Templeton Manor Book 2 of The Reflections Trilogy

CHAPTER 6. CONFLICTED

I grab on to Tiffany's arm to steady myself just as the elevator is stopping on my floor. We hug each other goodnight, and I say goodnight to John and Adrianna.

As I'm walking down the hall to my room, everything starts spinning. I'm drunk off my ass and I can't even walk straight. I'm stumbling around like I just stepped inside a funhouse full of mirrors and the floor is moving. I'm bouncing off the occasional wall, trying my best to keep my balance so I don't fall down.

I finally stop after a not-so-fun game of human pinball and look down at my feet. In my drunken stupor, I decide it's my shoes that are causing me to walk like this and not the insane amount of alcohol I just consumed, so I kick them off, one by one.

After bouncing off the wall a few more times, I realize, nope, I'm just severely intoxicated and decide I'd better just take it slow so I can make it to my room.

As I pass by an older woman knocking on a door, I smile and ask if she needs any help. She shakes her head no and returns to knocking. I find it odd that she's dressed in a big southern gown, but as strange as this place has been so far, I quickly dismiss it and continue on to my room. A few bruises and scrapes later, and with a shoe in each hand, I finally arrive at my door.

As I start digging through my purse trying to find my keys, I start remembering bits and pieces of the exciting night I just spent with Jace and a huge smile spreads across my face. I fumble around with my keys to get the door unlocked and right as I step inside; I have a flashback of me and Jace dancing together and I'm instantly overwhelmed with a rage of emotions that are flooding through me which I'm not at all prepared for. I lean my back against the door and slide all the way down to the floor and sit here thinking about Jace.

"Oh shit! I can't even remember everything that happened tonight."

"Oh no, I never called Adam back, either. He's probably worried about me. What the hell am I even doing?"

I grab my phone out of my purse and realize it's still turned off. I sigh and rack my brain, desperate to come up with something to tell him so he doesn't get pissed at me.

I push call and then notice what time it is and then quickly hang up.

"It's 3:03? Holy shit! I didn't realize it was that late!"

I no more set my phone down and start to get undressed and my phone rings. My nerves are instantly shaken and I'm panic stricken as I look down and see that it's Adam calling me back. I suddenly have no idea what to say to him. After several rings, I force myself to pick it up.

"Hello."

"Hi babe. I'm glad you finally picked up. Where have you been all night?"

"Oh hey, Adam. Yeah. I know. Things got crazy around here. Tiffany and I had a full day of training and we had to entertain Aunt Rose's special guests that are here from the UK."

"Anything you want to tell me?"

"Umm, Adam, I don't know what you mean."

"Well, first of all I can tell from your slurred speech, you're drunk and second, my security team said you left with an entourage right after dinner and just got back. So my question is, is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Adam, I'm not sure what you're asking me. Yes, I'm a little tipsy and yes, we left shortly after dinner. We did just get back but this is my new job like it or not and we were out entertaining her special guests, like I said. Yes, I had too much to drink, but it's not like I was doing anything wrong. This is part of my job now."

"So let me get this straight, wining and dining special guests outside the hotel is part of your job now?"

"Adam, I don't care for the way you're questioning me like I'm some kind of criminal in an interrogation room. I didn't do anything wrong and this third degree shit is starting to really piss me off!"