Let It Be Me (Triplets book 1)

Chapter 6

Justin's look sent her right back to high school when every day had been a trial. Ophelia forgot that she was there to work, that she had arranged an entire movie production company. It was like she was sixteen all over again.

Ophelia took a deep breath and smiled at the young girl standing behind Justin.

"Hello, Justin. I'm here to check-in. Arrangements have been made for the dog." The best way to keep control of the situation was to act like nothing was wrong.

"I don't have a reservation for you," he insisted without looking.

"Would you please look in the system? I'm sure you will find it there." Ophelia pulled out her hand, doing her best to keep it as steady as possible while she pulled up the email with the confirmation number. "I confirmed it two days ago."

Ophelia set her phone on the counter and turned it towards him.

"I'm sorry, check-in was at two o'clock. You weren't here, so we gave your room away. Besides, the only reason you want to be here is to watch the movie stars, and we don't need gawkers. Mr. Richards has asked me to keep out any potential troublemakers, and you're a troublemaker, always have been." Justin pushed her phone toward her.

Ophelia knew that Sullivan had said no such thing, especially to someone like Justin.

"Legally, you cannot give my room away until after 2 am, the day the reservation is made. I suggest you find me a room, Justin!" she insisted, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, we're sold out." Justin shrugged, knowing he had all the power in this situation. Ophelia could mention that she was part of the movie crew, but she doubted he would believe her, and without one of them standing right next to her, she had no real proof. 

Kaylee Barrett came flying down the grand staircase and stopped at the front desk as he said the words. She had on large sunglasses, a tight wool dress, and high boots. Her outfit was out of place for where she was, but she looked young and beautiful with her artistically mussed hair and skillfully done makeup.

"Thank you soooo much, Justin, for finding me a room. I knew I could count on you. I'll be sure to let Daddy know that you helped me." She leaned over the counter and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm off to watch the filming!" Kaylee waved her fingers and turned, walking right into Ophelia.

Ophelia watched as all color drained from the girl's face at the shock of seeing her.

"Ophelia! What are you doing here?" she insisted, looking anxious.

"I'm trying to get my room, but it seems it was given to someone else, even though legally it is still mine." Ophelia did her best to keep her voice even.

Justin had given her room to Kaylee, the mayor's daughter, so that she could be close to the action. He had done the very thing he was insisting Ophelia was trying to do, but then Ophelia wasn't the mayor's daughter.

"Oh, that's terrible, but you could go stay with your father, couldn't you?" Kaylee gave her best smile. The girl was barely twenty-one and could have been thirty with that charm.

"Or I could go stay with my mother," Ophelia suggested. The comment made everyone uncomfortable as she knew it would.

Kaylee's smile was a little more force. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure," she insisted before she breezed out the door as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"A room?" she said as she turned toward Justin.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you," he said before he turned his back to her.

"May I talk to the manager then," Ophelia insisted, but Justin answered the phone, ignoring her.

She moved towards the lobby with a steadying breath, stopping to look out the window as she thought about her options. She could tell Sullivan the problem, and she knew he would fix it in a minute, but it would be humiliating to admit that she couldn't fix it, and she had promised him that her past wouldn't be a problem while they were filming. I hadn't even been half an hour and who she was was already a problem.

It would be something to put Justin in his place by having Sullivan fix it, though.

However, if she did that, she would have to admit part of her history to Sullivan, and she didn't want to do that either. It was going to be impossible to keep a low profile while she was here. She didn't know why she thought she would be able to.

"I'm sorry, Ophelia, the hotel is for guests only, and dogs really aren't allowed," Justin shouted across the lobby, causing a few guests to turn their heads and look at her.

"Call the police!" Ophelia said, pulling out her phone while staying where she was as she texted Sullivan. The first thing to do was hand off Polly so she could find a place to stay. There was a motel just off-island. It was a dump, but it had a bathroom, and she wouldn't be spending much time there.

Sullivan texted her to meet someone out front in ten minutes. Ophelia took out her phone and tried to find a motel, hotel, vacation rental, anything within fifty miles, and there was nothing available. Everything had been booked because of the movie.

After ten minutes of fruitless labor, Ophelia wandered out to the parking lot and went back to her car. What was she going to do? She didn't want to cause a scene, make Sullivan think she was incompetent, or in any way cause stress to anyone.

The golf cart pulled up, and a young girl she didn't recognize was in it. It was probably a runner.

"Ophelia Carter?" the girl asked, eyeing her and Polly.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Mr. Richards said to give this to you." The girl shoved an envelope at her then took off, eager not to miss anything that was happening on the movie set.

With a sigh, Ophelia opened the sealed parcel to find room keys and a list with everyone's room number on it, and there was a note;

     "I know you must be exhausted. Take the rest of the day to recover. You can leave Polly in my room. S-" 

Ophelia grabbed her overnight bag and walked to one of the side entrances, where Justin wouldn't see her enter the building. She knew Sullivan would be gone for the rest of the day, and she would use that time well, and hopefully, no one would be the wiser.