Chapter 27 – Katie
Twenty-Seven
PRESENT DAY
KATIE
The following morning
Tap. Tap. Tap!
I ignored the knocking on my door and continued stuffing my clothes into a suitcase. The majority of my work here was done, and my team could handle the rest of the big day—if it happened—without me.
“Katie, I know you’re in there…” Madison tapped again. “Can you please open up?”
No…
I picked up a pair of silver stilettos and slipped them into a bag. Then I walked over to the coffee station and stared at the array of K-cups and tea bags.
“I’m shocked you never think to take any of these from all your hotel stays…”
Asher’s comments flashed through my mind as I swiped them all into a bag.
As I was tying it, a soft beeping sounded at my suite’s entrance. Then the “door unlocked” voice came next.
What the…
I turned around to see the door slowly opening, and then Madison stepped inside, followed by a red-faced Michelle right after.
Not saying a word, the two of them just glared at me.
I felt the walls starting to close in around me, so I mentally calculated my possible escape routes.
Balcony? I was only seven stories up, so I could survive with a broken leg and an arm…
Running right past them? Madison had a black belt in karate, and she’d probably be thrilled to use it on me.
The fire exit two rooms to my left… That was my best choice, and I just needed to catch them off guard with something before I made a run for it.
With their eyes still staring daggers at me, I let out a breath and silently counted back from ten.
“We came here to talk to you, Katie,” Madison said, walking forward. “Have a fucking seat.”
“No, that’s okay.” I stepped back when I reached six, making sure the exit door was in sight. “I think it’d be better if you just sent me text messages…”
“Katie.” Madison moved closer. “Sit in that fucking chair. Now.”
Five, four, three…
I didn’t give myself a chance to make it down to one.
I turned around and made a run for it. Rushing through the living room and the kitchen, I managed to touch the panic bar before I was suddenly pulled back by my waist and sent flying to the floor.
“No, noooo!” I stood up and reached for the door again, but Madison was standing in front of it.
Michelle was standing in the doorway that blocked me there.
“Chair by the window. Your ass. Now.” Michelle pointed, and I considered the balcony jump one last time before resigning to my fate.
I moved to the plush chair Asher had fucked me against days ago and slumped down onto the cushion.
As if Madison and Michelle weren’t convinced that I would stay put, they rushed to shut all the connecting doors and moved a table in front of the exit.
I can’t really blame them…
“How are you feeling today?” Madison asked. “Better or worse?”
“Huh?”
“How are you feeling?” she repeated. “It’s not a trick question.”
“I’m fine.” I shrugged. “You should be asking the bride-to-be that question. She has a wedding coming up while we’re here, remember?”
“Do I?” Michelle arched her brow. “Because from everything you said last night, I don’t think that’s why we’re here at all…”
“Okay, fine.” I sat up. “You don’t have a wedding coming up. Just tell Chris how you really feel, and then I’ll be on my way.”
She gritted her teeth.
“Why are you looking upset with me?” I asked.
“You asked me to find a way so you wouldn’t have to marry Chris—knowing how I feel about ruining my own events, and here we are.
You’re two steps away from getting what you want—if you want it.
And I feel like shit and will probably lose clients if anybody was recording last night, so… ” My voice cracked.
“I’m trying to get out of here as fast as possible so I won’t ruin anything else, okay?”
“So, she’s worse than she was last night, and she’s pretty vulnerable right now.” Madison looked at Michelle. “Want me to hold her down while you beat her to a pulp?”
WHAT?
“I think I can take her by myself just fine,” Michelle said. “Just stand close in case you have to help her recover afterward.”
I was too taken aback to react as Michelle moved closer, and I shut my eyes—bracing for a punch I definitely deserved, but it never came.
Instead, I felt her wiping my cheeks, then hugging me.
“I swear, Katie…” she whispered. “Your mom was right about wanting to name you after I Love Lucy.”
“What?” I opened my eyes.
“You’re such a fucking drama queen.”
“I’m sorry for everything,” I choked. “I swear. My team will do everything right from here on out because I’ll be back in Manhattan by tonight.”
“I don’t want you to leave,” she said, pulling back and looking into my eyes. “I really don’t.”
“Don’t the rest of the wedding party and the early guests hate me?”
“They should, but they don’t.” A soft smile crossed her lips. “I mean, I should hate you and ban you from everything, but… this is all my fault, so I think it’s time you, me, Asher, and Chris sit down for a long talk before anything else happens.”
“Asher who?”
“Funny.” She wiped away another stream of my tears. “We have a private lunch reservation at the oceanfront bar at noon. You need to be there.”
“My flight is at noon.”
“I cancelled it already,” Madison said. “I also cancelled your ride to the airport.”
“Whose side are you on these days, Madison?”
“The one with a happily ever after.” She narrowed her eyes. “As always.”
Michelle gave me one final hug before backing away and mouthing “Thank you” to Madison the traitor.
“Some junior interns will be here in ten minutes to help you unpack, and I’ll personally escort you to the lunch,” she said. “You’ll need to help the floral team with the set of arches tonight to make sure they’re up to your high standards.”
“You’re the worst assistant I’ve ever had,” I said. “By far.”
“Don’t worry.” She smiled. “I’ve taken the liberty of giving myself an extra thirty-percent commission for saving your ass on this one. You’re very welcome.”