One
“Your bags, miss.” The bellhop smiled at Maura Treble and pointed at the mountain of luggage.
“Oh, yes,” Maura said. She adjusted her clothes and stretched. The bus ride from the hotel had made her stiff and tired. The humidity was also oppressive. She cursed her ex-fiancé for the twentieth time that day. It was his idea to come to Safari Island during the hottest part of the summer. Everything on the island was cheaper, he’d reasoned. Well, yes, it was cheaper because it was hotter than standing the sun during July. The short walk from the bus to the front of the hotel had left Maura covered in sweat. That was exactly what all the reviews online had warned about.
“I guess I’ll take them inside with me.” She reached up to start pulling down the bags.
The bellhop quickly stepped in to stop her. “No need, miss. I’ll wheel your bags to your room if you’d like.”
“Are you sure you aren’t too busy?” Maura asked, unsure. She didn’t want the bellhop questioning why she had so many bags for just herself.
“You’re only the third guest to check in this morning.” The bellhop wiped his forehead. “I think it’s a little too warm for tourists this month.”
“That’s what I said.” Maura dug around her purse for a tip. She shoved a few crumpled dollars at the young man. “For your trouble.”
He took the money from her and nodded. “Thank you, miss. I’ll wait for you just inside here.”
Maura went inside and found the front desk. This was going to be one of the hardest parts of the trip. She was going to have to check in to a honeymoon suite all by herself. Everything would get easier when her companions got to the island, but for now she was on her own. Her ex-fiancé was supposed to be with her but he’d also no-showed at the wedding. It wasn’t like she had any other choice but to go through with this trip.
If she hadn’t made promises before John left her, she would have bailed. But this trip wasn’t just for fun. She was a mission. She was going to help an animal rights group protest on the island. It had been a wonderful coincidence that People for Animals was planning a demonstration on Safari Island. She and John were going to be able to go on a very nice honeymoon and help out a good cause. They had no problem with the resort and amusement park side of Safari Island. It was the animal tours that bothered them.
Animal rights were one thing she and John both cared about passionately. When they began dating, she’d been over the moon to discover that he was a member of PFA too. This honeymoon would have been their first protest together as a married couple. Had she known that John would change his mind about the wedding, she never would have agreed to any of it. Not because she didn’t believe in the cause but because the humiliation was a lot to handle.
There was a very beautiful, small, curvy woman behind the front desk. Maura looked at the ground as she checked in. “Hello, I’m Maura Treble and I’d like to have my room key.”
“Hello, Maura!” The woman was so chipper it made Maura feel even worse. “Thanks for joining us for Blue Sky Resorts’ inaugural summer. We’re so glad to be a part of your happy weekend.”
“Thanks.” Maura looked at the wall behind the woman and studiously avoided her eyes. The question was going to come soon enough.
“I see that you’re in the honeymoon suite. I was one of the first people to use those suites.” The woman leaned forward to make her point. “They’re very romantic. You aren’t going to be disappointed. I’ve got two keys here for you and Mr. Treble, but I don’t think you’re going to be leaving your room much once you see it.”
“I’ll only need the one key, actually.” Maura finally met the woman’s eyes.
The woman looked at her computer again and then back to Maura. “I must have gotten the wrong information. I’m so sorry.”
Maura shook her head. “No, you didn’t. My boyfriend
“Your bags, miss.” The bellhop smiled at Maura Treble and pointed at the mountain of luggage.
“Oh, yes,” Maura said. She adjusted her clothes and stretched. The bus ride from the hotel had made her stiff and tired. The humidity was also oppressive. She cursed her ex-fiancé for the twentieth time that day. It was his idea to come to Safari Island during the hottest part of the summer. Everything on the island was cheaper, he’d reasoned. Well, yes, it was cheaper because it was hotter than standing the sun during July. The short walk from the bus to the front of the hotel had left Maura covered in sweat. That was exactly what all the reviews online had warned about.
“I guess I’ll take them inside with me.” She reached up to start pulling down the bags.
The bellhop quickly stepped in to stop her. “No need, miss. I’ll wheel your bags to your room if you’d like.”
“Are you sure you aren’t too busy?” Maura asked, unsure. She didn’t want the bellhop questioning why she had so many bags for just herself.
“You’re only the third guest to check in this morning.” The bellhop wiped his forehead. “I think it’s a little too warm for tourists this month.”
“That’s what I said.” Maura dug around her purse for a tip. She shoved a few crumpled dollars at the young man. “For your trouble.”
He took the money from her and nodded. “Thank you, miss. I’ll wait for you just inside here.”
Maura went inside and found the front desk. This was going to be one of the hardest parts of the trip. She was going to have to check in to a honeymoon suite all by herself. Everything would get easier when her companions got to the island, but for now she was on her own. Her ex-fiancé was supposed to be with her but he’d also no-showed at the wedding. It wasn’t like she had any other choice but to go through with this trip.
If she hadn’t made promises before John left her, she would have bailed. But this trip wasn’t just for fun. She was a mission. She was going to help an animal rights group protest on the island. It had been a wonderful coincidence that People for Animals was planning a demonstration on Safari Island. She and John were going to be able to go on a very nice honeymoon and help out a good cause. They had no problem with the resort and amusement park side of Safari Island. It was the animal tours that bothered them.
Animal rights were one thing she and John both cared about passionately. When they began dating, she’d been over the moon to discover that he was a member of PFA too. This honeymoon would have been their first protest together as a married couple. Had she known that John would change his mind about the wedding, she never would have agreed to any of it. Not because she didn’t believe in the cause but because the humiliation was a lot to handle.
There was a very beautiful, small, curvy woman behind the front desk. Maura looked at the ground as she checked in. “Hello, I’m Maura Treble and I’d like to have my room key.”
“Hello, Maura!” The woman was so chipper it made Maura feel even worse. “Thanks for joining us for Blue Sky Resorts’ inaugural summer. We’re so glad to be a part of your happy weekend.”
“Thanks.” Maura looked at the wall behind the woman and studiously avoided her eyes. The question was going to come soon enough.
“I see that you’re in the honeymoon suite. I was one of the first people to use those suites.” The woman leaned forward to make her point. “They’re very romantic. You aren’t going to be disappointed. I’ve got two keys here for you and Mr. Treble, but I don’t think you’re going to be leaving your room much once you see it.”
“I’ll only need the one key, actually.” Maura finally met the woman’s eyes.
The woman looked at her computer again and then back to Maura. “I must have gotten the wrong information. I’m so sorry.”
Maura shook her head. “No, you didn’t. My boyfriend
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