Page 108 of Dream On, Liar

“That bad, huh?” He asked, although he wore a knowing look as he picked up my phone and handed it back to me.

“You already know.” My tone had been accusatory.

He gave me a sly grin. “Noah may have spilled. Told me you were the first one to out drink me.”

“How are you standing in one piece then?”

“Well, I wasn’t the one knocking back tequila shots.” His grin only widened.

I squinted. “Why are you being this nice? Did you dream about us calling another truce or something?”

He pressed his lips then. “I may know your secret.”

Something about his tone made me pause. “What do you mean?”

“Well, this morning, Raina was having a final read through on a statement at the airport…and I may have caught a sneak at what she was having a look at.”

My face dropped. “You read the whole thing?”

He shrugged. “When I read the words ‘Clarification Regarding Previous Research and Media Coverage: an update on Rihaan Patel’s journey’ it was kind of hard not to.”

I shook my head, even though I couldn’t exactly hold any argument over his head. Knowing me, I probably had done the same, and it was as though he knew that, because his eyes glowed softer than they had the whole time I’d been near him.

“Does that mean we can finally have a truce?”

“I can do one better,” He replied. “If you forgive me for lying and making you break your rules, we can have a fresh start altogether.”

I gave him the best smile I could offer at the time. “Deal.”

He nodded, offering me a small bag. “Here”

Opening it, I tried my hardest to mask the surprise as a worm of butterflies burst in my belly. He’d brought me a bag of crisps—cheese and jalapeno—along with a smoothie.

Calm down, heart.

“Good job remembering,” I spoke, when my mouth was finally able to put together the words.

When my eyes met his, a knowing grin sat on his lips. “Took a shot.”

I shook my head. “Nice shooting.”

He winked, before turning on his heels, and making his way to the reception.

Popping open the bag of crisps, I leaned back and took a couple bites. When I wasn’t on an empty stomach, I opened the ibuprofen bottle and swallowed two down. A little extra precaution never hurt anybody.

Unlocking my phone once again, I restarted my search for a hotel room with a single room. Only I had absolutely no luck. I wasn’t exactly sure why everything nearby was already sold out. Sure, the matches had to be one thing—but all hotels? Considering, it wasn’t even spring break in New Zealand anymore, it only added to my frustration.

The rest of the boys who’d gone with Rihaan had all checked in, and were already on their way upstairs. Their luggage being handed to the bellboy, when Rihaan’s voice reached me. “You all go, I’ll find my way.”

Thirty seconds later, he was hovering near me. “Are you waiting for someone?”

I looked up and met his eyes. “Nope.”

“Okay.” He frowned. “Why are you lurking here, then? And why are you still looking at hotels?”

I sighed. “They thought two room bookings with M. KNOX was an error, so they cancelled one of them. And, because my father had checked in before me, I’m the one left with no room.”

He frowned. “They can’t just give you another one?”