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"You suck," I said dryly. I stepped past him and headed into the elevator. I didn't even care if it went all the way to the top before it went down to the carpark level. Anything to get away from that jerk. He better not be hassling Grace while I wasn't there. He'd have me to answer to if he did. And the rest of the team. And Rubie Thomas, who wouldn't be shy in telling him to fuck all the way off.
I stripped down to my jeans and jumper and stashed my Santa costume in the back of my car. I locked my truck and jogged back to the elevators. Because life likes to screw with you, I pressed the button and waited.
And waited. One stopped on level five and the other was on level four.
Neither budged.
"Come on." I shifted from foot to foot like I stood on hot coals.
Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and headed for the stairs.
"Why did they have to put the kids on the eighth floor?" I muttered to myself as I passed the second. Kids deserved a nice view, but it was a long way when you were going one step at a time. At least I had the well and all the landings to myself. No one to see I was dumb enough to run up eight flights of stairs. If I was watching, I would laugh at myself and my own impatience.
On the other hand, the elevator might still be stuck, in which case I wasn't as dumb as I felt.
I finally reached the eighth floor, puffing lightly, and glanced toward the elevators. Yep, still on the same floors.
Win.
I prepared my best smile and stepped back into the ward.
"Mr Bam!" one of the kids shouted. "You missed Santa."
"Hey, Jessie." I gave her a wave. "That sucks. I bet he was cool."
"He was." She grinned and held up a doll with pink clothes and bright pink hair.
"Looks just like you," I said. "All that pink."
Jessie grinned and went back to playing.
"I'd call this a success," Grace walked toward me, a smile on her face.
"Yeah. We made a buttload of money and a ton of happy kids." I eyed Harvey, who seemed more interested in Chelsie and her Rapid than me and Grace. Good, we might get some peace.
"I think we can say your reputation went up a few notches," she said.
"That's good to know." I cocked my head at her. "I suppose our work here is done."
"You could say that," she agreed. Her smile faded and I thought she might cry. Not happy tears.
"So, you wanna go and talk?" I asked. I sent a little prayer to above that she hadn't changed her mind.
"If you think there's anything that needs to be said." Was that a flash of hope I saw cross her features?
"There's plenty," I said. "I didn't give you those earrings for nothing. It's—" Even if Harvey wasn't looking, the ward was crowded. "Let's get out of here for a bit. Go somewhere private."
She looked over her shoulder. "Okay. They won't miss us for a few minutes."
I took her hand and led her out the door.
CHAPTER 24
GRACE
"Well, this is romantic." I followed him onto the stairs and sat beside him on the landing.
"I figured it was nicer here than in a bathroom."
