The Model Couple [on hiatus]

🌻 Chapter 17

🌻

By the time we arrive in Houston, I'm exhausted. Fred did fine after getting his insulin and he was thankful for my help. But the whole ordeal left me exhausted. 

The stewardess gave Ry her phone number as we left. He threw it away in the first trash bin we passed. We gather our suitcases then get into cars, white vans this time. They hold like seven or eight passengers. I am grateful to be with Hayden and Ryland.

We drive an hour on a freeway through Houston, but we never get off. I watch the skyscrapers as we pass with all their windows lit in the dark night. The city fades away as the landscape gets a bit more rural. We start seeing city again as we cross a bridge to an island called Galveston. I impressed myself that I stayed awake for the whole drive.

We pull up in front of an impressive beach hotel and hop out under the covered entrance. I can see the beach across the street. There are palm trees everywhere.

The hotel building is like fifteen stories tall with a curved front. It looks new. We all grab our bags and walk into the giant lobby. There is a long front desk along the wall to our left. I sleepily pull my suitcase along behind the others. There are large palm plants and a piano. The lobby has sections that are progressively more sunken the farther we go. I look down and see the lowest section is a bar with tables and jazzy music. We are standing near a restaurant in the tier above. It looks out onto the several neon lit swimming pools in the rear of the hotel. 

Rhiannon gets our attention, she's holding a fish bowl and a girl standing next to her is holding another. "This is Cynthia, she will be our liaison to the Sea Turtle Hotel this week. This hotel is the newest hotel in Galveston and they are excited to welcome us as some of their very first guests. We will have some photoshoots later this week to show how much we enjoy staying at this impressive hotel." 

Hayden smirks and I understand that the hotel has given us a reduced rate for our rooms and we've agreed to advertise for them on our show.

Rhiannon continues, "Cynthia has the keys for the male contestants in her bowl. I have the ladies' keys in mine. Once you get your key, go ahead and get settled in your rooms. Every room has two full beds and a sleeper sofa that transforms to a queen size bed. We will meet in the Dolphin dining room for breakfast at nine am. And I will tell you that we have a surprise for you tomorrow so get a good night's sleep!"

As I wait in line to get a key, Neil comes to stand by me. "I've heard they are going to do the same process for the crew." He looks at me and makes a face, "You know, make us pick roommates randomly. I don't know why we can't just pick our own roommates."

I nod with understanding, "Yeah, I'd pick Ellie for sure."

A look of sympathy crosses his face, "The other girls still aren't very nice to you, are they?"

I don't want to complain, "I think it's getting a bit better."

He leans in and whispers in my ear, "Do you want to know the surprise for tomorrow?"

Oh! "Um, I don't know. I don't want you to get in trouble."

Neil smirks a bit, "Don't tell anyone so that I won't." He looks around to be sure no one is looking then leans in to me again, "Your families are coming tomorrow."

My eyes open as wide as they go. This is not just a surprise, it's shocking. "They are? No way."

He nods and smiles, so pleased to surprise me. Surely Austin would have told me if he was coming to see me, wouldn't he? I didn't get much time with my phone today, I mostly just watched Youtube videos on how to walk in heels. But I got no texts about them coming. My siblings have never been on a plane so they would for sure be excited.