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Confused, I open the door to find a metal cart with two levels. The top has the stereotypical room service items, stainless steel trays and pitchers and such. The second has shopping bags with luxury department stores listed on them.
When I asked Camilla about picking up clothes, I assumed my meaning would be obvious. Since I can’t leave the resort, I thought that maybe someone could go to my apartment and grab some things.
Instead, there are half a dozen bags with designer labels on them. I look around and then bring the cart into my room, shutting and triple-locking the door.
I pull out a summer dress from one bag, and it’s clear the moment I touch it that the fabric is high quality. I dare to look at the tag and nearly choke at the four-figure price, dropping the dress on the floor. I’m almost afraid to touch it to pick it up, but the alternative is leaving something worth more than all my belongings combined on the floor until someone else picks it up.
I pull it up carefully, and it’s not even a bit rumpled from being dropped. I fold it slowly, trying to do it the exact way I found it before putting it back in the bag. Then, I take the whole cart to the bedroom, opening the wardrobe so I can hang it all up.
Before I start on that, I send a message to Camilla.I meant my own clothes.
The response comes through quickly.Didn’t have a key to your apartment. These aren’t returnable. Enjoy!
I sigh. If I’ve been given fancy clothes, I might as well try them on. With the prices listed on the tags, they should last a good long while. I don’t let myself wonder how she figured out my size. I guess it could have something to do with the fact that she works for my employer, and my work uniform size is in the computer system.
I pick out a pair of buttery soft denim shorts and a white t-shirt for the day, as well as a pair of sandals. I don’t look at the tags on any of them, throwing all that away so I don’t get nauseous from the expense. If James really is a billionaire, though, the prices would be nominal to him.
The phone I received has a couple of texts from him, but I don’t dare to open them. Instead, I eat some of the breakfast that was sent up. An assortment of berries, yoghurt, and oatmeal with a sprinkling of nuts. Whoever sent this must be one of those health enthusiasts, because it’s not something I would have gotten for myself. It’s good, though, and it does its job to fill me up. That’s all that really matters at the moment. Besides, who am I to complain about free food?
After breakfast, I go back to look out the window. Yachts sail by on the water, and tiny specks of humans frolic on the beach dizzyingly far down. Now that I think of it, I’ve never been in a building this tall.
Someone knocks at the door, and my heart plummets. I don’t have the energy to talk to James right now. I still have no idea what I’m going to say to him, other thanStop spending thousands of dollars on me before I throw up!
When I look through the keyhole, though, Tammy is standing there, unaccompanied.
I open the door and she strides right in. “These are nice places,” she says, going first to check out my view.
“Come on in,” I say, gesturing as if she didn’t walk past me.
She looks at me and rolls her eyes. She’s sparkling with excitement, and I don’t want to kill her mood. Instead, I flop down on the couch and pick up the tablet that’s sitting on the table. Is everything controlled by tablets here? What happens if guests decide to steal their tablets?
With how much these suites cost per night, I’m sure it doesn’t matter that much.
“And we can’t leave,” I point out, pressing some buttons until I manage to turn the TV on. “Super exciting.” My voice is flat with sarcasm, and Tammy joins me on the couch.
“Think of it as a staycation,” she says. “When’s the last time you had a break?”
I open my mouth to say something, then shut it. I’ve worked since I was fifteen, on top of school. Even after getting fired from the marine rescue, I went right into doing handy-work from online ads to keep my lights on. Then I got the job at Chéri, and the most I ever get is a single day off. “I guess I’ve never had an actual vacation,” I admit.
She shoves my arm playfully. “See? Enjoy this time! These rooms are all-inclusive, you know. Dan and I got massages this morning while someone took the boys to the pool.”
I shake my head. “Tammy, we’re trapped here so we don’t get stalked by the press and obsessive people. I don’t think I can just enjoy myself.”
She pricks an eyebrow at me and takes the tablet, opening up YouTube. I was gonna watch one of my comfort sitcoms that I’ve seen a million times, but instead, she pulls up the suggested video. I don’t have to read the title to know what it’s gonna be about. I recognize the server from yesterday as soon as I glance at the thumbnail.
“Mr. Preston paid for everyone here, and with the tips I got, I was able to pay off my mom’s cancer treatments.” Her eyes well up with tears, and she moves over slightly to where a middle-aged woman is standing. “I also bought us a car that won’t break down!”
I take the tablet and turn the video off. Just because James is a good, helpful guy doesn’t mean I can face him or accept his money. “Tammy, you don’t get it,” I start, but she interrupts.
“No,youdon’t get it.” She stands up and looks at me, hands on her hips in an angry mom pose. I shrink back slightly, intimidated by her slight mood change. “That boy has been trying to spend time with you the only way he knows how, and you need to let him make it up to you.”
I open my mouth to argue, but with a death glare from Tammy, I stay silent. “Henry called from the institute this morning. Because of your viral stunt, he genuinely wants you back. Thinks it’ll bring in more donors. Also,” she gestures at the TV, “that girl got a better life because James Preston wanted to have a nice dinner with you without being attacked by fans.”
I lower my head, face flushing. “That’s not true,” I mumble.
Tammy walks over and lifts my chin so I’m forced to look her in the eye.
“It absolutely is. Now you need to go talk to him, or I’ll have more to say about it.”
