Page 14 of Away We Go

Hmph.The wind deflates out of my angry sails and I slump back in my seat. He cares about the people he considers family; it’s just that the rest of the world doesn’t get to see that side of him.

“We’re here.”

The SUV stops at the top of a long curving driveway and I crane my neck to look up at the tall tower of the hotel we’ve pulled up to. The fancy five-star resort I’d stayed at in Bali pales in comparison to the opulence of the building we’re in front of, and I squeal with excitement at the thought of staying here. Of getting paid to stay here for the next seven days.

“Ma’am?”

My car door opens and I walk into the foyer, gasping at the mahogany interior, the crystal chandeliers and the sight of a rumpled Nicky prowling up and down in front of the reception desk.

“Nicky?”

He turns, the tight look on his face melting as he catches sight of me.

“Are you okay?” I ask, hurrying towards him.

He scans me up and down and I tuck a strand of frizzy hair behind my ear, wishing I’d thought to freshen up before leaving the airport.

“You’re good?” he asks in a low voice, pulling me to the side and running his eyes over me again, like I may have lost a limb since he’d last seen me.

I put my hand on his arm and squeeze. “I’m fine. Thanks for sending James to get me. You didn’t have to do that.”

He frowns. “I—”

“I’ve taken Ms Brenner’s bags up to your suite."

We turn in unison to see a short man in a dark suit with a demure smile handing me an envelope.

“Thank you.” Taking it from him, feeling rattled again, I let Nicky guide me towards the lifts. His hand is warm on my lower back. “What did he say?”

“Come with me.”

Nicky takes a card from the pocket of his dark denim jeans, waves it in front of the card reader, and presses the button for the twentieth floor.

“Did he say he’s takenmybags toyoursuite?” I ask, tugging on his arm to get his attention.

His mouth twists as he looks down at me. “There’s been a problem with the reservations.”

My stomach sinks.How am I already causing more problems? It’s just like Troy liked to say; where Cherry goes, problems follow.

“It seems the hotel is booked out, and because you’re a…late addition to the team, there wasn’t a room for you for this week.”

“And?” Surely I can stay somewhere else.

“And it’s race weekend.”

“And?”

The doors of the lift open and he ushers me out, his hand warm and tantalising on my lower back.

“And every hotel within a twenty-kilometre radius is booked out.”

“Oh.”

“Yes.” He uses his card again, this time to open the huge teak wooden door in front of us. “So, that means you’ll be staying with me.”

I peek from him to the suite just through the door.

Oh?

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