Page 30 of Buzzer Beater

“And who's checking her room?”

I stopped. “I don’t know.”

He shook his head and pulled out his phone. “I’ll ask if anyone’s done that.”

I couldn’t believe I hadn’t started there. Although, would that seem creepy? No creepier than sending a dozen people around searching for her.

The sun was setting and time for my plans to work out was going down with it.

It’s a little difficult to have a sunset dinner without the sun.

“Maybe I should give up.”

Grant tuned to me. “No way. We just got started. We’ll find her and if it doesn’t work out tonight, we can try again tomorrow.”

I appreciated his confidence and dedication, but I hated feeling like I was wasting people’s time.

“Let’s check in here.” Grant pointed at the doors to one of the theaters.

“There’s no show playing.”

“I know, but I heard there’s a nice lounge.” I followed him in and was surprised by the large room centered around a bar. There were at least ten bartenders and the room was packed.

We walked a little further in until he stopped and looked to me. “Do you want to split up?”

It was a lot of ground to cover, but I felt a like less conspicuous staying together.

“Nah.” I led us to the right, following the terracotta tiled path.

We walked around the room scanning each table. We were halfway around when he stopped suddenly again. “I don’t think she’s in here.”

He spun around and started walking back the way we’d come.

“Wait,” I said. “We didn’t check the whole place.”

Grant looked at me and cringed. He was lying. He saw something.

“You saw her?” I asked.

I turned around and looked for her.

“Let’s just go.”

I felt him tug on my arm the second I found her.

She was laughing. Her head flung back, no worry on her face like this morning. She looked carefree. She smiled across the table at someone. My heart stopped when I realized she wasn’t just with Amber and her other friends.

There was a man. A man I’d never seen before. He was dark, good looking and making Lucy laugh.

I turned before she could notice me watching her and hurried out of the lounge.

I heard Grant’s steps behind me, so I didn’t bother waiting for him.

I should have known. I should have expected something like this.

She’s single, Erik broke that news to me earlier today, so why wouldn’t she get hit on by some stranger in a glorified bar?

Why wouldn’t she be laughing with him? She deserved to laugh.