I’m just his partner….

I’m just his partner…..

They walked into the hotel foyer together, he reaching Reception first and handing over his ID card.

“Mr and Mrs ……Sawyer?”  the receptionist looked at them  both inquiringly.

“Oh no,” she said hastily, conscious of the colour rising in her cheeks. “No, we’re not married, I’m just his partner - business partner “.

She could feel his eyes on her, mocking her, enjoying her discomfort.  A flash of fury shot through her.  She had had enough of his condescending attitude.

“But,” she turned determinedly towards the receptionist, smiling her sweetest smile “for this weekend we are indeed Mr and Mrs Sawyer and we will share a room.”

She had the heady satisfaction of seeing his annoying self confidence take a massive hit.

“Well,  Mrs…err…  Madame, that’s fortunate.  There is a exhibition in town this week and we have only one room still available and that’s the Penthouse Suite, will that be fine for you?”

“That will be perfect” ,  Becky responded, picking up the access key.  She looked defiantly at Tom. To her further irritation, a gleeful expression was back in place, dark eyes glinting hopefully.

“Not until Hell freezes over”she said, and led the way to the lift, leaving Tom to deal with the luggage.

The Penthouse Suite was beautiful.   A large sitting room furnished in elegant greys and creams with an adjoining bedroom, sporting the largest bed she had ever seen, and a marble  bathroom.   The wide floor to ceiling windows looked out over the entire city of Newcastle, with the river and the bridges given centre stage.

“Wow!” she heard him exclaim, “This is really something “.

“It is.  And, of course, we aren’t really sharing.  You can have the sitting room, with that lovely sofa, I’ll have the bedroom.”   Important to make that clear quickly, she thought.

“Of course;  you OK with sharing the bathroom, or would you rather I when along the corridor to the public one”.  His voice was heavily sarcastic.  She didn’t deign to reply, but picked up her case and went into the bedroom.  A quick search in the fitted wardrobes found a spare pillow and blanket, which she took and put on the sofa.   So far so good.

They had met only recently, most of the negotiations for the merger of their respective travel agencies having been done on line and on Zoom.  The merger made good business sense, his specialising in the US and South America, hers covering Europe.   They were here now to sign and exchange the contracts, and she had chosen her home city of Newcastle, convenient too because Tom was based in Edinburg.  

She realised he was studying her intently, and the infuriating blush started to rise again.  

“You can use the bathroom first, if you like.  I’ll probably take longer than you”.  

“Are we going to eat together tonight?  We still have a lot to acquaint ourselves with?”

“Yes, of course.  But let’s eat somewhere other than the hotel.. I know a lovely Italian on the Quayside.  I’ll book a table for 8.00, is that OK?”

“Brilliant, I’ll be super fast in the bathroom”.  And with a very winning smile he went off.

Becky’s mind went straight to what she might wear.  Her one designer dress, that was for sure.

To be continued…