“Take your time,” Jacob says. “No rush.” He’s smiling, beaming, and that joy on his face is contagious. I feel it too, melting away some of my unease. “Neelu and I can handle check-in and everything.” He glances at me quickly. “And if the two of you want to do dinner alone, we can manage.”
Maggie tilts her head at that, but my father doesn’t seem to notice.
“If you’re sure,” my father says.
“We’ll still call you,” Maggie says, smiling at both of us. “For dinner. We don’t have to decide now.” And we all agree.
We part, Jacob and I collecting our belongings and heading to the front desk while my father and Maggie leave, walking out the door. But I don’t miss the last look Maggie sends us over her shoulder, her expression open and curious. And maybe the tiniest bit hopeful.
Jacob slants a look at me. “I think she picked up on something between us,” he says, but he doesn’t sound upset about it. He actually sounds…a little pleased?
“You’re okay with that?”
“Are you…not?”
The young woman behind the front desk finishes helping the couple before us and calls us up.
“Chapman,” Jacob says. “But the reservation could also be under Pillai?”
“Yes,” the woman says. “But Ms. Chapman’s already checked in.” Her eyes shift between the two of us. “Is everything all right with her stay?”
“Yes. But we’ll need some more rooms.”
Her fingers fly across her keyboard. “Sure. And how many would you need?”
“That—” Jacob laughs through his nose, his eyes catching mine. “That’s a good question.”
“One?” I suggest. “How full are you? If we need another one later, would we be able to book that, or—”
“We could do that,” the woman responds. “I can put a hold on it, if you like?”
“That would be great.”
Jacob smiles, but there’s uncertainty there, and I answer his unspoken question. “For my father,” I say, my voice low. “In case they decide that…if he wants another room.” I pause. “If you’re okay with it, though, if you still want, I thought I could stay with you?”
His smile grows, and there’s a promise there. A hint of heat.
My stomach flips.
“Perfect,” he says.
He puts a card on file, and we take our stuff up a short flight of stairs.
He’s quiet for a moment, and then he turns around, laughing, his jaw slack with relief. “That was so much easier than I thought it would be.”
“What? Getting the room?”
“No.” He slides the key into the lock and holds the door open for me. “With Maggie. It was—I mean, I’m sure there’s stuff to talk through, but they really seem like they’re going to be okay.”
“Yeah,” I say. I sink onto the edge of the bed, toeing off my shoes.
My mouth opens in a yawn.
When I look up, Jacob’s doing the same. He catches me watching and lifts a hand to cover his open mouth. “Contagious,” he says with a grin. He walks to the other side of the bed, pulling back the comforter.
And my head starts to feel heavy.
The physical and emotional exhaustion of the last few days is starting to catch up with me. And the lack of sleep from last night too.
