Stroke of Luck - Opal Carew Page 0,9
sorry to interrupt,” he said.
Quinn released April and stepped back. “Not at all. We were just getting … reacquainted.”
He sent her a sardonic smile, then walked away from her and sat on one of the high stools at the bar. He picked up his drink and took a sip.
“Want one?” he asked Austin.
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
It was then that it hit her. Quinn had wanted Austin to catch them kissing. He’d warned her off going after his friend, and now that he’d established the kind of relationship he’d had with her, Austin would stay away from her.
Well, that was fine with her. She didn’t intend to get involved with either one of them.
* * *
Austin got the not-so-subtle message. Quinn still wanted April, so she was off limits. Not that Austin hadn’t already figured that out.
“I took April’s luggage to the room off the den,” Austin said.
The three suitcases had been left inside the door, so he’d taken them to one of the spare bedrooms. The suite had two large master bedrooms and two more modest-size bedrooms that were perfect for other guests or support staff traveling with their bosses.
After seeing that kiss between April and Quinn, he wondered if she might wind up sleeping in Quinn’s room.
“Actually, we need to move the luggage,” Quinn said.
So they were going to be open about it.
Quinn strode down the hall, and Austin followed. They walked into the room, and each grabbed a case. Quinn picked up the carry-on bag, too, then headed back to the hallway. But instead of turning into his bedroom, he continued to the shared living space.
“Are you planning on evicting her?” Austin asked.
Quinn rolled the suitcase to the couch and set it upright, then put the smaller bag on top of it.
“No. It turns out her ex-fiancé is claiming that he owns some of her belongings in the luggage and is demanding that they be returned. Some hotel staff will be arriving in a few minutes to go through the luggage.”
Austin glanced at April, who sat on an armchair by the window, her face a portrait of sadness.
“I’m sorry, April,” Austin said. “This guy you were with is being a total ass.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Quinn strode to the entrance and opened it.
“Mr. Taylor,” said the young woman in the hotel’s gold blazer and black pants. Another uniformed woman stood beside her. “My name is Leslie, and this is Renee. We’re here—”
“Yes, I know why you’re here,” Quinn said. “Come in. Let’s get this over with.”
The women came in, and he led them to the luggage. The one named Leslie lifted one of the cases onto the couch and unzipped it.
“Ms. Smith, would you like to see the list so you can identify the items rather than us go through your things?” Leslie asked.
Quinn walked to April’s side.
“Come on, April,” he said in an encouraging voice.
She glanced at him, clearly unnerved by the whole thing. But then she stood up and walked to the woman and took the list she offered.
Austin sat on the barstool and watched the whole process as April opened the suitcase, then took out things one by one and handed them to Leslie, who set them beside the case. There were shoes, blouses, pants, and nightgowns. Renee ticked the items off the list as the suitcase emptied.
“That’s all from this suitcase,” April said.
“I’m sorry, but I have to check the rest,” Leslie said.
April moved back as Leslie went through the remaining items, checking labels and adding to the pile.
Quinn stepped in. “If it’s not on the list, why are you taking it?”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Leslie said, “but Mr. Dubois said to check for anything from a list of designers.”
Quinn glanced at April. She just nodded and turned away, but not before Austin saw the sheen on her eyes.
Austin hated seeing her go through this, and he could see Quinn’s jaw clenching.
Once the woman was finished, all that was left were a couple of items of casual clothing, a toiletry case, and some socks. She took them out and set them on the armchair, while the other woman, Renee, started putting all the selected items back into the suitcase.
Quinn’s eyebrow arched up as she zipped it up and set it down. Leslie hefted the second large case onto the couch.
“You’re taking the luggage, too?” Austin asked.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Leslie said. “He said he bought it. He supplied receipts for all the items.”
“I’ll just take out what’s not on the list this time,”