Finding Paris by Joy Preble

Author:Joy Preble
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-02-03T16:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

I AM AN IDIOT. BECAUSE ONLY AN IDIOT TRUSTS A BOY SHE MEETS WHEN she brings him a piece of pie. A bigger idiot kisses him.

And then gets left in a hotel room.

My hands shake as I try Paris’s cell again using Mom’s phone. She doesn’t answer. I call my own cell. She doesn’t answer it either.

I try not to panic.

I fail.

“You can take a bus,” I tell myself aloud. “Buses run to LA.” Talking to myself just makes me feel more stupid. “You can take a cab home and steal the keys to your mother’s car.” Of course only if she’s still asleep when I get there and not at work.

I shove my feet in my shoes.

Stay here, Max told me. Does that mean he’s coming back? Do I want him to come back? No.

What the hell have I been thinking?

I tell myself to sit down at the little table and think. Breathe. I am no worse off than I was, right?

Nope. I run out the door instead. It closes behind me before I realize I do not have a key card. Great. Now I am in the hallway of a hotel. Alone. With my stuff locked inside the room. My mother’s phone, at least, is in my hand.

I am officially the stupidest girl in Las Vegas, and believe me, that is saying something.

Then from down the hall I hear, “You didn’t take the extra key card, did you?”

Max Sullivan is striding toward me, long legs pistoning fast, boots slapping the carpet.

I don’t know whether to smack him or laugh. Or maybe cry except I absolutely don’t want to cry in front of him again. Because then he’ll kiss me and then push me away and we already did that, right?

“You came back,” I say.

“I said I was coming back.”

“You said, ‘Stay here.’ Then you stormed out the door.”

Max heaves a sigh. “Stormed is a bit strong. But . . . this isn’t working, Leo.”

This time the heat starts in my stomach and surges to my cheeks. He is infuriating. Only, looking at his expression, I guess I’m doing the same thing to him.

“I’ll catch a cab,” I say. “Just let me in for my stuff.”

“What? No. I mean, you’re not a girl who should be hanging out in a hotel room with me. Or anyone. I mean . . . Shit, Leo. I know what we planned. But you don’t belong here.”

“I said I’ll get a cab.”

He holds out his hand. “Not what I mean.”

I duck out of reach. “Just let me in.”

“Leo, I—”

“Let. Me. In.”

He shoves his hand through his hair. Opens the door with his key card. Because of course he remembered to take one.

“Did you even get on the elevator?” I ask, pushing by him. “Inclinator. Whatever.”

He laughs. “No.”

“So this is funny?” I am so furious at him and all of this that I feel like I am going to explode. I grab my things, even the mushroom cloud T-shirt.

Max puts a hand on my arm.

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