He did have people stalking his accounts. Guilt for not correcting her today wormed its way into his chest. He should come clean. Right now. It was another perfect opening. But before he could say anything, Dani continued. “I’m actually really glad you’re not famous. You’re the most down to earth person I’ve met, and believe me, I’ve met a ton of people. You are so honest and forthright. You say what’s on your mind. You know how rare that is in the circles I usually have to hang out in?”
Well, dang. He couldn’t confess now. Not after that. “Have to?”
“Well, yes. When you grow up in front of the camera, everyone knowing who you are, and having the famous father I have, you can’t really get away from it all. Endless parties and social events. Everyone wants you there. And my father…” Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “It’s complicated.”
He sat back, assessing Dani. “How complicated?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Probably more complicated than you want to know.”
Was that her way of saying she didn’t want to talk about it? He would take the hint, even though he wanted to press her for more information. “What do they call you on social media?”
Her shoulders slumped as she dropped her gaze. “Ditzy Danica. There are others. That’s the nice one.”
Ouch. He could tell it hurt her, even though she tried to say it nonchalantly. “That’s terrible.”
“Dad says it’s all part of the package. He thinks I should stop reading the posts.”
“He’s probably right.”
Dani pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. Their meals came to the table, and the smell was incredible. He’d ordered the rum-glazed shrimp on Dani’s recommendation, but her lasagna looked fantastic as well.
Dani stabbed her fork into her meal and had a bite in her mouth before he could even lift his napkin onto his lap. Then she frantically sucked in air as she fanned her face with her hands. “Ooh, hot, hot, hot,” she said, her mouth full.
“Careful.” As soon as the word was out of his mouth, he felt dumb. Why tell someone to be careful after they do something reckless? What was the point of that?
Dani picked up her water glass and took a drink. Then she shook her head. “Why did I do that? I knew it would be hot.”
He knew why she did it. “You’re starving.”
“I know. But I should have made sure it wouldn’t burn my mouth. And now you know why everyone on social media calls me ditzy.”
A sadness settled in his chest. She wasn’t ditzy. She hadn’t had anything to eat in the last twenty-four hours. She was impulsive, not stupid. He shook his head. “You’re not ditzy.”
Dani laughed. “Well, I sure have you fooled. Wait until you get to know me better, and you’ll change your mind.” She picked up her fork and blew on the second bite of her lasagna.
Austin wasn’t sure if Dani was joking, or if she really had that low of self-esteem. Either way, it wasn’t funny. And he was sure she was much more capable than she was giving herself credit for.
Chapter 6
Dani followed Austin up the sidewalk, then stopped when she saw the sign that said, “Sleep Inn.” Paint peeled off the sides and a gutter hung at a crazy angle, like it would fall at any second. How was this place still in business? She glanced at Austin, who had insisted on walking with her and carrying her suitcase. “Are you sure about this?”
He squinted, like he suddenly wasn’t sure at all. “Let’s go talk to them.”
Dani entered the door. A man sat on the other side of an enclosed desk, glass separating them. He spoke into a microphone. “How can I help you?”
She glanced up at a cobweb hanging down from the ceiling and balked. She couldn’t stay here. This was horrid. She could just imagine what kind of Jacuzzi tub a place like this would have in the room.
“How’s your security here?” Austin asked, his own doubt showing on his face.
“We have a strict non-interference policy. What you do is your business.”
“No,” Austin said, frowning. “I mean, do you have measures in place to keep people safe? Cameras in the hallways?”
“We lock the outside doors at midnight. You have to buzz the desk to get in.”
Austin turned to her. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice low. “I’m not sure this is the place for you.”
Dani didn’t like it either, but what choice did she have? At the moment, she was more worried about starving to death than anything. It wasn’t fun not eating all day today. She stepped up to the glass. “How’s your room service? Is the food good?”
The man let out a belching laugh. He didn’t answer her question, which she thought was quite rude.
A siren outside sounded, and a police car turned into the parking lot, red lights flashing. Austin shifted his weight, stepping a bit closer to Dani. “Are the police here a lot?”
The man behind the glass smirked. “It’s fifty bucks per night. Do you want a room or not?”
“I think we’ll pass.”
Dani couldn’t believe what Austin had said. She turned to him. “Really?” He had another plan?
“Come on,” he said, putting his arm around her. “Let’s go.”
Relief flooded through her. She wasn’t going to have to stay in this dump. Austin had a better idea. She followed him outside where the breeze carried the smells of the local restaurants. It was much better than the musty smell of the lobby at the Sleep Inn. “Where are we going?” she asked as she matched his pace.
“Back to the Billionaire Club. I’m going to get you a room.”
Wait, what? She stopped, confusion hitting her. He was a maintenance man. Surely he couldn’t afford two suites at the Diamond Oasis. She knew how expensive that would be. “You can’t do that.”
“Yes, I can. I don’t want you staying at that place. It’s too dangerous.” He looked mad, for some reason.
“But…it’s expensive.”
“I don’t care. I can afford it.” He started down the sidewalk, his limp more pronounced.
She caught up to him. “Wait.”
