Chapter 26

Noah settled into his seat, a curious glint in his eyes. "So, what did I miss?"

Ariel stuffed her mouth with a large bite, determined not to answer. Just as Mandy seemed ready to dive into the conversation, her sleeve rising to her mouth in a half-hearted attempt to cover her delighted smile, Leroy beat her to the punch.

"Actually, we were just wondering why Taylor was woken up this morning by your grandmother?"

It wasn't exactly genius, but it was quick thinking and did the trick.

"Oh," Noah replied with a knowing smile. "I might have an answer for you. You see, last night, before I turned in, she asked me if Ariel knew about the meetings this morning. I told her I didn't know, so she asked me what room she was staying in, but of course, I didn't know that either..." Noah explained, coloring a bit at the last part.

Finishing her large bite, Ariel averted her eyes from everyone and contented herself with taking another sip of coffee.

"So?" Leroy persisted, not giving Mandy a chance to reclaim the conversation.

"Oh, sorry. So, I suppose she went to wake Ariel up this morning and went to the wrong room."

There was a pause, and then Noah looked to Ariel, a bit embarrassed. "If you don't mind me asking, what room are you staying in?"

"Fourteen," Ariel said.

"Fifteen," Jasper interjected.

Surprised, Ariel glanced up at Jasper. Had he just said room fifteen? Noah looked from Ariel to Jasper, then back again, his confusion evident.

"Um..." Noah hesitated, looking uncertain.

Feeling confused and slightly flustered, Ariel looked to Noah, attempting a smile. "It's fourteen."

A few seats down, Mandy pursed her lips, opting to say nothing about Jasper's slip-up. She wondered if the lie was a sign of affection toward Ariel. Taylor, on the other hand, was not concerned with such delicate matters and would not let it go quietly.

"Of course, it's fourteen. It's right next door to you," Taylor pointed out.

Seeming unconcerned, Jasper deflected Taylor's penetrating stare with a shrug. "My mistake."

Taylor opened her mouth to argue but found she had nothing left to say. The matter was frustratingly closed, but anyone who knew Jasper knew he didn't often make mistakes—nor admit them.

The dining hall buzzed around them, filled with the clatter of cutlery and the murmur of conversations. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting a warm glow on the bustling scene. The scent of fresh coffee and pastries wafted through the air, mingling with the occasional burst of laughter from a nearby table. Ariel took another sip of her coffee, savoring its rich aroma, and glanced around the room. Noah was chatting with Tommie, the waiter, who had returned to check on their table, while Mr. Warner and Mandy engaged in a hushed conversation.

Despite the vibrant atmosphere, an undercurrent of tension lingered at their table, a silent tug-of-war between truth and pretense. Ariel's thoughts drifted back to the confusion over the room numbers, a small but significant crack in the facade that Jasper tried to mask.