Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“It’s all right,” she told him. Although had he really just threatened her? How did she feel about that? And what would he do if she didn’t call? Or if she wasn’t up and ready in the morning?
“I just really want to sleep now.”
“See you in the morning. Lock the door behind me.”
“Looking forward to it.” After closing and locking the door, she sank to the floor. “What was that, Horse?”
He came over and sat on her lap, making her groan. For some reason, he seemed to think he was a lap dog. And even though he was basically skin and bone, he wasn’t that light.
She hugged him tight, resting her head on his. At least he smelled good now. Maybe it was crazy to trust a dog that she’d picked up off the side of the road. Actually, it was definitely crazy. But she felt some kinship with him.
“Why did I say, ‘looking forward to it’?” she asked with a groan. “What an idiot.”
Horse let out a small woof.
“Okay, I think we should be quiet now. It’s late and I need some sleep and to not get kicked out of this hotel. Let’s go to bed.” She stood and turned to eye the door.
Surely he wouldn’t have another key card?
No. She had two.
Although that didn’t mean that he couldn’t get another one.
Sighing, she shook her head. She didn’t have the energy to worry about that right now. If he wanted in, he’d find a way. She just had to put faith in her instincts that said he wouldn’t harm her.
Morning was coming up quick.
And she would need her wits to get through this breakfast date.
7
The next morning, she sat in her room and waited.
And waited.
There was no knock on the door.
She paced and then decided after twenty minutes of waiting that she’d go knock on their door.
They’d probably slept in.
Relief filled her as she realized that had to be what had happened.
Grabbing the rope they’d used as a lead last night, she tied it loosely around Horse’s collar. Unfortunately, there was no identification on his collar. Either he’d never had a tag or it had fallen off.
Hopefully, he was microchipped.
Then she knocked on the door next to her. Nothing. She knocked again.
Hmm. Well, she supposed they could be deep sleepers. Grabbing her phone out, she rang them. First Eli. Then Kellan.
Both went to their voicemail immediately.
“Unless we were meant to meet them downstairs, Horse,” she said.
Urgh. Maybe that was it.
“Sorry, you’re going to have to stay in the room, buddy.” She’d already taken him out for a toilet break. She took him back to her room and undid the rope before heading to the door. As soon as she stepped out of the room, he started to cry.
Oh shoot.
That was so loud.
She rushed back into the room to find him sitting right on the other side of the door, looking up at her sadly.
“Horse, you can’t make that much noise. You’re going to get us into trouble.”
Darn it.
Those puppy dog eyes were so potent.
“All right. I don’t think they’ll want you in the dining room but I guess we can just go down and see if Eli and Kellan are there. If they’re not, then, well, I don’t know . . .”
Then they would have stood her up.
Despite Kellan telling her to be there or else.
She shook off the feeling of abandonment. She didn’t even know these guys.
Besides, perhaps this had all been a big miscommunication.
But after checking the dining room from the entrance, discovering that their car was gone, and then finally asking at the desk if they’d left a message for her . . . she realized they really had left.
They’d stood her up.
Those. Bastards.
Arabella headed back up to her room, trying to pretend that she wasn’t hurt.
That she hadn’t been looking forward to having breakfast with them.
This was a good thing.
She couldn’t rely on anyone else to help her. She should know that by now. People just tended to let her down.
Well, except for Pop-Pop. Who she needed to contact to let them know she was all right. She’d briefly messaged Pop-Pop last night to let him know she’d made it okay.
Of course, she’d left out the part where she was stranded in her car.
No need for him to worry.
She was doing enough of that for the both of them.
After sending him another message and Wilma one too, she sat for a moment and thought about everything she had to do.
First things first, was see if she could stay in this room a bit longer. And then she’d have to find somewhere to live that allowed a dog.
Not that Horse will be staying with you permanently. He probably has his own home.
Right. She had to remember that.
And not feel abandoned just because he might one day leave her.