He rounded on her. “Don’t argue with me. I’m getting you a room at the Billionaire Club and that’s final.”
She straightened her spine. “I’ll pay you back. After Daddy sees how hard I’m working, he’ll give me back my credit cards. Then I won’t feel bad.”
He made a face, but nodded. “All right.”
“And Austin…” She tugged at the hem of her blouse.
“What?”
“Thanks.”
He nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. “Of course.”
Austin seemed upset as they walked back to the Billionaire Club. He kept muttering, “What was Kay thinking?”
When they entered the lobby, Austin approached the counter. Kay smiled at them. “Austin. Dani. What can I do for you?”
Austin set her suitcase down. “Can I book another room here?”
“The budget hotel didn’t work out?”
Something about the way Kay said it made Dani suspicious. Like she knew it wouldn’t work out. Austin shook his head. “No. It didn’t.”
“Okay. Let me check our availability.” Kay clicked on some keys and then frowned. “Sorry. We’re all booked up.”
“You have nothing?”
“No. Sorry.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“We’re full for the weekend. It’s Labor Day on Monday.”
Dani exhaled and sat on her suitcase. “Oh, dear,” she said, resting her elbows on her knees. “What will I do?”
“I’m sorry. You could try the other resorts along the beach, but with the holiday it might be difficult to find openings.”
“I’ll think of something,” Austin said. He motioned to Dani. “Come on. Let’s go to my room and make some calls.”
“Good luck,” Kay called as they left the lobby.
As soon as Austin let Dani into his room, she plopped down on the couch and ran a hand through her h
air. “This is such a mess. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry. It will work out. I just need to find you a room somewhere that isn’t the Bates Motel.” He motioned. “Make yourself comfortable.”
Exhaustion from the day of hard work set in, and she took his words to heart as she stretched out on the couch. “Thanks.”
Austin sat at the desk and opened a laptop, and she tugged the throw pillow under her head as she waited for him to find a place that had an opening. She pulled out her phone to check to see if her father had texted. Nothing. Disappointment settled in her gut. He left her stranded in another country, and he hadn’t even checked on her today? She blinked back tears and hugged her arms to herself.
How heartless was he? She pushed that thought away. She knew how heartless he was. It was something she learned a long time ago. He didn’t care about her. She needed to stop waiting for him to change. He wasn’t going to.
Austin’s low voice was soothing as he made several phone calls, and she closed her eyes. She could fall asleep right here. The couch wasn’t bad, if she were honest. And she was so tired, she didn’t care anymore.
As he spoke on the phone, she felt herself drifting off. It was fine. Austin would wake her when he found a room. She trusted him. He wasn’t Rafael, after all.
Chapter 7
Dani awoke to the sound of soft snoring. Where was she? She jerked awake, suddenly scared, in an unfamiliar place. Whose bed was this? And who was snoring? Then memories of yesterday filtered into her brain and she sighed with relief. She was still in Austin’s room. She was on his bed, and he was on the couch. He must have tucked her into bed last night after she fell asleep. How thoughtful of him.
It was still dark outside, and she had no idea what time it was. She searched around for her phone. She found it on the table beside her bed. Four-thirty. Much too early to get up. She snuggled back under the covers. He must not have found a place. Either that, or by the time he did, she was asleep and he didn’t want to wake her up.
Man, he was the kindest man she’d ever met. If she had known regular people were like this, she would have worked harder to hang out with non-famous people. Or maybe it was how he was raised. He had a Southern accent. It could be that men from the South were more considerate than men from the West Coast.
Or it could just be Austin. His personality. She liked the way he seemed to care about her, even before he knew much about her. His motives seemed pure, unlike every other person she’d ever met. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would stab her in the back.
She closed her eyes and let the sound of his snoring lull her back to sleep. The next time she awoke, the sun was up and the sound of the ocean came from the open patio door. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Austin stood up from his lounge chair on the deck and slid the screen door open. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah. Thanks for tucking me in. Sorry you had to sleep on the couch.”
He waved it away. “It wasn’t a problem. I couldn’t find you a room. You might be stuck here for a while.”
Guilt made her swallow. “I don’t want to put you out.”
“I’d rather you do that then get mugged at the hotel down the street,” he said under his breath.
She pinched her lips together. She’d rather not get mugged either. But, what would they take? “They’d be pretty disappointed if they tried to mug me. All I have are some credit cards that don’t work.”
Austin looked at her like she was crazy, which made her giggle. “I mean, seriously. They can have them.” She motioned to the purse she’d tossed on the floor by the couch.
“Your bag is probably designer. They could get a couple hundred dollars for it.”
Dani nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.” Then she realized what he’d said. “Oh, my gosh. I could sell it.” Her mind raced. She’s paid two thousand for that purse. What could she get out of it?
“Are you sure you want to do that?”
“Yes. I’m starving, and I would do anything for a nice breakfast. Where can I go to sell it?”
“We walked by a pawn shop last night, but I’m not sure—”
“Great! That’s perfect. I’ll shower, and then we can go there.”
Austin’s gaze flickered to the clock. “What time do you start work?”
