Page 60 of Fraud
Not a damn thing.
It was time to finally move on with my life.
And start living.
A lot of thoughts had been bouncing around in my mind over the last hour.
This is the worst idea you’ve ever had.
This is quite possibly the most brilliant plan ever conceived.
You’re stupid, Kate.
You’re a genius!
And, now, exactly sixty minutes since I’d left work, I was sitting outside Killian’s two-star motel, trying to gather the courage to vacate my car. Because, as all those crazy thoughts had been running through my confused brain, the only one that had stuck was that I was doomed.
I’d watched every romantic comedy film ever made. I knew better than this. Nothing good ever came from showing up at a man’s apartment—or motel room—unannounced.
He could be hosting an epic game night or a swingers’ party for all I knew.
He could be on a date.
My eyes darted up to the third floor where his room was located.
We never made promises to each other. I’d asked him if we could take it slow but not if we could be exclusive.
I exhaled a sigh of frustration and picked up my phone.
Someday, I’d be able to gather up the courage to do things like this on my own. Pressing the speed dial for Jane, I let it ring once as my eyes drifted back to the building in front of me. Several rings later, I was beginning to get anxious.
Maybe I should just go home.
Jane’s voicemail picked up, and as I heard the perky sound of her voice on the other end, I was reminded of the words she’d spoken the night before.
“What are you waiting for?”
It was those five words that had sparked a frenzy in me today, writing faster and hotter than I had in weeks. It was those five words that had gotten me here, ready to take on something so daring, I was nearly dripping with sweat.
I didn’t need Jane or anyone else to push me those last few feet into the shabby motel.
I just needed me.
Although a shot of tequila wouldn’t hurt.
I took a deep breath and leaned forward, my forehead meeting the steering wheel, as I silently said a few last words of motivation.
You can do this. It’s only sex.
Okay, good pep talk.
Grabbing my keys and purse, I stepped out of my car and headed for the front door. The sun was beginning to set in Fremont, and the sky did its best to show off, casting warm pinks and bright vivid hues of orange and yellow above me.
My stomach churned, but I pushed forward.
Walking through the door, I was greeted by a familiar face.
The twenty-something attendant had been here the first time I stopped by and helped me find Killian’s room. I thought the pretty blonde with the boring night job had felt sorry for me, or maybe she’d just wanted something to do. Whatever the reason, she had smiled happily as I explained my story and had been more than willing to offer up Killian’s room number even though I was pretty sure that sort of thing was usually confidential—or at least, I assumed it was.
