“Being evasive doesn’t endear you to me.”
“Should I be dear to you,chiquita?”
My gaze sweeps over her, lingering on her mouth. I’m not trying to seduce her. I’m trying to distract her.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Try to distract me. Skirt the truth by putting this all on me.”
“Am I distracting?”
“Stop flirting with me. I’m not a toy.”
“I’m not playing with you.”
Her cheeks flush with the innuendo. She turns away from me and sits on the sofa again. She ate half the cheeseburger and most of the fries. She picks at the ones that are left, but they look soggy.
“Liesel, you need to have your mom and sister come here. We need to explain what happened.”
“I know we have to tell them, and being here with your security detail is best. I just don’t want to be the one who has to.”
I sit beside her and cover her hands on her lap with mine. She doesn’t object, so I don’t pull away.
“I’m here to do this with you. Tell them a client offered you a night in a suite as a gift of gratitude. Does your boyfriend work tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Say he can’t make it because of work. Make it a girls’ night. Tell Bastian the same thing. We explain once they’re here. We donotwant them to involve the police or tell anyone else. That’s what’ll happen if you give even a hint that something’s wrong.”
“All right.”
She retrieves her phone from her purse which is on the dining room table behind us. She unlocks it as she returns to the sofa. She looks at me before pulling up her contacts as she sits. She calls her mother first. I follow along with their German since Liesel has it on speakerphone.
“Mutti, ein Kunde hat mir ein Dankeschön-Geschenk gemacht. Es ist eine Suite in einem Fünf-Sterne-Hotel.” Mom, a client gave me a thank you gift. It’s a suite at a five-star hotel.
“Das wird ein schönes Vergnügen für dich und Bastian.” That’ll be a nice treat for you and Bastian.
“Er kann nicht kommen, weil er morgen eine Superfrühschicht hat.” He can’t make it because he has a super early shift tomorrow.
They continue in German as they go back and forth. I sense Liesel’s getting frustrated. I rest my hand on her thigh, and she relaxes beneath my palm.
“Save it for another night.”
“I could, but I really hoped you’d come with me today. We can order room service and just be together. I’m going to invite Heidi too. Work’s been extra complicated recently. You know that. It would be nice to have you around right now.”
Her mother hesitates, and I grit my teeth.
“All right. I’ll let Papa know.”
Liesel flinches before tears fill her eyes. I watch her take a breath before she responds.
“You’ll need to leave him a message.”
“Okay. When should I head over?”
“Can you pick Heidi up on the way? She should be done with her meeting by now. I think she can slip out early. I’ll call her when we hang up. If you don’t hear from me, it means she’s ready.”
