He was just about to go a round with Stan, who was even worse at the whole rousing thing, when a knock sounded on the door.
Could the stoner fool already be awake?
Gregg started talking to his cameraman as he opened the door. "Listen, let's pack up the van--"
It was the tight-ass butler. Looking as if someone had dumped red wine all over his couch.
Gregg lifted his palm. "We're leaving, okay. We're taking off. Just give us--"
"The owner has decided to allow you to film here. For your special. "
Gregg blinked like an idiot. "Excuse me?"
The butler's tone grew even more disgusted. If that was possible. "The owner spoke to me this morning. He said you are permitted to host your show herein. "
One day too late, Gregg thought with a curse to himself. "Sorry. My team and I are--"
"Thrilled," Holly finished for him.
As he glanced over his shoulder, his narrator was pulling her robe into place and getting off the bed.
"That's great news," she said pointedly while smiling at the butler.
Who seemed to be yo-yoing between disapproval and enchantment at the sight of her all fuzzy and warm and au naturel.
"Very well then," the butler said, after he cleared his throat. "Do let me know if you need anything. "
With a bow, he disappeared down the hall.
Gregg shut the door. "I thought you wanted out of here. "
"Well. . . I was safe with you, right?" She sidled up to him, stroking his chest. "I'll just stay with you. "
The satisfaction in her voice made him suspicious. "Did you play me. About that whole sex thing with. . . whoever it was?"
She shook her head without hesitation. "No. . . but I truly think it was all a dream. "
"What about the fact that you said you'd actually had sex. "
Her plucked brows furrowed as if she were trying to see through frosted glass. "It's just too hazy to have been real. Last night, I was totally confused, but in daylight. . . it all seems silly. "
"You were pretty sure when you came in here. "
She shook her head slowly. "Nothing except a really vivid, incredible dream. . . it didn't actually happen. "
He searched her face and found nothing but certainty.
Abruptly, she put her hand up to her temple. "Do you have any aspirin?"
"Headache?"
"Yeah. It just came on. "
He went over and took his dopp kit out of his suitcase. "Listen, I'm willing to give it a shot here, but if we decide to stay, there's no pulling out. We need to fill our time slot, so we can't just bolt for Atlanta in a day or two. "
Frankly, they were already in last-minute land.
"I understand," she said as she sat on the bed. "I absolutely get it. "