Rock Bottom

by Emily Goodwin

  The rest of dinner is spent talking about babies, and Mom telling Quinn—in way too much detail—about her experience being pregnant with twins. Quinn goes upstairs to lie down right after dinner is over, not feeling well.

  Jackson begs me to go downstairs with him to play video games, and I take one for the team and skip out on helping clear dinner dishes. We’re two rounds into Mario Kart when Archer comes downstairs, followed by Weston.

  “Aw, man,” Jackson huffs. “Is it time to go already?”

  Wes takes the controller from me. “It’s time for you to lose.”

  “Dad,” Jackson laughs, looking up at his dad. The older he gets, the more he looks like Weston.

  “Hey,” Archer calls, motioning for me to come over.

  “What’s up?”

  “I was supposed to go to that medical convention on Monday, but after Quinn’s OB appointment today, I don’t want to leave her.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Her blood pressure is still low, and the morning sickness is hitting her hard already, even though she’s been taking anti-nausea medication.”

  “Fuck. But the babies are okay?”

  “Yeah. Nothing is abnormal,” he assures me. “I can’t leave her with three kids knowing she feels that bad, and carrying two babies instead of one is causing her to have a lot of round ligament pain.”

  “I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound fun.”

  “It’s not. But I already have my room paid for and can’t get a refund. It’s at a sweet hotel, and Quinn and I both thought you should go. Get out of here for a while.”

  A break from the cold sounds fucking fantastic.

  “And I already called the airline and can transfer my first-class ticket to someone else for a small fee.”

  “First-class, you say? Twist my arm, why don’t you. I’ll go.”

  Chapter 23

  Rory

  I move to the back of the plane, rationalizing that I have the best chance of surviving a crash if I’m in the back. I know it doesn’t really matter where you sit, but I’m a bit of a nervous flyer and I’ve never flown solo before.

  I made it through security just fine, though, and found my terminal with no issues either. After a half-hour delay, we’re clear for takeoff. I take a selfie and send it to Hilary, teasing her that I’m going to Miami while she’s stuck at work. I felt bad, actually, being the newbie and getting randomly selected to go to the conference.

  Though other than lying by the pool in between panels, I don’t really know what I’ll do. I’m alone in a big city I’ve never been to before. It’s a bit intimidating, but just sitting here in the plane is empowering. It might be silly to some people who do stuff like this all the time, but to me, a solo trip to Florida is a big fucking deal.

  Now if only we could get rerouted to Orlando and I’m able to make a quick stop to Disney…

  My phone vibrates with a text, and I open it to find a group photo of everyone at work huddled together, pouting. We got more snow last night, which is what caused the backup with the flight. The temperature rose enough during the day to help melt the snow on the runway, but it’s dipping back down tomorrow to the lower teens. I’m going to hate the cold even more when I come back, I know.

  I get settled, stash my phone in my bag, and grip my armrest as we take off. I got a window seat, and watch the landscape pass us by for most of the flight instead of reading the first book in a new vampire romance series I bought specifically for the plane.

  The rest of the flight is pretty smooth, with only a bit of turbulence here and there. The sun is shining, and I get off the plane smiling, ready to feel the sun on my skin. My bag is one of the last to come out, making me panic for a few seconds that it was lost.

  It’s early afternoon, and the dinner with the other conference attendees is optional tonight. I’m not one to sit and make pointless small talk, and I don’t like what I call “fake friends”. Maybe I’m weird to rather go through this conference more or less on my own than to glom onto a group of people I’m never going to see again.

  All I want to do tonight is order food from the open-air café by the pool and end my night with a fruity drink before crashing in my bed. Warm, humid air crushes me as soon as I step out of the airport, and given the frigid cold I just came from, the clammy Florida air is most welcome.

  It takes a while to go from the airport to the hotel thanks to traffic, but I’m once again mesmerized by my surroundings. I really need to get out of the Midwest more often.

  I can smell the ocean as soon as I get out of the Uber, and I excitedly rush into the hotel to check in. My room has an ocean view that I’m dying to see.

