I halt right outside the room Dean was waiting at, and stare straight through it. This is it. This is the moment I've desperately been seeking for. Despite the inner turmoil within me, I take in one last, but slow inhale before knocking on the door.
This is actually it.
Chapter 6
After knocking on the door, I hear nothing. Not even a whisper. With flaring nostrils and anger that rivals even the angriest of people in the world, I bang on the door. I drop my head down and press my ear up against the door. Fast footsteps and muttering come out from behind the door.
"No room service today." Dean's voice echoes.
I knock again, this time, way harder.
"Alright, alright, one second." He yells.
With my heightened senses, I pick up the vibration of footsteps coming closer and closer to me. My heart and adrenaline pumps faster than before. This is it! The door opens slowly, with Dean glancing at the floor not knowing it is me. As he looks up to face me, his eyes widen in horror and disbelief.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" He asks.
"Well, let's take a fucking guess shall we, Dean?" I storm past him, barging everything out of my way in the process.
"Who is she?" I swing myself around and demand.
Shutting the door promptly, Dean hurdles over to me. "Who is who, Dana? What the hell is going on?"
In disgust over his lies, I turn back around and storm straight into the bedroom, only to see an empty bed.
With cold, hard and flinty eyes, I stare around the room, not taking notice of Dean yelling behind me.
With a deepened voice, I shout. "Don't play stupid! Where is she?!"
Before he even replies, I barge past him again and head into another, more open room. There I notice a man sitting on an armchair, glaring right at me.
I freeze in shock. Where's the woman?
I turn to face Dean, who is holding both hands on the back of his neck from having chased me out of the bedroom.
"What the hell is this?" He stares into my eyes with disappointment.
I'm lost for words. My body is empty from emotions, feelings and logic.
"I -- I... this is a joke, right?" I stutter, leaving my mouth half open in disbelief.
In a desperate ploy to salvage my dignity, I storm past Dean into the other rooms in hope to find something that would tell me another woman has been here. Nothing. I find nothing in this basic hotel room. The bathroom had nothing, the bedroom had nothing, and the living room, where that angry looking guy with a goatee is, has nothing.
I let out a defeated and embarrassing sigh as I walk out of the bathroom to face both, Dean and the guy he's with. While dragging my feet across the floor, I glance at Dean, who still has both hands gripped firmly behind his neck.
"I'm sorry." I mutter with a flat, monotone voice.
"Is this her, Dean?" The man asks in an Alabama accent, while sitting still in his armchair.
Does he come from Alabama, too? What I have I done?! This whole situation is a head-screw.
"Yes, Steve, this is Dana." Dean now holds his hands around his hips, still looking at me in disappointment.
"Dana, what the hell are you doing here? Please tell me." Dean asks with a sorrow sound to his voice.
"Dean, I -- I... your text. The text on your phone yesterday morning!"
"What about it?" He interrupts.
"You said you were not here with anyone, and the text read for you to meet at the 'usual spot', what else was I supposed to think?" I raise my voice.
Dean steps closer to me.
"Why did you go down my phone?" He whispers with a deepened voice.
With my mouth still half open, I hold both hands up to indicate 'I don't know'.
"It woke me up yesterday morning, and I went to check the time, but I saw the text on the display instead." I reply in hope that he will believe me. "Why was you so out of breath yesterday on the phone? And why lie about where you was? Why did you say you was going to a business park for a conference call?" I add, trying to take control of the situation.
Dean turns his back to me and drops his shaking head.
"Well...?" I prod.
He turns back around with a disbelieving expression on his face.
"Dana, behind me is my business advisor, Steve. He's been here for a week."
"Hey." Steve mocks me, pausing Dean in the process.
"Steve doesn't like the idea of people jumping on our ship. I lied to you because I've been trying to win him round with the idea of you coming into business with us, which explains why I was "so out breath" yesterday. I had to leave fast, not wanting to piss him off anymore." He finishes.
"So you bullshitted me yesterday, too Dean?" Steve interrupts again.
"Shut the fuck up, Steve!" Dean yells in frustration to his digs.
An awkward silence comes between us three. I glance at Steve, who is repeatedly shaking his head whilst looking out of the small window next to him.
"Why doesn't he like the idea of me working with you?" I ask.
Steve suddenly leaps up off his armchair and proceeds to stand directly at the window, having his back to both me and Dean.
"Because you want an easy ticket to riches, and I see right through people like you, Dean hasn't got that ability." He digs with a less husky voice in comparison to Dean.
"Ignore him." Dean shakes his head before continuing.
"Back when we met in Alabama, he was hesitant with me too at the beginning. We had always agreed that it would only be me and him that would run this business. So, when I told him about this big investment, and said that you have placed a stake on it also, he had no choice but to accept it. Which, he didn't like." He finishes.
Regretfully, things are slowly starting to make sense to me, but I cannot help but feel like a paranoid freak who has probably just ruined the only chance of getting into business with Dean, and his advisor, Steve.
