Billion Dollar Boyfriend (Celebrity Love)

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I'll take your suitcase and leave before you do," Aiden said. "That way there's no risk of someone seeing you with a suitcase and realizing you're leaving the hotel for good. You should probably change into clothes Seraphine hasn't seen you in, too. If you have a hat, that will help cover your hair and make you less easy to spot at a glance."

"Okay." Shelby already felt the adrenaline kicking in. "I'll grab some other clothes and finish packing up, and then you'll leave before me with the suitcase. Got it."

"Is there a way to check out without going to the front desk?" he asked.

"I can do it through the hotel's app. I'll need to charge my phone first, though."

"We can put the app on my phone and you can check out while we drive," he told her. "That's perfect."

There was nothing perfect about the situation, she knew, but she didn't voice her thought. She opened her suitcase instead and took out a maxi dress, sweater, and sandals.

"Can you grab the stuff that's in the bathroom while I change?" she asked. "There should be some shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower, and my makeup bag and toothbrush are on the counter."

Aiden nodded and headed for the bathroom. Shelby quickly changed her clothes. She put the clothes and shoes she'd been wearing into her suitcase, then sifted through some of the other items inside to find a hair tie and her black newsboy cap.

She finished winding her hair into a low bun at the nape of her neck just as Aiden came out of the bathroom holding a plastic bag filled with her toiletries. He set them down in the open suitcase.

"That's it," Shelby said. She put the hat on her head, then closed and zipped her suitcase. "I'm packed."

Aiden took the suitcase by its handle and wheeled it to the door. He turned to face her.

"There's a staircase at the end of the hall. I took it to get up here. The stairs go all the way down to the parking garage. Wait for five minutes after I leave, then take the stairs down to the level marked P2. Stay in the stairwell until I drive up beside the door. I'm driving a gray BMW X5, and I'll pull up so the passenger side faces where you are. You should be able to get in without anyone who might be in the garage getting a chance to see and recognize you."

"Gray BMW X5, five minutes after you leave the room. Okay." She gulped in a breath.

"Ready?" he asked.

She squared her shoulders. "Ready. See you in five."

Aiden left the room with her suitcase. Shelby clutched her purse and watched the alarm clock on the bedside table. It took what felt to her like an eternity for five minutes to pass.

When it was finally time to go, she peeked her head out the hotel room door to see if anyone was in the hallway. It appeared empty, and she couldn't hear voices, so she exited the room and headed for the stairs. It took about a minute for her to get to the level marked P2. Aiden pulled up in the X5 moments after she descended the last stair.

She wasted no time opening the passenger door and sliding inside the SUV. "Did you see anyone?"

"All clear," Aiden confirmed. He waited for her to put on her seat belt, then he put the vehicle in motion. They arrived at a parking gate where he scanned a ticket stub. The gate opened and they passed through, out to the road.

"I feel like we're in a spy movie." Shelby peered out the passenger window, looking for any sign they were being followed. "Do you think I need to keep my hat on?"

"Maybe until we're a few miles from here, just to be safe. And it is kind of like being in a spy movie, only the spies are tabloid reporters and we're the ones dodging them."