  Feeling giddy, I take my key card and smile the whole elevator ride up. I’m light on my feet, moving down the hall, looking for my room as I roll my heavy suitcase behind me. I pass by my room and quickly backtrack and stick the keycard in the lock. The little light flashes green and I open my door, expecting to see the curtains pulled back, showing off that gorgeous view.

  What I see instead is a middle-aged woman standing by the bed in purple pajamas with curlers in her hair, sporting bright purple eyeshadow and red lipstick.

  “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” I blurt and look at my keycard. “There must have been some sort of mix-up.”

  “Are you LeAnn?”

  “No, I’m—oh, right,” I say as it clicks in my head. LeAnn was the nurse who was originally going but had to back out when one of her kids made it into some sort of tournament. “I’m Rory. LeAnn couldn’t come.”

  “Oh, that’s a shame. We’ve been chatting online for months. I’m JoAnn,” she laughs. “LeAnn and JoAnn!” She slaps her thigh, letting out a howl of laughter. “What a hoot, right?” She doubles over, laughing so hard tears roll down her face. “Come on in, dear!”

  I have a roommate.

  A roommate I don’t know.

  Who looks like she’s ready to go to bed already…at three PM. To be fair, she could have flown a long way on an overnight flight or something.

  “Where are you from, dear? I drove all the way from Tampa.”

  Okay, so no to the overnight flight.

  “Eastwood, Indiana,” I tell her. “The same hospital as LeAnn.”

  “Poor dear,” JoAnn clucks her tongue. “She was looking forward to some time away from her kids. Do you have kids. No, you’re much too thin and your breasts are fantastic. Mine looked like that once upon a time. Three kids and twelve years ago!” She laughs at herself again, loud and boisterous.

  She likes to laugh, which is good. Maybe she’s fun and I won’t mind being stuck in the room with her.

  “I’m about to tuck in for my afternoon nap. Do you like Judge Judy? I keep it recorded on my DVR at home so I’m not sure what’s on here.” She gets into bed and pats the mattress next to her. “I brought corn chips. I’ll share if you promise to be nice.”

  I step into the room and the door clicks shut behind me. “That sounds fun, but I was hoping to check out the pool.”

  “Ah, good idea. If I had a banging body like that I’d be out there too.” She laughs again and turns on the TV, cranking the volume up. I stand there, rooted to the spot, not sure if this is real life or not.

  Shaking myself, I put my suitcase on the bed to open it up.

  “You know that thing is covered in germs, right? A girlfriend told me her cousin’s husband’s friend works at an airport in Texas and he said all the suitcases come back covered in urine.”

  “Why…why would they be covered in urine?” I shake my head. “Never mind. I’d rather not know.” I pull my suitcase off the bed, shoving it between the bed and the wall. I undo the lock and get out my clothes, not feeling comfortable leaving my personal items out with a stranger in the room. I pull out my cosmetic bag, bikini, my sandals, and a new sundress I caved and bought off Amazon three days ago.

  I lock my suitcase back up and dodge into the bathroom to freshen up and change. My hair ha
s been in French braids since last night, and I shake out my locks and pull my hair back into a messy bun at the nape of my neck. I give myself a final onceover, very happy with my last-minute dress purchase, and go back out into the room.

  JoAnn is asleep already and is snoring loudly. Instead of one drink, I’m going to need two. And a set of earplugs.

  This is going to be a long week.

  Chapter 24

  Dean

  I almost feel bad when I look around the suite. Archer told me he booked this big swanky room because he was planning on surprising Quinn at the last minute to have her come with him. He’d already arranged for his parents to watch the kids and everything.

  Quinn has no idea, and it’s going to stay that way. She’d feel guilty neither of them got to go, and she doesn’t need that kind of pressure. She complains we’re all too overprotective of her, but she’s my baby sis. I’m always going to be overprotective.

