CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 3
Ivy
I stand in the doorway, my heart pounding as I stare at him. The storm outside is nothing compared to the whirlwind of emotions inside me. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
“There was a glitch with their website,” I say, voice catching. “They don’t have any more rooms available. What are we going to do? We can’t both stay here.”
His eyes soften for a moment before he sighs. “I know. But the resort is fully booked, and with the storm coming, it’s not safe to move around. I mean, you can always hold a sign up front in the lobby to see if someone else could take you in?” he jokes… I think. I ignore him.
His lips twitch. “Would you like a drink? I’m about to crack open another beer.”
I stare at him, bewildered. This is the last thing I need right now. “You’re seriously offering me a drink after practically stealing my suitcase and invading my personal space?”
He shrugs. “You look like you could use one.”
I don’t even know why I’m still standing here. The guy is impossible. And something about him—his confidence, his smugness—irks me more than I care to admit.
“I’m good,” I bite out. “But thank you for the… offer.”
He raises his hands in mock surrender. “Your loss.”
I can’t keep staring at him like this. He’s ridiculously good-looking in that effortlessly rugged way, and I hate it. I really do. My eyes scan the room, looking for an escape from his irritating presence.
But then my gaze falls on the view beyond the glass doors. The beach. The ocean. The storm clouds hanging low in the distance, far off but still ominous. The peacefulness of the whole scene somehow makes the tension in my body slip just a little.
I should focus on that. Focus on the reason I’m here: to get away.
I take a breath, trying to pull myself together. “You know, I could really use some alone time right now. Maybe you should head out to the bar or… anywhere that’s not here.”
His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think he’s going to argue again. But then something shifts in his expression. It’s subtle but there, like a flicker of understanding. Or maybe annoyance.
“Fine. I’ll let you have your space.” He grabs his beer from the table and walks toward the door.
I exhale slowly, relieved that he’s leaving. He stops just before stepping outside, turning his head to glance back at me over his shoulder. “I’m Carter, by the way. In case you didn’t catch that earlier.”
Of course his name is Carter. It suits him. Handsome, arrogant, infuriating Carter.
“Ivy,” I reply, barely sparing him another glance as I turn back to the ocean view.
“Nice to meet you, Ivy,” he says, his voice carrying an edge I can’t quite place.
He disappears outside, leaving me with nothing but the sound of the waves crashing in the distance. And just like that, I realize that this vacation, my much-needed break, has already taken a turn for the worse.
As much as I don’t want to bother Ness—or, even worse, give her a reason to say “I told you so”—I need to vent, and who better to call than my best friend?
I grab my phone and dial her number. She answers immediately.
“You won’t believe it, but they freaking double-booked this room! Ugh! What the hell am I going to do? This is insane!” I blurt out the moment Ness answers the phone, my voice rising in panic.
I pace around the room, feeling my frustration build with each step.
“You were right, Ness,” I mutter, sinking down onto the edge of the bed. “I should’ve just stayed home. I should’ve listened to you. You’re always right! What the hell did I get myself into?”
I can practically hear her deep, calming breath on the other end of the line. “Okay, first of all, take a deep breath. Calm down. What happened? They double-booked your room?”
I nod, even though she can’t see me. My fingers grip the phone tighter, as if that will somehow help me get control of the situation. “Girl, yes! I walked into my room, and he was there!”
“Wait, who?” Her voice is full of disbelief, clearly struggling to make sense of this.
“That’s a story for another day, Ness, Focus!” I exhale sharply, trying to collect my thoughts. “So, I walk into this beautiful bungalow, right? All set up with flowers, a cozy little kitchen, and the whole thing is just perfect. But then I hear this noise. I thought it was the luggage guy delivering my bags, so I just keep walking around, totally oblivious. But then I realized… the sound was coming from inside the unit. I turned around, and there he was—a guy I met at the airport. Apparently, he’s booked into the same room as me, and there are no vacancies. I swear, I’ve hit some kind of bad-luck jackpot.”
“Wait… a guy from the airport?” She sounds confused now. “Hold up—could this guy be stalking you?”
For a split second, the thought crossed my mind. “I wondered that, too, Ness. I won’t lie. But nope, he’s too rude to want my attention, trust me. It turns out the room was the last one available, and we both booked it around the same time. Somehow, the system double-booked it. And now I’m stuck here, sharing a room with a total stranger.”
