Chapter 22 #2
I furrow my brows at him, somewhat skeptical.
When I look at Hailey, she smiles sweetly, but with cheeks tainted pink.
Maybe I’d put the pressure on and straight up ask the question, “Are you guys into each other or something?” if I wasn’t in such a desperate rush to get back to Liam.
But for now, it’s an issue that can wait.
I’ll bury my head in the sand in the meantime.
“Everyone can do whatever they want this weekend,” I respond, throwing in the towel. “Tonight’s plans are out the window, anyway. Liam is messed up, so I need to get back over there to check on him.”
“See, that’s what pool parties do to you,” Theo says. “Mess you up. Look at me and Hails. We rode a gondola and are sober enough to actually remember it.”
“You rode a—never mind.” I squeeze my eyes shut, shake my head, then throw my purse down onto my bed and tear off my bridal sash. “I’m taking a shower. Is there a reason why you still need to be here, Theo?”
“Don’t be like that, Addy.” But he sits up properly now, swinging his legs off Hailey’s bed and getting to his feet.
Maybe he can tell by my weary and drunk expression that I’m not in the mood right now to deal with that playful nature of his that I usually adore.
He awkwardly steps around Hailey, very careful not to touch her, and gives her a small smile. “Catch you later, Hails.”
Silence falls over the room as Theo heads out the door.
“Addy . . .” Hailey says meekly, like she has something to tell me.
“Don’t want to hear it,” I say, my tone sharper than I intend, as I turn away and hold up a hand to silence her. “Not right now, Hailey. I can’t.”
If I hear her tell me anything about Theo right now, it will send me over the edge of the cliff I’m already balancing so precariously on.
It’s the last thing I need in this moment, so I don’t even allow her the chance to speak.
I simply lock myself in the bathroom and step into the shower, washing away the layers of sun lotion, make-up and glitter.
I can’t even remember what tonight’s plans were meant to be, only that the dress code had the girls in sequins and me in an ivory pantsuit, and I reluctantly get dressed in this pantsuit now because I have nothing but glamorous outfits packed for this weekend.
As much as I’d love to pull on a pair of comfy sweats to spend the evening over in Liam’s room, unfortunately I have none, and I guess there’s the very, very slim chance that after a power nap, Liam will be right as rain again and the evening can go on as planned .
. . So I pull my flat iron through my hair and apply a fresh face of make-up, despite how exhausted I am after a long afternoon of drinking beneath the sun.
“Oh,” Hailey says when I finally emerge from the bathroom. She’s on her bed now, laptop on her lap, and she quickly closes the screen again. “I thought you were going to keep a watch on Liam?”
“I am, but I have no comfy clothes and who knows, he might come around . . .” I mumble, grabbing my purse and spritzing some perfume on my wrists and neck.
“I’ll keep you updated with our plans. You aren’t going to spend the night on your own in this room, right, Hailey?
” I cock a brow at her, because she looks pretty comfy in that bed right now, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she has zero intentions of moving anytime soon.
I bet she’s watching a movie on Netflix on that laptop of hers and planning on ordering room service.
“No, no, of course not,” she reassures me, sitting up. “I’m going to freshen up and then figure out where Evie and Melissa are.”
“I’ll save you a step: Evie has rebelled and run off with that Jameson guy.”
Hailey’s mouth juts open in shock, but she quickly regains composure. “Then I’ll do something fun with Melissa.”
“Or Theo,” I suggest. There’s an edge to my voice, because I’m testing her, and she knows it.
“Or Theo . . .” she agrees quietly, lowering her chin.
Maybe that’s it, then. Maybe that’s confirmation.
How to feel about it, I’m not sure. It’s still something I can’t deal with right now, not tonight, so I just say my goodbyes and leave the room. At this moment in time, Liam is my priority, and I need to get back to him.