"Why didn't you just tell me? I would have much preferred that than this!" I plea with shame.
"Because I didn't think this was going to happen!" He tries to joke, but no-one laughs.
"I just didn't want you feeling like an outcast or anything. Especially after how excited you was about this whole business. A lot rides on Steve's opinion, I really hope first impressions don't count to him." He leans in to whisper in my ear.
Overjoyed with relief that there was no girl involved, I try to salvage the situation by apologizing to them both.
"Look, both of you. I can't express how sorry and stupid I am. I wasn't snooping on anyone's phone, it's just -- when I saw it, I was concerned, and I wanted answers. I feel like such a moron!" I sigh in anticipation while I wait for one of them to respond. Steve still has his back towards us both.
Dean steps into my line of sight and whispers again.
"Leave this to me. I'll try and win him round. Let me walk you out of this place, I think he needs time to cool down."
He pulls his head away from my ear and I nod in agreement with him. He holds my hand with his, and signals to Steve that I'm leaving.
"Steve, I'll be back up in a few minutes. I'm taking Dana downstairs."
Steve doesn't respond or move. All I see of him is his slender physique and black hair, while wearing formal clothes. He gives me such a cold chill! With a swift yank, Dean and I walk out of the hotel room.
****
The cool draft hits my face as we walk out of the hotel's entrance. I'm still so ashamed and embarrassed of myself. I did not see that one coming at all!
"Did you drive here?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, over there." I point in shame.
He steps out in front of me and lets out a deep sigh.
"I absolutely knew something was up with you yesterday! It was written all over your face. Look, I know the text started this whole situation, but why didn't you just approach me about it?" He asks with a gloss of forgiveness in his eyes.
I stare down at the floor momentarily, but Dean hooks his finger u
nderneath my chin, and begins to raise it.
"I honestly cannot tell you. I'm such an asshole! I thought catching you in the act would give me more answers... but that backfired." I groan.
"I understand." He stares into my eyes.
"Just know... I'm not that kind of guy. Please?" He whispers with his husky voice.
I gaze up into his eyes, feeling nothing more than relief. "Okay."
"But, how will Steve react to this? He makes me feel uneasy." I add.
"Don't worry about him. He can be a bit creepy sometimes, but I will sort him out. He may be my advisor, but he isn't my boss."
"I really hope not, I'm so sorry --"
Dean puts his index finger on top of my lips, stopping me from talking.
"I don't want to hear you apologize. What's done, is done."
His gaze leaves me captivated and lost for words. This is why I wanted answers. I didn't want to lose him, he makes any problem go away, and has a solution for everything.
"I better get going now then." I say reluctantly, not wanting to leave Dean's side.
He bites his bottom lip and nods slowly. "Alright, cool. I'll drop you a call or something later yeah?"
"Yeah, okay. Sounds good." I reply softly.
He hugs me tightly, then kisses me on my forehead before letting me go. I smile back at him and then I proceed to cross the street to get into my car. It was only a little while ago I was running across here to follow Dean. It's crazy what can happen in such a short space of time.
I look at my phone while waiting for the road to be clear. Shoot! I need to call Amy back.
Satisfied that the road is safe, I speedily cross it and get into my car. As I shut the door behind me, I can't help but let out a huge gasp. Words cannot describe how exhausted and embarrassed I feel right now. A big part of me is so relieved that Dean isn't being unfaithful, but on the other hand, I worry that he will now see me as a paranoid, crazy chick, which I'm not. I pray that this won't affect anything between us, or our business venture.
That Steve guy was such a creep. The weird part is, he looks quite familiar. I can't figure out where I'd recognize him from though, he was probably a customer at Cafe Mojito or something. I guess time will tell whether this business partnership and relationship will work out.
I can only hope it will.
Chapter 7
"That will be $4.50, please." The barman asks as he hands me over my drink.
I hand over $5 and tell him to keep the change. Stepping away from the bar's counter, I retreat to a group of tables at the far back of the bar. I bet that barman rarely gets customers like me asking for a non-alcoholic cocktail. Oh well, I'm not going to risk getting pulled over by the police again. That really would be the end of my driving.
I stopped off at this bar and grill on my way home in hope to take my mind off everything. I just cannot seem to shake off the embarrassment and insecurity I feel about what happened. While sitting down in the empty, quiet section of the bar, my eyes stray through the window, overlooking the freeway. As I take a sip through the straw, my jaw suddenly jolts. Damn this is bitter!
I pull the phone from my handbag to keep myself busy. My eyes gravitate to an older guy who has just sat down at the table opposite me. That's so annoying! Out of this whole place he chooses to sit within a stone throw away from me. Maybe I'm just being a bitch? With a shrug of my shoulders, I look back down towards my phone and notice a text from Amy.
