Chapter Ten
Seth
Iwake up drenched in sweat. The result of a sleepless night filled with terrible dreams. They used to happen when I was kid, especially after a stressful day.
I grimace at how gross I feel and pull myself from bed and into the shower to rinse off before my run.
Grabbing some clothes on the way into the bathroom, I stop at the sink to brush my teeth, but nothing happens when I turn the knob.
I try the other one, assuming it’s just the cold water, but again, nothing.
So much for the plumbing issue not affecting me.
Grabbing the pen and paper on the bed table, I dial the front desk again, ready to jot down the number this time.
I realize I could call Cary. He’d let me come over to shower and probably wouldn’t be too upset about the early wake-up, but now I’m pissed off, and I don’t give two shits about ruining a stranger’s morning.
The phone rings twice before someone answers, the voice groggy. “Indigo Hill Suites emergency line. This is Olivia speaking, how can I help you?”
“You can start by telling me why I have no water, Olivia. I thought only the opposite side of the hotel was affected.” I don’t even try to mask the annoyance in my voice, it’s too early, and I’m too disgruntled to care.
“Who am I speaking with?” She sounds wide awake now.
“Seth Cassidy, room 603.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cassidy. Give me one second to look into it. Can I place you on a brief hold?”
Releasing an exaggerated sigh, I clip, “Sure, Olivia.” After a click, regency sounding hold music replaces the silence.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.
This is, in the grand scheme of things, a minor inconvenience.
I have friends in town, it isn’t like I’m stranded with no one to call.
If it hadn’t been a string of inconveniences and surprises since I got here, I maybe wouldn’t be as upset.
Another click and Olivia is back on the line.
“Thank you for holding, Mr. Cassidy. It looks like maintenance is aware of the issue and working diligently to get it fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have a sister hotel one town over we can move you to. And we’ll make sure your next two nights are comped for the trouble,” she states, as if this is a small issue.
“So let me get this straight, Olivia. When I checked in, I was told half the hotel already didn’t have water due to a sudden plumbing issue and there’d be unrelated construction during my stay.
Now, you’re telling me the entire hotel has no water?
And I’m supposed to believe it’s not because of the construction happening in the hotel? ”
She takes a moment before replying, “As far as I know, they’re not related. But again, we have—”
“No,” I say, cutting her off, “I don’t need the explanation again. I’ll be checking out this morning and finding other accommodations. Thank you.”
I hang up, not allowing her to get another word in.
I grab my water bottle from the bedside table and return to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
Fuck, this is a shit start to the day already after a shit end to yesterday.
I’ll have to skip my run and pack instead, then go to RED and hope Cary has a solution.
Maybe I’ll suck it up and stay with them.
I know it isn’t ideal considering their wedding is around the corner, but they wanted me here.
I spent all morning driving around until the local coffee shop finally opened at 7 a.m. Apparently, the place only opens before seven in the morning two days a week, neither of which are today.
They do offer free Wi-Fi, though, according to the sign on the door, which at this point, I have to see as luck being on my side.
During the drive, I was able to truly take in the town of Indigo Hill. As determined as I am to hate it, the place is kind of picturesque, and I suppose I can understand why Cary loves it so much. Though the realization and understanding comes with irritation.
As I make my way back to the coffee shop from the outskirts of town, I notice a trail by the lake resembling a running path and make a mental note to check it out.
I park my rental near the gazebo in the middle of their town square and march toward Grayce’s Café. Despite having just opened, the line is already long inside. Pushing through the small crowd, I head to the bathroom, hoping to at least rinse off my face.
I’m glad to see there are still tables available once I exit. I need a semi-quiet spot to spend the next hour and get some work done.
While I updated my reports and the budget for Carina Cove based on the information Iris sent over, I saw at least half the residents of Indigo Hill come through for coffee. I guess it’s bound to be busy if it’s the only coffee shop in town.
A few greeted me, which caught me by surprise since I’m a stranger.
The late opening only added to my unlucky morning though since I don’t drink coffee past six. It gives me the jitters, and today wasn’t the day to say “fuck it,” not with everything else going to shit. I was, however, willing to torture myself with the smell of it to get work done.
It’s eight now, opening time for RED, but I’ve been waiting in the parking lot for ten minutes just in case whoever is opening decided to unlock the doors early. They did not.
At this point, I’m livid. It’s hot as fuck outside already, I feel sweaty and gross, I don’t have a place to stay, all my belongings are packed in the rental car with me, I didn’t have coffee this morning, and I’m still pissed from yesterday.
If I weren’t here for Cary, I’d be driving to Myrtle Beach right now to fly home.
Releasing a deep breath, I take one more moment to myself before opening the car door to head into RED. There are a few other cars in the parking lot, but it’s not insanely busy just yet.
