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The room falls into an uncomfortable silence. Dammit, he has a point. Even Ainsley doesn’t have anything to add.
“Look, I know you’re worried. I’m sorry I dragged you into my bullshit again.”
Ainsley throws in an accusingmmmhhhsound.
Jase gives her a side-eye. “As I was saying. Sorry I got you involved. And I’m sorry you’re concerned. But right now, there’s nothing we can do. And worrying yourself to death will not do us any good.”
“All I’m saying is we should be cautious. I just have a bad feeling.” I let my shoulders sag in defeat. I don’t want to seem even more dramatic than I already am, but I’m worried about losing my brother more than I’d like to admit.
Jase lays down his fork and holds up his hand. “I swear on Scout’s honor, I will be careful.”
“One, you were never a Scout. Two, I don’t think that’s how it goes. And three, promise you won’t smoke too much weed.”
“I promise I won’t smoke too much weed.” He puts his hand down before he adds, “I will only smoke the correct amount of weed.”
That comment has all three of us laughing. I wish it could always be like this. Us being carefree, having fun like normal people in their late twenties. We missed out on so much when our parents died. We couldn’t be normal teenagers, and for some reason, we could never catch up.
We stay for a little while longer. Ainsley tells us one of her outrageous stories, and Jase complains about working at the garage. I don’t have much to talk or complain about, so I just listen.
“I have to work later today. Do you want me to drive you home, or do you want to stay?”
“I’ll head out now with you if that’s okay?” I’m off today, but some reality TV is calling my name.
We say our goodbyes, and I make Jase promise one more time that he will be careful.
“Stay out of trouble!” Ainsley yells before shutting the front door behind us. “So I totally lied,” she admits as we get into her car.
Color me curious.
“About?”
“I don’t have to work today.” Ainsley starts the engine, twisting her head to look out the back, and reverses the car out of the driveway.
“Why did you lie?”
“Because I didn’t want your brother to know what we’re really doing.”
We?
“And that would be…?”
“We’re going to check out that mysterious hotel.”
My first thought is hell no, but the words don’t actually leave my mouth. The truth is, I’ve been thinking about going there myself. Yes, I just made my brother swear to be careful, and that might make me a bit of a hypocrite. On the other hand, I do have Ainsley with me, and she can talk her way out of literally anything.
“All right, I’m in.” A grin spreads across my face.
“Really?” Ainsley sounds shocked. “I thought it was gonna take much more to convince you.”
I shrug. “I guess I’m just full of surprises today.”
I type the address into my phone’s GPS and turn up the volume so Ainsley can hear over the top 100 playing on the radio.
As we get closer to the hotel, my vigor about going fades slightly, but I swallow my fears down and force the corners of my lips up.
Ainsley parks a block away. It’s the only parking spot we could find. We get out of the car and walk up to the nondescript building.
A small part of me wonders if the hotel is there at all or if I’m going crazy and making everything up. Or maybe it’s like the movies, and the place will have been cleaned out when we get there.
