Secrets & Lies

18| Two Points

"One room, please." I sat my credit card down on the counter. Actually, I pretty much threw it. 

The concierge smiled awkwardly as she took the card and started the process of reserving my room. I ran my hand through my hair while I waited impatiently for her to finish. During the drive here, I couldn't stop trying to figure out when my life went to shit. Was it when my father sent me to that camp? Was it when I kissed Logan in the club that night? Perhaps it was when I asked him to stay at my place the night of my twenty-third birthday. The night we first had sex. 

I didn't know which of those caused me to be here. Again. I was standing in another fucking hotel lobby, checking into another fucking room, by my-mother-fucking-self.

After the not so good visit by Logan's lakehouse, I started the long drive home. Once I finally got there, I had no idea what was waiting for me.

I dragged my feet through the dark hallway after I set my keys on the little table by the front door. Fuck I was exhausted. Mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted.

I knew what I was getting myself into when I showed up at the lakehouse, but I still thought it was worth it. I got to see him—kiss him—one last time. I just needed to sleep for a goddamn week now.

"You're back."

Fuuuuuuck. I knew that voice. Of course, I knew that voice. It was just my luck that she had come home early. 

"Vanessa...you're home. You didn't call me."

She reached for the wine glass in front of her, and that's when I also noticed the empty bottle next to it on the table. She sipped the merlot then held the glass in her hand. "I wanted to surprise you."

I let go of my duffle bag and it fell to the floor with a thud. "It's good to see you.""

I walked towards her with the intention of giving her a hug and a kiss. She caught me off-guard when she held her hand up to stop me.

"Something wrong?" I asked. My gut told me what the problem was, but my brain refused to believe it.

"Yeah, actually." She poured the last of the wine in her glass. "I came home early to surprise. Funny that I was the one who was surprised."

I stood there quiet and motionless while I waited for her to continue.

"So, I got home yesterday and was looking up recipes so we can have a nice dinner together." She held my stare. "Then Max called me to see how you were feeling. He said that you told him you were going to be out of work for a week because you were ill." She gestured her hand up and down the length of my body. "Well, I'm no doctor, but you don't look sick."

I cleared my throat. "What did you say to him?"

She sucked her teeth and shook her head. Leaning back in the chair, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't worry," she sneered, "your job is safe. I told him that you were still sick but you should be feeling better soon."