Page 124 of Never Forget

In the center of the suite is a massive round soaking tub, thick white towels hanging artfully over the side. Beside it is a wooden tray holding bath salts, mineral soak packets, and small bottles of essential oils. Beyond the tub, a king-sized bed disappears beneath a truly absurd number of pillows and a duvet so thick it looks like a cloud. A double-sided fireplace separates the sleeping area from a sitting room furnished with deep leather chairs and an overstuffed sectional facing the flickering flames.

The bathroom is an experience on its own, all pale stone and warm wood, heated flooring, with a rainfall shower big enough to fit the whole band if we wanted. There’s also a steam shower tucked behind glass and a long vanity stocked with every imaginable toiletry.

The concierge shows us the touchscreen and explains some of the features of the room before placing the key cards on the dining table.

“If there is anything that you require, simply send a message through the screen or dial zero on the room phone.”

“Thank you so much,” I say, and hand the man some cash for both him and the valet, who disappeared before I could tip him. We might not have any bags to carry in, but they deserve every dollar for being so readily pleasant at this time of morning.

The suite falls silent in the absence of the concierge's soft voice. Scott slowly turns in a circle, taking everything in before looking back at me.

“Naz.”

“What?”

He looks around the room again.

“We’ve stayed in a lot of nice places since I started being your shadow, but this? This is something else.”

I smile. “I wanted to do something special, maybe pamper you a little bit after everything you’ve been through over the last few days. I know we won’t be able to avoid talking to everyone the whole time, but I couldn’t wait to have you all to myself for even a little bit.”

“You realize there’s only one bed, right?”

I roll my eyes. “You’re sleeping in the tub.”

He laughs and pinches me again, pulling me close and kissing me softly.

“I could probably manage it. It’s a pretty big tub, and I’m pretty big tired.”

“Me too. How about we take a quick shower to wash off the day, then watch the sunrise before we pass out.”

“Mmm. Perfect,” he says, reaching to pull my shirt over my head.

Clumsily, we make our way to the bathroom, dropping clothes along the way. We stand under the rainfall shower for so long, kissing and touching and making each other come, that we miss most of the sunrise.

Scott throws the mountain of decorative pillows into the far corner of the room and pulls back the duvet while I press a button that lowers a large shade and pulls the curtains, completely enveloping us in darkness.

I think I’m asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

THIRTY-THREE

SCOTT

A sound more grating than a dentist’s drill pulls me out of the deepest, most comfortable sleep of my life. If I wasn’t being so harshly dragged back to the living, I might have happily expired here in this bed, with Naz half draped over me and drooling on my stomach.

I groan and blindly swat at whatever is making that god awful noise, only to find empty sheets. The buzzing stops, and blessed silence settles over the room again.

I’ve barely relaxed when a shrill ringing fills the air. It’s then that it occurs to me that the sound is our phones. Those devices that people use to reach us.

Why didn’t we turn those off last night?

Naz mumbles and buries his face in my stomach. “Ignore it. Maybe they’ll go away.”

I hum my agreement, already halfway back to sleep.

The phones do stop.

For approximately three seconds. They then proceed to take turns ringing until, as a crescendo, they start to ring at the same time.