It might have gone okay, but I can't get the whole interaction out of my head. I'm not the kind of girl who has guys almost fighting over her. 

At least it didn't come to that. I might want to prove I can measure up to Tyrone in 'moving on' capabilities, but I don't want him back. Hopefully I'm just reading too much into a drunken joke.

The bed groans as I roll out of it, sliding my slippers on and wrapping my complimentary robe around my shoulders. "I need some tea."

And of course I've needed tea so many times since I got here that the caddy in my room is right out.

Because of course it is.

I could call room service, but it'll be quicker to go downstairs.

As long as I don't run into Tyrone.

I stop dead in my tracks, staring at the door and back to my empty counter. I take a minute to think, and then twist the handle on the door, taking my delightfully not supermodel hairstyle down to the lobby to order a cup of chamomile tea.

My slippers flop against the floor with each step I take, even the gentle thuds reverberating around the near-silent lobby. There's two receptionists and two bellhops on duty, plus a housekeeper vacuuming what must be one of forty area rugs. I do not envy her job.

A tired voice interrupts my people watching. "Can I get you anything?"

Without noticing, I've reached the cafe. "Just a chamomile tea, please. Biggest one you've got."

She rings up the order and points to the total, fingernails clicking against the counter.

"I'll charge it to my room."

"Fill this out," she says, sliding a little slip across the counter. "I'll get your tea."

She looks about as thrilled to be here as I do, so I quietly fill in my room number and name, signing the slip at the bottom.

She hands me my tea and it almost slips through my fingers as the quiet lobby is filled with the sound of someone calling out, "Bianca!"

Apparently it is 'interrupt Bianca's drink order' day.

The voice is attached to stilettos that ring a clear symbol chime with each step. "Bianca! I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Think of Emiko and she will appear. "Hey! I wasn't expecting to see me here either." Otherwise I would not have been dressed like this while you sauntered around in an outfit that walked straight off the cover of a magazine.

"You haven't seen Tyrone around have you?"

Oh great, just the topic I was trying to avoid. "No, not recently," I say, trying to keep from trapping myself in a lie I can't walk back.

"Darn." Her face falls. "I can't find him anywhere and we were supposed to go out this evening after bachelor party events."

"I'm sure he just got caught up in Raj's awesomeness or something."

"I'm sure you're right." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"You know how those guys get when they start talking about sports or whatever it is they like." My sad attempt to make her feel better is almost certainly not working.

"You're right. I was just looking forward to some dancing, but you're so right. Not every day your best friend gets married, right?"

"Definitely not." The smile on my face almost certainly looks as forced as it feels. Probably resembling the look I wore to my second grade picture day. What can I say? That gritted teeth look was really in.

Emiko's phone chimes in her purse, saving me from having to make any more polite conversation. So the universe doesn't entirely hate me today.

"Oh, it's Tyrone," she says when she finds the new message. "It's just like you said. He's gotten caught up with the guys. Look."

The picture on her screen shows Raj and his groomsmen smiling and holding up poker chips. "Looks like they're having fun. Sorry about your dancing, though. Hopefully you'll get to go sometime."

"Oh you're right. I shouldn't worry. We rarely even get to see Raj what with work and travel and everything. I'll talk to Tyrone. I'm sure we can figure something out. It's too late to go out now anyway."

"Very reasonable." I sound like my high school guidance counselor.

"You're the best, Bianca. I really do hope we can be friends. I was so shy around you in high school, and then with me dating Tyrone after you two—"

"Broke up." I finish the sentence so she doesn't have to. "You don't have to apologize for dating someone I wasn't dating, Emiko. We are cool."

And then the rest of what she said hits me. "Wait. You were shy around me in high school?"

The look on her face tells me I've definitely interrupted her, so I don't really know what to do except apologize.

"Of course I was!" she answers me, completely ignoring whatever it was she planned to say. "You were such a big personality. So organized and on top of everything. You always seemed like you had somewhere important to be. It was so intimidating in the most awe-inspiring way. I always knew you would go far."

"Well, still working on the 'going far' part, but I appreciate the compliment. And no need to be nervous now, right? I mean, look at you. Internationally renowned model extraordinaire."

