Page 52 of You Chive Me Crazy

Rolando stepped closer to him, which was quite humorous since the top of his head barely reached Damian’s chest. “I didn’t want to miss out on all the fun. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

Rolando’s confidence more than made up for his diminutive size.

“What if I do?” Damian asked, posturing like some macho man wannabe.

Savannah smacked Damian on the arm again. “Are you stupid? Rolando is a third-degree black belt in karate and could flatten you with his index finger.”

Damian seemed to contemplate his next move, eyeing Rolando up and down, like that was supposed to help him determine if Savannah was telling the truth or not. She definitely was.

“I don’t have time to deal with this. I’m going to my room,” Damian finally said, going inside.

I stifled a laugh and reached out to hug my best friend. “You’re crazy. I can’t believe you’re here. Where are you going to sleep? There are no rooms available in the entire city, remember? I got the last one.”

“Correction,Igot the last one,” he said. “I’m staying here.”

“No way!” I shook my head in amusement. “You made my day. Seriously.”

Savannah stepped closer and hugged Rolando. “It’s so good to see you. It’s been way too long.”

“I agree,” he said. “You. Look. Amazing.”

“I was just about to say the same thing about you,” she said.

Betsy came back outside, with Marty right behind her. “You must be Rolando! Welcome to the Serendipity Inn. I’m Betsy, and this is my husband, Marty.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” Rolando said. “Were you able to keep my arrival a secret from Lucas?”

“Oof.” Betsy pretended to wipe sweat off her forehead. “It wasn’t easy, let me tell you. He wanted to book the room for you as soon as he found out it became available.” Betsy rubbed the side of my arm. “The poor thing looked heartbroken when I told him someone else had already reserved it.”

Rolando turned to me and smirked. “Awww, did you want me here that bad, pookie?”

I shook my head, slightly amused. “I wasn’t heartbroken. I was slightly disappointed. I could have gone either way on the matter.”

“Fine,” Rolando said. “I guess I can just go back home then.”

I grabbed his arm. “Don’t you dare.”

Betsy laughed. “I can see why you two are best friends.”

“Yeah, he’s okay.” I wrinkled my nose, then chuckled before pointing to the second floor. “I need to go check on Zoe. I’ll see you all in a bit for dinner.”

“It’s pizza night,” Betsy said proudly.

“Can’t wait.” I went inside, took the stairs two at a time to the Love Shack, and slowly opened the door, careful not to startle Zoe.

I blinked twice, looking around.

The bed was empty.

I stepped inside the room, then peeked through the open door of the bathroom. “Hello?”

Nothing.

Zoe was nowhere to be found. Her phone was sitting on the nightstand, and the window was wide open again. My paranoid mind wondered if she fell out, just like the last time I had found the window open.

I walked over and glanced outside. “What the heck is going on?”

Zoe was sitting on the bench in front of the lake again. That wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for the person sitting next to her.