Page 105 of Beautiful Secrets

“Tell you what. This lady needs to use a bathroom, and we’d both like a cup of something hot. Can you manage that?”

“Condiments are only for guests.” The man reaches over the counter and taps the sign. “And you ain’t checked in.”

“And I’m guessing that includes refreshments,” Cole mutters before raising his voice. “Then we’ll take a room.”

“But you won’t be staying?” The old man looks Cole over suspiciously.

“Aye. Just waiting out the worst.”

“Credit card.”

Cole hands it over with a faint smile tossed in my direction. I don’t respond—I’m having to press my thighs together to keep my bladder from emptying itself right here on this dingy carpet.

As if he can see my distress, Cole sticks out a hand. “Key.”

The old man hesitates, and then rummages around in a tin until he pulls out a key with a grimy plastic keyring with the word “BLUE” on it.

Cole gives it to me and mutters, “Good luck,” before pointing me in the direction of the stairs.

I hurry up them as fast as I trust myself to go.

The BLUE room is the second door on the right. I am expecting something similar to the reception area below—a stained carpet, grimy wallpaper, a musty smell…

But the room is clean. The beige carpets look, if not new, then at least much newer than the one downstairs. There is a cozy double bed against one wall with a blue-and-green quilt. Thick blue curtains. A beautifully carved vanity table.

I am only interested in the bathroom though. I sigh in relief as I use the toilet. Is my bladder ever going to return to normal?

When I go to wash my hands, my reflection in the mirror above the basin shows a grumpy expression, messed up hair, and a few damp patches on my shirt.

It would have been much worse if Cole hadn’t kept me dry.

Such a gentleman.

I push away the grim thought and head out of the room, locking the door behind me.

When I go downstairs, the reception room is empty. Even the old man’s tea and his worn book are gone.

I look at the front door of the bed and breakfast. Is it unlocked? But even if it is—

“Wouldn’t recommend hitchhiking in this weather,” Cole says right into my ear, making me flinch in surprise. “Only weirdos out there.”

38

Cole

Mika follows me to the small dining room adjacent to the reception. There’s a fireplace in here—lit and everything—and the old man even put out a tray of tea and biscuits for us.

Least he could do, seeing as he charged me for a full night’s stay already.

The old man disappeared down the hall after putting down the tea tray, muttering something about how he’s never going to get a moment of peace with his book today.

Makes me wonder why the fuck he opened a bed-and-breakfast in the first place.

I catch myself pulling out a chair for Mika, and freeze. There’s this moment where we both just look at each other, and I have no idea who’s more surprised—her or me.

“Oh,” she says primly before perching on the edge of the chair. “Such big gentleman.”

I bend down, my lips tickling her ear when I say, “Think I won’t put you over my knee one last time? Try me.”