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I wheeledsuitcase over to the front desk A bellhop tried to take it from me, but I politely declined Then I talked to the supere about the cheapest roo Stone was footing the bill and had to maintain appearances

I looked around the lobby, filled with men in Armani suits and women who had more silicone in them than body fat

Thank God I’d worn soner jeans, suede boots, and a silk cah, before I met the band

Halfway through check-in, though, the supered my plans

“You’re Kaitlyn Reynolds?” she asked, reading her screen with a slight frown

“Yes”

“You’re here to interview guests of the hotel?”

My stomach twisted “Yes… how’d you know that?”

Then I quieted down

I was fro Stone journalists here all the ti deal

But that wasn’t why

“Derek Kane left a e for you as soon as you checked in He said to tell you he’s waiting for you in the bar”

My stoh the floor

“In the… the bar?” I asked, ue suddenly numb

“Yes,” she smiled, and pointed across the lobby to my left Two hundred feet aas a restaurant, a dark alcove set into the white and black marble

“I… okay, I’ll just go up – ”

“He was very insistent that you should join him as soon as you arrived”

Out of nowhere, the bellhop

“Hey – ”

“He’ll take it up to your roo over a little plastic card in a paper slip “Mr Kane said to send you right over”

What if I don’t WANT to go right over?!

What if I want to go hide in my room and never, ever come out?

Instead, I just nodded dumbly

“…okay…”

I don’t re away fro walk across thein the vast, cavernous openness

I sort of reh the dark wooden tables and leather chairs, past the maître d’, who smiled like I was expected