Chapter 58

Rays of morning sun shone through the window the next morning, caressing my face, alerting me to the start of a new day as the events of the day before rushed to my head. I looked over at Greer and smiled. She was still asleep in her bed.
I grabbed my clothes and tiptoed quietly toward the bathroom. I quickly showered and dressed, and then headed downstairs. The strong scent of coffee rushed toward me as I stepped off the elevator.
Following the scent, a man with a warm smile greeted me at the door of a little breakfast room. Tables set sporadically throughout the room. "Good morning! There's coffee over here and a waffle maker here," he said, gesturing around the room, a bit too cheerful.
I forced a smile. "Thanks. I'll help myself," I said as I crossed the room to the coffee maker and poured myself a cup. After I added sweetener, it tasted heavenly, even if it nearly burned my mouth. I looked around. Full plate glass windows stretched along one whole wall of the room, showcasing a pool. "Is it okay if I take my coffee out to the pool area?" I asked the attendant.
"Sure! Be my guest!" he said, gesturing toward the broad expanse of windows. Then, he lowered his voice. "I'll come out and check on you in a bit."
I smiled warmly. "That won't be necessary, but thank you."
He shrugged. "It's my job, ma'am."
I nodded, and then headed out toward the pool, wondering if the attendant would be so friendly if it weren't part of his job. But, somehow, I knew he would. He seemed to be that type of guy.
Outside was an Olympic-sized pool that stretched across the whole back of the hotel. No one was out, so I sat down in a lounge chair with my coffee, enjoying the morning, knowing that I could get used to this pretty quickly. As I sipped my coffee, I thought about what Greer had said the night before about Craig. But I quickly brushed it off, not wanting my imagination to start working overtime. He was probably just being nice.
"Hey! What are you doing up?" a male voice asked.
I almost choked when I looked up and saw Craig carrying a cup of coffee. "Couldn't sleep. What are you doing up?"
He shrugged. "The same. I usually get up about this time."
I smiled. "Hard at work on those contracts, huh?"
He laughed as he stretched out on the lawn chair beside me and sipped his coffee. "Hey. Those contracts don't write themselves."
I laughed. "I guess they don't." I turned my attention toward the pool, and we fell into a companionable silence.
"Are you happy, Allie?" Craig asked quietly, breaking the silence.
A familiar pain ripped through my heart at the sudden use of the nickname, reminding me instantly of Logan. I took another sip of my coffee. "I'm excited about the tour," I said, clearing my throat.
He nodded, and then let out a breath. "Is that enough?"
He was asking about my love life. "Music is enough for now."
He nodded as he took another sip of his coffee and turned his attention toward the pool.
"What about you?" I asked, suddenly curious. "How is your girlfriend, or boyfriend, making it with you on the road?"
Craig about chocked on his coffee as he laughed. Then, he turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "Allie, I'm not gay."
I shrugged. "I had to ask." Although I wasn't sure why. It really wasn't really any of my business after all. "Hey! I'm not one to judge."
Craig laughed. "I'm not gay, Allie."
I laughed, too. "You know what they say: the more you defend yourself, the more you are."
He laughed so hard that I thought coffee was going to start spewing out his nose. "Believe what you want, sugar. But I'm not gay. Trust me."
"Yeah, yeah," I teased as I got up from my seat and started to go in. But before I knew what was happening, Craig grabbed me, wheeled me around, and then planted a big kiss smack dab on my lips. I was so shocked that I didn't respond. I tried to pull away, but then responded as his lips moved with mine, becoming more and more passionate. Finally, I came to my senses and pushed hard against his chest, and he let me go. I reared back and let my hand fly across his face. "Don't you ever do that to me again! And don't call me Allie!"
He looked at me with a self-satisfied smirk. The slap hadn't affected him at all. "Told you I wasn't gay."
"I was only kidding around! You didn't have to do that!" I yelled, and then stormed off, exasperated as tears filled my eyes, leaving Craig standing by the pool alone.
***
The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful in comparison. I didn't want to see Craig, so I went back up to the room. Greer was up.
"Want to go to the mall?" I blurted out.
She stretched, and a slow smile spread across her face. "Do we have enough time?"
"Plenty."
She immediately jumped up out of bed. "Just let me take a quick shower."
I nodded. I didn't want to call Craig for a car, so I called a taxi.
A few minutes later, Greer came out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her.
"Greer!" I said, laughing.
"What?" An innocent look spread across her face as she let her towel fall to the floor and started dressing. She always did like to go for the shock factor.
"You have no modesty at all, do you?" I asked as I looked away.
"Nope," she agreed as she slid into a pair of tight jeans. "Besides, it's not anything you haven't seen before."
I shook my head in disbelief as I grabbed my light jacket and my purse and headed for the door. "I'll meet you downstairs." I held the door open and turned around to look at her. "And don't be long. No detours."
She laughed as the innocent look returned. "Who, me?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, you!"
I went downstairs to the lobby. It was reasonably empty, except for a few meandering souls walking through. Within minutes, the taxi pulled up in front of the hotel.
"Just a minute!" I yelled to the driver, and he nodded. "Greer, where are you?"
I was just about to leave when the elevator doors opened and out stepped Greer, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she teetered on high heels. "Come on!" I motioned toward her, and she hurried to my side, composed herself, and then walked out the door as if nothing were amiss.
I shook my head and followed her outside, and the taxi driver held open the door for us. I glanced one more time at the lobby, and Craig was there, tapping his watch in warning as if telling me not to be late.
I ignored him as I slid into the backseat of the cab, eager to escape Craig for the moment.
Greer looked at me with her eyebrows pulled together. "What's wrong?"
I shook my head. "Nothing."