Chapter Twenty
Ace Up Your Sleeve
You can’t cheat if there are no rules.
― Lauren Oliver
DAY 1—8:26PM
Tampa City Streets
LUKAS
The lights of yet another high-rise disappear into the distance.
For a town as southern as Tampa, this Florida coastline city sure doesn’t have the “hospitality” bit down.
Three “No, sir’s,” five “Sorry’s” and two “We apologize’s” later, and Elena and I are back on the hunt for another hotel. Our eleventh of the night ended in an “Our sincerest apologies,” and suddenly that first chuckle we shared outside the first inn just isn’t quite funny anymore. The Marriott was booked. So was the Embassy Suites, the Sheraton, even the Motel 6… though I did shiver when I had to call that one.
Every stay-in, every half decent hotel within ten miles of Tampa General, b
