Paper hearts and corporate suites

Chapter 5- The Hotel

We Uberd to the hotel. The ride was short due to the hotel only being about two miles from the airport.

We walked in to the front desk and told them our names. The clerk hummed as she typed trying to locate our reservations. The clacking of her nails began to worry me as she had spent the last several minutes looking for the reservation.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, she looked up and stated, “I’m very sorry Mr. Thorn. I can’t seem to locate a reservation for you anywhere in our system. I have your reservation Ms. Knewl, but I have looked everywhere and only have the single reservation and unfortunately our hotel is completely full for the week. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. I am happy to help you book a room at one of our sister locations if you would like?”

Blake looked like he was about to boil over. I quickly spoke up, “Blake, my guess is that Kelley was unaware that you were joining this trip and only booked the single room.” I turned to the gal “is the room I have booked a suite?”

The clerk handed me my room card and replied, “yes, it’s a single room suite. So it has a living room area of sorts and then the single room and bathroom”. I blew out a long string of air and turned back to Blake, “you can take this room if you want and I can look at the hotels in the area, or if you want, I can take the couch in the suite and you can have the room. However, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable with that suggestion. Just whatever is most convenient for you”.

Blake’s expression instantly softened, “I’m not going to put you out like that Em. I would be taking the couch, not you and that’s if your certain your comfortable sharing a room.”

Another guest came up to the counter to try and check in, so the clerk quickly explained where the room was located and then shoo’ed us to the side to assist the next guest. Blake and I stepped over to the couches at the front of the hotel so we could further discuss the dilemma.

“Blake, I really don’t want to make things uncomfy for you or Steph, but it is nice that we can just walk to the office in the morning because it’s so close. However, I really am fine finding a place down the road if that’s a better option.”

Blake laughed and swiped the key. “I won’t tell HR if you don’t,” he said with a wink and then grabbed my hand to direct me to the elevator where the clerk had told us to go.

Blake pressed the 3 in the elevator and all of a sudden the air in the elevator felt tense. Was it weird that I would be sharing a room with Blake? What if Steph found out. I don’t want to hurt their relationship.

Before I knew it the bell of the elevator dinged and we were walking down the hallway to find our room. Blake quickly scanned the key and held the door open for me to enter the room. The living room area was very large with a hide-a-bed couch and door to the bedroom to the left. At the end of the room was the door to the bathroom that had a connecting door to the living room and the bedroom.

We are supposed to be in town for the next 3 nights to train Mr. Fishers team and suddenly, that seemed like an eternity.

Blake walked to the couch and threw his bag down. I popped up “Blake, it really is alright if you take the bed”. He quickly replied, “absolutely not. I’m not going to have you sleeping on the couch. Besides, this TV is much larger than the one in the bedroom so I can actually enjoy my Monday night football.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. Him and his dang packers.

I walked into the room and placed my bag on the holder in the closet. I felt a little weird not knowing what to do with myself, but I thankfully didn’t have to think for long because Blake knocked and popped his head into the room and asked if I would like to go out with him to find some dinner.

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Blake’s POV

What was I doing? This arrangement was surely going to lead to trouble. Trouble I wanted, but that seemed to make Em uneasy.

Em was in blue jeans and a band tee today that had me drooling. The shirt was tight across her chest and the blue jeans hugged her ass in a way that had me dying to squeeze it.

We walked down to the restaurant bar and both ordered a drink and appetizer. We chatted for literally hours about nothing and everything.

After a long while, the conversation had a slight lull and Emma looked down at the table. She spoke rather quietly and asked, “Blake, is Steph going to hate me for this? I really don’t want to make things awkward for the two of you”.

I felt like it was probably time to come clean, so I took a long sip of my drink and then let out a long sigh. “Em…Steph left me months ago. I caught her cheating on me”

Emma’s eyes bulged and she quickly took a drink to hide her surprise. After what felt like an eternity she asked, “Blake, are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?”

I knew Em meant that in the nicest way possible, but I didn’t want her pity.

“No, I really don’t” I said back with more anger than I meant.

“Okay…why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know. I wasn’t ready to talk about it and then by the time I felt okay talking about it, it felt like I had waited too long.” I ran my hand through my hair and looked at the ceiling.

“Well, I feel so much better knowing I’m not sharing a room with a married man” she laughed. “I’m glad you told me. I’m always here if you do want to talk. After all, what are friends for if not for being able to share your secrets?” She winked.

And just like that- I was friend zoned