Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
My chest felt tight as I walked to the entrance, trying not to glance around the parking lot, searching for Alex’s car. Of course she had no reason to be here this early. The only contact I’d had with her was the group email I’d sent to all the volunteers telling them we were back in business and starting on Friday. Most had responded to say whether or not they were coming, but not Alex.
I checked into the hotel, eyes darting around the lobby, even as I hated myself for getting my hopes up. The clerk slid the keycard to my side of the counter with a smile.
“Welcome back, Mr. Foster. You’re in room three-oh-two.”
“Thank you.”
“If you need anything, please let us know.”
I nodded and took a few steps away, then turned back. “Actually, could I trouble you to see if someone has checked in yet? We’re here for a volunteer project, and I have the keys, so…”
She hesitated. “Oh, you’re with that group from Ryan’s House, aren’t you?”
I smiled. “I am.”
She looked down at her keyboard. “What’s the volunteer’s last name?”
“Jones.”
My heart raced as she tapped the keys. When she squinted at the screen, I held my breath.
“Hmmm… How do you spell that?”
Seriously? Jones? “J-O-N-E-S.”
“That’s what I thought. I can’t find a reservation under that name, though.”
“Maybe she’s not checking in until tomorrow?”
The clerk clicked a few more keys, then a few more. “I don’t have a reservation at all. Is it possible she might be staying at a different hotel?”
My heart sank. “That must be it. Thanks anyway.”
“No problem.”
Hours later, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark. I felt like I’d gotten my ass kicked. She’s not coming. I’d told myself I’d moved on, closed the door on that part of my life, but I guess I’d been keeping it a crack open. This slammed the door in my face. And it hurt. It hurt like hell. Even if I knew it was for the best.
I tossed and turned half the night, finally conking out somewhere around two. That’s probably why I overslept the next morning. I grabbed my cell and wiped sleep from my eyes.
9:35.
Shit. I ripped the covers off. I’d told the volunteers I’d be there by nine. And the only other people who had keys were the team leaders. One couldn’t make it until tomorrow, and it seemed Alex wasn’t planning on making it at all. I jumped in the shower for three minutes, got dressed, and ran out the door with my hair wet. Pulling up to the project house, I expected to see everyone milling around outside, but no one was there.
Fuck. Is no one coming?
I checked the time on my phone again after I parked, wondering if maybe I’d misread it earlier. Sure enough, it was 10:15. This wasn’t good.
But the front door was unlocked when I approached. And when I stepped inside, Charlie greeted me. He looked great—clean shaven, clean clothes. It lifted my spirits.
“Hey, Charlie.” I shook his hand. “It’s good to see you. I’m glad you could make it.”
“I told my boss I was coming here this weekend, and he told me to take the day today.”
“Your boss? You got the job?”
He lifted his chin with a smile. “I did, indeed. Thanks to you. I’m going to repay you for the suit and hotel as soon as I’m back on my feet.”
“You are absolutely not going to do that. It was my pleasure. Pay it forward someday, if you can.”
He nodded. “Alright. I’ll definitely do that.”
I looked around, still trying to figure out how the team had gotten in. “Is Jason here? I didn’t think he was coming until tomorrow.”
Charlie shrugged. “Not that I saw.”
“Was the door open?”
“It was when I arrived. But Alex was here before me.”
I froze. “Alex is here?”
Then I turned and caught a flash of blond hair in the kitchen. I immediately forgot my conversation with Charlie, and my feet started moving toward the other room. As I approached, our eyes met.
“Hey.” Alex smiled. “There you are. I was starting to worry.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“Because you said in the email you’d be at the house by nine, and you weren’t here yet.”
“And you didn’t say you’d be here at all.”
She looked down. “Sorry. It was a last-minute decision. I drove in early this morning.”
Alex looked beautiful. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a big messy bun, and her blue eyes seemed somehow bluer than I’d remembered. And that…only pissed me off. The new guy from the photo on Instagram probably liked gazing into those eyes as much as I did. I looked away, clenching my teeth so hard it gave me an immediate headache. I needed to put some distance between us.
“It’s fine,” I said. “But I’ve got shit to do so…whatever.”