“Mr.Chevalier didn’t mention no appointment.”
“Maybe it slipped his mind.”
The other eyebrow went up.“You don’t know him, do you?”
She shifted her weight to her other aching foot.The four inch heels with peek-a-boo toes were cutting the circulation off her feet and she seriously regretted wearing them.Her navy business suit and white silk blouse weren’t exactly clubbing clothes either.Next to the others in line she stuck out like a sore thumb.But she wasn’t here to club.She was here on business.Business she was going to be late for if this meathead didn’t let her in.
“No, we’ve never met, but I assure you we have an appointment.”
“What sort of appointment?”
She wasn’t sure she liked the insinuation of his words or his look, but she chose to ignore them.Angering the gatekeeper wouldn’t get her closer to the man she needed to see.And if she didn’t get what she came for, her boss would be on her like white on rice.
“I have papers for him to sign.”She dug in her briefcase, pulled out a manila envelope and waved it in his face.
He didn’t even glance at it.“If you want in, you wait in line like everyone else.”
Her hand paused in midwave.She glanced at the line snaking down the street and disappearing around the corner.“You can’t be serious.”
“Never been more serious.”
A laughing, boisterous group exited the club and two more entered.She cast a sideways glance at the bouncer and edged toward the door.
“Don’t even think it.”
She sighed in exasperation.Obviously she needed to resort to plan B.“Mr.Chevalier will be very angry if you don’t let me in.He’s expecting these papers and I’m sure there will be…consequencesif I’m late.”
“Look, lady, you’re not on the list.Go to the back of the line and wait like everyone else.”
“But—”
His steely-eyed glare had her backing up a step, causing her feet to weep in misery.“I’ll be in that line an hour and our meeting is in fifteen minutes.”
He made a production of peering at the long line.“At least an hour.”
She glared at him.“At least tell him I’m here.”
He shook his head, looking more annoyed than amused.
Behind her the crowd’s muttering grew louder and angrier.People who at first laughed at her attempts were now glaring at her.She took another step back and retreated to the end of the line where she couldn’t even see the entrance.
All around her the crowd joked and laughed, hooked up with others, broke apart and hooked up again.
She opened the manila envelope and leafed through the papers for Chevalier’s phone number.If she called and reminded him, she wouldn’t have to wait and her aching feet would get a break and she could get what she needed and go home and get to bed.But there wasn’t a phone number.In fact, his name wasn’t even on any of the papers.Strange, but what did she know.Her expertise wasn’t in contracts.She was merely the assistant to the director of Human Resources.She had no idea why Giselle had sent her on this errand and it wasn’t her place to ask.No one questioned Giselle.To do so would unleash her wrath and Lainie had learned to avoid Giselle’s anger at all cost.
She pulled her cell phone out and found the club’s number through directory assistance but all she got was a busy signal.With a heavy sigh she resigned herself to waiting and hoped Chevalier wouldn’t be angry.After all, it washisemployee who wouldn’t let her in.She glared down the line but the bouncer was out of sight.
It didn’t take an hour to get to the front.It took fifty-eight minutes.Fifty-eight minutes of torture standing in her uncomfortable heels.Fifty-eight minutes of hitting Redial and getting a busy signal.Fifty-eight minutes of shivering in the cool April night because she didn’t wear a coat.She didn’t think she needed a coat to acquire one, measly signature.
The bouncer smiled when she finally made it to the entrance.“Twenty bucks.”
She laughed, but when he didn’t her laugh trailed off.“Twenty bucks for what?”
“To get in.”
She gritted her teeth and barely managed to grab on to her runaway anger.“But I told you I have an appointment.”
“You’re not on the list.Twenty bucks or you don’t get in.”
