“We can have dinner at home where we can all be comfortable,” Ares chimes in. He turns so he can see Milo in the backseat. “Or we can stay in Columbia, it’s up to you.” I’m pressed so close to him, I feel the muscles in his torso shift as he turns his body.
“I’m okay with going back home, but I feel bad that everyone came all the way out here just for this,” Milo answers.
“Milo, this is important. We want to be here,” I tell him before thinking about it, and I glance over at his mom, feeling a little self-conscious for speaking up.
Linda’s lips are tipped up in a smile. “She’s right dear, we all want to be here.”
“I know,” Milo mumbles from the back seat.
The drive to Columbia goes pretty fast considering the seating arrangements. We pull up to a fancy hotel with valet parking. I notice a young guy coming over to the driver’s side window, and his eyes go wide as we all pile out of the SUV. Dante and Milo are shaking out their limbs and stretching the moment they crawl out of the back.
Reaching for Dante first, I rub my hands over his shoulders and back trying to help alleviate the soreness. Dante rolls into my hands, reminding me of the big cat he is. After his quick rub down, I head toward Milo; he’s twisting his neck from left to right while his shoulders bounce from him rolling them. He’s a few inches shorter than the other guys, so I’m able to reach his neck and shoulders a little more easily. I give him a few quick squeezes before rubbing my hands down his back. “I’m getting in the back on the way home,” I demand.
Another valet comes over with a wheeled brass cart to help retrieve the bags from the back. “We don’t have any bags,” Ares speaks up as he extends his hand to the man, and when the valet pulls his hand back, I see a flash of light green. He tipped him just for walking over.
Ollie lumbers over, the long lines of his body seemingly unaffected by the car ride. He drops his arm over my shoulders and leans some of his weight onto me. My feet stumble before I recover, and he laughs before adding more weight. I grit my teeth but bear the weight, taking a step with him hanging off of me. “Give me a piggyback ride?” Ollie jokes, lifting his leg like he might try to jump on my back. I giggle and bend my knees ready for the challenge.
“Your ass would drag on the ground,” Milo teases. Ares waves to us from the entrance of the hotel lobby. There’s a wide spinning door, but he holds open the regular glass door and waits. Glancing at Ollie, I know he’s going for the circle door, and I grin because so am I.
Like little kids, we go through the full circle once before he lets us out in the lobby. He came into my slot, so our steps were stunted as we passed through together. I peer up at the high ceiling and an appreciative whistle leaves my lips. “Holy wow.”
Ares is already at the counter talking to a woman in a crisp suit behind the desk. Linda and Matt are a few steps over with another young woman. Dante sidles up next to me, brushing his body against mine. Ollie, Dante, and I head over to Ares as he signs a sheet of paper. The girl helping him check in has a flush on her cheeks as she looks at him, and a bright smile on her face displaying perfect straight teeth.
“Thank you,” she beams, pulling out a pamphlet from the desk. She slides the flat keycard into center of the paper. “Your room number is eleven forty-nine.” She points to where the number is written, going over information on how to call the front desk or get room service and finishing with an, “Enjoy your stay. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to call.”
Ares nods, barely glancing in her direction. He takes the pamphlet with the key and hands it over to Ollie’s waiting hands. Ares’s palm goes to my lower back as we follow Ollie to the bank of elevators.
“First, I’m going to see what room my parents are in, so I’ll be over in a few minutes,” Milo tells us, making his way over to Phil as his mom and