“Go ahead, I only make things when the orders come in, but by then, hopefully, I’ll get your clearance to be able to glaze them. But rest assured, I’m leaving here to go home and clean up my mess in my bedroom then tomorrow I’m going shopping and pack. I fly out early Thursday morning for New York so I won’t be working until sometime next week.”
“Good. Get me that information and I’ll look it over tonight or this weekend. Do you have an e-mail separate from your website so I can send you my findings?”
“Yes.” She wrote down her information, and they went out, and she made an appointment for two weeks from then. She left and did precisely what she said she was going to do. Instead of cleaning her bedroom, sheended up cleaning her entire house. She so wanted to go next door and talk to Gypsy, but she was already in New York for the gallery opening. And she thought she’d better tell Christopher in person. She didn’t know how he would feel, but time would soon reveal. But she decided she’d wait until Sunday before telling him.
She giggled as she remembered that she had an engraved invitation mailed to him. She’d even had extras in case he wanted to invite his business partner and if they wanted to bring dates. She didn’t think someone that handsome would wait until they were divorced. After all, technically they were legally separated. She knew she didn’t want to pressure him into accepting the baby, but he was the father, and he had a right to know. The last time she’d talked to him was when he’d called two weeks after he’d received the invitation to the gallery opening and told her that his parents were crashing at his place for her opportunity. She’d gotten a hotel room. He knew she’d be busy and had asked if she could stay an extra day, she’d agreed to fly home on Monday instead of Sunday, so that’s when they would talk.
On Wednesday, she laid everything out on her bed and sighed. Then she made a list and went shopping. She ended up buying four different dresses with shoes and the unmentionables to go with them. She also bought another set of luggage that had a matching garment bag. She was all packed and made sure her electronics were charged or charging and was ready to get up early, and head to the airport for her 6 a.m. flight. She was surprised that she was sound asleep by nine that night.
Chapter 20
“Miss, we’re here,” the cab driver said, and Wanda startled awake. She looked out the window and sighed. She looked at her watch and groaned and prayed she still had a room. The door was opened, and a hand came forward to help her out. She got out, and she saw that the cab driver was helping get her luggage from the back and someone was loading it onto one of those fancy carts.
She followed the bellhop into the hotel and was too tired to look around. And she was freaking freezing. When she’d left Arizona thirty hours ago, it had been ninety-five degrees, sunny and she’d worn shorts and a tank top with sneakers, not thinking that she would be in New York at the beginning of November. It seemed like she’d been in every airport from Arizona to New York. She’d been rerouted so many times she’d lost track. What was supposed to be a six-hour flight, turned into thirty hours.
She left Arizona at 6 a.m. on Thursday, it was now going on noon on Friday. Thank god she booked a room early. She had seven hours to get some sleep, shower, eat and get to the gallery. She didn’t know what she wanted to do first. Luckily, she’d had the forethought to contact the hotel every time she’d been delayed at a new airport. They had assured her that they would keep her room. She paused and looked up.
“Is that snow?” She frowned at the bellhop.
“Yes, ma’am. Hope you have some winter clothes in these bags, we’re supposed to get a couple inches this weekend.”
“Crap, no, when I left home yesterday morning, it was ninety-five and sunny. I never thought about packing for cold weather. But I have someone here I can call. She might even be waiting for me inside. God, I’m so tired.”
“Where are you coming from?”
“Arizona. I left at six yesterday morning and just got into JFK thirty minutes ago. It seemed like we were rerouted to every airport on the east coast. I was supposed to fly into Chicago, then into LaGuardia. Didn’t happen.” She stumbled into the hotel, and the bellhop had to grab her arm. After a few seconds, she smiled at him tiredly. “I’m okay. I just want to get checked in, take a hot shower, and crash for a couple hours.”
She headed to the front desk and saw several people disembark from the elevators. She didn’t pay them any mind, she was focused on the front desk.
“Wanda?” She heard her name and looked up and saw a group of people converge on her. “Oh my god. You must be freezing.” Her mother hurried up to her and rubbed her arms after hugging her. She hugged her back and then her father, brother, sister, brother-in-law, and niece, and nephew. When her father put his jacket around her, she sighed in relief.
“Sorry if you’ve been trying to get ahold of me, but my battery’s dead. I just want to check in, shower, and crash for a few hours.”
“No problem. You’ve been keeping one of us posted. Let’s get you checked in. Your sister and I will help you get settled. We’ve been talking to your friend, Gypsy. After you’re settled, I’ll call her and let her know you’re here and resting. I only say this because Ilove you, but you look like shit.” Angie laughed. She linked her arms with her daughter and leaned in, and whispered, “Fern and Douglas still don’t know about you being Willow. Thought we’d surprise them tonight.”
“Thanks.” Wanda sighed and went to the counter.
“May I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m Wanda Perkins. I was supposed to be here yesterday, but my plane kept getting rerouted. I’ve been calling a Mr. Thomas to update him at each layover. I hope my room is still available.”
“One moment please,” the woman said, and picked up the phone, then suddenly a man was beside her. “Ms. Perkins. Hello, I’m Mr. Thomas. I see you made it. I’m sorry your trip was so long. Your room is still available, it was good that you kept me informed, I was able to keep the room for you,” Mr. Thomas said as he took over the computer and tapped several keys. In ten minutes, he was handing her a room key and having her sign papers. She handed over her credit card, and she was on her way. But he stopped her.
“Miss Halifax informed me that you would be coming in around this time. I’ve taken the liberty of having a pitcher of ice water with lime, delivered to your room. I took it there myself. If there’s anything, you need, please let me know.”
“Thank you, Mr. Thomas.” Wanda put her card back in her wallet and turned to her mother. “Okay, you can take care of me now.” She grinned and linked her arm with her mother. She saw that her father, brother, and brother-in-law were off to the side.
“How are you?” Fern asked in the elevator.
“Exhausted. I slept on this last leg of the journey, but I only want a hot shower and a bed. Crap, I forgot to tell Mr. Thomas that I wanted a wake-up call at five. That’ll give me five hours of sleep.”
“I’ll text Dad and tell him,” Fern said as she pulled her phone. “All done.” Fern frowned. “I’m surprised you have all your luggage with you.”
“Each layover was at least four or five hours, and my luggage was able to make it on the plane. Thank god,” she said, and followed the bellhop off the elevator on the eleventh floor. “Where are you guys?”
“We’re all on the seventh floor,” Angie said, and they followed the bellhop in. Wanda went to pay him, but he declined.
“The gentleman who gave you his jacket already took care of it,” he said, and unloaded her luggage and quickly left.