The door next to mine abruptly swings open and Melissa clumsily barges through, dragging her luggage with her. “Adelaide!” she exclaims, breathless and frantic, and there is panic flashing in her eyes. Her hair is still wet from the shower.
“Hey, hey, what’s going on?” I ask with concern, reaching out for her hands to steady her.
“Tom—Maisie—She, she . . .” Melissa sucks in large gulps of air between each word. “She has a fever, and he’s taking her to the hospital, and I—”
Instantly, I realize what she’s trying to tell me. She needs to leave Vegas, and she needs to leave right this second. She needs to fly home to be with her family.
“Go, Melissa, go!” I urge, pushing her down the corridor in the direction of the elevator as I squeeze her hands reassuringly. “They need you. It’s okay. Everything will be okay!”
She runs down the corridor, luggage tumbling behind her, and I watch her shrink away with a pang of guilt in my chest. It meant so much to me already that Melissa even made it for this weekend in the first place, because it’s a lot to ask of someone to leave behind their young daughter. This is why.
I take a deep breath. Things are going downhill, fast. Maybe we should all just cut our losses and head home early. There’d be less drama and stress, that’s for sure.
As I head back down to Liam’s floor, I text both Hailey and Evie to update them on Melissa’s departure, and then I knock on the door to Liam and Connor’s room. Of course, it can only be Connor who lets me back in.
“Hi,” I whisper, stepping into the room and eyeballing the bed to check for any signs of life from Liam, but I’m not sure he’s moved even an inch since I left.
“Hi,” Connor whispers back as he clicks the door shut behind us.
He follows me into the dim room, he’s pulled the curtains closed to block out the low evening sun and only has the desk light on.
In the time I’ve been gone, he too has grabbed a shower.
“Liam’s all good. He stirred a couple of times and I’ve made him drink more water, but I don’t think he’ll be throwing up anytime soon. ”
I sit on the edge of the bed by Liam’s side and ruffle my hand through his hair. “Thanks,” I tell Connor, and then angle my body toward him. “Melissa just left for the airport.”
“What? Why?”
“Her daughter has a fever,” I explain, then let my shoulders sink. “This weekend isn’t turning out to be that fun, is it?”
Connor presses his hands to the edge of the desk and leans back.
He’s wearing a pair of black jeans and an oversized T-shirt, and there’s the inviting, lingering scent of fresh cologne in the air.
I wonder if he smells the sweet fragrance of my perfume, too.
“It’s not too late to change that,” he says.
“Remember all those high school parties we all went to back in the day? We’ve seen Liam in a lot worse states than this before, and he was fine then, and he’ll be fine now.
Look at him, Addy. He’s fast asleep.” He pushes himself off the desk and walks toward me, threatening to jolt my heartbeat out of rhythm.
“It’s Saturday night and we’re in Vegas,” he murmurs, reaching for my hand. “Let me take you out for the night.”
“But . . .”
“You need a break,” Connor continues. “A night off from all of your worries. A night to relax, knowing Liam isn’t watching your every move. A night to just . . . be Adelaide.”
My gaze lowers to my hand in his. His fingers brush over my engagement ring, and something about that just feels . . . sinful. “Connor . . .”
“You promised we’d talk tonight,” he says, the reminder gentle. He squeezes my hand a little tighter, trying to urge me to my feet. “This is our chance. Come with me, Addy. Please? Because if you aren’t leaving this room tonight, then neither am I.”
Apprehensively, I bite my lip and take another look over at Liam. He is fast asleep on his stomach, with a stash of water on the bedside table and a trash can nearby . . . “Where will we go?”
“I might have an idea that I know you’ll love,” Connor says with a smile, and this time when he tugs on my hand, I give in and let him pull me up from the bed, “but you have to trust me. Do you?”
Standing there right in front of him, I don’t pull my hand free from his. I look up at him and our eyes are locked together like magnets drawn to each other. It should terrify me, feeling such a pull toward him, but it’s comforting. It feels like protection. “Always, Cons.”