Chapter 2 #2
“Nothing looks bad on you, Daisy.” See? This is why. This is why my stomach does little somersaults and my heart drops. Why does he have to say sweet things like this, with his husky tone and his glazy, dark chocolate eyes?
“Then why are you acting like this?” Mateo doesn’t have a chance to answer, because the front desk agent interrupts our conversation.
“Here you go. Your key to your room, Mr. and Mrs. Sanz.” I practically choke on my spit.
“She’s not—”
“We’re not—” we both say in unison.
I shake my head and smile. “Go ahead.”
“We’re not married, and it should be two rooms,” Mateo adds.
She clicks the keys on her computer, and with concern on her face, she says, “I’m sorry, it says there is one room for Mateo Sanz with two adults in the room…
” She continues talking, but her voice becomes a muffled sound.
I have zero issues spending time with Mateo, but in the same room?
There’s no need to freak out, though; he’ll fix it.
“Not a problem. Can I just pay for an additional room?” he asks.
“I can pay too.” That earns me a narrow-eyed stare from Mateo. He’s the easiest going person I know, but some things, he won’t let go. Me paying for things is one of them. He never lets me, no matter how hard I try.
“I am so sorry, but we are fully booked. I only have this room available. I apologize for the inconvenience. I can check with our sister resort, if you’d like.
” The Splendor Resorts have more than one property in their chain, but this one, The Caribbean Splendor Resort, has the most perks.
According to Mateo, that is, because I was just along for the ride and didn’t read anything beyond it.
He looks at me with questions behind his dark brown eyes. “It’s up to you, Daisy. I’ll happily move to another location if that’s what you want.”
What I want? It shouldn’t matter what I want. It should be about what’s best for us. And staying in the same room should not be what’s best.
“Mateo, you made it,” a voice I would recognize anywhere says from behind us. We both turn to see his mom, Ada, walking toward us. She got here a few days ago, so where we look like traveling bums—at least I do—she looks refreshed, relaxed, and completely shocked to see me. Oh shit.
“Daisy?” she asks as soon as she kisses Mateo on the cheek.
She often offers me the same greeting, but she doesn’t this time.
She’s really thrown off by this. Greeeeeat.
When Mateo said he wouldn’t tell his mom who his plus one was, I thought it was a good idea.
A lot of things seemed like a good idea four months ago. Not so much anymore.
“Hi, Mrs. Sanz. Good to see you.”
“Likewise, sweetheart. Where are my manners?” She closes the space between us, kissing my cheek and smiling with a puzzled look.
“Mateo, I thought you said your girlfriend was coming.”
“Mm-hmm. She did.” He steps closer to me, his spicy, clean masculine scent wrapping around me as his large hand touches my lower back.
I feel tiny next to him, and I love it. Considering that I’m five foot ten, it’s rare that a man makes me feel small.
Mateo, at well over six feet, does, and I love it.
It makes me feel protected, always has, since the day he almost punched little Teddy in the face for calling me a boy on the bus.
I didn’t take offense to it, but Mateo did.
He reminded that little punk that girls could play sports too, and if he tried to make fun of me again, he was going to show him.
Little Teddy never bothered me again, and I’m pretty sure that’s the day my self-esteem got the boost it needed.
It allowed me to always be myself without worrying about what other people might think, because at least Mateo, one of the most important people in my life, had my back.
I smile at Ada with a nod. Her dark chocolate eyes, the ones that mirror Mateo’s, travel between us, searching for the lie or the joke or something, but we stand our ground. Deep breaths, Daisy, deep breaths.
“You’re dating Daisy?” she asks incredulously.
Ouch. She, of course, likes me as a person, maybe as another daughter, but clearly not enough to be the perfect partner for her precious son.
She’s so harsh in her opinions of her kids’ lives.
Last Christmas, it was a whole thing with Livie.
Ada made mean comments about Livie’s weight in front of her now husband.
Is she thinking the same about me? That I am somehow not good enough for Mateo because I’m thick? Because I’m me?
“I am, Mom. I didn’t want to jinx anything, so I didn’t tell you who it was. Yes, Daisy and I are finally giving this a chance. Aren’t we, baby?” He places a soft kiss on the top of my head. A kiss that reaches all the way to my toes along with the goosebumps awakening my senses.
Oh damn. If I can’t get my life together with one simple kiss on the head and a baby, what am I going to do if I have to kiss this man in front of people? On the lips? What if I have to kiss this man on the lips? Oh my God.
“Daze?” he asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Sorry, sorry. Yes, baby. We are. Sorry we didn’t tell you.” I don’t dare to drop my gaze. I adore her, yes, but she won’t make me feel any certain way about myself just because she doesn’t approve. “But it’s been…well, we’re trying to figure this out first,” I add.
“Oh, well, that’s good.” She holds my hands, fake-smiling at me. I can tell when it’s genuine and when it’s not. “I’m glad it’s you then.”
“I am so sorry to interrupt, but I need to know if you’d like me to call the other property.” Oh shit, the room.
“Nope, no need. Here, I’ll take the keys.” I all but snatch the keys from the desk and smile at her.
“Thank you for all your help. Come on, baby. We have a busy day ahead,” I say, holding Mateo’s hand and pulling him away from the desk.
“We’ll see you later, Mom.”
“Adios, Mateo. See you later. There’s a celebration at three by the pool. Don’t forget.”
“How could I? I’ll be there.” He stops and tucks me in his arms. “We’ll be there,” he adds. Mateo laces his fingers with mine, leading the way to our room.
