Ironing Out The Rooms

The inside of the lodge was every bit as impressive as the outside. Nick stepped into a wide, open main room where the living area, dining space, and kitchen all flowed together beneath a high ceiling. The living room looked built for a crowd, with three oversized couches arranged around a stone fireplace, a pair of armchairs set nearby, and a large television mounted above a long shelf crowded with framed portraits, game consoles, speakers, and other electronics. Past the couches, the dining area sat between the living room and the kitchen, which stretched across the far side of the room with polished counters, dark cabinets, and enough space for everyone to gather without feeling cramped. On either side of the main area, hallways branched off into the rest of the lodge, where Nick assumed the bedrooms and bathrooms were tucked away. At the back wall, a set of double glass doors opened onto a wooden deck. Through the glass, he could see outdoor chairs and tables arranged beneath the open sky, along with a hot tub waiting near the edge of the deck.

Cass clapped her hands once, loud enough to pull everyone’s attention away from the windows, the couches, and the general awe of the lodge.

“Alright, before everyone starts claiming beds like animals,” she said, stepping into the center of the main room, “we need to figure out sleeping arrangements.”

A few people groaned. Jayden immediately leaned against the back of one of the couches like he intended to sleep right there just to avoid the conversation.

Cass pointed down the hall to the right. “There are four bedrooms. Two bathrooms. One bathroom is in the master, the other is at the end of that hallway. The two rooms facing the lake are the bigger ones. One has a king bed, one has a queen. The two rooms toward the front have two twins each.”

She paused, scanning the group like she expected someone to challenge her. No one did yet, though Nick could already see the math happening on a few faces.

“In a perfect world,” Cass continued, “we’d just throw three people in every room and call it a night. But since Alex and Journey are a couple, I figured they should probably get one of the bigger rooms to themselves.”

Journey perked up immediately. Alex looked less surprised than amused, like he had already known this was coming and was waiting to see who complained first.

Jayden shrugged. “Or we put all the guys in one big room. Girls get the rest. They get more space, and nobody has to share a bathroom with us.”

Nick gave him a look. “Eight girls and one bathroom?”

Jayden held up his hands. “I’m being considerate.”

“You’re creating a hostage situation,” Nick said. “That’s not consideration. That’s how we end up murdered before breakfast.” A few laughs broke out, and Nick nodded toward the couches. “Honestly, me, you, and Noah could probably just sleep out here. Alex and Journey take one lake room, and the girls split the rest.”

Cass wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, no. You say that now because the living room looks comfortable. In summer, it gets hot out here at night. Like, miserable hot. You’ll be praying for the sweet release of a bedroom by two in the morning.”

“Dramatic,” Jayden said.

“Accurate,” Cass shot back. “There are cots and sleeping bags downstairs anyway, so nobody has to suffer on the actual floor.”

“Just the emotional floor,” Noah muttered, barely looking up from his phone.

Cass snapped her fingers toward him. “Thank you for your contribution.”

Ivey, who had been quiet until then, planted her hands on her hips. “Wait. If Alex and Journey get a room to themselves, that leaves ten of us in three rooms. So one room has to have four people.”

Cass gave her a sympathetic look. “Yeah.”

“That doesn’t seem fair.”

“It’s not ideal.”

“And what if someone else wants privacy?” Ivey asked, a little awkwardly. “I mean, not to make it weird, but are Alex and Journey the only ones who get couple privileges?”

That got the room shifting. A few people looked away. Lilly suddenly became very interested in the floorboards.

Haley, however, only shrugged. “We can do what people do in college. Borrow a room, put a sock on the doorknob, keep it under an hour, and don’t be disgusting about it.”

Jayden slowly turned toward her. “Haley, I just want you to know I respect your leadership.”

“Don’t,” Haley said.

Cass pointed between them. “As much as it pains me to agree with anything that made Jayden happy, Haley’s right. We can make it work. If somebody needs the room for a little while, the rest of us can clear out. Within reason.”

There were a few uncertain nods, but nobody rushed to volunteer. The group had the awkward energy of people who all understood the subject and hated that it had been said out loud.

Cass sighed. “Come on. We’re all pretending to be adults this weekend, right? If I can give people space, you can give people space. Sam?”

Samantha leaned against the arm of the couch, smiling like she had been waiting to see how long Cass would last before recruiting support. “Right on.”

“Haley?” Cass asked.

Haley lifted two fingers in a lazy salute and a roll of her eyes. “Sure, prom queen.”

Jayden made a small **** sound, clearly trying not to laugh at the nickname. Haley glanced at him, and he immediately looked away.

Lilly finally raised her head. “I just want to stay with my friends,” she said softly. “Tonight, at least. We can move things around later if it doesn’t work.”

That seemed to settle the room more than Cass’s speech had. Her voice did not carry much ****, but it made the problem feel less like a game of numbers and more like something everyone could be decent about.

Cass nodded. “Okay. Then let’s start there.” She counted on her fingers. “Alex and Journey in one of the bigger rooms. Me, Sam, and Haley in another. Lilly with Nick and Noah?”

Nick glanced at Lilly, giving her an easy out if she wanted one. She only gave a small nod.

“Works for me,” he said.

Cass continued, “That leaves Mackenzie, Leah, Ivey, and Jayden.”

Jayden looked between the three girls. “I can tell by the silence that everyone is thrilled.”

Ivey gave him a flat look. “I’m processing.”

Mackenzie ignored him and turned toward Journey. “Could I stay with you guys instead? I’ll give you and Alex space when you want it.”

Leah immediately looked to Journey too, trying not to seem too hopeful and failing. “Could I?”

Journey hesitated, then softened. “Yeah. Of course.”

Alex laughed under his breath and spread his hands. “Sure. Why not? Come join the palace.”

Cass arched an eyebrow. “If you’re taking Mackenzie and Leah, then you’re taking the master.”

“The responsibility is heavy,” Alex said.

“I’m sure you’ll survive.”

That left Ivey and Jayden looking at each other.

Jayden offered a small shrug. “Twin beds in the small guest room.”

“Twin beds will work,” Ivey agreed.

“Great. Aren't we getting along famously already.”

“Don’t make me regret agreeing to this.”

Cass pointed toward the hall before Jayden could answer. “Good. Done. Before anyone changes their mind, help me get the cots and sleeping bags.” She gave her brother a smack to the gut as she passed by him. She started toward the lower hall, waving for people to follow. “Come on, thisaway.”

Most of the group trailed after her, though Noah remained planted where he was, still absorbed in his phone until Nick nudged him with his foot.

“Manual labor,” Nick said.

Noah sighed, “Terrible vacation.”

They hauled the extra bedding up from storage in uneven trips: two futons, one cot, and an inflatable mattress. Cass supervised more than she lifted, though she did just enough work to deny it if anyone accused her of being bossy. The futons went into the master bedroom for Mackenzie and Leah, giving Alex and Journey the actual bed. The cot was dragged into the room for Nick, Noah, and Lilly. Ivey and Jayden claimed the front room with the twin beds, both seeming equally unsure whether they had gotten lucky or unlucky. Cass took the inflatable mattress for the room she was sharing with Samantha and Haley, plugging in the electric pump and watching it slowly rise with a satisfied look.