Chapter Three

Holly

“Is that your stomach?” Holly asked. A low grumble filled the elevator.

Aliyah shifted her feet uncomfortably. “Yeah.”

“Are you okay?” Holly asked. Beads of sweat popped out on Aliyah’s forehead and she looked pale. Her beautiful skin was usually a rich milk chocolate, but right now, she looked like she’d been Photoshopped into black and white.

“My stomach,” Aliyah whispered. She swallowed hard and stared at the elevator buttons, willing the elevator to get to their floor faster.

When the silver doors opened, Aliyah bolted, leaving behind her bags as she sprinted down the hallway. Holly put Aliyah’s bag over her shoulder and followed behind at a much more human pace.

“Wow,” Holly said, coming in the front door of their hotel room.

It was bigger than her apartment.

The style was elegant western. Wood furniture with rustic accents decorated the living room, but the main appeal was the huge windows overlooking the ski slope. It was too dark to see the full view, but Holly could tell it would be impressive in the morning.

The bathroom door to Holly's right slammed shut and Holly could hear Aliyah inside. It did not sound like a pleasant time.

“You okay?” Holly called through the door.

Aliyah just moaned and Holly shook her head.

“I’ll put your stuff in the room,” Holly told her, shouldering both bags and heading to the bedroom.

Two queen beds took up the bedroom facing a huge flat screen TV. The bed frames were wooden and heavy. The beds looked warm with thick down comforters. The pillows were soft and fluffy. Holly could barely wait to crawl into bed and snuggle down into the soft sheets.

She set their bags down, one on each bed. She opened her bag and pulled out her toiletry kit to put in the bathroom.

The master bath was huge. There was a big shower with two shower heads and a steam control function, but it was the tub that caught Holly’s attention. A big, beautiful soaking tub. It was deep and long enough that she could stay submerged sitting or laying down. She wouldn't have to choose between having cold shoulders or cold knees.

She was already planning on a long bubble-bath at least once this trip.

Holly grabbed some pink stomach pills from her toiletry kit and headed back to the living room. She could still hear Aliyah loosing her dinner in the bathroom. She tapped gently on the door.

“Medicine,” she called.

“It’s open,” croaked Aliyah.

Holly cautiously pushed open the door. As an elementary school teacher, she’d had her share of barf. It wasn’t her favorite thing, but she could handle it.

Aliyah looked miserable. Her dark hair hung limp around her pale-green face. “I don’t feel so good. I think the sandwich was a bad idea.”

Holly held out the pink tablets. “Here. I’ll go get you some ginger ale from downstairs. You want anything else?”

“A new body,” Aliyah groaned. “Or a time machine.”

“I’ll see what they have at the market.”

Aliyah began worshiping the porcelain god once again and Holly quickly escaped. She took the elevator to the lobby, figuring that there had to be a small convenience store there. There were always small shops with overpriced aspirin bottles and expensive energy drinks in hotels.

The fire in the lobby fireplace crackled and danced as she came down. Everything was warm and cheery. Soft holiday music played overhead and the smell of fresh-baked cookies still filled the air. The receptionist looked busy checking in new guests, so Holly decided to explore on her own. She followed the scent of the cookies, hoping they would lead to baking rather than a scented candle.

The scent came from real cookies on the end of a bar. She didn't get one, instead going for a drink. Two stainless steel drums etched with mountain scenes sat on the counter next to the cookies. Big heavy mugs waited next to the containers. Holly glanced around before taking a mug and pouring some liquid out from one of the containers. It was hot chocolate, the real kind, not the mix. Holly sighed with pleasure, filled up her mug the rest of the way, and took a sip.

It wasn’t the ginger ale she’d promised Aliyah, but she wasn’t going to say no to hot chocolate.

She moved down the bar, peering over the counter and looking around. She hoped to find some sort of drink fountain.

“You looking for something?” a male voice asked.

Holly spun, nearly spilling her drink all over the speaker. She managed to keep it all in her cup, which she was grateful for. It was the man she’d run into at check-in. The last thing she needed was to spill hot chocolate all over him as well.

“I’m actually trying to find some ginger ale,” Holly explained. “I didn’t want to bother anyone.”

The man smiled. He no longer wore the suit. Now it was comfortable sweat pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. His brown eyes looked more relaxed and he smiled easily at her.

“There’s a drink station over here,” he explained, pointing to the other end of the bar. Tucked behind a potted plant was a traditional soda dispenser with cups and lids stacked neatly beside it.

“Thank you.” Holly hurried over and filled a cup with ginger ale. She smiled at the man. “I really appreciate it.”

He shrugged. “No problem. Your first time here?”

Holly nodded. “Yup.”

And probably her last. There was no way she’d be able to afford to come back here. Even though she was enjoying it, she knew it was way out of her price range.

“Be sure to try the waffles at breakfast,” the man advised. “They put just a hint of orange in them. They’re amazing.”

Holly grinned. “Thank you. Waffles are my favorite breakfast food. I’ll be sure to get some.”

The man smiled and gave her a wave before picking up his own drink cup and heading back to the elevators.

Holly watched him go, trying not to stare at his butt. The sweatpants accentuated the muscle underneath and told her that the man did not skip leg day.

“Aliyah would tell me to get his number,” Holly said to herself. She nearly went after the handsome man, but held back. She needed to take care of her friend. Maybe she’d run into the man again tomorrow over waffles.

It was possible.