Four
FOUR
LEORA
A s soon as we step through the grand, double doors of H?tel Ayoub d'Or, we're welcomed with warm greetings, a bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne, and copious amounts of chocolate. The champagne is definitely high quality, and the first sip is pure heaven—the bubbly liquid dancing on my tongue, while the rich chocolate melts in my mouth. The decadence of it is almost overwhelming. I feel like royalty.
My eyes widen as I take in the sheer size and beauty of the lobby. The marble floors shine beneath my feet, and the towering ceilings seem to stretch on forever. The entire space is drenched in natural light, making the already expansive lobby seem even more grandiose.
To my left, there's a seating area with plush armchairs and sofas, arranged in a circle in the center of the floor. Directly above the lavish arrangement is a massive, crystal chandelier that sparkles like diamonds. To my right, there’s a sweeping staircase that leads to the upper floors, while in front of me, a long, ornate reception desk beckons.
The walls are lined with priceless works of art, and fresh flower arrangements adorn every corner, filling the air with a lovely, floral fragrance. Soft, melodic music plays in the background, adding to the enchanting ambiance. I take a moment to soak it all in, relishing my luxurious surroundings and the feeling of being somewhere special.
Sophie did an amazing job with the planning. "How the hell did you pull this off with the budget we had?" I ask her in awe. If I recall correctly, this was not the hotel we booked—something about needing to change the hotel at the last minute due to renovations—but this is completely out of our budget. I wouldn’t be able to afford this hotel with a job and a sugar daddy.
"I know a guy," Sophie says, leaving us as she heads to the reception desk. Adeline just laughs and follows her. But just before I start moving toward the girls, I glance to my left, my gaze stopping on a man standing by the wall, engrossed in a conversation on his phone.
No, not a man.
Adonis himself.
He’s tall, towering over the crowd around him, with olive skin and dark, curly hair tousled in a way that makes it look effortlessly stylish. I can’t help but imagine running my fingers through those soft curls. He turns his chin to the side, revealing a profile that is just as striking as the rest of him. His strong jawline is framed by a bit of scruff, and his plump lips are set in a determined line as he speaks into his phone.
He‘s wearing a crisp, perfectly tailored white shirt that hugs his body in all the right places, accentuating his broad chest and strong arms. The fabric stretches across his shoulders, hinting at the strength and power beneath it.
Wait, what the hell is wrong with me?
I need to focus on something . . . anything else.
"To get over someone, you need to get under someone else," Adeline said as we stepped off the plane. I shut it down quickly, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all?
A distraction might be fun.
Still, that detestable voice inside of me is loud. A man like him would never even look at a girl like me. Especially not when I have my hair in a loose bun, and while I'm wearing simple yoga pants and have a hoodie tied around my waist. Lost in my thoughts, I don’t even realize that I have been caught staring until it’s too late. I snap my gaze to my feet but still feel a pair of eyes on me, and when I look back up, I see him looking straight at me, sporting an amused expression on his face.
Fuck.
I quickly look away, blushing fiercely, hoping to hide my mortification. A minute goes by—or seconds, I don’t even know—but I still feel the pull toward him. I discreetly take a peek back in his direction, hoping he’s back to looking at his phone, but I’m met with a blank hotel wall.
Gone.
Where did he go?
Someone behind me clears their throat, sending a shiver down my spine.
Please don’t be him. Please don’t be him . Please don’t be him .
I turn slowly.
"Didn’t anyone ever teach you that staring is rude?" He raises an eyebrow, studying me.
Kill me now.
I feel my face flush as his gaze practically drills a hole through me, and I struggle to find the right words to reply.
"I-I'm so sorry," I stammer. "I didn't mean to stare, I just got lost in my thoughts."
He continues to study me, his expression unreadable, but before I can embarrass myself any further, I hear Adeline and Sophie call my name. I turn toward them, relieved by the distraction, and see them waving for me to come over. I look back to him to apologize again, but he’s gone. The only thing left of him is the smell of his woodsy cologne—intoxicating and causing my thoughts to run wild.
I take a deep breath, hoping to memorize the smell, before I quickly make my way toward my friends.
"What's up?" I ask, trying to sound casual.
