Tyler takes the others to an after party

Tyler led the group back toward the elevators. As they rode down, Abbie watched the numbers on the display fall. When they passed the 19th floor, she thought of her room, and briefly pictured the image of her and Jake slipping away for the night, leaving Tyler (and Chris?) wherever the rest of the night might take them. She reached out and took Jake's hand.

"We're going to the 4th floor," said Tyler. "They hold these rooms in case of emergencies, and this weekend, most of them are empty. So some folks and I who work here sneak in late at night. As long as we clean up after, no one notices."

Abbie looked at him slyly. "And what, you bring us to your secret hotel lair, lock us up, and no one ever hears from us again?" Abbie giggled as she said it, but her heart was also beating a little faster.

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, we can leave the door unlocked. We can even prop it open with the little flippy latch thing. You can run away at any time." Tyler spoke with comfort, and Abbie wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "Would you like that?"

Abbie nodded. "Sure, let's do that. Just leave the latch in the door. You okay with that, Jake?"

"Yeah, if things go sideways, we can leave," Jake said, reassuring Abbie.

"Right."

They arrived at their floor, got off the elevator, and Tyler led them down a hallway to room 481. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

"Here we are, home away from home away from home." Tyler pushed the door open and led the group inside. He went back to the door and turned the door latch so that it blocked the door from closing.

It was a fairly large room. Although it was all one room, it had enough furniture to feel like two spaces. Up front, there were two sofas flanking a coffee table with a television against the wall. There was a cabinet unit surrounding the television, replete with shelves and drawers, places to store clothes and other stuff, and a mini fridge. Beyond that area was a king-sized bed, and beyond that, the full-wall window, veiled with two layers of curtains.

Abbie noted the differences between this room and hers, and appreciated that Jake had gotten them a suite. Upstairs, she had a balcony, separate rooms for the bed and the common space, and everything else just seemed more glamorous. Here, it was fine, but basic. Corporate. Still, she wasn't put out by it or anything -- it just wasn't as nice. And she was grateful to Jake for that.

"Good, we still have some beer here." Tyler had opened the fridge.

"I'll take one," said Chris.

"Same," added Jake.

Abbie was looking around the room, not interested in another drink. The apple martinis from the bar were still giving her a buzz, and she wasn't feeling up to a beer as a chaser. Tyler handed bottles to the two men, and three of them clinked together before taking their first sip. Chris threw back another long chug, and then set the bottle down on a shelf before excusing himself to the bathroom.

"We're not supposed to use the hotel grounds for personal socializing, but of course, we all find ways."

Tyler watched Abbie as she circled the room. She wandered toward the window, pulling the curtain aside and glancing out. Jake turned to look at her too. She stood alone by the window, the room dim from the limited and sparse lighting. It was dark outside as well. But as Abbie turned back into the room again, the dim light was enough to illuminate her face from the front. She saw Tyler and Jake looking at her and smiled.

"This room feels a lot more peaceful than the bar upstairs." Abbie paused and scrunched up her face. "Upstairs?"

"Yeah," said Tyler.

"Upstairs," Abbie said, nodding. "We're on what, four?" She shook her head. "I've lost my sense of direction. It's those appletinis!" With a giggle, she slowly walked back into the common space of the room.

The two sofas made an L-shape with the coffee table in their nook. Abbie crept along the front edge of one of the sofas and took a seat near the crook of the L.

"Mind if I sit?" Abbie asked.

"Not at all," Tyler smiled. He sat at the inner end of the other couch, more or less next to Abbie, just to her left, though each of them on neighboring ends of two separate sofas. Jake slipped in on Abbie's right, and sat next to her.

Abbie leaned back on the sofa, stretching her back, running her hands along the back of her neck. "It's been a long day, you know?" She let her head fall back so she was staring up at the ceiling, but then sat up straight once more. With a little shiver, she shook off whatever moment of tension had risen up, and turned to look at Tyler.