Page 34 of All Bets Are Off

“What if she’s just having a fun night with someone she’s hit it off with?” Liam counters, and when I roll my eyes, he knows he’s getting through to me. “She wouldn’t want Big Sister Adelaide ruining her night. Be cool.”

“Okay,” I say, the breath I release relaxing all of the tension in my body. “I’ll be cool, but I’m still going to text her and make sure she’s at least alive.”

I fetch my phone from my purse and text Evie my demanding request:

Me: Please confirm you’re still here in the hotel and you haven’t been kidnapped by this mystery guy from the elevator that I’m only now hearing about???

It’s like a weight off my chest when her text back is prompt.

Evie: I promise I’m still here in the hotel, and the mystery guy from the elevator poses no danger.

Me: You’re with him now?

Evie: Maybe.

I grimace as I wrinkle my nose. Ugh. The worst part about watching Theo and Evie grow up is having to sit back and let them. I take heed of Liam’s advice, and I play it cool.

Me: Please don’t forget that condoms exist.

Evie: Ew, I’m not having this conversation with you. See you in the morning.

I stare at her message on my screen, my jaw hanging open. Morning? Morning?

“Do you feel better now that you’ve spoken to her?” Liam asks, rubbing a soothing hand over the small of my back.

I turn to him, features scrunched in disgust, and simply say, “No.”

17

Hailey

Connor is bleeding, John is so drunk he’s stammering, and Adelaide can’t relax because she’s stressing over Evelyn’s whereabouts. When Melissa suggests that now is probably a good time to call it a wrap for the night, everyone agrees.

Whatever tiff Addy and Liam were having earlier must have definitely been squashed, because they walk arm-in-arm together. Melissa’s feet are so blistered from too many hours in heels that she’s whipped off her shoes and now treks barefoot through the hotel. Connor walks ahead of the group, still holding napkins to his palm to stem the bleeding after he smashed a glass in his hand. John and Tyler are drunkenly roughhousing with each other.

Admittedly, having Liam and the guys join us hasn’t been the worst idea in the world, but I figure the evening would have stayed on track if it had remained just us girls. Instead, it’s been kind of chaotic, and I don’t enjoy chaos. I can only hope that tomorrow runs smoother.

As we reach the elevators and join the crowd of others calling it a night, Addy turns to me.

“What’s on the itinerary for the morning, Hailey? Do we need to set an alarm?”

Oh, so we are still somewhat following the plan I spent so many hours of my life working on. My shoulders lift with joy as I pull out the printed itinerary from my purse and scan over tomorrow’s agenda. “So, I have us down for breakfast at Eggslut at—”

“Eggslut?” Tyler scoffs, and I cross my arms over my chest, dragging Theo’s wrist along for the ride.

“Yes, as in a love for eggs. It’s a restaurant here in the hotel that does amazing breakfast sandwiches according to reviews, so hopefully you aren’t too hungover to enjoy them, because I assume you’re all going to join us?” I look at each of the men in turn, an unimpressed eyebrow raised.

“You can always count me in for a good old bacon, egg, and cheese, Hails,” Theo says with a lick of his lips.

“So,” I say, ignoring him, “everyone meet at Eggslut for nine.”

“Nine?” Liam groans.

“Fine. Ten. And be dressed in your swimwear, because we’re going to a pool party, which I assume you’re also going to gatecrash.”

“I’ve got some hot speedos,” John says, sticking out his tongue.

The doors to one of the many elevators ping open and we all huddle inside. Us girls’ rooms are on the forty-ninth floor, while the guys are on the twenty-first. I’m so exhausted, yet I reckon I could fit in some more writing before I climb into bed . . . Except Addy will be in the room with me, and I don’t want her to think I’m some pathetic loser chasing such unattainable dreams at 2 a.m.