Back To Where I've Never Been

Part 4

Would she every forgive him for what he'd done?

Violet

Dr. Haven leads me towards the Hilton hotel. I'm starting to get really curious about who the heck this guy is. Not that I wasn't curious before, but obviously with the car and fancy hotel meeting point, this guy comes from money. There is no way he's just a doctor. And then there were those eyes, I don't know what they have to do with me and I'm a little afraid to find out but I've come all this way so I park my car in the spot next to Collin's flashy thing and get out. My legs are a bit wobbly but I manage to walk over to where he's waiting for me with only a small stumble. I can tell Collin is trying really hard to not laugh at me, I appreciate his effort enough to not say anything when he takes my hand and leads me inside.

Inside the lobby is the biggest chandelier I have ever seen, not that I have seen many. It's gorgeous, the lights inside twinkle off the crystals (or diamonds, what do I know) to create a fairy-tale atmosphere in the area before we reach the front desk. When we reach the desk, the lady practically drools watching Collin approach. He smiles at her and I swear she faints a little before her training kicks in. She eyes our hands, which are still held together and frowns a little before asking,

"How can I help you?"

"Rodenheim." If it was possible for her to blush even more, she's doing it now. Her naturally olive skin tone is making it a little hard to tell, but I'm pretty sure her entire face is covered in a gentle warm glow. Her pretty almond-shaped eyes widen at the name Collin throws out. Who is Rodenheim? I wonder. Collin's last name is Haven, so it can't be his reservation, then whose is it? I have a feeling I will know soon enough because after a quick call the hyperventilating front desk worker hands us a keycard which I assume gives us access to the elevators. Fancy hotels like this one don't let you go to certain floors without access. Not that I know that, but Thyra went to one once with an ex-boyfriend. Sure enough, after collecting the card, Collin pulls me over to a bank of elevators in the hallway behind the desk. We walk past most of the elevators to the one at the end of the row, it sits a bit separated from the others and advertises only one floor, the 23rd floor.

Neither of us say anything as we get in the elevator. Collin swipes the card. As soon as the door closes, I rip my hand out of his grasp, it's hitting me how stupid this is. I just followed a guy I met a few days ago to a hotel? Granted, he's a doctor and Nurse Andrews seemed to know him I guess but still, even my childish mother would have left by now and she wasn't known for making the greatest decisions. I remember one day, I was 10 or 11 years old I can't remember, I came home to find she had bought like 20 tubs of ice cream. "Ice cream party!" she had exclaimed. Our rent was due the next day and Amalia had spent it on ice cream. I began to gradually take over the 'adult' duties after that, like bills and grocery shopping. I didn't really mind, I knew that part of the reason my mother was the way she was because of her shitty childhood. The ding of the elevator brings me back to present, I have a split second to make a decision. To go with Collin to devil-knows-where or to close the doors on his face and go back downstairs to leave like a sane person. Dr. Haven must have sensed my hesitation because he grabs my hand again, more gently this time and offers me the most genuine smile I've seen on him yet. Not a smirk or a smile meant to cajole, a genuine warm expression of affection. It melts me and I don't even know what I did to deserve such a smile from him but it does the trick, I find myself following him down the hallway without even thinking about it.

There are only two doors in the hallway, Collin knocks on the door on the right. We wait for just a moment before it's opened by the largest man I have ever seen. He's built like a mountain. Or rather, like The Mountain, that guy from Game of Thrones. But instead of the actors gruffer appearance this guy is almost pretty. He has black hair that falls in waves to his shoulders, his dark brown eyes are framed by really long and dark lashes that are giving me girl-envy. Even though he's huge and his expression is anything but welcoming, I find myself liking him instantly. I've always been a good judge in character and somehow, I know Mr. Butterfly lashes and I are going to be friends.