and I swallow. “Garrin was my date to the museum gala last night,” I say, hoping to save some face.
She double blinks and the surprise is back on her face. “Oh. Well, um… give me a moment to ring Langley and he’ll take you home.”
“Thank you.”
She picks up the phone and presumably rings Langley to tell him there’s someone in the foyer of Titans’ Tower who needs his services. The woman eyeballs me the entire time until I shift uncomfortably and look away.
She hangs up the phone and walks around the desk to come closer to me. “I’m Margaret, by the way. And you are…” She puts her hand out in front of her.
“Hi, Isla Flores.” I shake her hand, smiling awkwardly when she continues to look at me without saying anything.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to stare. It’s just… you’re not like Garrin’s usual dates.”
Realization dawns on me. “Oh, you mean the ones he pays for?”
Her hand flies to her sternum. “He told you about that?”
“He did, yes. But I will say I appreciate the fact that you didn’t think I was a call girl, what with me walking out here on a Sunday morning dressed like this.”
She waves me off. “Don’t be silly. No one could ever mistake you for a paid escort. You have too much presence, too much class.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’ll take the compliment. Thank you.”
She leans in with a conspiratorial grin. “He must really like you.”
I chuckle. “Why do you think that? I’m here looking for a ride.”
“What floor did you go to when you returned last night?” she asks.
I wrinkle my forehead. “To his apartment, why?”
She nods. “Yep, he likes you. I was just on the sixtieth and it was empty.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” I say, switching my purse to my other hand.
“Oh, I am.”
The phone rings on her desk, so she walks around to answer it. When she hangs up, she looks up at me. “That was Langley. He’s waiting for you in the parking garage so you don’t have to go out into the cold. Just take the elevator one floor down.”
“Thank you so much for your help, Margaret.” I smile.
“Anytime. It was good to meet you. I have a feeling we’ll see each other again soon.”
I chuckle and shake my head.
I have a feeling Margaret is the kind of person who always hopes for the best.
After the elevator ride down, I meet Langley and get into the back of the same Rolls-Royce as last night. Langley is polite but doesn’t speak as he drives me to my parents’ house. I thank him when he drops me off and go inside.
Since I don’t have to work on the campaign today, I want to spend time with my dad, but first I need a shower. No dad wants to see his daughter smelling of booze and man the morning after.
I plug my phone into my charger when I reach my room and have the longest, hottest shower of my life to get rid of the sludge in my veins. I’m determined not to let this thing with Garrin ruin my day with my dad, so I force myself to push away all thoughts of last night.
It’s not until I’m going to bed that night after a pretty good day with my dad that I check my phone when I’m setting my alarm for the next day.
There are a couple messages from various people working on the campaign and one from Everly, but the one that stands out in neon letters is the one from Garrin.
I press on his name to pull up his message.
The time stamp says it was sent at 8:31 that morning—so before I woke up.
Garrin: I’m sorry I have to disappear before you wake up, but there’s an emergency at the office I have to deal with. I wanted to say bye and thank you for a memorable evening, but you looked too peaceful to bother in your sleep. Next time I promise I’ll wake you for a goodbye kiss.
I press my phone to my chest and smile.
So, he was thinking of me.
That feeling of dread that’s weighed me down most of the day lifts, and a hope I haven’t felt in months spurs to life.
24
Chapter Twenty-four
Garrin
It’s been two days since Isla woke up at my place, and I swear I still smell her perfume. I straighten my Wall Street Journal again, ignoring the lingering scent.
“Damn it.” I toss the paper to the