Misbehaving

“Hiding in the bar,” Claudia said while the bellhop put Beatriz’s bags on the luggage rack. “The wedding planner’s driving him nuts. I’m about ready to hit her myself. Got any connections?”

“I do,” said the bellhop.

Beatriz made a mental note to give the bellhop a good tip.

“How bad is it?” she asked Claudia.

“Long story. It involves her trying to get Henry to rearrange his groomsmen so they line up by height. She thinks the tallest one should be best man. Henry’s brother was not amused.”

“Short men deserve love, too. Is Mike still single?”

Claudia shook her head. “Nope. He’s here with his girlfriend. Why?”

“I need to get laid. It’s work-related.”

Claudia nodded. She knew all about Beatriz’s work.

“I have connections there, too,” said the bellhop. Keaton, his nametag indicated.

“I love this guy,” Beatriz said as they neared the elevators.

“So what’s the job?” Claudia asked as the three of them got on the first elevator.

“I have a book to review by Monday. Sex position manual creatively entitled THE MANUAL. They call it ‘The Joy of Sex for Generation Y!’ complete with exclamation point.”

“What’s Generation Y?”

“Us.”

“Got it. We’ll find someone to do you. Someone generation Y.”

“I like older men. Gen X works, too.”

“A couple of the groomsmen are single,” Claudia said. “Jake’s here.”

“No way. He always wears too much body spray. I’d need to wear a hazmat suit. Hazmat suits are not sexy.”

“Speak for yourself,” Keaton the bellhop muttered.

“Jed?” Claudia suggested.

“We hooked up in college. He’s terrible in bed.”

“Really?” Claudia sounded stunned. “He seems so confident. Cocky even.”

“It’s a cover. Guilt. Momma complex. You have sex and then fifteen minutes later he’s giving you the ‘I don’t think we should do this anymore’ routine. I told him his cock wasn’t worth cutting through the red tape for.”

“You go, girl.” Keaton nodded his approval as the elevator door opened.

The three of them disembarked and headed for room 424.

“Well…there is one other option,” Claudia said as they reached Beatriz’s hotel room.

“Not worry about it since you’re getting married in five days?” Beatriz asked.

“Not that. Getting you laid is much more fun than me getting married.” Claudia helped Keaton with the bags.

“Then what?” Beatriz asked.

Claudia smiled at her. It wasn’t a good smile. It was a “don’t kill me” smile. Immediately Beatriz thought of a plethora of ways to kill Claudia.

“Ben’s here, isn’t he?”

Claudia winced. “Sort of. He’s one of the groomsmen.”

“You told me he wasn’t coming,” Beatriz almost shouted.

“He wasn’t coming because of a work thing. Then he got a promotion. So now he is coming. I mean, he came.”

“So Ben’s here?” Beatriz glared at Claudia.

“Ben’s here.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

“Who’s Ben?” Keaton asked, leaning against the luggage rack and smiling.

“My ex-nothing,” Beatriz said.

“She was in love with him in college, but nothing ever came of it. She’s still a little bitter.”

“I’m not bitter. I’m just still mildly disappointed in him. You know, as a human being. Because he never fucked me, and he should have.”

“Yes, he should´ve,” Keaton said.

“Thank you. I owe you money, right?” Beatriz asked.

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” Keaton waggled his eyebrows.

Beatriz handed him a five-dollar bill. He gave Lincoln a quick kiss and headed for the door with the luggage rack.

“You should leave the rack,” Claudia said. “She’s having crazy sex this week with someone she doesn’t know yet. She may need that.”

“If she needs it back, call the front desk,” Keaton said as he pulled the luggage rack out of the room. “Put the wheel brake on first. Voice of experience.”

Alone now in the room with Claudia, Beatriz started to unpack.