"Hey babe, you haven't returned my call! Xxx"
Shoot! I've forgot to call her back! I'm so terrible at remembering things. But then again, she couldn't have called me at a worse time if she tried! Her phone call almost had me caught back at the hotel. She is going to be gobsmacked that we were both wrong all along about Dean. I mean, what are the chances of it all being legitimate? The text on his phone was worrying. The private call he made was strange. The conversation we had on the phone yesterday was so suspicious, especially as he was breathless. It all pointed to him being a cheat! Even though I don't think I was wrong to assume what Dean was up to, I still cannot help but feel like a complete paranoid, crazy girlfriend.
I proceed to dial Amy's number to update her on the news, but just as I am about to hit the dial button, a waiter walks over to the guy sitting opposite me, and hands him a plate of food. I think nothing of it until a fishy odor finds my nostrils. My stomach suddenly wants to discharge the measly mouthful of cocktail I had. The smell of fish makes me feel sick! I can see that he has got a plateful of sushi! Before I have the chance to gag, I pick up my cocktail jar and handbag, then begin to rush over to the other side of the bar.
That was so nasty! How can people eat raw fish of all things?! I am pleasantly surprised that this side of the bar and restaurant is super quiet, too, I take a seat right in the corner by the window. Where was I? Amy! I pull my phone from my handbag again, having only just thrown it back in, and dial her number. With one hand pressing the phone up against my ear, my other holds the cocktail jug as I sip away at it, slowly starting to enjoy the taste.
"Dana! So? Have you caught him, or?" She demands hysterically.
"We was wrong, Amy. There was no girl, only a guy who --"
"He's gay?!" Amy shouts over me.
"NO! He's not gay. It was his business advisor!"
"Huh? Am I missing something? Why would he be acting all secretive over that?" She contemplates.
"To cut a long story short, his creepy advisor doesn't like the idea of me and Dean partnering up, so Dean didn't want to tell me in case it would upset me." I explain as simply as I can.
Amy goes silent in the process of consuming what I've just said.
"You do not know how embarrassed I am, Amy! I must have looked absolutely crazy to them both!" I say with a degree of heaviness in my chest.
She lets out a long groan. "How could we have fucked up like that? Don't feel embarrassed babe, we didn't know any better. The signs were there, and that's all we worked with. How's Dean taken it?"
"He says he understands, but, that could be him not wanting to upset me. I know this whole thing doesn't look good on me, especially with Steve, his advisor. That's pretty much my future occupation screwed!" I let out a defeated sigh.
"I don't know what to say? Do you want me to speak to Dean to explain that this was more my idea? Because it was!" Amy asks with a frantic voice.
"No-no-no! He said he will get in touch with me to hook up, so I will get a good enough idea how he feels then. Oh that reminds me!" I yelp.
"What?" She asks timidly.
"Remember when you called me earlier?" I ask.
"Yes...?"
"I was literally right down the hallway from Dean. You almost got me caught! Next time, wait for me to call you!"
"Shit! I'm so sorry, babe! I was too eager to know what went down with you both. But in all fairness, you should have had your phone on silent."
"Yeah, well... next time I will leave it back at home." We both start to laugh.
I take another sip of my drink, which has now become quite watery from the ice cubes melting.
"What do you think, Amy? Do you think he's going to treat me differently now? Every time I rewind back to what happened, I cringe in horror."
"Hmm." She mumbles for a moment. "It's tricky. Like, I'm not going to blow smoke up your ass and say that he will drop this, because there is a good chance he won't. BUT! If he gets why you did it, and is willing to dead the issue, then he might not think much more of it." She finishes.
I take in a deep breath to soak in the harsh reality that today's drama might have an impact on our fledgling relationship.
"It's true. Like I said earlier, the next time we meet will be a clear indicator of what's going on. Obviously it's going to be awkward to begin with." I dread.
"Yeah, well... these things happen."
I can sense the conversation with Amy is starting to become somewhat dry as we are unable to shift the topic to something more up-lifting.
"I
think you should tell Dean about the latest news with Ryan, it would help to break the ice with you both. Going by what you told me last time, he was really concerned about what Ryan had done to you, so I am sure he will want to know about this!" She says out of no-where.
"I hate the thought of even saying his name! But, you are right, also Dean would be super pissed if I don't tell him about it and he finds out somehow." I add, glumly.
"Exactly! You might as well use Ryan to your advantage for once by getting Dean to forget what happened today!"
"True." I reply bluntly.
"Jeez, you could at least sound happy about it! It's either that, or live with the awkwardness that you so desperately want to avoid. The choice is yours babe. Has Dean mentioned anything more on the investment thing you both did?"
"It's hard when you feel like a psychopathic stalker, Amy. You would know about that! You're the "Stalking Queen" on the internet." I pause to take in a breath before continuing.
"And no. I haven't heard anything. To be honest, it might be my first and last investment after today!" I finish with a heavy sigh.
A bleep goes off in my ear.
"Was that you?" I ask Amy.
"Was what me?"
I peel the phone off from my ear to see if it was my phone that bleeped.
Doubt #2 (The Deception Series #1) Page 4