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“Donovan?” I asked.
He stopped. “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry I yelled at you in the lobby.”
Thick black hair swayed as he shook his head. “Don’t be. I’m glad you did.”
The door closed behind him, and then I was alone.
10
Molly
The Day My Heart Did A Backflip
I couldn’t get Donovan out of my head the next day. I felt like a girl who had made a new best friend on the first day of school, and couldn’t wait to see them at Recess so we could play together.
I told myself it was purely platonic. Donovan was good company. He was theonlycompany I had in the deserted hotel, as a matter of fact. I would have been excited to hang out with him even if he was a balding, middle-aged guy with crooked teeth.
But he doesn’t look like that, I thought.He looks like he was carved out of marble.
Our care packages came around lunchtime, which gave me an excuse to text Donovan.
Molly: I’m eating the worst bologna sandwich I’ve ever had. Your pasta is so much better. When it’s not dropped off the balcony, I mean.
Donovan: It’s good even when it’s dropped, Feisty. Those cats in the plaza gobbled it up!
Donovan: What are you up to on Day Six of the lockdown?
Molly: Watching Seinfeld on the hotel channel. It’s actually funnier in Italian. I’m having a blast.
Molly: Okay, that was a lie. I’m bored out of my mind.
Molly: There’s not a lot to do around here.
Donovan: Ain’t that the truth?
I turned down the TV volume and strained my ears. I couldn’t hear him next door. In fact, I hadn’t heard him in awhile.
Molly: What are you doing right now?
Donovan: I took a taxi out to the countryside. I’m at my third vineyard of the day. They’re letting me do that thing where you smash the grapes with your bare feet.
Donovan: You know, typical pandemic-safe activities.
Molly: Oh God, don’t tease me like that. I WISH I were at a vineyard right now.
Molly: What are you really doing?
Donovan: Snooping around the hotel pool. Someone left a pair of goggles in the locker room. I’m going to go for a swim.
Molly: There was a sign on the pool door. It’s supposed to be closed.
Molly: You wouldn’t DARE ignore a closed sign, would you?
Donovan: What can I say? I like to live dangerously.
Donovan: Breaking the rules makes it more fun.
