Parchment & Pearls

23. You Just Have To Act Like You Own The Place

Chapter 23

You Just Have To Act Like You Own The Place

The hotel room in Paris was small enough for it to be uncomfortable for two people, let alone seven. Thankfully, though, we were only here for a few hours.

The flight the day before hadn't been as awkward as I'd anticipated. Instead, it was strangely quiet. Drake and Cruz were near the front, talking in low voices, Ash and Savannah were watching movies, Gage slept, and Beau sat by a window near the back, looking out. I knew he was thinking too much for his own good, but I didn't disturb him.

I, on the other hand, stuck with what I did best in stressful situations - hunkered down with both of Lorraine's journals and read them again...twice.

Once we got to our room at almost two that morning Paris time, us girls got the one king-size bed, while the guys had to fight over the couch or settle for the floor. At least, we were willing to sacrifice some pillows and blankets for them.

Just a few hours later, I was the first one up and decided to go ahead and take a shower, bringing the outfit I was going to wear, along with my toiletry bag. The bad part was the water wouldn't get rid of the cut on my temple or the bruises on my neck. Makeup was going to have to take care of that. After toweling off and slipping my t-shirt and pajama shorts back on, I grabbed my makeup and went to work.

I had just started on my neck when there was a quiet knock on the bathroom door. When I unlocked and opened it, Drake was standing there with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"They're all still sleeping," he whispered, nodding back to the others. "Mind if I come in?"

Shaking my head, I stepped back as he slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

"How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to take a shower and start getting ready. Everything okay with you?" I asked, and then smiled slightly. "How's that slight concussion?"

He grinned back, setting his bag on the floor beside him. "Better than it was yesterday. I'm a fast healer."

"You should still be careful, though."

"You're starting to sound like Emmy."

I snorted. "You have no idea how many times I've heard that from John...and Ryan...and pretty much everyone else."

"You two are too much alike. But after spending so much time with her and John, I'm not really surprised."

I nodded, smiling slightly. "After that first summer with them, I pretty much didn't even want to come home. The only thing that sent me back home was my friends. At the time, Momma and Daddy were doing a lot of traveling and my sister Anna was never home, so I felt really lonely being in that big house by myself. But when I was at the manor with everyone, I finally got the family I always wanted. I'd even talked with Emmy about moving in with them and getting my high school diploma online."

"But you didn't."

I shook my head. "No, I didn't."

He didn't ask why, just looked around the bathroom, trying to find something to change the conversation. He looked at my outfit hanging up on the back of the door, at my damp hair, and then at bruises on my neck.

"That looks worse than it was yesterday," he said, grimacing as he reached up to gently touch it. "Does it hurt?"

"Does it hurt?" I repeated, snorting. "I love how you ask me that as you're poking at them."