I smile at Ada with a nod. Her dark chocolate eyes, the ones that mirror Mateo’s, travel between us, searching for the lie or the joke or something, but we stand our ground.Deep breaths, Daisy, deep breaths.
“You’re dating Daisy?” she asks incredulously. Ouch. She, of course, likes me as a person, maybe as another daughter, but clearly not enough to be the perfect partner for her precious son. She’s so harsh in her opinions of her kids’ lives. Last Christmas, it was a whole thing with Livie. Ada made mean comments about Livie’s weight in front of her now husband. Is she thinking the same about me? That I am somehow not good enough for Mateo because I’m thick? Because I’m me?
“I am, Mom. I didn’t want to jinx anything, so I didn’t tell you who it was. Yes, Daisy and I are finally giving this a chance. Aren’t we, baby?” He places a soft kiss on the top of my head. A kiss that reaches all the way to my toes along with the goosebumps awakening my senses.
Oh damn. If I can’t get my life together with one simple kiss on the head and ababy, what am I going to do if I have to kiss this man in front of people? On the lips? What if I have to kiss this man on the lips?Oh my God.
“Daze?” he asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Sorry, sorry. Yes, baby. We are. Sorry we didn’t tell you.” I don’t dare to drop my gaze. I adore her, yes, but she won’t make me feel any certain way about myself just because she doesn’t approve. “But it’s been…well, we’re trying to figure this out first,” I add.
“Oh, well, that’s good.” She holds my hands, fake-smiling at me. I can tell when it’s genuine and when it’s not. “I’m glad it’s you then.”
“I am so sorry to interrupt, but I need to know if you’d like me to call the other property.” Oh shit, the room.
“Nope, no need. Here, I’ll take the keys.” I all but snatch the keys from the desk and smile at her.
“Thank you for all your help. Come on, baby. We have a busy day ahead,” I say, holding Mateo’s hand and pulling him away from the desk.
“We’ll see you later, Mom.”
“Adios, Mateo. See you later. There’s a celebration at three by the pool. Don’t forget.”
“How could I? I’ll be there.” He stops and tucks me in his arms. “We’ll be there,” he adds. Mateo laces his fingers with mine, leading the way to our room.
We walk in silence, probably both pondering what just happened.Trial by fire, that’s what. We need to lay some ground rules ASAP, or we won’t make it unscathed.
The stone pathway is lined with birds of paradise, hibiscus, and some other plants I don’t recognize, meandering between the beautiful terracotta and beige buildings. The place is stunning. The scent of salt drifts in from the ocean, carried on a lazy breeze kissing my cheeks.We’re far from where we started, but Mateo still doesn’t drop my hand.
We turn onto a quiet path until we make it to the dark wood door with the number 1108 on it. Mateo slides the card in, the green light flashes, and he swings it open, allowing me to walk in.
Aaaand fuck my whole life. I drop his hand immediately at the sight. As if sleeping in the same room as this man wasn’t enough, there’s only one bed.
One bed.
One very large, very white, very smug-looking bed. Smug looking? Beds surely don’t have feelings, but it one hundred percent looks smug right now. Right here, centered in the middle of the room like it knows it’s about to cause trouble. Not even a ‘two twins shoved together’ situation, or two queens. Nah, this is an unapologetic king, dressed in crisp sheets and an aggressive number of decorative pillows. Taunting. Secretly wishing for our demise. One fucking bed.
I must be losing it. I’m having a whole ass conversation about a bed in my head.Oh shit, Mateo.
“Uh…this is…not what I—” My brain short-circuits, probably because I’m suddenly very aware of Mateo standing right behind me, his hand brushing my hip as he leans in to look.
“Looks like a suite. Maybe they thought we were newlyweds. She did call us Mr. and Mrs.” I freeze at his words. I don’t say anything. I just stand and gawk. I’m going to be sick.
“What a romantic getaway, I guess,” Mateo adds.
I spin around, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “We are not doing theromantic getaway joke. There’s nobody here to pretend in front of, Teo. What are we gonna do?”
Mateo steps further inside, tossing his backpack intothe corner of the room. “Daze, it’s fine. I’ll ask for a cot or something.”
“Mateo you’re a giant. You won’t fit in a cot, and I’m too heavy for one. I’ll break it.”
“You’re not too heavy,” he breathes.
“For a cot, I sure am. You won’t fit in one, and neither will I.” I blink at him. “I’m calling the desk. There has to be another room.”
“Then I’ll make a bed with the pillows. It truly is not a big deal, Daisy. Take the bed. I’ll be fine.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’ll be fine? Oh, sure. You, six-foot-three, all limbs and smugness, curled up on a decorative pillow pile like a princess’ pet. Sounds perfectly comfortable.”
