Humoring him, I walked into the room, and my mouth dropped when I saw the bathroom that was larger than the entire room I was staying in. A huge soaker tub, an open shower with six shower heads, a large rustic vanity with two sinks, mirrors, and wrought iron light fixtures. In a word—gorgeous.
“I think you’d better pick up your bottom lip.” He chuckled. “You dropped it back there on my travertine floors.”
“Shut up.” I pushed his arm and crossed mine, taking in the sight of the room. “It’s just a bathroom.”
“And you’re just jealous you didn’t think to take it for yourself. You still have time to grab the other one. It’s probably just like this.”
“I’ll survive.”
“Suit yourself,” he said, climbing into the enormous soaker tub. He laced his hands together and placed them behind his head as he stretched out. “Ahhhh. Luxury.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Our phones buzzed at the same time. We looked down at our screens and simultaneously groaned. My stomach dropped to my knees as Dev and I glanced up from our phones.
“This can’t be happening,” I said, my brow knitted.
Dev dropped his arms to his sides and looked up at the ceiling. “Fuck me.”
My thoughts exactly.
Chapter 3
DEV
“An avalanche?”
“Yep,” Peter said on the other end of the line. “State troopers were out directing traffic. They sent us back the way we came. No idea when the road will clear. This storm isn’t letting up like we thought it would.”
“So, what, you’ll get here tomorrow?” I glanced at Lyra, who was pacing the living area, talking to Maren.
“I mean, we’ll try, but I can’t make any promises, man. This storm is bad, and now they’re calling for at least eight inches overnight.”
Lyra yelled from the other room, “I can’t believe that damn cat is screwing me! Right in the ass!”
“What is she talking about?” I asked Peter, smiling at Lyra, who was clearly unhinged. Luckily, she didn’t see me enjoying her torment, or I was liable to get my face clawed off.
“What do you mean?” Peter asked.
“Why is Lyra yelling about a cat?”
“Oh. Yeah, that’s why we’re late. Big Tuna got sick; had to clean up the house before leaving.”
“Ahh,” I said with a chuckle, enjoying Lyra’s mania for a brief minute before seeing my own potential misery in the situation. The idea of spending twenty-four hours with Lyra was enough to grate on my nerves, but if Peter couldn’t get to the resort at all…oh man. The shit was gonna hit.
“You gonna be okay?” Peter asked with a laugh. “With Lyra, I mean.”
“Doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice now, does it?” I asked, bitterness settling in already.
“Guess not.”
“Why does it feel like I’m going to be cursing your cat soon myself?”
He laughed. It was an uncomfortable laugh, as we both knew that bitterness was going to, for lack of a better word, snowball. “Hang in there, okay? If we can get in tomorrow, we’ll definitely try.”
“And if you can’t?”
“I don’t know, man… There’s a bar in the hotel. Just do your best. Listen, it’s really coming down now, so I gotta go. I have no idea how long it’s going to take us to get back to the city. I’ll be in touch, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’d better hear from you tomorrow, Pete.”
“I hear you…loud and clear. Go get a drink.”
I ended the call, put my phone back in my pocket, and walked to the doorframe, leaning against the wood as Lyra sat on the couch, head in hands.
“I can’t believe this,” she said. “I didn’t even want to come on this stupid trip.”
“Then why did you?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes. “Maren convinced me. And now I want to strangle her.”
I laughed to myself. It was kinda funny when Lyra’s attitude was directed at someone else. Usually it was only aimed at me.
“Well, I mean, we’re stuck here. The resort only has one entrance, so if they can’t get in, we sure as hell can’t get out.”
Lyra sat up and rolled her eyes, sitting back on the chair with arms crossed in front of her. “Wow, thanks for the mansplaining… I had no idea.”
“Look, we’re gonna be here awhile. Do you think you could ease up on the attitude, Castillo?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Don’t think so, Modi.”
The thing about Lyra was that she was gorgeous. I mean, hot as hell. The first time I met her, I hit on her. I had no shame at all—Trup and I had broken up and I was hooking up with girls left and right. When I met her, I felt this bolt of lightning and I tried my best to impress her. I failed. And since then, I’d put her in this box. A box I’d never open again, because I knew better. And since then, her looks no longer affected me. She was just a girl with a serious attitude problem. And my problem was I had to be around her all the time because our friends were madly in love and building a future together. I decided to extend a small olive branch in the hopes of surviving the weekend with someone I avoided whenever possible.
“Well, I’m gonna go get a drink. Wanna come?” I asked, forcing myself to sound neutral. If Lyra thought I was being a smart-ass in any way, she’d reject my invitation. She paused for a moment, then tipped her head to the side.
“What do you think?” she deadpanned, raising her eyebrows and looking at me like I was a total moron.
Oh well, I tried. Won’t be doing that again.
“Suit yourself. You can sit here and wallow all by yourself. I, on the other hand, am gonna go let off some steam.”
Lyra’s cheeks grew red and her nostrils flared. “I swear to God, Dev, if you bring some random girl back to this room, I will nail your ass to the wall.”
“Promise?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
“Dev!”
“Oh chill out, girl. I’m just playin’. Besides, I’m with Trup. You know that.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She rose from the chair. “Still…I wouldn’t put it past you.”
I placed a hand on my heart and dramatically threw my head back as if I’d been shot. “Promise me you’ll be this pleasant when I return?”
“Ugh, shut up!” She grabbed a pillow from the couch and chucked it at me. I blocked it and chuckled. She rolled her eyes again and retreated into her room.
“Always a pleasure, Lyra,” I said, shaking my head and raising my voice slightly so she could hear me. “Now where are the other key cards? Front desk said you took them all.”
“Kitchen counter,” she yelled from her room.
I walked across the room, grabbed a card, and walked out the door without another word. I needed an escape, even if it was only for a short time.
“That sounds awful,” the blond said as she swirled her drink. I think her name was Holly…or maybe Polly. Something like that.