Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 40

Charles parked across the street from Sancova Hills Hotel. The silver blonde woman from the night before had told him to meet her there. Fourth floor. Room 412.

Charles stepped out of his car and entered the building. He was familiar with the hotel. His trysts with Pamela had begun there. He hadn't been back to the hotel since he started bedding Pamela in his own home.

"Good morning!" the desk clerk greeted. "How may I help you?"

"'Morning. Yes, I'm visiting room 412."

"Okay, one sec while I notify your party."

A few minutes later, Charles was standing in front of room 412 on the fourth floor. He knocked.

He heard footsteps approach the door and it opened. The woman from the night before peered through the narrow opening.

"You're here early," she quietly said.

"Well, when you're used to getting up at four-thirty . . ."

The woman didn't respond.

"I'm sorry. I . . . can come back at or more reasonable time."

"It's fine," the woman said, opening the door and stepping to the side. "Come in."

Charles entered the room. It was very tidy. As if it had just been cleaned by housekeeping.

"You must not have been here long," Charles said. "Give me a day in a hotel room and it starts looking like a locker room."

"A couple weeks," the woman said.

Charles turned to face the woman, who was in a bathrobe.

"You, uh . . . clean up nice."

"I didn't do shit," she said. "Well, not entirely. Turn around, count to one, and turn back around."

Charles narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

"Turn around. Count to one. And turn back around." She grinned. "I'm going to get dressed."

Charles stared at her for a moment, then turned his back to her.

"Alright," he said. "I'm going to do as you asked. Don't get angry when I turn around and you're not dressed--"

"Done," the woman said.

"What?"

"I'm dressed. You may turn around."

Charles did so. And the woman was fully dressed in a cardigan sweatshirt and slacks. She was also carrying two cups of coffee.

"I don't know how you like your coffee, so I left it black," she said.

"H-How'd you do that?"

"Did you miss the part where I'm a witch? I'm sure Antonio mentioned that last night."

Charles sharply exhaled.