The station was a cacophony of chaos—crowds pressed against the ticket counters, announcements crackling over the speakers, and the faint scent of burnt coffee mingling with the metallic tang of rain-soaked shoes. Rose adjusted the strap of her travel bag, her green eyes scanning the departure board. Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled. Her lips tightened into a thin line as she pulled up her phone to check for updates.“Another damn truck,” muttered a voice behind her, rich with frustration and a hint of Sheffield accent.Rose turned slightly, catching sight of a blonde woman—curves hugged by a smart olive green jacket, her grey eyes narrowed at the board. She was tapping her high heels impatiently, the sound sharp against the tile floor. Their eyes met briefly, just enough for Rose to notice the faint crease of irritation on the other woman’s forehead.“Absolute nightmare,” Rose said, more to herself than anyone, but the blonde’s gaze flicked back to her with a grimace.“Tell me about it,” the woman replied, stepping closer. “I’m Tracy. And I’m supposed to be in Sheffield by now for a bloody birthday dinner.”“Rose,” she offered with a nod. “London. Or at least that was the plan.”Tracy sighed, running a hand through her long blonde hair. “This station’s a joke. Any idea how long—?”Before she could finish, a loudspeaker crackled to life: “Due to an incident involving a vehicle on the tracks, all services are suspended indefinitely.”Groans rippled through the crowd. Tracy’s shoulders slumped, and Rose felt a pang of sympathy. She glanced out the station entrance, where the rain had started to fall in earnest, glinting under the streetlights.“There’s a hotel across the road,” Tracy said suddenly, her voice brisk. “Might as well grab a room before everyone else has the same idea.”Rose hesitated, but only for a moment. “Good thinking.”They hurried across the street, Tracy’s heels clicking against the wet pavement, Rose’s ankle boots splashing through puddles. The boutique hotel was small but elegant, its warm glow spilling onto the sidewalk. Inside, the scent of vanilla candles hung in the air, mingling with the faint humidity from their damp coats.An attractive brunette receptionist—Audrey, according to her name tag—stood behind the counter, her dark curls framing a polite smile.“Any rooms left?” Tracy asked, her voice hopeful.Audrey glanced at the computer screen, her manicured fingers tapping lightly at the keys. “Just the one. Double room, first floor.”Tracy exhaled in relief. “We’ll take it.”“Actually—” Rose began, stepping forward, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I was just about to ask the same thing.”Audrey’s eyebrows lifted, her gaze flicking between the two women. “Well, it’s… only one room. But it does have a double bed.”Silence stretched for a beat too long. Tracy shot Rose a sideways glance, her lips quirking into a half-smile. “Guess we’re roommates then.”“Guess so,” Rose replied, her voice steady despite the flicker of warmth in her chest.Audrey handed over the keycard with a friendly nod. “Room 103. The lift’s to your left.”They stepped into the quiet corridor, the soft hum of the elevator filling the space between them. Tracy leaned against the wall, her arms crossed casually, but Rose caught the way her eyes lingered on her for just a moment too long.“So,” Tracy said, her tone light but edged with something Rose couldn’t quite place, “you heading home to anyone?”Rose shook her head, smoothing a hand over her raincoat. “Not anymore. You?”“Divorced,” Tracy replied with a shrug, though her smile softened. “Single’s not so bad, though. Freedom, right?”The elevator dinged softly, and they stepped inside. The doors slid shut, leaving them in close quarters—shoulders brushing, the scent of Tracy’s perfume mingling with the crisp freshness of rain on Rose’s coat.“Freedom,” Rose echoed, her voice low. She glanced at Tracy, catching the way her lips curved slightly as if savoring the word.The silence between them felt heavier now, charged with something unspoken. Tracy’s grey eyes met hers, and for a moment, neither of them looked away.The elevator stopped, and the doors opened with a soft chime. Tracy stepped out first, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she glanced back over her shoulder.“Room 103,” she said, holding up the keycard with a playful smirk. “Ladies first?”

Rose and Tracy, both stranded at the station due to train cancellations, decide to share a hotel room across the street. They check in and take the elevator to their room, where they share a moment of charged silence. Tracy invites Rose to enter the room first, holding up the keycard with a playful smirk.

