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Amelie lowered her voice, leaned forward, and crept halfway across the booth. “I think we should check into a hotel,” she whispered. “A really fancy one. You know… the kind with room service.”
“Ok,” Jack answered, his mind halfway focused on what she was saying, the other half clearly somewhere else. He organized his silverware in a neat line and picked up the menu. He just needed to think. Why wouldn’t she shut up and let him think?
Amelie snatched the menu from his hands. “Well… aren’t you going to ask how? I mean… we’re not even old enough to get a room.”
Jack knew that didn’t matter. People can always be bought. He didn’t tell her that though. He simply stared for a really long time until she broke the silence. Which was another valuable lesson Jack learned that summer—when you’re dealing with women, it’s best not say everything that’s on your mind. The less you say, the better it is for you. He learned that women do not think like men. End of story.
She leaned in closer, further invading his space. “I have my mom’s credit card. Don’t worry, she never checks the bill.” Amelie waved her hand around in the air as though she were swatting at something. Jack’s eyes followed her hand. “Her accountant deals with all of that. So, anyway, I’ve seen Home Alone enough times now… I’m pretty sure I know how this stuff works.”
He frowned, looking back at her. “I can pay for the room, Amelie. We don’t need your mom’s money.”
“That isn’t the point, silly. A credit card makes us look official.”
Jack massaged his temples. Let it go, he told himself. He was tired and hungry and emotionally spent. He ordered pancakes and decided it was time to tell her his secret.
Jack parked in the lot adjacent to the hotel where Amelie had insisted upon reserving a room. He watched her as she got out and went in all the while thinking what a terri
ble idea this was. He leaned across the steering wheel and rested his head on the steering wheel as he contemplated what telling her the truth about him would really mean. On one hand, she would likely leave him alone for good this time, but on the other, she seemed so unpredictable, who knew what she might do. He was lost in thought when Amelie suddenly appeared out of nowhere, put her face next to his ear, and shouted boo. Jack jumped causing the horn to blow. He leaned back, which she clearly took as an invitation to stick her body half way through the driver side door. He looked at her, puzzled. Had she lost her mind? Amelie grinned from ear to ear and waved a key card in this face. “I did it! I did it! I did it!” she exclaimed, over and over, her eyes wild.
“You did it,” Jack said, matter of factly. Honestly, he wasn’t sure she could do it. So much so that he’d already planned what he would say to the front desk when he hit up the hotel across the street once she’d come back, and her (non!) plan hadn’t worked out. Much to his surprise though, she somehow had managed to pull it off.
“Come,” she said tugging on his arm. “I scoped out a back entrance you can take. I’ll meet you at the room.” She glanced at the key card and inspected it. “It’s number… 420.”
Jack put his palm on the top of her head and gently pushed it back through the window. He opened the door and stepped out. “I don’t need to take the back entrance. They really don’t care that much in these kinds of places.”
She leaned against the car, looking deflated. “Maybe they do, Jack. How sure would you say you are about that, anyway? Ninety percent sure? Eighty-five percent?”
Maybe it was her smart mouth, maybe it was the fact she was talking to him in percentages, maybe it was the setting sun or the salty air blowing across her face, or maybe he would never know what made him do it, but Jack leaned forward, grabbed her face with both his hands and kissed her harder than he’d kissed anyone, ever.
When he finally pulled away, Amelie smiled, her expression clearly a little dazed. “So, I take it we’re doing it my way.” She smirked. Jack searched her eyes, his expression serious. He leaned in and kissed her again, slower this time. And although he still wasn’t quite sure whether he wanted to kiss her or kill her, all Jack knew was that he couldn’t help himself.
Jack surveyed the hotel room and turned back toward Amelie. “Um… Why is there only one bed?”
She grinned. This was so like Jack, she thought. “That’s all they had available.”
He turned and twisted the door handle as Amelie practically hurled herself at him, pushing the door closed. “Where are you going?”
“To get another room.”
Her face fell. “Why?”
Jack shook his head, moved her hand away from the door, opened it, and stepped into the hall. “Because I need my space. That’s why.”
Amelie stepped in front of him. Trying with all her might to force him backward, she shoved her palms into his chest but he didn’t budge. She spoke as her voice grew louder and louder with each word. “You said… you promised that we were going to do things my way.”
“That was before,” he said. He grabbed her wrist, swiped the key card, and yanked her back into the room to avoid a scene. Once inside, he let go.
“Before what?’” she probed.
Jack walked away from her, opened the curtains, and admired the beach view. “Before I figured out that I’m not sure we can be friends anymore.” He glanced over his shoulder and then back toward the ocean. Amelie had her hands on her hips, and her head cocked to the side. He could tell even without looking at her face that she was pissed. Jack focused on the ocean as he stared out the window.
“OH? And why is that?” she finally asked.
He glanced back over his shoulder again, this time to gauge his effect. “Because I’m afraid I might be falling in love with you.”
Amelie’s face twisted. She appeared utterly confused. “And what’s so wrong with that?”
It seemed the girl needed a challenge, and Jack had just decided he was the one to give it to her. He turned back to the window and smiled to himself. “Everything.”
