The Bookworm's Guide to Faking (The Bookworm's Guide #2) - Emma Hart Page 0,22

a dead Kindle.

In my defense, I wasn’t sure I’d get a lot of reading done this weekend. It was a ridiculous mistake because any bookworm knew that there was always time to read.

Even if it was five minutes on the toilet.

Always.

Mind you, I’d thought my phone would be adequate for that. Without signal, though, I couldn’t sync to the last spot in the book I was reading, and it wasn’t like I’d planned to get a flat tire right here.

Sigh.

A big, black truck rounded the corner of the road ahead of me, and I pursed my lips when I caught sight of Sebastian’s face behind the wheel. I was equal parts happy and annoyed—happy I could be rescued, annoyed he was the rescuer.

He pulled up beside me and wound down his window. He leaned out of it, grinning at me. “Someone call for a hero?”

I stared at him. “I’ve been sitting here for hours.”

“You called me twenty minutes ago.”

“Same thing.”

He laughed. “I have to drive down a bit more so I can turn around. Do you have a spare?”

I shook my head. “I forgot to replace it. I’m stuck.”

“All right. Let me turn around, and I’ll tow you up. It’s fucking freezing here, then we’ll find someone who can come up and get it sorted.”

“Thank you.”

“Give me two minutes.”

Judging by the way this day was going, those two minutes would feel like thirty.

Thankfully, he was just as quick as he’d said he was. Within five minutes of him passing me again, he’d maneuvered his truck in front of my Jeep and hooked it up to his tow bar.

Slowly, we made our way up along the rest of the road. It took three times longer than it should have thanks to my stupid tire and judging by how rocky the final third of the track was, I was going to need a whole new wheel.

Ugh.

At least I didn’t have hypothermia.

I know, I know. I was being dramatic.

Sebastian pulled me into a parking space, using the vacant one in front for his. There was a good two inches of snow on the ground up here, and I shivered as I jumped out of my car. Thank God I’d thought ahead and brought more than enough warm clothing to get through this weekend.

If only I’d thought to bring alcohol.

Judging by the way this was going, I was going to need it.

Sebastian unhooked his tow line from the front of my car. “There. Let’s go in and see if there’s anyone who can come take it today. We’ll come back for your stuff in a minute. You look cold.”

“I am cold. I was stuck on the side of the mountain for hours.”

“Forty minutes at most,” he said, amusement lacing his tone.

“It felt like hours, so I’m sticking with hours.” I followed him to the huge ski resort building. It looked like something out of a movie, with the outside all clad in red brick and deep wooden shiplap. The snow that coated the roof made it look somewhat like a fairytale, and Seb held the door open for me to step in.

Oh.

It was warm in here.

A huge fireplace was on the opposite wall to the reception desk, and it roared with a massive fire that was no doubt responsible for the lush warmth that spread through my extremities. Rustic leather armchairs and sofas were dotted around the area, and small groups of people filled almost each and every one.

Seb led me straight to the VIP desk at the end. “There should be a room for Holley Stuart,” he said to the woman behind the desk whose nametag read ‘Dawn.’

“Let me check that for you, Mr. Stone.” Her fingers tapped away at the keyboard.

For a little too long.

She pursed her deep red lips and looked up. “I’m sorry. We don’t have a reservation under that name.”

I glared at Sebastian. “You didn’t do it?”

He looked back at me. “I definitely did. I booked it on Tuesday, and I have the email confirmation.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and brought it up, then showed it to the woman.

She went back to her computer and, after another thirty seconds or so, shook her head. “I’m sorry, something must have gone wrong in our system. There are no bookings under Holley Stuart, and the only one under your name is your room now.”

This was not happening.

I’d say I couldn’t believe it, but I could. I had no car and now, no room. What was next? Everything happened