His Regrets In Divorcing The Heiress

Let's Make A Deal

"Look, Ms., Either you want the room, or you don't! So, what's it going to be?"

The front desk clerk said as he looked at Gwen with annoyance. She could feel eyes, lots of eyes on her. Staring at the back of her head as the rest of the people in line behind her seemed to become annoyed.

"I can't hold this room for you forever. Do you have the bucks you need for this room or not?!"

"Just wait a minute!"

Gwen said, continuing to dig in the bottom of her oversized purse. So far, she had found One hundred sixty-three dollars and some change.

"Hold on, I'm still checking."

The clerk rolled his eyes, then moved to the other side of the counter, away from Gwen, and asked to help the next person in line.

The man with the cell phone attached to his ear suddenly ended his call. He was putting his cell phone away and stepping forward alongside Gwen.

"I'd like a room, one-night, king-size bed, top floor, no smoking, please."

The clerk smirked, looking in Gwen's direction. Of course, Gwen glared back at him. While vigorously scraping up whatever she could find in the way of cash.

Clearing his throat, the desk clerk says. "Sorry, lady, I only have one room left. First come, first served."

Then he looked back over at the man. "Sir, that'll be four hundred and twenty-five dollars."

The man pulled out his wallet.

"Cash only, Sir," the clerk emphasized as he looked at Gwen frustratedly.

"No credit cards. Fine," The man pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and began taking large amounts of bills from his wallet.

He quickly peeled off four-hundred-dollar bills in cash and then looked at the remaining money. He counted a five-dollar bill and five ones. He reached into his pants pocket but came up empty. He checked his suit jacket and then the leather bag on his shoulder.

Gwen slaps down on the counter. "Here! I have One hundred and sixty-three dollars." she said, sliding the cash on the counter toward the clerk.

"Good for you," the clerk said sarcastically, sliding it back toward her. "It's not enough!"

"I'll take anything you have, single, double, anything!" Gwen said desperately.

"Sorry, like I said, I only have one room left, and this gentleman just asked for it."

He turned back to the man. "Sir, the room is four hundred and TWENTY-FIVE dollars. Do you have the cash?"

"I was here first. I have cash, just not all of it. It's not my fault there's a blizzard, and all the electronics are down." Gwen spoke up for herself.

"Look, Sorry lady," the clerk turned his attention back to the man.

"Sir, do you want the room or not?"

"Yes, I have a little over four hundred dollars in cash. I can get you the rest, plus a nice tip when the bank opens tomorrow morning."

Gwen finally paid attention to the accented man as he spoke. She looked closely at the gentleman. It was the man sitting beside her on the airplane that was making those weird moaning sounds while sleeping.

The clerk slid away from in front of the man, now looking at the next person in line. "Sorry, next."

"Wait!" Gwen said to the clerk. "Just give me a second."

She leans over, tapping the man on the arm with her index finger.

"May I speak to you for a quick second? Sir…" She didn't know what she was going to say. Or how to say what she was thinking in her head. But she had to do whatever she could do to avoid being on the streets in a blizzard. Evan's almond-shaped eyes looked at her; he felt her finger poking him again, mentally thinking, "There goes my chest tightening again."

He thought when the lady next to him gave him direct eye contact and attention. He was awe-struck at how pretty her smile was now that she focused on looking at him directly.

"Hi, we sat on the plane on our way up here together from Georgia. I know this might sound very strange, but there's only one room left. I don't have enough to pay the full rate, nor do you. Why don't we make a deal?"

"What do you suggest?" Evan anxiously asked while containing his calm facade.

"Simple, we pool our money and get the room together before someone else gets it. We can discuss the details of sharing the room later; this is an emergency! Don't you agree?"

"Yes, I guess," Evan replied somewhat reluctantly.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend the rest of the night walking out in a blizzard, trying to find another hotel room. Do you?"

It took less than a second for Evan to decide. He slid his cash across the counter. "We'll take the room."

The clerk looked puzzled. But immediately placed an all-full sign on the counter and handed Evan the key. Evan took it, turned it over in his hand, and smiled. With all the new technology, he couldn't remember when he'd seen a hotel room with an actual key.

The clerk shouts to all the others in the line. "Sorry, folks! No more rooms are available! You can sleep in one of the chairs here in the lobby for twenty bucks a chair! Next person in line!"

Gwen shook her head at the hotel clerk's audacity as she took the key from her new roommate's hand. She read the room number of the invoice, then walked down the crowded lobby, heading toward the elevators in the hallway.

Evan noticed her luggage and handbag, glancing at the designer logo. That also reminded him of his wife, and how before she became ill; her closet overflowed with designer bags, shoes, sunglasses, and clothes.

It made him happy that he could afford to buy his wife the best things, and whatever she wanted. When any item he wanted to purchase for her, if it didn't have a name stitched or stamped on it. Evan refused to buy it for her. Evan was all about quality. A knowing smile softened his mouth to see this woman had a similar taste. But as he followed behind her, something about her still felt like he knew her from somewhere. But where? And he wondered, how could she have these expensive suitcases and purses but not have enough money to pay for the hotel room?

But who was he to talk about her? He was a little shy on cash as well.

Gwen glanced back with a brave expression, but inside, she was a nervous wreck! She would never forgive her ex-husband Brock who she once viewed as her only family. But who put her in this predicament where she was short on cash, and all her credit cards were canceled! Now she's out here wheeling, dealing, and asking to share a hotel room with a stranger! She glanced back once more, hoping and praying the guy who had the seat next to her on the plane that made those weird sounds while sleeping, had changed his mind about sharing this room. Nope! No such hope! The man was sticking to their agreement to be roomies as he continued to follow behind her. For the first time, Gwen noticed he was tall but also significantly built. Not fat big, but muscular. His biceps bulged through his shirt sleeves as he carried his luggage and briefcase. She forced herself not to glance above his chest. She didn't want to make eye contact with him. She was already embarrassed that she had to make such a bold suggestion. Surely, she didn’t want him to get any funny ideas in his head that she was easy.

Gwen cleared her throat, mumbling loud enough that he would hear her. 'I hope I won’t have to be dealing with some crazed lunatic with delusions of being more than just roommates for the night.' She said, looking over her shoulder as she pushed the elevator button several times."

Gwen was so nervous she forgot there was no electricity in the hotel. She had never experienced being in a blizzard and had no idea what she would be in for that night!

"Uhm, excuse me, Ms. But the elevator is out of order." The man says, taking the lead to the staircase.