Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Let’s get you home.”
26
Hailee
* * *
“I can’t believe you threw up on Superman’s shoes,” Henry said the next morning at the front desk of the inn. I slouched in my chair, hungover and dumbfounded about how my night turned out. I didn’t even want to go to the stupid festival.
“I didn’t throw up on Superman’s shoes. I threw up on Aiden Walters’s shoes.”
Henry frowned as he walked over to the coffee table we’d set up for guests. “I hate to break it to you, Hailee, but they’re the same person.” He grabbed a cup of coffee, added sugar and cream, then brought it over to me. “I’d be so embarrassed if I were you.”
“Don’t remind me,” I groaned, taking a sip of the coffee. “Thank you for this, Henry.”
A noise was heard at the top of the stairs, and I sat up, alert.
Henry reached across to me and patted my hand. “Don’t worry. Superman already left. He headed out to the gym for a workout. You don’t have to face your humiliation until later.”
Goody.
“I’m not humiliated,” I urged.
“Hailee, I think you’re great. Really, I do. One of the best people I know, but if there’s one thing you’re bad at, it’s lying.”
“Shouldn’t you be getting to work?” I asked.
He glanced around the inn and shrugged. “Nobody needs anything.”
“Maybe you should vacuum the floors for something to do.” The pounding headache I was nursing wasn’t leaving much space for me to socialize with anyone at all. Not even sweet Henry.
“You got it, boss lady.”
He hurried off to do the task as two women walked into the inn with their suitcases. They looked about my age, maybe a little bit younger. They were giggling and whispering to one another as they approached me. Then the blond turned my way with a big smile on her face.
“Hey, there. How are you doing?” she asked with a little Southern twang to her voice. She was not from around these parts, that was for sure. Our town didn’t have many passersby. Most people just kept on their way for another forty-five minutes and headed straight to Chicago.
I pushed out a smile and tried to ignore my flipping stomach. “I’m doing good. How are you? How can I help you?”
“Well, yes. My name is Marna, and this is my best friend, Violet. We have a room booked for the next few weeks. I know we are a bit early to check-in, but we were hoping we could maybe get in early.”
“For sure. Let me get your ID and a credit card so I can pull up your reservation.”
She handed me her goods, and I noticed her charm bracelet. It had little charms of books, cats, and hearts. “Oh, I really like that.”
“Thanks, my mom gave it to my when I was a kid. I never take it off,” she explained.
I touched the piece of jewelry dangling around my neck. My Tom necklace. I hadn’t taken it off, even though Aiden took his off all those years ago. It oddly gave me comfort during my hardest days.
After I shook off my emotions, I found their reservation. As I typed in their information, they whispered to one another as if I couldn’t overhear them.
“Stop, I’m not going to ask her that,” Violet said to her friend.
I smiled at them both. “You can ask me anything.”
She sighed and brushed her hands through her long, red hair. She glanced around the inn and then leaned in toward me. Her voice lowered, and she whispered, “Is it true Aiden Walters is staying at this inn?”
I sat up straighter, stunned by her question.
Oh my gosh.
Were they groupies?
I cleared my throat and returned to entering the card information. “I’m not allowed to share guest information like that.”
“That means yes!” Marna said, slapping her hand against her leg. “Can we get a room near his?” she questioned.
When pigs fly.
“We actually have a great room for you on this floor right down the hallway.” I handed them the keys. I rang the bell sitting on my desk, and Henry came over within seconds. “Henry, can you show these ladies to their room? Welcome to Leeks, ladies. I hope you have a great stay.”
Henry was quick to grab their suitcases and chat their ears off as they walked off toward their room. Mr. Lee wasn’t kidding. Having a celebrity staying at your inn was very good for business. By the end of the night, all our rooms were booked. That fact alone gave me anxiety. I doubted Aiden came to the inn in hopes that a ton of fans would be checking in.
I’d remember how bad his panic attacks could be. I didn’t want these people giving him any kind of trouble.
When I was done working for the day, I headed out to pick up some very important items, and I headed back to the inn with them in my grip. I’d been going back and forth with the idea of saying something to Aiden, but I also knew I couldn’t avoid him forever. And who knew? Maybe what I read as cold and distant the night before was just my boozed-up mind playing tricks on me.