r laundry service. An hour crawled by, each minute fee

had refused to engage in his flirting games. She had no interest in

. Relief washed over Vanessa as she answered the door. The charade,

t to the unseen hotel staff membe

apology, who pretended to be occupied with his

meet Darryl again. Downstairs, as she settled the bill for th

e was missing. Had she left it on her table? Back in the room? Quickly, she retrace

except for a faint whiff of his cologne. The sight was unbelievable to he

d a surge of anger replaced the panic. This charming stranger, this Casanova wannabe, had som

er head in her hands. What can she do in a situation like thi

she could call right now was Carolyn. Carolyn was the one who caused it

d out the entire story of the disguised blind date, the spilled wine, the flirtatious stranger, t

worry. I'm on my way to you", Carolyn as

waiting" Vanessa told her

assured her befor

s, a whirlwind of concern and determination. Together, they recounted the e

owing frustration as the receptionist rem

edit card are all gone," she snapped at the receptionist and Carolyn calmed her dow

essa, who was pretty much occupied in getting back her belongings, dialed the number with trembling fingers. She didn'

voice, laced with anger, accus

g onto it" he said, his smooth char

flimsy claim of simply "holding on

Why did you leave the room if you had no other mo

came up," Darryl

" Vanessa demanded, her voice t

yl's voice dripped with insinuation, "perhaps a little dinner date co

her face flushed with a mixture of anger and

he blamed herself for the accidental encounter between Darr

n remained by Vanessa's side, and Vanessa knew they'd find a wa

he nerve of that – that Darryl Peter character!" she exploded, launching insults

amelessly hitting on me? And now this...holdi

e understood Vanessa's frustration. "Alright, alright," Carolyn soothed. "He sounded

the anger slowly morphing into resignation. "So

s a... retrieval mission. You go, you get your purse ba

in the same room as Darryl Peter was less than appeal

n declared with mock seriousness, a grin tugging at the corner

eeing the unwavering determination in her friend's

d picture of a purse-less future filled with en

s strictly a purse-retrieval mission. No dinner, no flirti

Carolyn's face. "That's the spi

crack a small smile. She knew Carolyn saw her situati