  I’ve been in Miami for nearly an hour already, and still have no fucking clue what I’m going to do. I should have gotten out of Eastwood a long time ago. Put space between myself and everything. Given myself time to clear my head.

  I’m here now. And I still have to clear my head, because Mrs. Rogers’s words are still haunting me. I pride myself on not having fears, of not letting shit hold me back. Yet here I am, all the way in fucking Florida because I can’t get Rory out of my head.

  I let my half-assed attempt to take her out to dinner be the end of it, not wanting to pursue her more out of fear of rejection.

  “Fuck,” I mumble. This is why I hate downtime. I get too introspective and then start feeling. I need a drink. And then maybe I’ll…I’ll…fuck. I have no idea.

  But I’m starting with that drink.

  I have no idea what I’m going to do, but I could get used to this view. The pool is in the back of the hotel, overlooking the ocean. A live band is set up near the pool, and women are walking around in skimpy bikinis.

  It’s every teenagers’ fantasy about what Miami looks like. And maybe mine too. I stop under an awning, looking out at the ocean. A woman walks around the pool, stopping at a lounge chair, and looks out at the ocean as well.

  Her back is to me, and she pulls her sundress over her head and bends over, neatly folding it at the foot of the lounge chair. I admire her ass without being too obvious. Old habits die hard, and if she’s alone, then I’m going over to talk to her and maybe we’ll—

  The woman turns, adjusting her towel like a pillow, and I catch a glimpse of her face. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

  It’s Rory.

  And now I know why Quinn and Archer wanted me to go. Rory is a nurse at the hospital where Archer works. Of course he’d fucking know she was here. I take a step back, moving next to a palm tree, and look out at Rory again.

  Fuck. Me.

  Two guys in the pool are ogling over her, obviously pointing as they talk. Another guy gets whacked on his arm by his girlfriend when she catches him staring. Rory has no idea how fucking gorgeous she is, does she?

  I watch, slinking back another step so she doesn’t see me. She sinks down onto the lounge chair, stretching her long legs out in front of her. She lays her head back, smile on her face.

  Rory is here.

  In Miami.

  The fuck?

  I blink, look away, and look back. Nope. Not imagining this. She’s really here, and anger floods through me. It’s easier to be pissed at Quinn and Archer than deal with how seeing her actually makes me feel. I pull my phone out of my pocket and send Archer a text.

  Me: What the actual fuck?

  Archer: I need some context here, man.

  Me: You fucking know what I’m talking about. Was this the plan all along?

  Archer: Still not following

  Me: Is Quinn even pregnant?

  Archer: Now I’m generally concerned.

  Me: RORY IS HERE.

  Archer starts typing, stops, and then my phone rings.

  “Rory is fucking here,” I hiss as soon as he answers. “This is just the kind of thing my meddling sister would do. But it’s not fucking funny.”

  “Slow down,” Archer says and I hear the theme song for some kiddie show in the background. “Rory is in Miami?”

  “No, she’s in fucking China. Yes, she’s here! You knew, didn’t you?” I demand again.

  “No, I swear. The only people from the hospital that I knew were going was an older nurse and two surg techs. They rarely work with me, so I didn’t pay attention,” he admits. “Rory is at the medical convention?”

  “How the fuck should I know?” I snap. “She’s here, looking hot as hell lying out by the pool.”

  “Are you…are you spying on her? Is that why you’re whisper-yelling?”

  “Yes!”

  Archer laughs, and I’m tempted to hang up the phone. “I didn’t know she was going. I’ll be at work in the morning and I can find out why she’s there and not the other nurse.”

  “No, it’s fine.” I peek out from behind the palm tree, stealing another glance. Rory crosses her legs at her ankle and brings one hand up over her head, eyes shut and head resting to the side.

  Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

  “Stop being a creep and go talk to her,” Archer says.

  “She’s going to think I’m stalking her.”

  “If you keep standing in the shadows, she will.”

  “I’m not standing in—fuck, I am.”

