Page 38 of Sackett
“I’ll get the reservations made.”Selena dropped her gaze back to her laptop screen.“And we should be able to get out of town long before noon.My meeting is early and shouldn’t take more than an hour.If we pack up tonight, then in the morning we can check out before the meeting and hit the road when I’m done.That will give us a bit more time to look around, maybe do touristy stuff in Durango, if you want.”She looked over her screen at him, now that she was focused on something else, her face had cooled.
“That sounds good.”He looked up from his phone.“I’ve told you before, but I’ll say it again.I’m not here to make things harder for you.Tell me what you need to do, and we’ll work around it.”
She dropped her gaze back to her screen and tried to figure out what to say.She finally settled on, “Do you know how uncommon that is?”
“What?”The crease between his brows made her want to reach up and run her thumb across it, to smooth it away.
“The not making things harder.The willing to be flexible around what I’ve got going on.”
The crease between his brow grew deeper.“I know you’re not lying, but it makes no sense to me.I’m here for you.Why would I make things harder for us both like that?”He shook his head.“My ego’s not that fragile,” he said, then dropped his gaze back to his phone.She wasn’t sure what he was doing but he was focused on it.
But not so focused that he didn’t hear her when she said something or answer when she asked him a question.That was different.The last guy she’d dated would get so absorbed in what he was doing he either didn’t hear her at all or she had to repeat everything when she finally got his attention.While that hadn’t been what had made her break up with him, it hadn’t helped either.
She found a hotel in Durango and made reservations for the next two nights, took care of a few more things online, then closed her laptop and set it aside.She let her head fall backwards and stared at the ceiling for several seconds, thinking about what needed to be done, then forced herself to get up.She wanted to get a head start on packing so she would have less to do in the morning, and she might as well get it done now.
Bythenextevening,when they pulled into the hotel she’d booked in Durango, Selena was more tired than she’d imagined.The trip that had been supposed to take six hours had taken nearly ten as there had been an accident on the highway and they’d sat unmoving in traffic for more than an hour.Then they’d spent even longer inching along at a pace that she swore she could have walked faster.
“Hi,” she said to the receptionist who’s name tag read ‘Brian’ as she stepped up to the counter.“I have a reservation for Leighty.”
“Welcome.Give me just a moment to pull that up.”He tapped at the keyboard then looked up with a smile.“For two nights?”
“Yes.”She gave him a smile that she hoped didn’t look as tired and worn as she felt.
“Two keys, correct?”He glanced up with a questioning look.
“Yes, please.”
“No problem.Here you are.The wi-fi password is on the card holder,” he continued telling her about amenities and what was nearby, but it went in one ear and out the other as she focused on the room number and how to find the elevator.Once she had everything signed and completed, she grabbed the handle of her suitcase and turned to where Sackett had followed her in, carrying his backpack, a grocery bag with several water bottles and her briefcase.
She tilted her head in the direction of the elevator then headed that way, confident he would join her.
“I’m glad we weren’t planning to go farther today,” she said once the elevator door closed.She’d already hit the button for their floor, now she stood with her back to the wall, tilting her head back as she wanted nothing more than a hot bath to soak the aches from her body.Though, now that she was thinking about it, a walk would probably do her more good.After having been stuck in the passenger seat all day, being able to move would feel good.
“Me too.It’s a good thing we had the water and what was left of the food from Boulder though.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything as the elevator stopped on their floor and they disembarked.Neither said anything as they made their way down the hall, watching for their room number.When they found it, she opened the door and stepped inside, holding the door so Sackett could follow her.
Once he was inside, she released the door, then turned and moved farther into the room, intent on finding somewhere out of the way to stash her suitcase, then using the restroom.She parked her suitcase next to the dresser that sat against the wall, that the TV sat on then turned around and stopped cold.Where there should have been two beds, instead sat a single, king-size bed.She blinked, then realized Sackett stood still, staring just like she did.
“Shit,” she muttered, then took a deep breath and went to the phone on the table beside the bed, picked it up and dialed zero.
By the time she hung up the phone she was certain the day couldn’t get much worse.Now she had to turn around and break the news to Sackett.She let her head hang but resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose.
“Let me guess, there is no other room.At least not one with two beds?”he said before she had a chance to gather the nerve and turn around.
She nodded, knowing she should turn around and face him but needing another moment to school her expression.Not that she had any idea how she felt, but she needed a moment to let the bone deep weariness not be so overwhelming.
“There are other rooms, but nothing with two beds.We’re stuck with this or finding another hotel.”
Beside her, she heard him take a deep breath and let it out with a snort.
“What do you want to do?”His voice gave her no clues how he felt, so she turned around and looked at him, trying to gauge his expression.
“He said the whole town’s unusually busy this close to the end of the season.There may not be a double room in town.”She shook her head.She could make all the calls, not find anything and still be stuck with a single bed.Then it would be even later, and she’d be even more tired.
“Let’s stay.I’ll sleep in the chair.You can have the bed.”
“We can stay, but I will not be taking the bed from you.It’s your room.I’ll bunk on the floor.”
