Page 7 of Small Town Sizzle

I had planned on stopping at my childhood home first, but I’ll go to the hotel I booked instead. I need to lie down in a completely blacked-out room and sleep this migraine off.

A wave of nausea hits me hard, and I swerve for a second as I think I’m going to puke in the rental car.

“Change of plans,” I say out loud.

I take a slow sip of water as I turn on my blinker and merge into the next lane. I find the nearest decent-looking hotel and pull into the lot. A few minutes later, I’m walking inside.

“Good afternoon. How can I help you?” An older woman with white hair greets me.

“I need to book a room for the night. Preferably somewhere that is dark and doesn’t get a lot of traffic.”

The woman pulls back a little and shoots me a questioning look. I notice her hand hovering over the phone.

“Sorry, I have a horrible migraine, and I really need to sleep it off,” I say.

She nods slowly, her face softening just a little. “Well, I’d like to help you out, but we’re in the middle of renovations, and all of our active rooms are fully booked.”

“You don’t have any availability?” I ask, not hiding the irritation in my voice.

“No, and honestly, you’ll probably have to go into Hicks Creek to find anything. There’s a convention in town this week, and everything is pretty well booked already.”

I let out a long sigh, running my hand across my face. “Okay, I have a room booked there already. I just didn’t think I could make it another mile. Thank you.”

She murmurs an apology, but I’m already walking out the door. It’s only about thirty more minutes to Hicks Creek, I think I can make it.

I get back in the car and drive the rest of the way. It’s not an easy drive, as I’m fighting nausea and dizziness the entire way. When I pull into my hotel, I park and go directly inside.

“Hi,” I tell the balding gentleman behind the counter. “I have a reservation for the next few days. Garrett McAllister.”

“Oh, Mr. McAllister, welcome,” the man says as he starts tapping away on his computer. “I assume you’re here for the funeral. Greta was such a lovely woman.”

I nod, the motion making my head pound even harder.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. McAllister, are you certain that you made a reservation? I don’t see anything in our system.”

I groan inwardly. “I made the reservation myself.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“Okay, well can you get me a roomnow, then? I’ll figure out the reservation later.”

He shakes his head. “My apologies, sir. We don’t have any availability if you don’t already have a reservation.”

“But I do have a reservation.”

“Not in my system, you don’t.”

I grip the side of the counter tightly as I try to calm my frustration.

I should drive right back to the airport and never look back.

“Okay, well, thanks,” I say before I walk out of the lobby.

I go back to my car and look around for the drug store. While Hicks Creek never really changes, things do look a little different. With all the cattle ranches in town doing well, it seems Main Street has grown and changed a little to adjust. I start the car and steer over to it. Once inside, I grab a small six-pack of water and a Gatorade and then go over to the medicine aisle.

“Well, I sure didn’t think I’d see you in Hicks Creek,” a voice says teasingly.

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