  “Dude, calm the fuck down. Quinn has spent the whole morning throwing up, so I’m not even going to tell her Rory is there. She doesn’t need to get herself all worked up.”

  “Right. And thanks.”

  “Shit,” Archer grumbles.

  “What?”

  “Shit. Actual shit. I need to change Aiden’s diaper. Put on your big girl panties and go talk to Rory. If you don’t, someone else will.”

  The line goes dead and I pocket my phone, suddenly forgetting how to act like a normal human being. I spent the last year having women swoon and fawn all over me, and Rory is the first one to turn me down.

  It’s not the only reason I’m getting flustered thinking about going over and talking to her, and I know it.

  Someone jumps in the pool, splashing Rory. She sits up, startled, and glares at the group of young men who are already drunk and acting like idiots. She grabs her towel and wipes the water droplets from her body. She stretches her arms out in front of her and stands.

  I whirl around, not wanting to get caught staring.

  “What can get you?” someone asks.

  “What?” I blink and realize I’m standing right in front of a cabana-styled bar. “Oh, I, uh…” I can see Rory walking over out of the corner of my eye. “Jack and Coke,” I blurt, going with my usual. It’s what I came down here for in the first place.

  “I’ll be right with you,” the bartender says to someone, and I don’t need to turn to know that person is Rory.

  “Okay, thanks,” she says, and I’m so fucking thankful for the guy standing in between us. As long as he—dammit. The guy takes his drink and walks away. I hear Rory start to scoot out a stool. I need to turn. Act surprised. Say something before—

  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  Shit.

  I turn. “Rory. Hey.”

  “Seriously. What are you doing here?” Her green eyes widen. “Are you stalking me? For real?”

  The bartender, having heard, comes back over. “Is he bothering you?” he asks Rory, who’s looking at me in disbelief.

  “I…I’m not sure.”

  “Archer couldn’t come,” I rush out before I get security called on me. “He gave me his reservation.”

  Rory holds up her hand, still shaken up. “Why couldn’t he come?”

  “Quinn is pregnant with twins and has been really sick.”

  Rory looks at me, unblinking, for several seconds. Then she lets out a breath and turns back to the bartender. “It’s fine. And I’d like something st
rong without tasting like alcohol, please.”

  The bartender smiles at her and gives me the side-eye. I’m not a bad guy, but I’m grateful he’s on top of things.

  Rory pulls the stool out and perches on the edge. Her dress is folded over one arm and she looks so fucking amazing in that bikini.

  “You look good,” I say, never shy to compliment someone.

  She looks down at herself, as if she’s just now remembering she’s wearing a swimsuit. Her cheeks, which are a little red from the sun, flush even more. Her mouth opens and closes, unable to find the words to say.

  “Is…is Quinn okay?”

  “Yeah. She’s had bad morning sickness with all of her pregnancies and something about round ligaments are bothering her.”

  “Ohh, poor Quinn. But twins, wow.”

  “Yeah. It’s crazy to have two sets of twins in the family. Hers aren’t identical like our brothers, though.”

  “They’re gonna have five kids.” Rory’s eyebrows go up.

  “That’s a lot of kids,” I laugh. “They both wanted a big family.”

  “I’d like two. Maybe three,” Rory says, tipping her head. “All girls if I have my way. Then one day, I’ll die under mysterious circumstances and destiny will awaken their powers as the chosen ones to defend the world.”

  “I’d be happy with one kid. Who’s perfectly normal. Though having powers would be pretty sweet.”

  “Right?” Rory tips her pretty face up to me, and I realize I’m still awkwardly standing here. I scoot a stool over and sit next to Rory.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you,” I say. “I was pretty shocked to see you too. I thought Quinn tried to mastermind this whole thing, actually, but Archer insists they didn’t know you were coming.”

  “He probably doesn’t know,” Rory says, and the bartender brings me my Jack and Coke. “Another nurse was going to go and had to back out like a week ago. I was randomly chosen to go in her place.”

  Random means this was all up to chance, and I’m getting the feeling something bigger is at play here.