Chapter 24
There is no Botsford Plaza Hotel in the entire state of New Mexico.
A stunning oversight, if you ask me. I’ve been meaning to mention it to Daddy Kingston, but that dude is probably well aware of it already. And he’s got enough on his plate right now already with his upcoming retirement and Jonah’s wedding.
Also, just me saying that proves just how fucking crazy my life turned out to be.
I didn’t come from money. Five out of six of us didn’t, in fact. So, it’s not a big deal if we have to go without the regular Botsford perks for a few days. And the hotel we’re staying at isn’t a dump, either. It’s quite nice with a fairly large courtyard pool and a spa, which I might have to book me a massage at before we head to Austin.
Besides, it’s not like sitting by the pool on your day off is all that different from one place to the next. No matter where we go, it’s always the same sun.
That said…
Deserts, man.
“Fuck, it’s hot,” I say, squinting behind my sunglasses.
You’d think a Las Vegas native would be used to it, but damn, New Mexico doesn’t fuck around.
Katrina chuckles from the chair next to mine, hers draped in a blanket of shade beneath a large umbrella. “Are you sure you don’t want the umbrella chair?” she asks.
“Positive,” I say, taking a large gulp from my ice water. “I need a good bronzing.”
“Well, let me know when you start to melt,” she offers, glancing over at me from her tablet. “I’ll rub lotion on your back.”
I smile. “I will.”
She happily goes back to her book.
I glance around the pool area. It’s crowded, but not overly so, with plenty of space between our party and the next. The other members of Criminal Records are currently engaged in a fierce game of chicken (Knox and Harmony versus Bronson and Jordan, of course). Jonah, however, opted to stay in his room and take a nap — which we all knew meant talk to Marla.
And Harvey Moon…
He’s sitting on the pool’s edge next to August. With their feet dangling in the water, they’re sporting a matching pair of blue Chicago North University swim trunks that are a little too tight. But I suspect that’s intentional.
“Or,” Katrina smirks, “we could call Harvey over and he?—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I say.
“— can lather you up.”
I give her a glare over my rims. “Rebel.”
“I can be quite the rebel when I want to be,” she says, so damn proud of herself.
I sigh and reach for my drink again as I let my gaze wander away — far, far away from Harvey’s surprisingly fit body. His long, toned legs and strong arms. His flat abs aren’t quite a six-pack but aren’t jiggling as he walks around, either. And — fucking hell — even that stupid frat boy tattoo looks good enough to lick.
I stare up into the sky, my eyes instantly burning as I stupidly look directly into the sun. Again.
But, hey. A girl doesn’t need her retinas to play the guitar.
As I scan the sky, I spot a hot air balloon drifting across the city. This one is big and red with black spots, like a ladybug.
Cute.
“It’s a local festival, apparently.”
I nearly jolt out of my chair, Harvey suddenly very behind me. Standing tall over me in those too tight trunks, he points up at the ladybug balloon and nods.
“I asked the front desk,” he says. “There’s an annual hot air balloon festival. Apparently, people travel from all over the world for it.”
“Uh, yeah,” I say, settling myself. “I know. We saw them during our last tour, too. I always forget it happens, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see them.”
“Yeah, they’re…” He smiles at the sky. “They’re cool.”
“Yeah, really cool.”
“I think they’re cool, too!” Katrina says.
I glare at her again.
She just smirks.
“Whatcha reading today, Kat?” he asks her. “Another Melanie Rose?”
“Actually, yeah,” she says. “A Trip Down Billionaire Lane. Have you read it?”
“Nah, but I hear it’s a good one.”
“It’s great so far.”
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you this, but I’m pretty tight with Melanie’s little brother back in Chicago. If you want, I can give him a call, see if we can arrange for you gals to have lunch while we’re there.”
I lick my lips to hide my smile as Katrina’s jaw drops.
“Are you serious?” she asks.
“Hell yeah,” Harvey says. “Why not?”
“Don’t mess with me, Harvey,” she warns. “Because I would literally die.”
“I’m sure she’d be just as psyched to meet you, too. Want me to make the call?”
Katrina slaps my arm excitedly. “Of course, we want you to make a call!”
I frown. “What’ya mean we?”
Harvey grins. “Excellent! Consider it done.”
“Can Jordan come, too?” Katrina asks.
“Sure! The more the merrier.”
“Oh, my god!” She leaps out of her chair and beelines toward the pool, calling Jordan’s name as she goes.
I stare at Harvey, his smile still carved into his face. “So, I guess I’m meeting Melanie Rose in Chicago,” I say.
He chuckles as he lowers to kneel next to me. “I’m sure you can find it in your heart to suffer through an afternoon of mimosas with some sappy romance author for your friends.”
“I’m sure I can,” I say with a sigh, then smile. “It is very sweet of you to do that, though.”
“You told me to do it.”
“Yeah, but I thought you were just flexing. I didn’t think you could actually make it happen.”
He pretends to be offended. “Addison Abbey, I am a very capable man.”
I pretend to doubt him. “Are you, though?”
“In fact…” He playfully bites his lips. “I have a surprise for you, too. Meet me tonight?”
A heavy rock settles in my stomach as I discreetly check for probing eyes and perked ears, but the others are still splashing around the pool. “Harvey…”
“You said you needed to think things over first,” he says quickly. “And I respect that. I am respecting that. I’m not here to rush you. This surprise isn’t about us.”
“It’s not?” I ask, actually doubting him now.
“No,” he answers, his eyes showing truth. “This is about a friend doing something nice for his friend. That’s all.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“What kind of a surprise?”
“The kind you don’t know about until it’s revealed to you.” He smirks. “Don’t you know what a surprise is?”
I arch a brow. “What is it, Harvey?”
He bites his lip again, and I think about how nice it felt against mine. “You’ll just have to meet me tonight and find out.”
I fill my lungs with hot desert air and exhale. “Okay,” I say.
“Hotel lobby. Eight o’clock.” He moves to leave, then kneels again. “Oh, and… wear layers.”
“Layers?”
“It might get cold.”
I gesture around, the desert heat impossible not to notice.
“Trust me,” he says.
As Harvey walks off toward the pool, Katrina returns with a happy skip in her step. She settles into her chair again in the shade and lets out a little squeal.
I smile. “Having a good day?”
“The best day,” she says. “Aren’t you?”
I look at Harvey and shrug. “I don’t know,” I say. “We’ll see.”