Chapter Thirteen

Courtney woke the next morning with a headache and stomach cramps and felt like she hadn’t slept at all.

It didn’t help that she’d been so upset the night before she’d forgotten to eat. Although she’d eaten the day before and was used to being hungry when she’d been with her mother, the last few days she’d had whole meals and was full for the first time in years. Now that shehad them, when her stomach was empty, it felt worse than when she lived with her mother.

God, she didn’t want to think of her mother and her deception. When they found out her mother had been taking money from her account, she’d been furious. Her father’s will stated that Courtney would get half the inheritance when she turned eighteen and the other half when she was twenty-one, and her mother had lied to her for years about it.

When she left the bank, her emotions toward her mother were very close to becoming hatred. She’d once again turned her life upside-down.

Fortunately, James, the lawyer, helped her set up an account in her name and put some of her inheritance in it to tide her over for a while. The bank card and credit card they ordered would be sent to James’s office. She would check in every day to see if they had been sent. Until then, she needed to find an apartment and a job—not that she needed one, but she couldn’t just sit around with nothing to do. Otherwise, she’d slowly go mad.

With a sigh, she pulled herself out of bed and walked into the bathroom to take a quick shower. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, she almost smiled. Since her hair had still been damp when she had laid down the night before, it was now matted and sticking up, making her look slightly deranged.

For the next hour, she concentrated on making herself presentable. She didn’t want to go for interviews or look at condos while not looking her best. She was thankful she’d bought a nice outfit in the hotel lobbyafter her haircut.

Courtney called down to the kitchen for some toast and scrambled eggs. She needed to get something in her stomach. While she waited for her food, she made a list of things she needed to do. In addition to looking for a place to live and work, she needed to get herself a phone so she could contact the girls and her lawyer.

She made herself eat all the food and drink all the juice, and she was pleased that it helped with her headache and the way her hands shook.

Courtney walked off the elevator to the desk. “I’m in Room 601,” she said to the guy behind the desk when she got his attention. She could tell he was stressed about something and then heard a couple beside her talking in Italian. “What’s wrong?”

“Our translator isn’t here yet,” the man said.

“I can help with that,” Courtney said.

The man’s eyes widened. “You speak Italian?”

“Yes.” She turned to the couple and asked what they needed. She almost smiled at their surprise.

The conversation went smoothly, and the couple was checked in and happy.

The guy at the desk wiped the sweat from his brow. “Oh, wow. You saved me, big time. They are diplomats from Italy, and my boss told me to treat them special.”

“I’m glad I was here to help,” Courtney said.

“Now, what can I help you with?” he asked.

“I would like to use a computer and Internet for research. Is that possible?”

“What’s your name, Miss?”

“Courtney Warner.”

“You checked in last night?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you planning on staying another night?”

“Yes, do I need to move to another room?”

He smiled. “No. You’re in luck. The people who reserved it for a few nights canceled, so we have no one who will take it from you. I’ll get you set up for another night and then give you the key to one of our office rooms.”

“That would be wonderful. I need to pay for my breakfast, too. It’s a long story, but I’m waiting onnew credit and debit cards. I have cash or a check. I know you would rather have a credit card.”

“It’s no problem. Patricia left notes for me about you using cash.”

“Would it be possible for me to put fifty dollars on my bill and pay the balance later?”

“That will work just fine,” the man said.

They made the transaction, and he handed over one of the office keys. “Take your time. That room isn’t reserved today.”

“Thank you so much for your help. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Is there a phone in the office?”

“Yes. You can make local calls only without a credit card.”

She smiled. “That’s fine.”

He pointed down a hallway. “You’re in Room 120. Call the desk if you need anything.”

“Thank you again.”

“No, thank you,” he said, smiled, and waved.

Once in the office, she found a pad of paper and pens to use. But first, she needed to tell Larkin she was fine.

“Hello,” Larkin answered by the second ring.

“Hi, it’s me.”

Courtney cringed when Larkin yelled for the other girls.

“Hey, you’re on speaker,” Larkin told her. “Where are you?”

She named the hotel.

“Why didn’t you come back here?” Brylee asked. “We were all so worried.”

“I’m sorry. I got some distressing news and just wanted to hide,” Courtney told them.

“Can you tell us?” Sienna asked.

Courtney went over what the lawyer and she had learned the day before. She was surprised at the anger she heard in her friends’ voices.

“That bitch,” Sienna growled. “Can you put her in jail?”

“My father’s, well, now my lawyer, is looking into pressing charges, but I don’t want to do that. I just want all the money she’s taken from me over the years and for her to apologize for lying to me.”

“Do you want us to kick her ass?” Sienna asked.

The rest of the girls started to argue. Some were for the idea, and others were afraid their daddies would be upset.

Courtney grinned. “No. But thank you.”

“When are you coming back? Should I send Hicks to get you?” Larkin asked.

“Not today. I’m in one of the business offices right now. I’m planning on looking for a condo and job.”

“Wait,” Brylee burst out. “Why aren’t you letting the daddies help?”

“Because they’re not my daddies.”

“It doesn’t matter. They still care and want to help,” Shelby said. “What about Ronin? He’s going to be disappointed that you’re not asking for help.”

Courtney’s stomach tightened. “No. I don’t think so.”

The girls got quiet.

“What happened?” Nia asked.

“When I got here, I was waiting for the elevator. When it opened, he came out with a stunning blonde. The two together looked so perfect.”

“Maybe it’s not what you’re thinking,” Brylee explained.

“They were very affectionate with each other,” Courtney told them.

There was another minute of silence.

“I just can’t see Ronin with another woman when he wants you,” Shelby said.

“But does he really want me? Think about it. He helped me that one night and the next day for a bit. When we got back to Larkin’s, he pretty much sluffed me off. He kissed the top of my head and said he had to be somewhere, then left. He never said anything about wanting to see me again.”

“I really thought he liked you,” Sienna popped in.

“I did at first, too. Larkin was there, so she saw it. Right, Larkin?” Courtney asked.

“Yeah. But I still thought he was into you.”

Courtney swallowed. “You guys, he can like me as a friend, right?”

They mumbled.

“Which hotel are you at?” Nia asked. “Maybe we can come see you.”

She told them. “I’m going right now, but I’m getting a phone, and once I do, I’ll text you guys the number.”

“Okay. Call us if you need anything, and we want to see you as soon as possible,” Larkin said.

Courtney swallowed a few times to stop the tears from coming. She couldn’t have asked for better friends. “I want to see you guys, too. I’ll call.”

She took a minute to calm down before she started the computer and got to work.