“You haven’t seen Alexander return yet, have you?” I start rubbing my hair dry, before wiping down my arms and clothes.
“Who?” Her forehead crinkles as her eyes narrow.
“Alexander Morgan,” I say, lowering my voice to a whisper.
“Oh, sorry. I know him as Avril Lavigne.”
The mere mention of the name puts a smile on my face. I guess his team is back to using that pseudonym again.
Her brief pause gives me the sense that there’s something she wants to tell me, but can’t. Her colleague holds up the door key and hands it over. I mouthThank you, and hand the towel back.
Imani inhales deeply and motions me forward toward the elevators on the opposite side of the lobby.
“You promise to keep this between us?” She widens her eyes at me.
It seems like today is a day full of being asked to keep secrets.
“Yes,” I say emphatically.
“You know the actress, Rita Watson?” I nod again as a cold shudder runs straight down my spine.
“Well, she came into the hotel tonight demanding to see Avril— I mean Alexander.” Imani shakes her head. “Poor Sheila over there,” she points her thumb at the staff member who handed me the towel, “tried to calm her down. But she seemed to be in a drunken rage. When Sheila refused to let Rita know what room he was in, she stormed away. Next thing we knew, the fire alarm was set off.”
Jesus.
No wonder Rob was so concerned when he burst into the room earlier.
“Please tell me she’s not still here.”
“No,” Imani says, stopping by the round table. The faint scent of the hydrangeas makes its way through my bunged-up nose. “One of our security team managed to detain her. They kept her out of harm’s way until the police arrived.”
Just as my muscles begin to relax, the hotel entrance bursts open. Rob comes through, followed by Alexander, his head lowered and the drawstrings pulled tight on his hoodie, and five other people, including Paul.
I start to call out Alexander’s name, but stop, not wanting to draw attention. Rob catches my eye.
“You coming?” he asks, though it’s more a command than a question.
I sheepishly follow, almost knocking over the flower vase in the process, mouthingThank youto Imani as she smiles back.
Inside the lift, Alexander pulls back his hood, and his face instantly lights up when he notices me.
“Have you been out in the rain all this time?” The puppy dog look in his eyes melts away the coldness I’m still feeling from being stuck outside for so long.
I take a quick look at my reflection in the golden elevator doors, instantly regretting it. I really have seen better days.
“Long story,” I say.
As we reach the third floor, the red-headed woman leaves the elevator followed by the blond-haired woman.
“Night,” they both say in unison.
“Night, Lucy. Night, Connie,” Alexander says, a faint smile rising on his face.
I try to file away their names.
Lucy. Connie. Lucy. Connie.
Who am I kidding? I’m never gonna remember them. I shake my head.
