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The elevators were close to the check in desk and I was about to hit the UP button when I heard a familiar voice. Peering around the corner, Lucy was gathering her bag and suitcase.
Rushing over, I startled her when I squeaked out her name. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…here, let me get that for you,” I offered, reaching for the popped-up handle.
“I’ve never been greeted by an adoring fan before,” she joked. “How may I be of service to you, good sir?”
Her hair was down and loose waves hung over her shoulders. I wondered what it would feel like to tangle my hands in it, moving her head to the side so I could taste her at the base of her throat.
“Come to my room.” I quickly tried to backtrack with my words when she paused and raised her brows at me in question. “I, uh…that’s not what I meant. I mean, it is, but not in the context you—shit. You know what?” I turned to face her. “There’s something I’d like to talk to you about and I think it’s best done somewhere private, is all.”
“As much as I’d like to make a sexual joke here,” she broached, “I’ve never seen you so jumpy. And yes, I’ll ‘come to your room’,” she stated, using air quotes, “because there’s something I wanted to run by you as well.”
I nodded. “Perfect.” The elevator door opened and we padded inside. The interior was mirrored from the handrails to the ceiling and my appearance jarred me. “I was just about to have a shower,” I explained, pulling my shirt away from my stomach for emphasis.
“Working up a sweat running from your own adoring fans?” she guessed.
“Not quite. Listen, why don’t you get settled and meet me in a half hour?” I gave her my room number and we parted ways.
The scent of her perfume hung in the air long after she was gone. The doors closed and by the time I had gone up to my own floor, a cold shower was in order.
Twenty-five minuteslater I heard a soft knock. With my clothes no longer clinging to me, I opened the door.
“Hey,” I smiled. “Come in, please.”
“Jesus. Sothisis what the nice rooms look like, huh?” Lucy had wandered over to the balcony which offered a waterfront view of the sound.
Though it was an expansive space, it suddenly felt small. I regarded her while she took it all in from the formal sitting room to the kitchen and the separate bedroom. I couldn’t focus on the latter or nothing would get accomplished.
Deciding to move forward, I asked for her to take a seat. “So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Uh uh. You go first,” she insisted.
A sudden heat broke out across my chest. Why did I feel nervous? Why was I losing my cool? I took a deep breath and began. “I’m not quite sure how to start…”
Lucy was on the sofa and tucked a leg under her. “Why don’t you just say it?” she gently coaxed. “I’m a big girl.” Her face shone with sincerity.
“So, the press might have caught wind of us,” I rushed. “We did a morning show today and the host asked about a ‘mystery girl’ I had been spotted with.” Up until now, I had been focused on her chin, but I took the pause as an opportunity to gauge her reaction. Neutrality was the only thing I saw. So, I continued. “I know we haven’t been traipsing around seeking out attention, but the paparazzi are everywhere and there’s always someone who is willing to sell their soul for the perfect picture if it promises the right payout. I was able to silence the host and deflect the conversation this morning, but if we continue to hang out, then…”
“Then eventually a photo of the two of us and possibly my name could end up in print?” she ventured. “Or in an online article, since newspapers are kind of obsolete.”
The heat had risen to the back of my neck. I laid a hand on my warmed skin, absently scratching. “Yeah. And I wanted to talk to you about it because it’s really just a matter of time before it happens and—”
“Jake.”
“—I wanted to prepare you I guess…”
“Jake.” She waved her hand.
“Hmm?”
“I saw the show. In the airport this morning.”
“Oh. You did?” My voice came out in a squeak.
She nodded, the hint of a smile playing at her lips. “I’ll be honest, it was a little jarring to hear, but after I talked myself off the ledge—”
I looked at her like the shocked face emoji.
“—kidding, ok? The thing is Jake, this was inevitable. I don’t want to be Bubble Boy. Life is meant to be lived, and if that means you get exposed to a harsher reality from time to time, then whatever.” She shrugged her shoulders.
