AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Larinda: Ugh. How long?
Me: Maybe 30 minutes?
Larinda: Grr fine. Hurry. This gorgeous bed is being wasted.
My heart pounds as I reread the text conversation Larinda and I had on the way back from the store. It’s been almost an hour, and the delay has been killing me. At least it’s a good kind of pain for once.
I bite back a smile as I follow Chad off the elevator. Maybe things are finally starting to go my way. It’s an off day which means we get real rooms with real beds. And that win was before this invitation from Larinda. There’s a million things she could do with her free time, and the fact that she wants to spend it with me is… well, the reason my heart is about to punch through my chest.
“Want to get a late lunch?” Chad asks as we part ways in the hall. “I could go for a grilled cheese sandwich, how about you? Did you know Indianapolis is known for their grilled cheese?”
Is it?
“Probably not today, man. We’ll catch up later, though, okay?”
“Sigh. Fine.”
Interesting. That might be the first time I heard someone verbally sigh.
I toss him a quick smile before sliding my key card into the slot and pushing the door open. I should probably take a quick shower before…
“Oh good, you’re back. I was going to call you but wanted to discuss this in person.”
Bruce is here. Why is our tour manager here? Wait, why is any of this shit here?
“Um, okay. What exactly is ‘this’?”
I scan my room which has transformed into a horror movie set overrun with Jarvises. At least a dozen of those weird cutouts are positioned in various outfits and poses. It’s like the creepiest cocktail party of all time.
“I’m so sorry to do this to you, but we kind of need your room,” Bruce says. “Jarvis is concerned about the cutouts being stacked on the truck all the time and wants to give them a chance to breathe. They were stressing him out with all the negative energy.”
I stare at him. No way that means what it sounded like.
“So, if you could just hand over your key when you leave, that’d be great,” he says when I don’t speak.
“I’m sorry, you’re bumping me so a cardboard sign can meditate?”
“Well, fourteen, actually. Fourteen signs.”
Strangely, the number of signs doesn’t make it better.
“I… Seriously? You’re serious. This isn’t a joke?”
He looks apologetic, like maybe he too sees why I might be upset at losing my room to a cardboard-Jarvis mental health retreat.
“Look, I’m really sorry, man. Jarvis insisted, and the hotel didn’t have any other rooms available, but I’m working on finding you a new bed now. Oh! Hey, Chad just responded. One sec.”
Chad?!
“Good news! He says you can share his room. He’s in four-thirty-seven, just down the hall. Even says he already has an extra key… and toothpaste if you need it.”
He slaps my arm on his way to the door.
I’m still numb as it clatters behind him. This is clearly another targeted attack from Jarvis, but what am I supposed to do? What can I do?
Anger courses through me as I throw my suitcase beside the cutout reclined on my bed. Thankfully, I didn’t do much unpacking since Chad wanted to run out for supplies right after we dropped our belongings in our rooms. Could this be the reason for his invitation? I went along to work him for info on Jarvis. Was he instructed to distract me for their own plot? How many spy networks are we dealing with on this tour? I can’t trust anyone at this point.
Once I have my bag packed, I slam the door behind me and trudge down the hall to Room 437.
