“You should shower and dress,” he suggested, and he took a seat in the armchair, making no move toward me, his gaze distant. His obvious lack of attention stung me. But rather than say anything to risk revealing the sudden shakiness of my voice, I merely nodded and went back into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

What is going on? I thought as I turned on the shower, slid off my clothes and climbed in. The lavish room quickly filled with steam—there was no need to wait on old pipes to grumble and get to work in the Plaza Hotel.

Yesterday Riley had been so… attentive. I winced as the disinterested expression he was probably still wearing in the next room flashed before my mind’s eye. I worked the hotel shampoo into my hair—it smelled like vanilla, rich and creamy. He took me to see Phantom for Pete’s sake! He bought me a dress and a necklace and—he acted as if he were my…

my…

“Boyfriend,” I muttered, letting the water rinse the suds away. I washed my body and conditioned my hair, rushing to get cleaned up. I turned off the shower and wrapped my wet hair in a thick towel, putting on a luxurious white bathrobe. I needed answers. I needed to no longer feel confused and alone and insignificant. I needed to get to the bottom of this. I opened the bathroom door—

Riley was gone again.

My heart sank to my toes.

“There is clothing for you on the bed,” his voice rang from the sitting room beyond the doorway. “Dress yourself, and then come in here.”

My heart leapt back up. I put a trembling hand to my chest. How was I ever going to survive like this?

On the bed was a new pair of jeans, fresh underthings and a new light sweater. I had the uncomfortable realization that Riley obviously knew all my sizes as the items fit like a dream. I sighed as I examined the result in the mirror. I looked like plain old me once more, and I glanced at the dress and heels still draped over the chair.

Pull it together, Cinderella, I snapped at myself, and sighing again, dried my hair as best as I could, brushing it with the comb from the hotel complimentary package. I put my hair up in a messy bun—it was useless to try any other kind of style—tied my shoes and entered the sitting room.