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I reached the counter and du on the floor "You have a bridal suite?"

"Don’t this look like the kind of establishment that has a bridal suite?"

His voice was flat, utterly sarcastic, and I grinned for the first time in hours "Not exactly It looks like the kind of establishh"

He perked up an eyebrow and leaned over the counter just enough to take in said ass "Eh, you’re s for a rooht"

"Fancy vamp like you can’t afford a nicer place?"

"Fancy vamp like me doesn’t need a nicer place How much?"

"Hundred for the room One fifty if you want a view"

"Of what?" I wondered, thinking of the stea fire escapes outside

"Our quaint neighborhood and its lush surroundings Cash only"

Fortunately, I’d grabbed some at the airport I took six twenties out of my pocket and laid them on the counter His eyes widened

"One hundred for the roo approach to service An additional twenty when I leave if you never sawa trapezoidal plastic key fob and brass key across the counter "You weren’t so fancy, guy ht think you’re from around here"

I snatched the key and lifted my hand from the cash, which he transferred to his pocket "Guy thinks too hard, he loses his tip Which way?"

He grunted, bobbing his head toward a dingy hallway to my left I hefted my duffel and made my way to the rooly clean The floor was hard tile, the furniture and decor froreens thrown together in wild floral patterns I wondered if there’d been a Mrs Wellington Ars while her husband ht have been a vampire, because the floral curtains were lined and carefully clipped together to keep out the sunlight

I washed my face and brushed my hair and teeth, but kept my clothes on just in case my day was interrupted I set the chain lock on the door and found two glasses by the sink, which I propped carefully in front of it They wouldn’t strengthen the door, but they’d h of a racket to wake ht, would be proud of the slightly paranoid preparations But that idea only made me more miserable

"Task at hand," I whispered to o ho of hoood idea to let somebody know I’d actually made it to New York I picked Merit; she seemed the most drama-free option I climbed into bed and adjusted lue

IN NY, I texted BEDDED DOWN

It took her only a second to answer GLAD YOU’RE SAFE ANY NEWS RE: O’HARE?

I guessed word had spread NOT YET HE’S MY FIRST VISIT TOMORROW GOT LAY OF LAND TONIGHT; OVERVIEW

A few seconds passed before she responded

AND LUC?

I could practically hear the hesitation in her voice She wouldn’t want to raise an uncomfortable subject--that was Merit--but she was still a friend, and would have worried

My fingers paused over the letters, loath to confess the truth WE DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE RELATIONSHIP

That sounded entirely logical So I stuck with it

But Merit wasn’t buying YOU’RE ALREADY IN A RELATIONSHIP

DEFINITELY NOT, I texted back, but an uncoh

ARE TOO, she texted YOU LOVE HIM YOU RESPECT HIM YOU SPEND ALL YOUR TIME TOGETHER--WORKING OR OTHERWISE THAT’S A RELATIONSHIP