“I’ll be fixing that.”
“I will see you soon.” The line went dead, and I passed the phone back to Millie May.
“That was interestin’,” she said with a laugh.
Smiling, I inclined my head. “Thank you for your help.”
She made a sound of surprise, like she didn’t expect any of this to happen, but a few moments later the bikes roared to life again, disappearing from our parking lot. I listened until I couldn’t hear them anymore, then ordered Lemonade to the car. She took me straight to the vehicle, and Levi was there at my side, acting like a chauffeur.
“Where are we going?” he asked in a rush.
“To the Courtesan,” I said.
“Do you think this is a good idea? He gave you his safeword.” Levi’s hesitation and lack of knowledge was adorable. I needed to find a man who could take good care of him. He would require someone with a steady hand and strong presence, because that was what he enjoyed if he liked me.
“He ended the scene, not our relationship. We were taking a small break, and I was letting him feel secure again before I did this.”
“Did what?”
“You’ll see.” I passed Lemonade’s harness to Levi, and he huffed but took it out of my hand as I slipped into the back seat. The other door opened, and the golden retriever jumped into that side and Levi latched her up. After a few moments, Levi was in the front, starting the car and heading away from the office toward the Courtesan.
I leaned back against my seat, thinking about all the things I wanted to say to Darcy. There were too many, and my thoughts were a jumbled mess. I’d always been articulate and business savvy, but this was personal and about my feelings. I’d never had to tell anyone how I really felt. I could tell Darcy he was beautiful, that I wanted him, but explaining how he made me feel was completely different.
“Levi, stop at the Sprint store. We need to buy Darcy a new phone. He’ll want to pick it out, so arrange payment and get an appointment card.”
“Yes, sir.”
We stopped ten minutes later, and I gave him the company credit card. When he was back in the car and had passed the card I’d requested to me, we moved again, heading in the direction I knew led to the Courtesan. My hands grew sweaty when we pulled over in front of it. I used the voice app on my phone and texted Ford to let him know I had arrived.
“Boss? We can leave if you want?” Levi said with uncertainty.
I shook my head and placed the phone in the inside pocket of my suit right as the door was opened for me by a doorman who greeted me happily. By the time I’d made it to the sidewalk, Levi had Lemonade beside me, and he passed me the handle of the harness. I tucked my cane under my armpit and inhaled deeply. Lemonade and I walked into the hotel together. I kept my back straight and my chin high as I veered left and strode toward the reception area. Lemonade helped me bypass the people populating the foyer.
“Hello, sir,” a cheerful voice called. “Welcome to the Courtesan Hotel. How can I help you today?”
Not Darcy.Disappointment settled in the pit of my stomach. “I’m looking for Darcy Winters.”
“Oh.” Hesitation lingered, and whoever it was cleared their throat. “One moment.” They picked up a phone and tapped the buttons. I could hear the ringing from here, and Darcy’s smooth voice answered. “Hello, sir, you have a visitor at the front desk.”
“Who? I’m busy,” Darcy snapped.
“Brooks,” I said before the receptionist could ask.
“Erm, his name is Brooks, sir.”
I couldn’t hear Darcy this time, but whatever he said had the receptionist gasping and saying, “Yes, sir. Of course,” before he hung up the phone again. The handset slammed down on the cradle. He cleared his throat again. “Unfortunately Mr. Winters is very busy. He said he’ll call you when he’s available.”
I offered him my politest smile. “That’s fine. I’ll wait.”
“Mr. Winters will be busy all day, sir.”
“I’ll wait,” I said more forcefully. “What I need to speak to him about is very important.”
His small laugh was obviously fake. “While I’m sure that’s the case, sir—”
“I’ve said my piece. I’ll wait.” I grabbed my cane from under my arm and dropped it to my side, my grip tight around the smooth wood. Sometimes it worked as a centering object and kept me focused now that I couldn’t see. It was all about using my other senses—my hearing, scent, touch, and smell.
The man huffed, and I ignored him as I said “chair” to Lemonade. She led me straight to an available couch, and I took a seat, crossing my leg over my knee. I leaned into the cushions and placed the cane at my side. I slid my fingers over the arm of the couch, tracing the intricate patterns carved into the wood. I imagined it was beautiful, the kind that matched the Courtesan in every way.