"We're all checked in," Adeline says with a grin. "Let the adventure begin."
Apparently, the person Sophie "knows" helped her book not just a hotel room—we have a damn suite the size of my apartment. And that isn't even the best part.
The view . . . that’s the best part.
We have the most breathtaking view of the beach from our balcony. I can hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and smell the salt in the air.
And in this moment, I realize, I’m so incredibly grateful for this—the three of us, on this beautiful trip, in this luxurious suite; it’s like a dream come true.
The sitting area connected to the balcony is adorned with tasteful decorations in a neoclassical style that adds to the French Riviera charm. The bathroom is equally impressive, with a massive tub, a separate shower, and premium toiletries we will absolutely be stealing.
My breath gets caught in my throat as I see the large bedroom connected to the sitting area. The room is bathed in a soft, warm glow from the glittering chandelier hanging overhead—thousands of diamonds dancing together. My eyes are immediately drawn to the large, king-size bed that sits in the center of the room, its sheets a crisp, soft white that appears lustrous in the glow streaming in through the windows. My thoughts immediately go to the handsome man I saw in the lobby and how perfect it would be to snuggle up with him as we looked out the French balcony after a night off?—
Nope. Nope. Nope.
"That's my bed." Adeline brings me back to reality. She’s pointing to the smaller, twin-size bed situated off to the side of the room.
"It's great that you made that choice all by yourself, Addie, because neither myself, nor Leora would actually want to share a bed with you," Sophie says with a hint of sarcasm.
"Heeey! It's because I can't sleep next to another person," Adeline fires back. I can't help but laugh, knowing that Adeline's excuse is far from the truth. She's a notorious blanket hog who moves around a lot in her sleep. You’ll get kicked at least once or twice during the night. Her choosing the smaller bed is a win for Sophie and I.
"Whatever helps you get through the night, darling." I chuckle, already picturing a peaceful night's sleep in the bed.
After we’ve settled our luggage in the room, our growling stomachs lead us to search for something to eat. To our pleasant surprise, we stumble upon a gorgeous restaurant located on the Promenade des Anglais. The atmosphere is relaxing and carefree, with the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore in the background. It’s the perfect setting to let go of all our worries and simply enjoy the moment—or at least try to.
"Are you ready to order?" the waitress asks with a lovely French accent.
"I think I want to try the steak tartare," Sophie says, scanning the menu.
"You know that's raw meat?" Adeline asks, scrunching her nose.
"Yes, Addie. Of course, I know. Why do you have that look on your face? You eat raw meat too," she replies with a laugh, looking excited to try something new.
" Kibbeh Nayyeh is more than just raw meat, and you love it!" she snaps back. You don’t come between Addie and her Meze; I learned that the hard way.
"I'll have the Caesar salad."
"Me too," Adeline says with a grin.
"And we'll have three Pepsi Max, s'il vous pla?t," I finish, trying out my rusty French on the waitress, who smiles and jots down our order.
After we finish eating, the three of us settle back into our lounge chairs, enjoying the sound of the ocean, which is like music to my ears. It feels as though I’ve had a smile plastered on my face since we landed, although it’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by the beauty of this part of the world. I close my eyes for a second to let the warmth of the sun soak into my skin. The gentle breeze carries the salty scent of the ocean, making me feel alive.
When I open my eyes, I’m met by two pairs of eyes looking at each other with smirks, which can only mean that they’re planning something.
"What?" I ask, looking back and forth between them.
"Oh, nothing." Sophie’s smile reaches her blue eyes, and it’s making me nervous.
Something is going on.
"Well, it’s Saturday tomorrow, so we’re going to have some fun," Adeline adds.
"And what do we have planned?" I ask, curious about their ideas but equally afraid.
Sophie plays with her fingers, a twinkle in her eye. "It’s a surprise."
"Oh great." I roll my eyes. "I love your surprises."
Knowing them, this so-called surprise will involve a lot of tequila shots.
Adeline lets out a giggle. "Don't worry, it's nothing crazy. Just something fun and cultural."
I’m not convinced. Although, she’s never used the word " cultural" when planning a night out before, so I’m actually feeling excited about what they have in store. This might be fun.
"Alright then, let's just enjoy the rest of our day at the beach and take it from there."