Page 28 of Tasty Cherry

This one has a sign reading SW-2.

“Yes! Staff wing two!” Brooklyn practically glows. “At the end of this hall will be the turn to staff wing one.”

“They put us at the ass-end of the castle,” Ilsa mutters.

We keep moving, and eventually we spot the sign for SW-1.

“We made it!” Brooklyn says. “By next week, we’re going to laugh at how hard we thought this was today.”

“Can’t wait.” Ilsa’s voice is deadpan as she approaches a door and scans her card. Then she disappears inside her room without another word.

The three of us exchange glances.

“She’s a real peach,” Brooklyn says.

My belly turns over. Of course, the mean one would be the one who saw how Sebastian reacted to me. “Maybe she’s nervous.”

“And what about that Maverick?” Owen asks. “He’s already pissed off both Raya and Sebastian.”

“Yeah, I can’t figure him out.” Brooklyn turns to her door. “You two want to have dinner together later? We can figure out our free room service.”

I hesitate. I might have to meet Sebastian.

“Totally,” Owen says. He practically has heart eyes over the possibility of time with Brooklyn.

I’ll leave him to it.

“I have a lot to move,” I say. “I grossly over-packed.”

“Okay!” Brooklyn says. “Owen, looks like it’ll be you and me. Seven?”

“On the dot.”

I hate to miss it. “I’ll knock if I’m feeling up for it,” I say.

“Let’s exchange numbers real quick,” Brooklyn says. “That way we can save each other if the hallways try to eat us again.”

“Good idea,” Owen says.

We take a moment in the middle of the hall to type each other’s names and numbers into our phones. Then Brooklyn and Owen disappear into their rooms.

I approach the door that matches the number on the printout Raya set on my cart. SW181. It looks like I’m the farthest down, although there are several more doors before the hall ends with an exit to the outside. I’ll walk out later and see if there is a closer end of the parking lot for when I bring the rest of my things.

If I get to bring the rest of my things.

My stomach goes hot.

What a mess.

The door pops open with my key card. I push it wide, hearing a crunch of paper. It’s a folded note, trapped between the carpeting and the bottom edge.

I leave my cart to scoop it up. Even though it could be anything — welcome papers, something from housekeeping — I already know it’s from Sebastian.

The cart is still in the hall, but even so, I walk inside the room to set the note on the back of the pale gray sofa. I stare at it a moment. No, I will wait.

First things first.

I drag the cart into the room. Maybe I’ll unload it and return it before I read the note.