able to save them… that they were dead and I had women like Aubrey wanting to sleep with me while I brought home paychecks of six or seven million dollars for three months worth of work.
You don’t have to be here…
I downed the rest of the beer and slid the glass across the bar. I looked at it blankly and started thinking about the limo that I had at my beck and call in the underground garage beneath the hotel.
“Another?” the bartender asked, taking my glass.
“No, I don’t think so. Change of plans.”
“Heading up to see that remarkable young lady after all, huh?”
I shook my head regretfully. “God, as crazy as it sounds, even to me, no….I think I’ll let her keep her dignity and get a good night’s sleep.”
I threw three twenties on the bar and gave the bartender a nod. I took a moment to catch my bAdamce before I walked back towards the exit and the hotel lobby beyond. I walked slowly, cycling through an incredibly foolish and ill-advised plan in my head. I advanced carefully to the front desk and tried not to be annoyed when the young woman beamed when she realized who I was.
“Mr. Stone,” she said with just the slightest sensual inflection to her voice. “How are you tonight?”
“Quite drunk,” I admitted as I sagged against the countertop. “So hey, I seem to have misplaced my phone. Could I by chance use one of yours?”
She nodded enthusiastically, happy that she could help. She lifted one of the large black desk phones from behind the counter and placed it in front of me.
“Thanks,” I said.
I stared at the numbers for a moment but realized that I had no idea how to get in touch with the limo driver. His number was saved on my iPhone which was upstairs.
“Shit,” I hissed to myself. I rolled my eyes as I picked up the receiver and punched in Adam’s number, which I had memorized years ago.
He picked up on the third ring. “Go for Adam.” I rolled my eyes. What a douchy way to answer the phone.
“Hey Adam,” I said.
“Devlin. What's up?”
“I told you,” I said with a laugh. “My name is Jack.”
“You know, the scary thing is that you sound really serious about this,” Adam said.
“Yeah. Hey, I need the number for the limo driver. I seem to have accidentally deleted it from my phone.”
“Okay. Where are you calling from?”
“The hotel lobby. Misplaced my phone.”
“One second,” Adam said. I heard the slight sounds of Adam looking through papers and then he was back ten seconds later. He gave me the driver’s name—Dalton—and his cell number which I scribbled down on the hotel stationary which the girl behind the desk had so graciously offered to me when she overheard me asking for someone’s number.
“Now why do you need his number at such an hour?” Adam asked.
“Thanks,” was all I said and then ended the call.
I punched in the driver’s number and waited through four rings. When he picked up, he sounded sleepy and a little irritable. “Yeah?”
“Dalton, this is Ja... uh... Devlin Stone,” I said, smiling at how I had almost referred to myself by my new name. “Are you available to pick me up?”
“Yeah. I’m sort of just hanging out here in the car tonight. I’m still in the garage.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you in about five minutes.”
I smiled at the girl behind the desk and pushed the phone back towards her. “Thanks so much,” I said.
She nodded like a giddy little school girl. I fully expected her to start blushing at any minute. I wondered if there were any actors that actually enjoyed this treatment. It seemed sort of distracting and gross to me.
I looked towards the elevators and when I stepped on, I eyed the P button. I considered going back to the penthouse and Aubrey to at least let her know what I planned to do. But I knew that she’d do everything she could to talk me out of it. Leaving her without letting her know was a dick thing to do, but it was the easiest way. I thought I’d be able to forgive myself for running out on here sometime later in my life.
With a sigh, I pressed the G button and felt the elevator start sliding downward. I almost reached out to press the Emergency Stop button with the intent of going back to the penthouse floor and ignore this stupid plan. But I kept myself in check and when