Page 41 of Stops Along the Way
I’m almost sad when we pass the last of the windmills and the light show that’s kept me company for a long stretch of road.
Off the highway, it’s another seven minutes until we arrive at the hotel. A streetlamp illuminates the parking lot, whichisn’t crowded but not empty, either, making it unclear for sure if there’ll be rooms available.
I park the car and nudge Amelia awake, lifting the collar of her shirt to wipe her chin. In a silly, creepy voice, I say, “You look pretty when you sleep.”
Her eyes blink open as she swats me away. “We’re here?”
“Yeah.”
I jump out of the car and stretch. Despite it being evening, it’s warmer than I expected outside, since we’ve been blasting the air-conditioning. I try to prepare myself for fake pleasantries when I see Declan, tamping down the confusing emotions, but the smile that sprouts on my face at the sight of him is still genuine.Undeniably, which is beyond confusing to reconcile with our present awkward circumstances. Though how much of that awkwardness is all in my own head? Declan must’ve fallen asleep on the latest drive, too, because there’s the indent of a seat belt line across his cheek.
“Good morning,” he croaks, his vocal cords still half-asleep.
“Not quite,” I say. “Still a whole night ahead. If you can get a hotel room.”
He grins, running a hand down his face as he yawns. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?”
I reach into the back seat and grab my bag for the night, tossing Amelia’s hers, as well, before realizing that might be a mistake because her laptop is inside. She catches it no problem, but with urgency, as if her life depends on it.
“If there aren’t any rooms, I’m always down to crash on a couch,” Grady says.
“I don’t know where you’ll find a couch, because it won’t be ours,” Amelia says in a voice that might only be teasing, but it’s still very unclear.
Grady hits the lock button, and the SUV beeps. Amelia does the same, twice, to be extra sure it’s locked. “I’ve slept on the floor before,” Grady says. “Wouldn’t be the first time, won’t be the last.”
“I hope the back seat of your car is comfy,” she says.
“For any particular reason?” Grady teases her back.
This is definitely veering toward flirting. I grab Amelia’s arm, and we walk ahead toward the entry.
“Are you into Grady?” I whisper, glancing over my shoulder to make sure the guys aren’t close enough behind us to overhear.
“We aren’t compatible in the slightest.” Amelia says this as if it’s obvious.
Through the automatic doors is a narrow lobby, with the check-in situated at the entrance. Ahead there’s a sign with arrows to the right for the breakfast area and stairs, and to the left for the pool and elevators.
“But he’s trying to flirt with you?” I ask my sister as I lead her over to the counter.
“And sometimes, if I’m feeling game, I’ll flirt back. It can just be an extra level of fun friendliness if you’re not leading someone on, and trust me, I’m not.”
“If you say so.”
Amelia greets the worker to check us in. I let her be the big sister who has to deal with the logistics. She approaches it with confidence, our reservation number already pulled up on herphone to confirm our booking without much hassle. I spin on my heels to see the guys as they walk through the glass doors.
“In a rush?” Declan asks.
I shake my head. “Did you see those windmills?” I change the subject. “I was thinking, for the road trip game, maybe this is a stretch, but what if there’s aliens? Like, you play as an alien, trying to gain experience points and blend in with humanity, so that’s where the pitfalls come in.”
Declan is immediately game with this plan. “And something silly, like how filling up a gas tank is a thrilling prospect rather than a chore.”
“So we’re actually throwing together a team submission?”
“We could work on it tonight.”
There’s not really a rush since we’ll have a couple days when we get back home before the submission deadline, and I could use some space from Declan tonight, actually. “I think Amelia and I might want to check out the pool later.”
“Oh, okay. Yeah, no hurry. No reason to pass up a pool.”
