Page 59 of Sweeter than Honey
Amara takes another sip of her wine, then spots Xia, who comes to join us at the bar.
“Hi, Amara, Lily,” she says. She seems a little distracted, which is odd for her.
“Hey, Xia,” Amara says, pouring Xia a shot of whiskey. “Is everything ok?”
“It’s so bizarre,” Xia says, taking a seat beside me on a barstool. She shakes her head, then takes the shot of whiskey from Amara and downs it in one go. “The past few weeks, I’ve been having the wildest dreams. I just had one last night.”
“Really?” I ask. “Like, going to work without wearing pants? Or flying?”
“Well, I can fly in real life,” Xia says with a cocky smile. But then she gets serious again. “No, no, it’s not like normal dreams.” She gives Amara a look.
“Oh.” Amara frowns. “It’s like…?”
“Exactly,” Xia confirms.
“It’s like what?” I ask. “A witch thing?”
“Yeah,” she sighs. “They’re intense dreams, like the kind of nightmares I got after I left my coven. I can’t help but feel like they’re telling me something, but I have no idea what.”
“What happens in the nightmares?” Amara asks.
“It’s just red eyes, following me everywhere. But I’m inside the hotel. I thought maybe it’s because of the attacks on Elmwood, but it only started recently.”
“That’s not a good sign.” Amara bites her lip. “Maybe you should tell Celine about it.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll go up to the office. They should be rising in a little while.”
“I’ll go up with you,” I tell her. “Thanks for the advice, Amara!”
Amara waves at us both, and we head upstairs to the office floor.
Chapter 21: The rock star's jacuzzi
Lily
The receptionist waves me over as soon as I get to the office floor.
“Good evening,” I tell her. “What is it?”
“Good news, Lily,” she replies. “The contractor says they finished installing the jacuzzi in the rock star suite. Two days ahead of schedule.”
“That’s great!” I grin. Renata will be happy, especially with so many things falling behind nowadays. “I’ll tell Ms. Espina as soon as she’s awake.”
The receptionist bends her head toward me, and whispers, “Is it true that it’s the largest model in the country? Someone told me it was twenty thousand dollars.” She chuckles. “But that’s impossible, right?”
I lean in. “The largest in the world, actually. It cost thirty-five grand, with the installation.”
She gasps. “That’s more than my car!”
“I know.” I shake my head. “I guess if you’ve got all that money, you’ve got to spend it.”
“I saw her, when she was touring last,” the receptionist sighs, a faraway look in her eyes at the memory. “I’ve never seen a show like that! They say she made two million on her last tour alone. Can you imagine?”
“It’s amazing,” I agree. Then I catch a glimpse of the clock on the wall behind her. I must have spent more time than I realized at theclub. “Oh! I should get to work. Renata will be awake soon.”
The receptionist nods and goes back to her computer. I find my way to my desk and slip easily into my workday.
It’s music to my ears when I hear the sharp click of Renata’s heels on the hallway floor. She gives me a smile as she approaches my desk. Today she wears slim tuxedo pants and a long vest with nothing underneath. Her bare arms are toned and her silhouette gives her a powerful appearance. It’s impossible not to swoon in her presence. I’ve given up trying to still my quickly beating heart when she’s around. It’s nice to know she can sense my excitement.