Page 51 of The Reluctant Roommate

“Only because we can take my car.”

“No. Well, yes, but no. If you’re driving, I’ll pay for the motel. It won’t be five-star, though.” She cocked her head. “Are you okay sharing with Lula and me?”

“As long as it’s clean and has comfortable beds, that’s fine.” Her pulse shuddered as she realized what she’d said. Beds. She’d said beds. Plural. That was good. But even that didn’t stop the image of the two of them in a motel room, drapes drawn against the night, secure and secret in their private cocoon.

Except Lula would be there too.

Damn.

Heidi stilled, as if she, too, was suddenly aware of the implications. “Uh, Morgan, are you really okay sharing a room? I can’t afford two rooms. I’ll make sure I book a family room—”

“Ssh,” Morgan pressed a finger to Heidi’s lips.

Heidi stared wide-eyed at her.

“One room is fine. I’m sure we can behave like adults.” Oh no, that was worse. Because adults—consenting adults—could do all sorts of things. Anything they wanted, especially when boundaries were lowered, such as sharing a room. She swallowed hard.Retract.“I mean, we can behave like kids at a sleepover.”

Heidi’s grin reached her eyes. “My sleepovers involved sneaking out to sit by the creek and drink beer someone had stolen from their parents. We also smoked what we thought was weed, but it turned out to be just an actual weed, not marijuana.” She tilted her head. “We did grow our own on the edge of the rainforest, but that was later.”

“No sneaking out required. We can drink beer in our room, if you want, and weed is legal in Colorado, so there’s that too.”

“You don’t smoke,” Heidi said. “I remember your roommate ad.”

Morgan lifted a shoulder. “It makes me paranoid, so I don’t. And I don’t like the smell of any smoke, not even campfires.”

Heidi’s mouth fell open. “Nocampfires? No sitting around staring into the flames, lapping whiskey-laced coffee out of plastic cups? No port and chocolate biccies?”

“None of those. I’m not sure any motel in Leadville would let you do that in the parking lot anyway.”

Heidi laughed, then sobered. “We don’t have to have this fire. I didn’t realize.” She waved to the open fireplace, where the fire now crackled.

“That’s fine. The chimney draws well, so there’s no smoke in the room.” Morgan sipped her wine. “So, once we get to Leadville, what are we going to do?”

“Snowshoe in the mountains. I’ve never done that. There’s hot springs—”

“I meant about Serena.”

Heidi sank lower into the couch and stared at the fire. “I don’t know. I’m not holding out on you, but I don’t have a clue. Knock on the door, I guess. Ask for my money back.”

Morgan chewed her lip. “That’s it? Your grand plan? And when she slams the door in your face?”

“I don’t know. I’m shit at confrontation. I guess I’m just hoping she’ll take one look at my quivering chin and the tears dripping down my cheeks as I tell her how she’s stolen my American dream and write me a check.”

“If she does, it’ll bounce.” Was Heidi really so naïve? Her sunny personality had its downsides, it seemed.

“You come up with something better? Preferably legal.”

“Definitely something legal.” Getting arrested was not in her life plan and certainly would not help her job prospects. Not that she had any of those. “I’ll think on it.”

“Maybe you could pose as law enforcement—”

“Not legal.”

“As a debt collector, then.”

“Morally gray. Why don’t you try an actual debt collector?”

“According to them, there’s no actual debt.”