Chapter 5 Eight Weeks #2
The airport was crowded, the roads were congested, and the city seemed to be preparing for some kind of major event. Adrian noticed banners along the highway but didn't pay much attention to them.
He was more interested in reaching the hotel.
By the time the car stopped outside the building, his phone was already vibrating with messages from the project team.
Adrian checked them while walking through the lobby.
The receptionist greeted him professionally.
"Mr. Cole?"
"Yes."
"Welcome."
Adrian gave his name and reservation details.
The receptionist's expression changed.
It was subtle.
Adrian noticed immediately.
"Is there a problem?"
"I'm sorry, sir. There has been an issue with the reservation."
Adrian waited.
"The hotel is currently at full capacity."
"I have a confirmed booking."
"Yes, sir."
"Then there shouldn't be an issue."
The receptionist looked uncomfortable.
"There has been an unexpected extension of several corporate bookings because of the citywide event this week."
Adrian's patience began to disappear.
"My company confirmed these rooms weeks ago."
"I understand."
"I need the room that was reserved."
The receptionist glanced toward a colleague before looking back at him.
"We're working with your company to find an alternative."
Adrian took out his phone.
Before he could call Elena, another message arrived.
Call me when you arrive.
He stepped away from the desk.
Elena answered on the second ring.
"You're there?"
"Yes."
"How bad?"
"Apparently my hotel room doesn't exist."
There was a pause.
"What?"
"The hotel is overbooked."
"That's impossible."
"That's what I thought."
Elena sighed.
"I've been dealing with them for the last hour. There's a citywide event starting tonight. Several corporate groups extended their reservations."
"And?"
"We've found an alternative."
Adrian waited.
"It's not a hotel."
His eyes closed briefly.
"What is it?"
"A corporate apartment."
"How many bedrooms?"
There was another pause.
"Two."
Adrian relaxed slightly.
"Fine."
Elena hesitated.
"There's one bathroom."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Fine."
"And one shared living room."
"That's still fine."
Another pause.
"You're sharing it with Noah."
Adrian said nothing.
The sounds of the hotel lobby seemed to fade around him.
"I'm sorry?"
"The apartment was the only suitable option available."
"Find another one."
"We've tried."
"Try harder."
"We've been trying for three hours."
Adrian looked toward the hotel entrance.
A crowd was gathering outside, and several large buses were arriving.
The citywide event was clearly much larger than he'd realized.
"How far is the apartment?"
"Twenty minutes from the client's office."
"How far is the hotel?"
"Thirty-five."
Adrian rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"What are our other options?"
"Two separate apartments are unavailable."
"Nearby hotels?"
"Full."
"Serviced apartments?"
"Full."
"Anything else?"
"Not that keeps the team within the client's preferred travel radius."
Adrian was silent.
He knew what the practical answer was.
He simply didn't like it.
"Send me the address."
"I already did."
His phone vibrated.
Adrian opened the message.
The apartment was in a modern residential building near the business district.
Two bedrooms.
One bathroom.
Shared kitchen.
Shared living room.
No alternative.
"Fine," Adrian said.
Elena sounded relieved.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
Adrian ended the call.
He turned toward the reception desk.
"Where's Noah?"
The receptionist pointed toward the entrance.
Adrian looked over.
Noah had just walked through the doors.
He was carrying a large suitcase and a backpack, his hair slightly disheveled from travel.
Their eyes met.
Noah smiled.
"Let me guess."
Adrian didn't answer.
"You're the one who gets to tell me the bad news."
Adrian picked up his luggage.
"We're not staying here."
Noah's smile disappeared.
"What?"
"The hotel is full."
"You're kidding."
"No."
"Where are we staying?"
Adrian looked at him.
"A corporate apartment."
Noah waited.
"Okay."
Adrian continued.
"Two bedrooms."
Noah nodded.
"Good."
"One bathroom."
Noah paused.
"Okay."
"One living room."
Noah's eyebrows rose.
"And?"
Adrian stared at him.
"We're sharing it."
Noah was silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"You're serious."
"Unfortunately."
Noah looked around the crowded lobby.
"Well, this should be interesting."
"It doesn't need to be."
Adrian picked up his bag.
"We're there to work."
"Right."
"Nothing changes."
"Of course."
Adrian wasn't convinced by the amusement in Noah's voice.
The drive to the apartment was quiet for the first few minutes.
Noah sat beside him in the back of the car, looking through the project schedule on his phone.
Adrian tried to concentrate on his own messages.
He couldn't stop thinking about the arrangement.
Eight weeks.
Two bedrooms.
One bathroom.
A shared living space.
It was unnecessary.
It was inconvenient.
It was exactly the kind of situation Adrian had spent years avoiding.
Noah looked out the window.
"Have you ever been here before?"
"No."
"Me neither."
"Good."
Noah looked at him.
"Why is that good?"
"Because neither of us will know where anything is."
Noah smiled.
"I thought you liked knowing everything."
Adrian glanced at him.
"I like being prepared."
"Same thing."
"It isn't."
Noah laughed quietly.
Adrian looked back toward the road.
The apartment building was modern, secure, and significantly nicer than Adrian had expected.
At least that was something.
The apartment itself was clean and spacious enough to be comfortable, although the shared living area was smaller than Adrian would have preferred.
Noah walked through the rooms.
"Not bad."
Adrian inspected the kitchen.
"Functional."
"That's your word for everything."
"It's an accurate word."
Noah opened one of the bedroom doors.
"Which one do you want?"
"The larger one."
Noah laughed.
"Naturally."
Adrian looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Noah dropped his bag in the smaller bedroom.
"I'll take this."
Adrian nodded.
For several minutes, they unpacked in relative silence.
Then Adrian returned to the living room.
Noah was standing beside the kitchen counter.
Adrian decided there needed to be rules.
"We should establish a few things."
Noah looked at him.
"Of course we should."
"First, neither of us works in the living room after midnight."
"Agreed."
"Second, dishes don't stay in the sink."
Noah nodded.
"Fair."
"Third, no guests."
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"Was I planning a party?"
"I don't know."
"Apparently you think I am."
"I prefer clarity."
Noah smiled.
Adrian continued.
"Fourth, we don't interfere with each other's schedules."
"Meaning?"
"If I have an early client call, you don't change your plans around it. If you have something scheduled, I don't interfere."
Noah nodded.
"That's reasonable."
Adrian hesitated before adding the final rule.
"And no personal complications."
Noah went still.
Adrian immediately wished he hadn't phrased it that way.
But the words were already out.
Noah looked at him for several seconds.
Then a slow smile appeared.
"That last one's going to be difficult."
Adrian stared at him.
He couldn't tell whether Noah was joking.
That uncertainty was precisely what made the comment dangerous.
Noah turned toward his suitcase as though nothing unusual had been said.
Adrian remained where he was.
He should have corrected him.
He should have made it clear that the arrangement was strictly professional and that Noah's comment wasn't appropriate.
Instead, Adrian found himself remembering the almost-kiss in the office.
The way Noah had looked at him.
The way he'd stood inches away.
The way Adrian had wanted to close the distance.
He forced the memory away.
Eight weeks.
He could manage eight weeks.
He had managed far more difficult situations.
This was simply another project.
Another client.
Another temporary assignment.
And Noah Bennett was simply his coworker.
Adrian repeated the thought until it almost sounded convincing.
Almost.
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