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Lillian went to the bathroom so she could clean up before donning her muddy clothes from last night. Wishing she had something clean to put on, she threw some cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth.
She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, grinning at the satisfied look on her face. Walking back into the room, she ran her fingers through her hair and approached Oliver, who looked content sitting up on the bed. He smirked at her and pulled her close, kissing her deeply before they both dressed and left.
She tightened her grip on his hand, eager to see what the day would bring. As they turned the corner to the dining hall, the scent of fresh coffee and bacon filled the air, making her mouth water. The sound of clinking plates and silverware mixed with light chatter filled the large room.
"Where should we sit?" Lillian asked.
Oliver glanced around before his eyes settled on her. "Actually, I've got to go to work. I was just going to grab something quick."
Disappointment filled every fiber of her being, but she squelched it, not wanting him to sense it. "Oh, okay. Well, here. Let me see your phone." He frowned but handed it to her, and she plugged her number into it. He smiled softly once he realized what she was doing. "Give me a call sometime, okay?"
Oliver nodded, the smile still on his face. "Yeah. I will."
With one last look, he grabbed a bagel off one of the tables just inside the doorway to the room and walked away. Lillian watched him leave with a pang in her chest before turning.
Chloe came up behind her. “Hey,” Chloe said, “why are you staring at the closed door?”
Startled, Lillian spun around with a fake smile on her face. “Just waiting for one of you guys to show up.”
“Well, I’m here and starving. Let’s go in.”
Inside, they saw Alexis waving at them. “There’s Alexis. Let’s sit with her first.” Chloe guided her to the table, plowing through the throng of people.
“How was your night?” Lillian asked the birthday girl, giving her a playful smirk.
“Amazing,” Alexis said, a grin lighting up her slightly haggard features. “You?”
“I cannot wait to tell you about my night,” Lillian replied, slipping into the empty seat across from her.
“Did you have fun, too, Chloe?” Alexis asked. Chloe pursed her lips but said nothing, turning her head away slightly. Alexis’s grin grew wider, and she pointed a finger, jabbing the air. “I knew it. You met someone, didn’t you?”
“Not telling,” Chloe said, miming zipping her lips.
“Okay, you’re going to spill the deets one way or another,” Alexis said. “You can’t leave us hanging.”
“Happy birthday, by the way,” Chloe added, changing the subject. “I know it’s over, but I hope you had a good time.”
“I did. I can’t wait to tell you about it. This is ...” She turned as if someone was behind her. “Oh, well, never mind. I was going to introduce you to the guy I was with last night, but he seems to have vanished into thin air.”
“You can look for him after breakfast,” Lillian suggested. “Let’s go get some food,” she said, nudging into Chloe. “We’ll be right back. See if you can find Fiona while we’re gone.”
The food smelled wonderful after the night of expended energy. As she strolled the buffet line, she wondered how much she should tell the others about Oliver. He left her once and didn’t seem too eager to spend the night with her.
When they returned to the table, Alexis was standing with a handsome guy by the entrance to the room. Was she leaving? Lillian and Chloe watched as their friend blushed then made a beeline toward them and plopped into her chair.
“Was that the guy you spent the night with?” Chloe asked. “I thought I saw you with a different guy.”
“You’re right, but that guy disappeared,” Alexis told her. “This guy asked for my number, though, so I figured what the hell, right?”
“You only live once,” Lillian agreed.
“Look, there’s Fi,” Chloe pointed toward the entrance of the room.
"Looks like someone else got lucky last night," Alexis called out, waving.
After everyone finished their breakfasts, they headed out. Lillian glanced around the driveway and all the cars, hoping to see Oliver waiting for her.
No such luck. Maybe the whole affair was one-sided. Unfortunately, all hers.