Work. She’d forgotten all about it. She picked up her phone and saw that it was seven-fifty-five. “Crap.” She jumped out of bed and headed toward the bathroom.
“What?”
“I start at eight.” Her heart raced as she assessed her situation. She needed a shower. And shampoo. Her expensive highlights would all wash out if she used the stuff the resort provided. But she didn’t have time to think about that. She was almost late for work, and she couldn’t lose this job. Not when she needed to prove to her father that she wasn’t a complete loser.
Austin stuck his head in the room. “What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. I’m going to have to just get dressed and run.” She grabbed her uniform from her suitcase and ran into the bathroom. Two minutes later, she ran a hand through her hair and called it good.
By the time she made it to the back room that housed the housekeeping carts, she was ten minutes late. She rushed into the room and looked on the chart to see her assignment. Her cart was the last one. She clocked in and grabbed her cart.
This time she was cleaning rooms in the 300 block. She rushed to that side of the resort, one wheel catching on the seams in the sidewalk and running askew, which made it harder to push the cart.
She entered room 302 and propped the door open with her cart like she had done yesterday. She’d gotten pretty good at stripping the beds, and she reached for the corner to yank on the sheets. Something furry rushed at her and Dani screamed, jerking back.
A tiny Yorkshire terrier barked at her, the long fur on the dog shaking as the dog defended his territory. Dani’s heart raced and she placed her hand on her chest. “Oh, goodness. You scared me,” she said to the dog. And then she looked around for the owner. Had she forgotten to knock on the door and announce that housekeeping was entering?
“Housekeeping,” she called out, but no one answered, and the dog kept barking.
Well. The owners must be at breakfast or something. She would just have to work around the animal. She put her earbuds in and shooed the puppy away from her work area. After the beds were stripped and the new, clean sheets put on, she turned to grab the vacuum.
The dog might be startled by the loud noise. Maybe she should put the puppy in the bathroom while she vacuumed the room. She searched for the tiny animal, but the dog was nowhere in sight.
“Here, doggie,” she called, pulling out her earbuds. No sound came. No barking. Nothing.
An eerie feeling overcame her as she looked under the beds. The dog wasn’t there. And then she remembered the door propped open by her cart. Oh, no. She couldn’t have.
She rushed to the door and sure enough, she saw the little terrier running in the grass, heading toward the trees that lined the south side of the resort. He gleefully barked as he grew farther and farther away from her. Dani’s mouth went dry and she dropped the vacuum extension rod and ran after him.
“Come back,” she called, sure that wouldn’t do a thing. She didn’t even know the dog’s name. She was right. The dog didn’t stop, or even look in her direction.
How could she have done that? Why didn’t she think about the door being open? If she lost this guest’s dog, she would be in so much trouble. It was one thing to have to replace the carpet. There was no way to replace a beloved pet.
Acid burned in her stomach as she ran after the incredibly fast dog. “Here, puppy! Come here,” she called. Curious patrons gazed at her as she stupidly ran toward the trees, the dog now no longer in sight.
She pushed harder, rushing into the small copse. She came out the other side and balked. The dog was rushing toward the busy street outside of the resort. “Oh, no!” Tears stung her eyes. “Come back.
Please!”
Austin appeared beside her. “What happened?”
She spun around, her heart in her throat. “I let the dog loose. He’s heading toward the street. I don’t know what to do!”
Austin made a ring with his fingers, then put them in his mouth and whistled. The dog turned to look at him. He whistled again, louder. Then he patted his legs. “Come here, pup.”
For a second it looked like it would work, but the dog hesitated, then started walking the other direction, sniffing the grass.
“I can’t get him to come to me,” Dani said, her knees weak.
“Go back to the room. See if there are any dog treats in there.”
She nodded, glad to have something to do. “Okay.” She ran faster than she had in her life. When she got to the room, she found a carton of dog bones sitting on the desk. She grabbed it and ran back to where Austin waited for her.
Handing him the box, she prayed this would work. Austin whistled once more, then shook the box. “Treats,” he called, and the dog froze, his gaze snapping to them.
“Come on, get the treats.” Austin shook the box again, and the dog shot across the grass toward them.
Dani almost cried, she was so happy when the puppy reached them and Austin was able to scoop him up. “Oh, my goodness. I can’t believe that worked.”
“Hey,” Austin said. “I know a thing or two about dogs. I had three growing up.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m just so relieved. I thought for sure I was going to kill their dog.” Tears blurred her vision as they walked slowly back to the room. “I was going to die if that happened.”
“It’s okay. Crisis averted. You’re fine.”
She glanced around, sure someone had caught her stupidity on camera somewhere. Luckily, no one seemed to be holding their phone in that way. She rubbed her temples as Austin moved the cart and then walked into room 302, letting the dog down onto the carpet.
“I’m so stupid.” Dani sunk down on the bed. “I can’t do this job.”
“You’re not stupid. Anyone could have made that mistake. I’ve stayed at many hotels and resorts that didn’t allow pets. You didn’t know this one allowed them.”
A Case of Extreme Mistaken Identity: A Romantic Comedy (The Billionaire Club Book 2) Page 4
