When we make it back inside, our butler has already wheeled our luggage into the bedroom, “we’re not sharing,”and is waiting patiently in the living room as we scope out the rest of the suite.
The bedroom has the same floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors as the living room. These doors are closed, though, but the curtains are pulled back, showing off that stunning view you can see from the bed, which is King-size and dressed in crisp white linen sheets. Deep inside, I’m aching cause I know I won’t be enjoying it tonight.
The ensuite bathroom looks like a spa, with its glass-enclosed rainfall shower and separate garden tub.
When we come back into the living room, the butler smiles warmly and clasps his hands in front of him. “We hope you enjoy your stay here at Grand Palms. If you need anything at all, you can call this number.” he pulls a business card from his uniform pocket and hands it to me. “My name is Pika. I will be right up to assist with whatever you need. Concierge is also available twenty-four hours a day.”
“Thank you, Pika,” I tell him.
“Yes, thank you so much,” Marley adds.
I reach into my back pocket and pull out my wallet, but before I can pull out a few bills, Pika lifts a hand, shaking his head with a polite smile.
“Tips have already been accommodated by the Sterling family, Mr. Kingston.”
Marley raises an eyebrow.
“But thank you,” Pika adds. “Please enjoy your stay, and don’t hesitate to call if you need me.”
“We won’t, thanks again.” I walk Pika to the door and close it quietly behind him.
The room falls silent, but the tension is loud.
Marley stands in the middle of the living room, hugging herself and shifting her weight from one leg to the other. It dawns on me that she’s afraid to make a move because this is, in fact, my suite. She doesn’t want to overstep her boundaries.
“Hey, whatever you need to do, feel free. I know you probably want to take a shower and get some sleep,” I tell her.
“I do, but you can go first. I’ll wait.”
“Marley, it’s alright. I don’t mind. Really. This is your room too.”
“For tonight,” she reminds me.
“Yes. For tonight.”
Her steps are uneven as she makes her way into the bedroom. But then she pauses, as if another thought has crossed her mind, and turns, wobbling back into the living room.
“Can youpleasetell me why you didn’t think it was important to mention that Carina Sterling is your girlfriend?”
“Myex-girlfriend, Marley. Carina is myex.”
“Okay, your ex. You didn’t think you should have told mewhoshe was?”
“I could have, but I figured that would look like bragging.”
She rolls her eyes. “Okay, I get that. But you could have told me. We spent ten hours together, and it never crossed your mind once? Carina Sterling is kind of a big deal.”
“To who?”
Marley blinks in confusion.
“Trust me, she is nothing to brag about,” I finish.
“But she’s clearly someone to lie to, though, right?”
She catches me off guard with that one. I have no answer. I let out an exhausted sigh because I have no idea how I can fix things between us. The day had started out like a dream, but now I can feel the peevish energy radiating off her.
Yes, it’s probably because Marley doesn’t have a room, but I know I have a lot to do with it, too. I know I hurt her with that stupid lie. I don’t know what I was thinking, blurtin' that shit out like an idiot. And I know any trust she had in me before is now gone.
