Manic Attack

VII. Neat And Klein

Out of nowhere, a flashback jolted me back to my senses.

Summer in Florida. An inconspicuous vacation away from the prying eyes of reporters and followers. Just us and magnificent sunsets painting poetry over an endless ocean.

A boulder dropped in my gut. I gripped the curved edge of the desk to steady myself. During that summer trip, Dan had used a different name while checking into our hotel. Our relationship hadn't gone public until then. Tricks like these had helped us stay anonymous. "Can you look for John Dough," I said, spelling it out as Shelby fed the name into the system.

My heart raced as I watched Shelby's tall eyebrows knit at the screen. When her eyes lit with recognition mine closed with dread. "Yes, Mr. Dough checked in just this morning," she said, "Let me just inform him--"

"N-no," I said a bit too quickly. My voice betrayed me. It was hoarse and pathetic. I did a show of looking at the large clock hanging behind her. "Our first year anniversary begins in half an hour."

Shelby looked unsure. She was going to say no, I knew it but I couldn't let her. Not when I needed to calm the storm brewing in my chest; seek personal confirmation of why exactly Dan was staying in a five-star hotel under an alias he solely reserved for our romantic getaways. "He's my boyfriend," I confided with a bashful smile. "Since all the gift shops nearby have already pulled down their shutters, the least I can do tonight is surprise him, and then some."

She indulged in a polite chuckle at my last comment. "I understand. Unfortunately, we received strict instructions not to send anyone up to his room."

Ah, heck, Shelby may be young but she wasn't born yesterday. I loosened my hands around the desk's edge. My shoulders slumped in defeat as I turned to leave, my paranoia now ten times worse. I should lose all hope of getting even a wink of sleep tonight.

"Unless you are Angelique."

Knowing only one person with that name, I froze. "How'd you guess my name?"

Shelby smiled. Something about her expression put me on edge- the knowing look in her eyes, or the half-smile stretching a corner of her full lips. Was she onto me? "Mr. Dough said you'd be here soon and to guide you upstairs. No questions asked."

I placed a hand on my chest. Something was out of service. It hurt so much. "That man will be the death of me."

Shelby chuckled again as she leaned over the desk. Close enough that I could smell her coffee-infused breath. "Room one-five-oh-two. I'll arrange the champagne."

I considered planting a wet thank-you kiss on her lips. "You're getting five stars on Yelp from me, Shelby."

"All in a day's work, ma'am. Knock his socks off."

Standing inside the shiny elevator of a lavish hotel, dressed in sweatpants and a threadbare t-shirt, I realized how crazy this day was. Almost as crazy as my bird's nest hair.

First, I was sitting in a cafe attempting to break the ice between my candidate and me only to find that he quoted overused social media quotes whenever he got nervous. Second, his conditions for the contract had brought me face to face with a man who was as unmoving as a fire hydrant. Third, my overthinking had punched me in the gut by revealing my boyfriend's disloyal ass. The only thing left to find out was whether the girl he was expecting in his room tonight was the same Angelique I knew and loathed.

Sure, I was behaving like a crazy, over-protective, stalker girlfriend but tell me, which girl in her right mind would find it normal that their boyfriend had been avoiding her for four days straight? Not me, that's for sure.