I shook my head in confusion. “But I just came down here an hour ago. You saw me walk through the door. You told me to have a nice day.”
“I understand that, but just because you’re leaving doesn’t mean you should be returning.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that our residents are private and they don’t want strangers walking around the building.”
“Well, call Robert Cortell. He’ll tell you that I’m staying with him.”
“Please wait out here.”
I wrapped my coat tighter around myself to ward off the chill and waited as he walked to the desk and asked the person behind it to make the call. At least, that’s what I hoped he was doing. When he returned, he shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but we haven’t been able to reach him.”
“What about at his office?”
“Ma’am, we don’t make a point to call around to our resident’s offices over visitors. If he wants you to be allowed upstairs, next time he needs to put you on the visitor registration form.”
My jaw dropped open and I shook my head. I pulled out my phone and dialed over and over again until he finally just sent me to voicemail. He wasn’t even answering when he knew I needed to talk to him. Because why else would I call over and over again.
“Listen, is there any way that you could go up to his apartment and grab my bag? It’s in his bedroom.”
“I’m sorry, miss. You’ll have to get it from him later.”
Tears pricked my eyes and I pathetically held up his spare key. “But I have his key.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry. Please let him know to put you on the list.”
Dejectedly, I turned from the building and wandered down the street. I couldn’t believe this was how they treated people here. Back home, if someone needed a place to stay, there was always someone offering a bed or a couch. And if you were locked out, someone gladly came over to help. Even if he lived down by me and I was locked out, his brother would at least let me in.
My head snapped up and I pulled out my phone. “Anna, you do realize that it’s still the weekend. Tell Mrs. Cranston she’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“I’m in the city.”
“Um…okay?”
I huffed in irritation. I hated that I had to tell my boss, his brother, this. “Robert brought me to the city for the weekend, but he got called out for work. And when I left to grab some food, the doorman refused to let me back in. I left all my stuff up there. I don’t even have my purse on me. I just grabbed a twenty on my way out the door!” I said hysterically.
“I can pay for your cab home.”
“Can’t you get me into the building? Aren’t you on the approved list or something?”
“Approved list?” He laughed slightly. “I’ve only been there once and that was when he first bought the place. I doubt that he would even think to have me on his emergency contacts list.”
“Then what the hell am I supposed to do? I can’t get my stuff!”
“Did you try calling him?”
I glowered as if he were standing right in front of me. “Now, why didn’t I think of that? Oh yeah, I did. I called him at least twenty times and he sent me to voicemail.”
He sucked in a breath. “That’s not good.”
“No shit. And now I’m stuck here in the city with none of my stuff!”
“Okay, I’ll get you a cab and have you brought home.”
I let out a sigh. “Thank you.”
“But you owe me donuts and coffee tomorrow.”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, this is all your fault. I’m going to have to pay for the cab fare, which will be ridiculous, so you can bring in coffee and donuts.”
I put my hand on my hip and laid into him. “If you hadn’t forced me to go to Thanksgiving dinner, I wouldn’t have been thrust back into his life. He wouldn’t have followed me home and fucked me, or convinced me to stay with him for the weekend. In fact, if it weren’t for you and your wedding, I wouldn’t have had to see him at all these past few weeks. So, if anyone’s to blame, it’s you. So, you can be the one that brings in coffee and donuts. And I want the good stuff!”
He was silent for a minute and then said, “The usual?”
“Make it a double. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to