Page 124 of Slumming It

"That depends," he said. "Do you want to?"

"Definitely."

He paused and put on a serious face, as if pretending to think. But then, finally, he grinned. "Deal."

Soon, I was grinning back. For a day that had started on a definite downer, it was seriously looking up.

And now I couldn’t wait to tell Vivian.

It was such a happy thought. But later, when I told her the good news, she didn't act like it was good at all.

In fact, she acted like it was just the opposite.

Chapter 47

Emily

From behind the hotel's front desk, Vivian looked at me like I was crazy. "I can't just pick up and leave."

"Sure you can," I said. "We've got it all worked out."

She still didn't look happy. "Who? You and Reese Murdock?"

"Well,himmostly. But I still think it's a great opportunity. And I haven't even told you the best part." I could hardly contain my excitement as I announced with a happy little squeal, "You'll be staying at the Sentry Tower!"

She just looked at me.

I tried again. "For free!"

Her expression didn't change. "And what about the hotel?"

"You meanourhotel?"

She frowned. "Do we own a different one?"

"Technically, we don't even own this one," I reminded her. "We're just renting for now."

"We're not 'just renting,'" she said. "We'rebuying. What do you think that deposit is for?"

It had been barely an hour since Reese had made that surprising offer, and I'd asked him to drive me straight back to Vivian so I could share the happy news. I'd even resisted spending any more time with him tonight so I could help my sister get packed and ready to go.

But from the look on her face now, she wouldn't be going anywhere. She looked almost ready to cry – and not from happiness. Her voice trembled as she asked, "You do remember the deposit, right?"

Like I could forget.Just last month, Vivian and I had scraped together every penny we had to come up with that partial downpayment. We'd even given up our shared apartment and moved back to the family homestead to save up for the rest of it.

When I considered everything that both of us had given up, including my bank-teller job, I couldn't help but wonder if it was worth it. But it was too late to turn back now.

"Of course I remember," I said. "But the hotel will be in really good hands. Plus, I've got that two-thousand dollars from Reese." I gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll have the rest of the deposit in no time."

But Vivian still wasn't smiling. "And you don't find that suspicious?"

"Which part?"

"Well, for starters…that he just gave you two-thousand dollars?"

This wasn't the first time she'd said such a thing, and it was already becoming a sore subject – one that seemed smarter to avoid. "Fine. Forget the two-thousand. About the hotel, I already told you, they're sending someone else to manage it – someone with lots of experience. It'll be great."

"But what about our current guests?"