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“You haven’t seen the room yet.”
“Oh, I don’t have to,” she says. “I already know it’s going to be incredible.”
“It sure is something,” I say.
The elevator falls silent, and in the quiet, I can hear her soft breathing. She smells like clean shampoo and jasmine.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
“For what?”
“The drinks, down in DC. I had a nice time.”
“Thanks for the company,” I say. And I mean it.
“Did you just get back from work?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, but part of it sure felt like work.”
She chuckles. “A family thing?”
“Yes.” The elevator stops, and I press the button to keep the doors open, gesturing for her to get out first. “I meant what I said. My family can be… very persistent.”
“Somehow,” she says, “I don’t think you have any problem fending them off.”
That makes me smile. “It’s harder when I know they mean well.”
“Oh, yes. Makes you feel terrible when you have to say no. That’s how my sister guilted me into taking care of one of her kittens.”
“A kitten?”
“Yes.” She smiles over her shoulder. “I’m still trying to figure out how I ended up saying yes.”
“So you have a roommate?”
She chuckles. “Yes. I upgraded from Percy.”
I bite my tongue to keep from smiling. If there’s one thing I’m always willing to listen to, it’s her putting down her asshole ex.
I hadn’t been there when he checked out after the first time I met Sophia. But I had watched a recording of him cursing out my staff—very thoroughly—as they threatened to press charges for public indecency.
I stop outside the door to the suite. There’s only one on this floor, and it doesn’t have a number on it. “It’s a bit big for one person,” I warn her. “If you decide you want to switch to a smaller suite, you tell me. Any free suite is yours tonight.”
“Oh, I’m sure this will be fine.”
I push the door open for her. “Take a look and see.”
7
SOPHIA
My goal for today had been a simple one. Swim a few lovely laps, use the spa, and sit in the sauna. Then I’d order room service from The Ivy, most likely the truffle burger. And then I planned on passing out dead in the most comfortable bed I can imagine to the sound of an old sitcom playing on the TV.
I had hoped, too, that I wouldn’t think about my ex-husband too much, either. It would have been our fourth wedding anniversary today.
And I’d gone to the very hotel I’d caught him cheating in. But not in my room, at least. I know exactly where he was. 1714.
It felt full circle. It felt better than sitting at home.