The smell of pancakes hits my senses as I open the door. Another shame considering I’m lactose intolerant, and I doubt they have dairy-free options. Bypassing the hostess stand—the hostess nowhere to be found, something I need to mention to Cary and Thea—I take a seat at a two-top near the bar.
A server walks by and does a double-take before greeting me. “Hi, good morning, did you just get seated?” she asks, panic in her voice like she’s the one who wasn’t doing her job and not the missing hostess.
“I sat myself since there was no one at the front. I’m a friend of Cary’s,” I tell her.
“Oh! You’re the guy from Seattle, right?” A smile lights up her face. Is she hitting on me? I truly can’t tell with women.
“I am, yeah. Is he here yet?”
“He and Thea usually don’t get here until around ten, sorry. Is there anything I can get you in the meantime? It doesn’t have to be something on the menu, you know, since you’re a friend of the chef.”
This definitely feels like flirting.
“An egg white omelet with spinach and peppers, thanks.”
She’s biting her lip now as she writes it down on her notepad. “Got it. Anything to drink? Coffee?”
Pulling out my phone to show my disinterest, and without looking up at her, I say, “Just water, thanks.”
When she walks away, I let out a breath, trying not to dwell on how uncomfortable the whole encounter was for me.
“Seth?” Cary calls from behind me. “I thought we weren’t meeting until noon.”
I look over my shoulder, just as he’s rounding the tables behind me, Thea following him. “Uh, yeah. I’ve been here since eight. It’s been a rough morning.”
He pulls another chair over from the table beside this one, gesturing for Thea to sit before he takes the seat across from me.
“Rough morning how—”
“I can’t believe you made me get up this early, Thea.” The exaggerated whine comes from behind me. Hearing his voice without warning has a shiver shooting down my spine. “Oh, Seth,” he says, eyes wide as he spots me.
I turn my attention back to Cary, not acknowledging Ripley.
I’m too done with the day to deal with whatever it is we have going on between us.
“I woke up at four this morning with no water in my room. Apparently, the hotel is having some major issues. They’re offering everyone rooms at some sister hotel a town over or a refund on their stay.
I was actually hoping you’d have another solution so I wouldn’t have to take their offer on moving hotels and possibly let me shower at your place,” I tell him.
“Oh, fuck. That sucks. But yeah, for sure on the shower. I can give you my key.”
“Thanks, man. Maybe it’s a good thing you’re opening a B&B since the only place in town can’t function properly.
” I know I’m being unfair, all businesses hit bumps in the road sometimes.
I’m just too irritated to watch my tongue.
With my whole routine missed this morning, there’s no way of turning the day around.
He looks to Thea. They’re having some unspoken conversation about inviting me to stay with them. Ripley stands beside Thea, his eyes volleying back and forth.
“Well,” Thea starts, “luckily, Ripley has a spare bedroom. And he lives right down the street.”
Cary’s face falls, knowing it’s not what he wanted her to say, and Ripley’s face turns into a death glare shot in her direction.
“Whoa, what the f—Thea! You can’t just offer up someone’s house without asking,” Ripley says, voice an octave higher than usual.
“Yeah, I don’t think—” I start.
“No, listen,” she interjects, cutting me off which only infuriates me more, “our house is stuffed full of wedding stuff. We literally don’t have any space for you unless you want to take a sleeping bag on the porch.
Plus, you guys are the best man and man of honor.
You’re supposed to plan the Jack and Jill party for next weekend anyway.
This will give you ample time to do just that. It’s honestly perfect.”
“I really don’t think I’m equipped to be planning a party for anyone,” I say with little to no filter on my glacial tone.
“You’ll have Ripley’s—” Thea starts.
“I’m not a party planner, Thea. I don’t even live here,” I say, cutting her off.
“You are not, no,” she says. “But you are organized. So I figured you’d make a great team. Ripley probably has tons of ideas, and you can help him sort through them.”
By the sound of her voice, no one ever says no to this woman. She fully expects everyone to just be okay with all of this.
“I don’t want to put Ripley out,” I say, switching tactics and hoping he’ll back me up because why wouldn’t he?
“Thea, are you sure we don’t have room?” Cary asks hesitantly, but he receives a death glare in response.
She turns her sights to Ripley and gives him a pleading look. He starts strong, shaking his head in reply to her silent plea, but then in what feels like slow motion, all the fight rushes out of him. “Well, I mean… I do have an extra room. And it would make it potentially easier to plan the party.”
Cary sighs in defeat, knowing as well as I do this is a terrible idea.
As far as he knows, Ripley and I don’t know each other, and I don’t play nice with strangers.
What he doesn’t know is Ripley isn’t a stranger, just the guy I can’t get over which is exponentially worse.
And Thea just shoved us together like a fucking meddler.
Maybe I haven’t given her enough credit, she just played us all like a puppet master.
“She’s also right about me having ideas,” Ripley adds with a devious smile.
“Doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice now, does it?” I mumble to myself.