I didn’t participate.My eyes stayed fixed on the window as the scenery blurred by.The middle of nowhere transformed into endless stretches of highway, and then, finally, the towering skyline of Boston came into view.The sight of it twisted my stomach.I was here for Ben, but would he want me here?

We pulled up to the Kendall Hotel just after seven, the building’s brick façade glowing under the streetlights.As we parked on a side road, I stared at it, nerves tying knots in my chest.

And then I was lost.

“What now?”I muttered, stepping out of the car and jamming my hands into my pockets.“They’re not going to give me his room number.”

“They’ll let you leave a message, though,” Ryan said, his tone matter-of-fact.

“But what am I supposed to say?‘Hey, it’s Sam.I drove from Caldwell Crossing because I miss you?’That’s not going to work.”

Conor snapped his fingers, a grin spreading across his face.“Tell them there’s a package for him in reception.”

I frowned.“A package?”

“Yeah,” Conor said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.“They’ll call him down to collect it.When he comes down, there you are.Package delivered.”

Haider smirked.“The package is you.Obviously.”

Ryan chuckled beside me, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.“This is ridiculous.”

“Got a better idea?”Conor shot back, crossing his arms.

I sighed.Of course I didn’t.“Fine.Let’s do it.”

The four of us walked into the lobby together, but I shooed them off to a sitting area near the windows.This was my mess to handle.Approaching the front desk, I plastered on what I hoped was a confident smile.

“Hi,” I said, clearing my throat.“I’d like to leave a message for one of your guests, Ben Marshall.Could you tell him there’s a package for him at reception?”

The receptionist gave me a polite but skeptical look and held out a hand, waiting for the package—we hadn’t thought this through.

“The package is me,” I said and pasted on my best, most innocent smile.

Maybe she’d seen this before because she pulled her hand back.“I can pass the message along, sir.Would you like to leave your name?”

“No,” I said, then regretted my snapping.“I mean, no, it’s fine… just that there is a package.”

“A big one,” Haider snickered behind me before letting out an “oof,” which I assumed was Conor or Ryan poking him.

She connected to Ben’s room and passed on the message.My heart pounded as I stepped back, rejoining my friends.

“Now we wait,” Conor said, clapping me on the shoulder.“This is gonna work.Trust me.”

I wasn’t so sure, but I sat down anyway, my leg bouncing with nervous energy.All I could do now was hope my rom-com idiocy would work out and I’d find out what was going on.

Either that or make a colossal ass of myself.

THERE WERE NOmore messages from Sam on my phone.

He’d given up on me, and who could blame him?Why would he message?I’d left Caldwell Crossing without so much as a proper goodbye.No explanation.Just that stupid note.

Sorry.

Not that I’d messaged him, because whenever I reached for my phone, my fingers froze.What would I say?I’m back in Boston.I miss you.Sorry for vanishing.

I want to come home.

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