Page 15 of Mine Forever
Just perfect for a bastard like me who isn’t fit for love of any kind.
FIVE
eden
“But I just need a room forone night.”
I hope my voice isn’t coming out as whiny as it sounds in my head.
The gray-haired woman smiles sympathetically but shakes her head. “I’m sorry, miss. We’re not taking any guests due to the storm.”
I look around at the activity around the small inn. “Who are all these people?”
“They’re workers, dear. They’re getting the place ready for the storm.” She lays liver-spotted hands on top of the waist-high front desk. “I’m so sorry I can’t help you. But it’s our policy to evacuate any guests ahead of the storm. The last of them left earlier this morning.”
I want to lay my head on the desk and cry.
I’ve been up since four a.m. and barely slept at all last night. I’m running on fumes, and my internal bitch-o-meter is ticking up as I stand here. “Okay, well, is there another place here in town?”
“They’re closed too.” She leans forward as though she’s imparting a secret. “You know, dear. I don’t know what you’rein town for, but you seem like a smart girl, being from New York City and all.”
“Hold on. How did you know I was from New York?”
She lifts a shoulder and busies herself with straightening pens in the pen holder. “Small towns have big ears, sweetheart. Anyway, you should get back over that bridge before they close it. I’m sure whatever business you have with Mr. Hanover can wait for the storm to pass.”
Great, just great. I’m the talk of the town already? A storm is closing in and the town has nothing better to talk about than the desperate woman from New York?
I glance down at her name tag.
Odette…hmmm. The woman from the coffee shop.
I paste my best smile on my lips. “Ms. Odette. You’ve got a new grandbaby, don’t you?”
Her faded blue eyes light up. “Why, yes I do. Would you like to see some pictures?”
Before I can answer, she pulls out her phone and scrolls to her photo gallery with the adeptness of a fourteen-year-old. “Her name’s Maddie.”
I smile a little bigger. “She’s a beautiful baby.”
Odette proceeds to show me a couple of pictures of Maddie, and I make the appropriate noises.
When there’s a small hole in the conversation, I push through it. “She’s lovely. Now I have a question for you. If, let’s say, Maddie were stuck on an island with no place to stay, you’d want someone to help her out, right? Give her shelter?”
Her eyes widen. “Well, yes, of course.”
I raise my brows and keep my smile firmly in place. “So, can you help a girl out?”
She smiles again. “I’m sorry, no.”
I drop my smile. “I’ll pay you a thousand dollars.”
The sweet grandma smile disappears. “Nope.”
I resist the urge to stomp my foot. With a sigh, I slide my purse off the desk. “Fine. Thanks, Odette.”
My tone tells her I’m anything but thankful.
“Safe travels, dear.”
