Page 76 of Lose You Twice

Weston leans across the aisle. “Whose head?”

“No one’s,” I say.

He grins. Asher puts a hand on his shoulder and pushes him back into his seat before he can say anything else. “Leave it.”

Wren turns slightly at Weston’s voice, her eyes instantly finding mine. I don’t look away, and we stare at each other for a few seconds before she turns back to her phone.

By the time we reach the hotel, the rain has turned into sleet, and Coach is in the kind of mood that makes even Weston stay quiet. The lobby is packed with another college team, a delayed wedding party, and a front-desk clerk who looks ready to quit in real time.

Equipment gets unloaded first.

Donnelly directs while Wren checks bags off the list. I help because standing still while she hauls gear in sleet isn’t something I’m capable of doing, even with boundaries.

To her credit, she doesn’t yell at me.

Inside, Coach starts handing out key cards. Guys are grouped two to a room. Weston and Asher. Grayson with me. Coleson with one of the quieter defensemen, which should be fine unless Coleson decides being difficult is a personality again.

Donnelly comes back from the desk with his jaw set.

I know that look. There’s a problem.

Coach sees it too. “What?”

“Hotel screwed the staff rooms,” Donnelly says, sounding almost nervous to be the one to break the news.

Wren looks up from where she’s setting a bag beside the wall.

The front-desk clerk hurries over, face tight. “We’re very sorry. With the storm and the room block changes, we had to move some reservations around. We’re working on it.”

Coach’s voice drops. “Define working on it.”

The clerk swallows. “Most rooms are ready. But one staff room had a leak, and maintenance closed it. We can move one guest to a king room on the third floor for tonight.”

Donnelly pinches the bridge of his nose.

Coach looks at Donnelly. “Who’s without a room?”

Donnelly doesn’t answer right away, then his eyes move to Wren.

My stomach drops.

“No,” I say.

Everyone looks at me. Wren’s eyes flash in my direction, and her face is screaming at me to shut up.

Shit. I said that out loud.

Coach’s brows pull together.

Donnelly exhales. “Calloway was supposed to take the staff double with the trainer. Trainer got moved into the assistant coach’s room. That leaves the king.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Wren says quickly. “I don’t mind being alone.”

Coach turns to the clerk. “Is the king on the same floor as the rest of the staff?”

“Actually, no. The king is on the third floor, where most of the players are. Your staff are mostly on the second floor.” The clerk looks down at the folder and frowns. “And there’s one more issue. The king room only opens internally through the adjoining room right now. The hallway lock is malfunctioning, and maintenance can’t get to it until tomorrow.”

Donnelly stares at her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”