We walk in silence, probably both pondering what just happened. Trial by fire, that’s what. We need to lay some ground rules ASAP, or we won’t make it unscathed.
The stone pathway is lined with birds of paradise, hibiscus, and some other plants I don’t recognize, meandering between the beautiful terracotta and beige buildings.
The place is stunning. The scent of salt drifts in from the ocean, carried on a lazy breeze kissing my cheeks.
We’re far from where we started, but Mateo still doesn’t drop my hand.
We turn onto a quiet path until we make it to the dark wood door with the number 1108 on it. Mateo slides the card in, the green light flashes, and he swings it open, allowing me to walk in.
Aaaand fuck my whole life. I drop his hand immediately at the sight. As if sleeping in the same room as this man wasn’t enough, there’s only one bed.
One bed.
One very large, very white, very smug-looking bed.
Smug looking? Beds surely don’t have feelings, but it one hundred percent looks smug right now.
Right here, centered in the middle of the room like it knows it’s about to cause trouble.
Not even a ‘two twins shoved together’ situation, or two queens.
Nah, this is an unapologetic king, dressed in crisp sheets and an aggressive number of decorative pillows.
Taunting. Secretly wishing for our demise. One fucking bed.
I must be losing it. I’m having a whole ass conversation about a bed in my head. Oh shit, Mateo.
“Uh…this is…not what I—” My brain short-circuits, probably because I’m suddenly very aware of Mateo standing right behind me, his hand brushing my hip as he leans in to look.
“Looks like a suite. Maybe they thought we were newlyweds. She did call us Mr. and Mrs.” I freeze at his words. I don’t say anything. I just stand and gawk. I’m going to be sick.
“What a romantic getaway, I guess,” Mateo adds.
I spin around, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “We are not doing the romantic getaway joke. There’s nobody here to pretend in front of, Teo. What are we gonna do?”
Mateo steps further inside, tossing his backpack into the corner of the room. “Daze, it’s fine. I’ll ask for a cot or something.”
“Mateo you’re a giant. You won’t fit in a cot, and I’m too heavy for one. I’ll break it.”
“You’re not too heavy,” he breathes.
“For a cot, I sure am. You won’t fit in one, and neither will I.” I blink at him. “I’m calling the desk. There has to be another room.”
“Then I’ll make a bed with the pillows. It truly is not a big deal, Daisy. Take the bed. I’ll be fine.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’ll be fine? Oh, sure. You, six-foot-three, all limbs and smugness, curled up on a decorative pillow pile like a princess’ pet. Sounds perfectly comfortable.”
“Five.”
“What?” My hands land on my hips, exasperated by his chillness. Why is he so calm? Why is he always so calm? Nothing bothers him. Nothing phases him. He’s always so put together—unlike me, with a complete storm inside my thoughts.
“I’m six-foot-five, not three.” Mateo smirks, leaning on the wall like he’s a comedian and it’s a prop in his stand-up set. “You’re picturing it now, aren’t you?”
“Picturing what?” I ask, annoyed.
“Me trying to sleep on top of a bunch of pillows.” He chuckles.
Unfortunately, I am.
Unfortunately, he’s shirtless in that mental image for no reason.
I shake my head, trying to physically fling the thought out of my head. “Nope. Not doing this. I’m going to call the desk, and you’re going to—” I point toward the balcony like I’m banishing him to sea, “go look at the ocean or something.”
“She already said there wasn’t another room. It’s fine. I promise. It’s not like we’ve never shared a bed before.”
He’s not wrong. We have. However, it was when we were tiny children, not full grown adults. It was back when the biggest conundrum was whether we would catch fireflies or gnats, not whether I’ll be able to breathe sleeping next to the best friend I’m in love with.
“It’s not the same,” I whisper.
“Why?” He squares his shoulders and lifts an eyebrow, challenging my comment. I wiggle my toes and press my fingertips against each other nervously.
“We were children the last time we shared a bed.”
“And, what? Now I’m the big bad wolf and you’re afraid?”
“No, it’s not that,” I counter quickly. “I don’t know. I’m just nervous, I guess, about the whole thing.”
Mateo’s expression softens as he walks up to me. He holds my hands and smiles. “Why are you nervous, Daisy? It’s me. It’s just me. It’s us, just with an added layer. But if this is too much, we don’t have to go through with it. It’ll be fine.”
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
None of this is fine.
I search his eyes for a clue he’s lying or upset, but I should know better.
I should know that he wouldn’t be upset at me for backing out now.
He wouldn’t, but I would. I can’t do this to him.
Not after we’re here and we already lied to his mom.
I should’ve thought more about this before I jumped to the let’s pretend to date each other game.
I should’ve thought about the consequences and what we would tell his parents after this trip is over. Now, it’s too late.
One thing’s for sure though: whatever this is and whatever happens this weekend won’t affect our friendship. We’re more than that. If I’ve been able to hide my feelings for him all this time, I sure as hell can hide them during the trip.
“You’re right. I have nothing to fear. It’ll be fine. But don’t be silly. You don’t have to sleep on the floor. We’re both adults, right?”
“Right,” he answers quickly. Exactly. He doesn’t look at me that way, so one bed is not as big a deal for him as it is for me.
“We’ll put pillows in between us. At least the bed has a bazillion of them.”
A knock rattles the door, and I spring back like I’ve been caught stealing cookies or something.
Perfect timing. I smooth my hair, march over, and swing the door open.
The bellman stands there, cheery and oblivious, a stack of our bags in tow.
I step aside with exaggerated relief, allowing him in like he’s a one-man cavalry sent to rescue me from the quicksand.
Saved by the bell. Literally.