The station was a cacophony of chaos—crowds pressed against the ticket counters, announcements crackling over the speakers, and the faint scent of burnt coffee mingling with the metallic tang of rain-soaked shoes. Rose adjusted the strap of her travel bag, her green eyes scanning the departure board. Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled. Her lips tightened into a thin line as she pulled up her phone to check for updates.

“Another damn truck,” muttered a voice behind her, rich with frustration and a hint of Sheffield accent.

Rose turned slightly, catching sight of a blonde woman—curves hugged by a smart olive green jacket, her grey eyes narrowed at the board. She was tapping her high heels impatiently, the sound sharp against the tile floor. Their eyes met briefly, just enough for Rose to notice the faint crease of irritation on the other woman’s forehead.

“Absolute nightmare,” Rose said, more to herself than anyone, but the blonde’s gaze flicked back to her with a grimace.

“Tell me about it,” the woman replied, stepping closer. “I’m Tracy. And I’m supposed to be in Sheffield by now for a bloody birthday dinner.”

“Rose,” she offered with a nod. “London. Or at least that was the plan.”

Tracy sighed, running a hand through her long blonde hair. “This station’s a joke. Any idea how long—?”

Before she could finish, a loudspeaker crackled to life: “Due to an incident involving a vehicle on the tracks, all services are suspended indefinitely.”

Groans rippled through the crowd. Tracy’s shoulders slumped, and Rose felt a pang of sympathy. She glanced out the station entrance, where the rain had started to fall in earnest, glinting under the streetlights.

“There’s a hotel across the road,” Tracy said suddenly, her voice brisk. “Might as well grab a room before everyone else has the same idea.”

Rose hesitated, but only for a moment. “Good thinking.”

They hurried across the street, Tracy’s heels clicking against the wet pavement, Rose’s ankle boots splashing through puddles. The boutique hotel was small but elegant, its warm glow spilling onto the sidewalk. Inside, the scent of vanilla candles hung in the air, mingling with the faint humidity from their damp coats.

An attractive brunette receptionist—Audrey, according to her name tag—stood behind the counter, her dark curls framing a polite smile.

“Any rooms left?” Tracy asked, her voice hopeful.

Audrey glanced at the computer screen, her manicured fingers tapping lightly at the keys. “Just the one. Double room, first floor.”

Tracy exhaled in relief. “We’ll take it.”

“Actually—” Rose began, stepping forward, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I was just about to ask the same thing.”

Audrey’s eyebrows lifted, her gaze flicking between the two women. “Well, it’s… only one room. But it does have a double bed.”

Silence stretched for a beat too long. Tracy shot Rose a sideways glance, her lips quirking into a half-smile. “Guess we’re roommates then.”

“Guess so,” Rose replied, her voice steady despite the flicker of warmth in her chest.

Audrey handed over the keycard with a friendly nod. “Room 103. The lift’s to your left.”

They stepped into the quiet corridor, the soft hum of the elevator filling the space between them. Tracy leaned against the wall, her arms crossed casually, but Rose caught the way her eyes lingered on her for just a moment too long.

“So,” Tracy said, her tone light but edged with something Rose couldn’t quite place, “you heading home to anyone?”

Rose shook her head, smoothing a hand over her raincoat. “Not anymore. You?”

“Divorced,” Tracy replied with a shrug, though her smile softened. “Single’s not so bad, though. Freedom, right?”

The elevator dinged softly, and they stepped inside. The doors slid shut, leaving them in close quarters—shoulders brushing, the scent of Tracy’s perfume mingling with the crisp freshness of rain on Rose’s coat.

“Freedom,” Rose echoed, her voice low. She glanced at Tracy, catching the way her lips curved slightly as if savoring the word.

The silence between them felt heavier now, charged with something unspoken. Tracy’s grey eyes met hers, and for a moment, neither of them looked away.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened with a soft chime. Tracy stepped out first, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she glanced back over her shoulder.

“Room 103,” she said, holding up the keycard with a playful smirk. “Ladies first?”

Rose and Tracy both want the only free room; what will they do?

Only One Room left in the Hotel!

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