Away

I can’t sleep…

This was supposed to be a couples retreat but I’m here alone. I never thought John would leave me, and for his assistant… how cliché. FOUR years down the drain with someone I thought I would marry!

…But right now I’m not thinking about John and his play thing, I’m thinking about the man adjacent to my room.

When checking in they fail to inform me of the adjoining door connecting my room and his.

When I entered my room, I almost immediately regretted coming on this retreat alone, but it was already paid for and I already took my days off work. Plus, I felt I deserved a vacation. However, the rose pedals laid out to create a heart on the bed made me reconsider. —I forgot to tell them this would no longer be a couples retreat— so naturally two Champagne glasses and a bottle sit in an ice bucket next to an itinerary; featuring couples massages, couples game night, couples this…couples that. I crumpled it up fuming with anger and hurt and opened the champagne bottle, not even bothering to pour it in a glass. I turned on some music, lit some candles and started a bubble bath. Trying to refocus and not to cry. As I started to strip down to my panties a man enters through my adjoining room. I shriek and frantically try to cover myself with the towel I organized for after my bath. He leans against the door frame, almost unapologetic for interrupting and eyes me confused. “I was supposed to have this floor,” he says. His voice is deep and matter of fact, as if I was intruding on him! I quickly shake my head and try to match his matter of fact tone as I adjust my towel. “This is my room and you seem to be confused” I say “if you have an issue take it up with someone that can actually help you. But in the meantime…leave please.” He scoffs and narrows his piercing blue eyes and backs away, in no sense of urgency. He says “I will” and shuts the door. I hurry and lock it behind him. I now try to slow my breathing and get back to relaxing but him acting like he owned the place really pissed me off. Who does he think he is?!

I finish bathing and lay out a few outfit options. I’m going to dinner and get drinks so I’m thinking jeans, a pair of wedges, and a cute black top that extenuates my breasts but still ties in a cute bow in the back, so as to not look too promiscuous. I add a simple fake gold necklace and matching earrings. Nothing too crazy, but still cute for a night out. I curl my long brown hair and throw on some simple makeup that makes my eyes look brighter and lips tinted more pink. I do one last look in the mirror and am satisfied. These jeans I bought for vacation really hug everything in the right place.

I walk out the hotel room and see that same man outside talking to the same front desk worker that signed me in earlier. The worker looks scared and stops me as I go and walk by and apologizes profusely before saying “I’m so sorry but I meant to put you on floor two. This guest has rented the floor for his stay. It is completely my fault as I did not read the notes.” The man’s smirking in his door frame standing behind the worker as if “I told you so” where in order. I tuck the loose hair behind my ear and kindly respond to the worker “I understand, I can switch rooms in the morning, but right now I’m on my way out.” The worker fearfully looks back at the man as if to say “is that ok?” And the man comes over and puts his hand on the workers shoulder and says “no worries, no need to change rooms, as I’m sure you’ve already unpacked. Just refund her for the room as I already paid for it.” He looked smug as he said this and I was trying hard not say a few choice words infront of the worker. But still I said “no. I am not a charity case, I have already paid for my room, you can take it off Mr….” The worker said “Carters” “Ah yes!” I replied “take it off Mr. Carters bill as I am already intruding on his entire floor.” I say this with an undertone and Carter picks up on it immediately. He almost can’t help himself from laughing and says “have a nice night Mrs..?” The worker responds “Hoyt” and I quickly correct, on instinct “it’s Jones.” —Hoyt was John’s last name. Even though we never married for this trip we put it under him, thinking I’d be leaving engaged.— Carter nods his head with a slight grin and goes back in his room leaving the worker distraught, scared he would lose his job. I look at the worker and say “look if you really need me to change rooms it’s ok.” He says “No, Mr. Carter said no so I’ll just take it off your bill.” I go to argue, but the kid is already running down to the front. I turn back make sure my hotel door locked and start heading to dinner as planned. I get to this restaurant with a cute little tiki bar and order a piñata colada with a double shot of rum. I go and sit down on a bar stool and the waitress brings me a basket of chips and salsa. I was starting to munch down and sip my drink when a stocky man with a Swedish accent and asked “hey are you here alone? I’m George.” Before I could get a word out Mr. Carter came down yelling “Honey! Honey! Get me my usual.” I looked around wondering who he was screaming to as he started getting closer and closer until he got to me and kissed me on my cheek whispering “go with it.” My cheek burned where he kissed it and I could feel my cheeks going red. George straightened his back to appear taller as Carter towered over him. Carter was dressed in a button down navy blue shirt he didn’t bother to finish buttoning at his collar and khaki loose light beige pants that fit him well. You could see his physique as he twisted and turned through the shirt, showing off his muscles. I nearly drooled then realized who I was admiring. He fluffed his dark hair and went to shake George’s hand and said “hi, I’m Tyler Carter and this is my wife Mrs. Carter.” George looked bewildered by the name as if it meant anything to me and politely shook his hand back and said “so sorry Mr. Carter, I didn’t realize this was your wife. You have impeccable taste.” Not daring to look at me as he said this. Tyler laughed and said “I think so” as he put his arm around me and gave me a squeeze. I was too stunned to speak but I gave George a grin and looked at Tyler as George walked away. “WHAT was that?!” Tyler laughed, took one of my chips and said “you did good.” I did good? I repeated “what?!” He gave me a wink and said “I had your trip refunded so you owe me.” Owe him?! “Excuse me?! I don’t owe you anything. I didn’t ask for my trip to be refunded, I paid it just fine on my own thank you. Now if you will excuse me.” As I said this I grabbed my drink and began to walk away but Tyler grabbed my free hand and said “wait.” My hand tingled as he held it and his icy eyes made me freeze. He said “I will pay you $100,000 if you act to be my wife these two weeks.” I was shocked and immediately offended. “Do you think I’m some whore?” He bursted out laughing and said “no, you don’t HAVE to have sex with me..” then he leaned close to my ear and said “you will want to, but that’s not in the deal.” I pulled away appalled. I don’t even know this man! “Who are you? And why are you willing to pay me $100,000 for two weeks of pretending to be with you. Also, how do you just have $100,000 whiling to spend?” He smirked and mocked me by asking “which question do you want me to answer first?” I’m annoyed at this point and won’t continue to entertain it. He follows me as I walk away and smiles at people walking by, catching up to me and whispering “don’t make a scene, let’s talk upstairs.” He grabs my hand and brings me upstairs to my room. He follows me in and says “look, I was supposed to be here with my girlfriend to make a deal. I’m promising you the $100,000 for two weeks of just being on my arm.” He didn’t say what he does for work but I’m assuming a company owner of some sorts. I say “let me think on it” and I show him the door. He goes to leave and then asks “what’s your first name?” I’m shocked we never did the introduction but I respond “April”. He smiles and says “nice to meet you April, let me know tomorrow.

