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“Oh, it’s fine, I’ll just wait here until you can show me—”

Francine appeared at the door and glared at her. When Morgan still didn’t move, she grabbed Morgan by the elbow and dragged her inside.

“This is your room too.” She smiled at Nadia’s confused look, before lowering her voice. “If we need the rumour of you sleeping together, you need to actually be in here with her.”

Morgan’s eyes went wide, and she hissed back, “I didn’t realise we’d actually have to sleep together.”

“Because that would be such a hardship, right?” Francine threw at her.

She couldn’t answer that, so she turned her attention back to Nadia, who was speaking again.

“As you can see, the room has everything you need, but please, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll leave you to settle in. Room service will bring some champagne, yes? On the house.” Nadia glided across the room, closing the doors behind her as she left them to it.

“What do you mean, this is my room?” Morgan demanded to know. The deal had been to provide a room, food, and anything else she needed. They hadn’t discussed sharing a bed. There was no way that could happen. Just being around Alex was having too much of an effect. She couldn’t imagine how that would ramp up if they were in the same bed.

Alex turned quickly, just as agitated. “I thought you’d already explained everything to Morgan.”

“I did. I sent an email this morning giving details.” Francine huffed and threw her hands up in the air.

“This morning?” Morgan asked. “This morning when I was a tad busy getting ready. And how is it that only this morning I’m hearing about this? Shouldn’t sharing a bed have been something we talked about?”

“For god’s sake. You have your own room, your own bed,” Francine insisted, moving across the room to another door that Morgan hadn’t noticed till now. She flung it open, revealing a bedroom. “But to the outside world, if anyone asked who you were, then hotel gossip would only be able to say that you’re sharing a suite. If people put two and two together and come up with fifty-three, so be it.” Her face lit up with a satisfied smile.

“Morgan, if this isn’t something you want, we can organise another room. Or you can stay here, and I’ll move,” Alex offered, removing her jacket and hanging it over the back of a chair.

“The hell you will,” Francine said with a raised brow and a firm stare in Alexandra’s direction. “This is the deal, the back-up plan, and it needs to be in place.”

Looking around the room, Morgan considered things. Was it really that awful to have to sleep in this fancy suite? There was a piano for god's sake, and Nadia was right, the views across the hills was spectacular. And she had her own room, and bed, and champagne was coming.

“It’s fine. I’ll…we’ll be fine. I was just caught unawares, that’s all, and I’d appreciate updates when things change so dramatically.”

“Great.” Francine grinned like a cat that got the cream and ignored the update part of it. Saved by the quick rap of knuckles on the door. “Come in.”

The door opened and a luggage trolley entered, being pushed by a young man. “Which room would you like me to leave it?”

“Um—” Morgan looked to Alex, who in turn turned to Francine.

“I gotta do everything round here, huh?”

Chapter Sixteen

With the porter gone, Morgan dragged her case back from Alex’s room and into her own. It was impressive. The large bed that took up the space looked comfortable, and there were a lot of pillows, something she always complained about at cheaper hotels. Pillows made up for the lack of another person sleeping beside her. Pillows where huggable.

Laura Ashley walls and matching bedding made it feel more homely than a hotel room. Just inside the doorway was a space to put her case next to the wardrobe.

Unzipping the case, she laid it flat on the floor and began the process of hanging what needed to hang and refolding what needed a drawer. Everything else she placed onto the small desk, except for her wash stuff that went straight into her very own bathroom.

When she was finished, she sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. Maybe she should have brought more books to read. Glancing around quickly she noted the small TV. If she got really bored, that would come in handy.

The sound of a piano playing filtered into her thoughts, and she stood up, hovering at the door, deciding whether she would be welcomed to listen to Alex playing. But then she supposed that if she were expected to share this suite, then Alex would expect her to move around as much as she wanted to, so she opened the door.

Standing in the doorway, Morgan watched Alex. Shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her fingers gliding across the keys playing some kind of sad lament that evoked emotions. Her eyes were closed, body moving in rhythm. It was fascinating.

“She does that a lot,” Francine said, noticing Morgan. “Just starts playing and disappears somewhere the rest of us aren’t allowed to go.”

“It’s magical,” Morgan said in awe.

“Yeah, it is.” Her palm flattened against Morgan’s arm. “Enjoy it, I’ll be downstairs organising lunch. You eat everything, right?”