章 71: The Lounge Meeting

The doorbell must have been ringing for minutes before Claire realizes it's actually happening. She opens her eyes. She had fallen asleep in the Jacuzzi, with still her dress on. Good thing the water's deliciously warm. She stands up from the jetted tub; the water sloshes and overflows and creates a micro-tsunami in the bathroom. "I'm coming," she yells.

She pads toward the front door, dripping wet. At the back of her mind, she promises to apologize later to the chambermaid, or whoever would be assigned to clean up her room. When she finally opens the door, Dale's eyes are big and wide.

"What is it, Dale?"

"Uhh, are you okay, Ma'am?"

Claire rubs her eyes with the back of her hand. "I think so. I have fallen asleep. So I think I'm fine now."

"That's great to hear!" Dale scans her from head to toe. "But you seem soaking wet, Miss Claire. You'd get sick if you keep that up!"

"Nah," she says. "It would take much more than a wet dress to make me sick." A beat. "So…what's up?"