I can’t sleep.

I’m tossing and turning thinking “this is crazy! Are you even considering this?” “Of course I’m considering it, I am needing to find a new apartment when I get back home and I have debt I could pay off instantly with that kind of money in just two weeks!….plus…he’s not the worst person to be stuck with for two weeks.” I bite my lip as I think about his strong physique and dark hair. His eyes make my stomach turn and every touch burns me. My toes curl at the thought of his lips on my cheek. Then I snap and argue to myself again “you don’t know him!”

I get up in the morning with a million thoughts racing inside my head and two hours of sleep. I look in the mirror, shower, blow dry my hair and throw it in a pony tail. I’m too tired to do it. I put on some mascara, lip gloss and decide that’s good enough as I put on a casual sun dress with flip flops. My feet still hurt from those wedges last night. I finish off with deodorant and my favorite perfume and walk out the door. I stop at Tyler’s door and hesitate to knock. Before I do the door swings open and he’s on the phone, surprised to see me there. He quickly tells the person on the other line “got to go talk to you later” and hangs up. Tyler smiles and says come in. For being just the room next to mine, his is much nicer. There’s a huge Tv hanging in-front of a large king size bed the has a cooling system and a large deck overlooking the beach. His bathroom is larger and there’s jets in his tub. A fully stocked mini fridge even though he doesn’t look like he didn’t have any and his room is already clean. My cleaner hasn’t come around to my room once! And my mini fridge definitely needs a restock. Tyler sees me eyeing the fridge and laughs and says “ya they just came around this morning, I’ll make sure they take care of you better now that you are my guest.” I look at him as he adjusts his collar and he picks up a shirt “this one that I’m wearing or this one?” He’s wearing a white button down and he’s holding a blue polo, very different looks. “Where are you going?” I ask and he says the beach for a meeting. I shake my head and say “In that case I say polo.” He smiles and unbuttons his shirt, changing right in front of me. I clear my throat and go to look away and he laughs and says “it’s ok, I’m not shy.” Then proceeds to take off the button down. His body is firm and toned. The sun is glistening off his chiseled abs and I fight to keep my jaw from dropping. He throws on the polo and I snap from my trance and say “I agree to being your pretend wife for two weeks, but I want our terms in writing.” He smiles wide, amused at my term agreement, showing off his dimples I didn’t notice before. He says “ok. And what are your terms?” I clear my throat and pull out a paper and pen I had stuffed in my purse. “1: I must be paid the total of $100,000 by the end of our two weeks.”

“2: No sex”

He interrupts me here and asks “are you sure?” As he leans over on the bed above me. I twitch as he inches closer, almost forgetting what we where doing and yearning for him to touch me. Then he says “ok, not unless you beg.” And backs away. I shake my head, trying hard to not turn red and continue “3: I’m not to be sold off to anyone so you can get your deal.” He laughed at this hard and said “April, for two weeks you are no one’s but mine.” A shiver went through my body as he said this and then he asks if that’s all. I say “yes, I just need your signature at the bottom.” He said “no, I have terms too. 4: you will act as if you are in love with me and wear what is necessary for each deal. You will not ask questions and will go with anything I say. In return, if you ever feel uncomfortable, you pull me to the side and we talk together.” I don’t like being told what to wear and how to act but I understand this is an agreement. I shake my head yes and sign first. He signs beneath me. “Ok he says, you gotta change.”