Sugar Babe [Completed]

Chapter Ten: Double Chances

Everything was bright.

Beyond bright, actually. I cracked an eye open, letting myself be blinded by a direct ray of sunshine. I heard the sound of running water as I sat upright.

What the hell?

I realized with dread that I was not where I was supposed to be at the moment.

Motherfucker.

Joshua had let me sleep in a pool chair beside the hotel pool. But he hadn't stopped there. I looked down at my body and realized that I was in nothing but my underwear and bra. The asshole had left me here naked!

My eyes locked with a little boy who was waddling in the pool. He had his floaties on and was staring at me wide eyed. Looking around for his mother, I spotted her towards the opposite side, lounging on a lawn chair similar to mine.

She was talking on the phone in a hot pink bikini, clearly not paying attention to her son. My head snapped back towards the boy, all the while I was in shock.

Oh, I would get Joshua back for this.

The boy with large blue eyes nodded his head upwards while he floated in the water. At first I thought maybe it was a swimming technique.

But when I shifted my eyes towards the direction his head was bobbing at, I finally got the message.

Joshua, Johnny, Gola, and Amanda all stood inside behind the window. They stared at me with mixed expressions ranging from pity to amusement. Joshua decided to wave at me when my eyes locked with his.

Before Paris, I would have probably thrown a rage tantrum or worse, cried. Yet, I was getting used to these little pranks Joshua was playing on me. If he thought they were going to work, then he was dead wrong.

I made myself feel calm and with an easy smile, waved back. In two steps, I had already stood up and began my way into the hotel. I would not let him faze me. I even gave a wave to the little boy who was still looking at me with wide eyes. I saw him wave back with a shy smile before I cast my eyes down.

I could get through this.

I didn't let myself feel a trace of embarrassment as I walked into the lobby and onto the elevator in my undergarments. Hell, I didn't even flinch when one of the ladies from last night waved at me and said,

"Congratulations on the honeymoon!"

I did almost shudder when she started to wink at me, as if I didn't get the none too subtle double meaning she was getting at.

But, no.

I stayed strong and endured the entire trip to my room with a placid smile on my face.

My confidence started to crack when I realized that I didn't have my hotel key on me. The problem was that I didn't think I could go all the way back into the lobby and have someone see me in my current state.

Hope was restored when I spotted a maids cart at the end of the hall.

She wouldn't mind if I used one of the cards to get to my own room right?

I began to tiptoe towards my only chance at dignity with quite steady speed. As I got closer I could hear a woman's humming. Too bad she was no Mariah Carey, but I could tell that she thought she was.

Her screeching continued as I reached my hand towards the master card to all of the rooms.

Come to Mama

I held the card up for inspection, just to make sure that it would work for the purpose that I was stealing it for.

Whoops. Did I say stealing? I meant borrowing.