Free Taboo Love With The Doctor (BBW Contemporary Medical Stepbrother Romance) by Ava May Page B

nervous. Like the rich people were always watching her, judging her. And she'd come up lacking, she knew. These kinds of people didn't wear plus-sized clothes and run around getting their ankles sprained playing football.
    Three men dashed out to unload their car and fuss over the luggage. Once it had been placed on a cart, one of the men led them to the entrance, told them they were expected and bypassed the check-in desk. Money bought great service.
    They were handed room key cards, no, suite key cards, their luggage was placed in the rooms, and when Chris reached in her purse for a tip, was politely told all gratuities had been taken care of. Of course.
    Robert certainly knew how to impress his bride-to-be, Chris would give him that. Amanda couldn't stop exclaiming over every little detail in her giant suite. From the fragrant flowers blooming in an antique vase, to the bowl of fresh fruit, to the plush carpet that swallowed up her feet. Everything screamed luxury and money. Amanda strolled down the hall and took a peek in her room, which wasn't quite as large, but just as elegant. Or foo-foo, as she preferred to call it.
    She stuck her nose back in her mom's room, and had to grin, watching Amanda run her hands over the satiny pillows and sheets. "I'm going to unpack and relax for a while, Mom. What time is dinner?"
    "At seven o'clock sharp." Amanda looked at her watch. "Robert should be here soon. We'll meet in the Lilac room. Let me know if you need anything, honey."
    A beer. Now . "I'm good. I might walk around a little, stretch my legs. I'll see you at seven."
     
    ****
     
    Success! On the third try, Chris managed to cut one of the pain pills in half and not turn it into a crumbled mess. Her ankle throbbed and suspecting this dinner would be miserable enough, she absolutely couldn't go through the evening without some relief. She'd walked around the hotel for half an hour and couldn't locate a bar, and decided she really had to prop up her foot. It had already swollen up like a balloon. She managed to find a butter knife to chop the pill. A half a tablet should do the trick and not make her comatose.
    Would everyone be terribly upset if she showed up in her fuzzy socks? Probably. Though Chris could care less what anyone thought of her, she didn't want to embarrass her mother. She'd behave like a good girl and pray for the weekend to end quickly.
    Hair fixed, a touch of makeup on her face, drugs taking the edge off the pain, Chris blew herself a kiss in the mirror. She'd started this gesture after her douche-bag ex left her, to remind herself she was loved. Often, tears followed the kiss when she thought about Jason, but she wiped them away and carried on. Definitely not going to think about him tonight. She really had to concentrate on making a good impression on her new family.
    New family. How was a person supposed to embrace a bunch of strangers, and call them family? It was wonderful her mom found a man she cared about, and one who had a good solid income. Chris was happy for her. Really. But now she'd have to move out of the house, live on her own again, face the fact that she needed to start dating and build her own relationship with a guy.
    Despite Amanda's gentle encouragement, Chris had no desire to date again. After Jason's betrayal, Chris put a steel-plated shield around her heart and didn't have the courage or desire to take it down. Her work, playing sports, going out with friends, spending time with her mom, that was enough. Lately though, watching her friends interact with their partners, getting more and more wedding invitations, hearing about yet another baby coming into the world, Chris realized it was time to move on. Time to trust a man again. It would take a truly special one to break down her barricade.
    The Lilac Room was every bit as glitzy as the rest of the hotel. By the time Chris limped her way there, her mother, Robert and Lila were already seated, all three laughing. Chris put on her