"You're too kind." I can't pay attention to anything she's saying, unsure of how to forge a friendship with someone I barely know when all we have in common is that she's engaged to the man I used to love.

Used to? Maybe.

"I should probably head to bed, then, if I'm going to have to pack the rest of tonight's plans into tomorrow," Emiko says. "Thanks so much for your help, Bianca. You always were such a great listener."

That might be the first time anyone's ever said that. I'm usually a talker.

"No trouble at all, Emiko. Us girls gotta stick together, right?"

"Right," she laughs. "I'll let you get back to your tea."

Her shoes chime their way across the lobby, delicately bouncing off the floor with each perfect step. She really is good at what she does.

"Bianca?"

"What?" I almost shout, spinning around to come face to face with Lorena. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I've had a lot of run-ins today. How are you?"

"Good. I couldn't sleep. Came down for tea." She holds up her freshly filled to-go cup.

"Same." I return the gesture with my own cooling beverage. "But then I ran into Emiko."

"Yeah, I ran into her on the way down. You wanna go upstairs and do something fun to pretend we don't have insomnia?"

"And deprive the good people of Vegas from my delightful facemask-chique look? I thought you'd never ask."

"I've been up looking over spreadsheets for so long I can't bear to keep looking but I'm behind and the team lead is breathing down my neck to finish. But I can't work if you're there. You'd be saving me from a world of hurt. Please."

Even before I look at her, I know she's putting the puppy dog eyes on. It's a Lorena special.

"I already agreed. You don't need to look at me like that." I take off out of the lobby, hoping the cover of the hallway will keep anyone else from calling for me tonight.

Lorena chases after me, slippers flapping against her heels as she does. "Hey! I never asked how you got out of work this week and I didn't?"

"Because I am the team lead and I can decide these things?" I offer. "There aren't a lot of perks to the responsibility, but telling other people not to make me work on my vacation is pretty much the only one I've got."

"I love that for you. Hate it for me."

"How've you been doing with it, though? Job search still not working for you?"

She groans. "It goes super well until I get to an interview and completely clam up. I sound like someone who doesn't know what computers are!"

"I'm sure it isn't that bad," I reassure her, double checking the hallway for intruders before shoving her into the elevator and slamming my thumb into the door close button.

"You're sure, are you? Because you're wrong."

"It can't be that bad. You know what you're talking about."

"I know that. And you know that. But unfortunately I can't seem to make them understand that."

"Have you thought about asking for a test or practice work in addition to a traditional interview? Maybe they'll see how good you are at your job that way."

"I guess I could try that. It's not like it could get any worse."

"Sorry I can't do more to help," I sigh. "I really wish I could hire you myself but it's against the stupid policy."

"It's not a stupid policy. Plus, I want to do this on my own, you know?"

"And you will," I reassure her. "You know your stuff. Someone will see that."

"I hope so. But for now, I'm employed and can pay the bills, so I'm doing all right." She takes a pause to get off the elevator and unlock her door. "But how are you doing with all of this? Your hot husband seems nice, but he's still new. You shaking in your bunny slippers yet?"

"Shut up," I throw back. "I'm doing as well as can be expected. I keep thinking I've made the wrong choice, but he seems cool. Could be fun, you know?"

"You trying to convince me or you?"

Why does she know me so well?

"Both?"

We both devolve into laughter, taking a chance to add some chocolate and crackers to our adventurous tea party.

We're still laughing when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

"Ooh, Bianca's got a message. If it's work at this hour you owe me more chocolate."

I tap the notification open. "It's not work. Do you owe me more chocolate?"

A message from Enrique lights up my screen. It just says See you tomorrow with a little emoji of a beaker and a silly picture of him looking exhausted beside a pile of packed suitcases.

Finally got those suits all packed up? I shoot back, not locking the screen as I wait for a reply.

"Ooh I bet I know what that smile's about," Lorena sings. "Tell Enrique I say hi and if he really wants me to like him, he'll bring me chocolate tomorrow."

"I am not telling him that."

"Your call," she laughs. "I'm going to bed. Let yourself out when you're done gushing about how cute your husband is."

"Goodnight. I'd go now, but I still have some of your chocolate left to eat. See you tomorrow."

And then I am left alone with only my phone for company. It's a good thing Lorena has a limited supply of chocolate.