Chapter 19
Good ballplayers make good citizens.
Arap sounded on the door of the hotel room that Camdyn was sharing with her grandpa. Pa had a key, so she knew it wasn’t him. She hurried to open it, because she knew Javi had probably arrived.
“You look exhausted,” she said as she took in his travel-weary appearance.
His clothes were wrinkled, eyes dull, and a dark scruff covered his face.
She leaned up to kiss him. It was a brief, but comforting touch.
She hated that he’d had such a long night hopping planes from Phoenix to Dallas to Orlando to Miami, but it had been the only way to get him here by this morning without booking a costly private flight.
And he was already paying for one of those today.
“Where’s your grandpa?” inquired Javi as he dragged himself into the room.
“I left him downstairs reading the paper after breakfast. You didn’t see him when you came in?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I didn’t notice much. I don’t think I even looked towards the cafe. I saw the elevators and came straight up to the room you’d texted me.”
“Your suitcase and garment bag are in the closet. Why don’t you shower and change and I’ll run down and order you some breakfast,” she offered.
“Thank you for bringing my bags with you. I probably would have missed my first flight if I’d had them.”
“You’re welcome,” she said as she leaned up to peck his cheek again. “You should probably shave, too. We need to be at the executive airport soon. Your flight is scheduled for nine thirty.”
“Okay,” he replied as he opened the closet. “Don’t order me much. Nothing heavy; maybe some fruit. All I really want is a good Café Cubano. I’d kill for a good Cubano.”
“I’ll get you one,” she said as she left the room. If the restaurant near the lobby didn’t have one, she’d use an app to have one delivered.
Downstairs, she joined her grandpa. “He’s here. He’s getting showered and changed now. Should be down in a few minutes.”
“Good. We’ll need to leave soon,” Pa replied while turning the page of the paper. Her grandpa loved newspapers. He’d been heartbroken when The Oasis Tribune had finally shuttered. It had just been too hard for the tiny press to survive in a small town during the digital age.
Their server passed by and Camdyn ordered for Javi.
By the time he came down, the waitress was returning with a cup of fruit and his espresso.