I feel overwhelmed by the situation as I sit back against the bedpost, my eyes threatening to fill with tears. “Ugh, how do I keep getting myself into these messes?”
“Listen to me.” Ness’s voice is soft but firm. “First of all, it’s not your fault. And second, it might not seem like it now, but it’s really not that bad. I mean, with Airbnb and all these shared housing platforms, people share spaces all the time, right?”
“I didn’t want to share a space, Ness!” I snap, frustration bubbling up again. “I came here to relax, to get away from everything. Not to… deal with this.”
I throw my hands up in exasperation, pacing around again.
“Well, how does he look?” Ness’s voice practically hums with anticipation.
I pause for a second, trying to find the right words. “Girl, he’s built like a Greek god. I’m talking tall, broad shoulders, eyes that are this mix of blue and green—like the ocean, you know? And his arms? Let’s just say, he’s all muscle.”
She bursts into laughter, her amusement contagious. “Wait, wait—you’re telling me he’s that good-looking?”
I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me. “Yes, he’s that damn fine. I swear, it’s like he stepped out of a magazine or something.”
“Well, then,” Vanessa says with a chuckle, her tone teasing, “it sounds like you’ve got a fine problem on your hands. I mean, come on, Ivy. A guy that looks like that, and you’re stuck in the same room with him? If I were you, I’d be making the most of this situation. You never know what could happen!”
I can practically hear the wink in her voice, and I can’t help but laugh, even though I’m still kind of stressed
I pause. “What are you talking about? We’re panicking, remember? His hotness doesn’t matter now!”
“Oh, honey,” she teases, “if this guy is so ‘fine,’ you might just be in for a little unexpected vacation romance.”
I groan and sink into the comfortable white sofa in the living room, rolling my eyes. “Girl, that man doesn’t want anything to do with me. He’s rich, arrogant, and way out of my league. He’s the kind of guy who dates models or women with status—not me, just some girl who’s here to get some peace and quiet.”
She signs heavily on the other end of the line. “You are not just ‘some girl,’ Ivy,” Ness fires back, her voice full of conviction. “You are gorgeous, and you need to remember that. You’ve got so much to offer. And if this guy can’t see that, it’s his loss.”
I feel a warm flush spread across my cheeks, grateful for my encouraging best friend. “Thanks, Ness. But I’m still not sure how I’m supposed to handle this.”
“Well, first things first, is there a lock on the bedroom door?” she asks, her voice calming again.
I immediately stand to my feet and walk over to the door, which is closed. I open it, step inside, then lock it to put our minds at ease. “Yeah, there is,” I reply, though I can’t shake the feeling of being on edge.
“Good. Make sure you lock it when you sleep tonight. Other than that, just take a deep breath. Relax. You can handle this. Don’t let the resort’s mistake and one rude, good-looking guy ruin your time, okay? You’re there for you. Enjoy the space, the peace, and—if nothing else—the privacy of your room. You’ll be fine.”
I nod. Even though I still feel a little unsure, there’s not much I can do about it today. “Okay. I’ll try. Thanks, babes.”
“I got you, girl,” she says, her voice warm with affection. “Just remember, you’ve got this. Okay?”
“Got it,” I say with a smile, even though I know she can’t see it. “Love you.”
“I love you, too. Take care of yourself, Ivy. You deserve this vacation, no matter how chaotic it’s been.”
Just before I hang up, she calls out, “Oh, and Ivy?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget to use a condom, okay honey?”
“Girl—bye!” I say, laughing.
She bursts out laughing too, and we’re both still laughing as the call ends.
The line goes dead, and I’m left in the stillness of the room. I take a deep breath, letting her words settle in. I’m here now, stuck in a hotel with a stranger, but I’ll make the best of it. After all, it’s not like the universe hasn’t thrown worse at me before.
As I stare at the door, my thoughts swirl again, but this time, I feel just a little bit better.
I start to panic all over again, but I calm myself down. I shake my head. No, Ivy, you need this. This is your chance to reset. You can handle a grumpy roommate. Just keep your distance.
I step out and grab my suitcase, dragging it into the bedroom and letting the door shut behind me. I let out a sigh as I collapse on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I try to focus on the tranquility of the room, the peaceful sounds of nature outside, but all I can think about is Carter. That damn smirk of his. And that ridiculous, insane, undeniable pull I felt toward him.
I’m not here for that. Not here for anything except peace and quiet.
I close my eyes, trying to forget about everything that’s happened today.
Soon, I’m sound asleep.