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I look at the grin on his face. Placing my hand in his, he helps me to my feet before leading me to the side of the room, keeping hold of my hand the whole way.
“Where are we going?” I laugh, rushing alongside him. He glances at me with a devious smile, making me laugh.
“One good thing about all the years I was security at these events is that I made friends in the right places.” He stops by the kitchen door and winks before leading us inside.
The kitchen is spotless as if they haven’t just produced a five-course meal for hundreds of people mere hours ago. Calvin leads me past a few people who smile and say hi as he passes.
“You know you’re not allowed back here, Anderson.”
A man around my age steps forward with his arms crossed over his large belly. He is dressed in chef's whites, almost as spotless as the kitchen.
“Now, Hector, you know you would miss me if I didn’t pop in to complain about the pitiful portion sizes,” Calvin beams at him. The guy rolls his eyes before turning his back to us.
“The usual, Anderson?” he asks, shaking his head.
“You know it, but this time for two, if possible,” Calvin answers, stepping forward and sliding a bundle of notes into the chef’s hand. “Room 382.” The chef nods and waves us off as if bored of us already. “Thanks, Hector, you know I’m worth it,” Calvin calls as he leads us past the chef and to the staff exit. Before we leave the kitchen entirely, Calvin stops, looks around and grabs two bottles of champagne from a side covered in open bottles.
“I’m taking these whilst I’m at it,” he calls. Hector doesn’t turn to look at him; he just waves his hands dismissively. Calvin winks at me before pulling me out of the staff exit and towards the lift.
“That’s stealing!” I point out, looking around nervously.
“They would have just been tipped away anyway. It’s fine; I know what I’m doing.”
I start laughing as his face lights up again, and he leads me to the elevators. As soon as we are inside one and the doors close, I turn to see him smiling from ear to ear.
“Want to tell me what just happened?”
“I think it’s time we let our hair down a little.”
16
Calvin
The elevator opens onto the third floor, and I lead a giggling Chelsea towards her room.
“My room is next to yours, so pick one.”
“You just told the chef my number, so I guess there,” she replies as her room comes into view. I grin as we stop outside her door, and she pulls her keycard from her clutch. As soon as it’s open, we rush inside before anyone can spot us with the bottles.
I head straight for the balcony where our two glasses from earlier are waiting. Chelsea follows my lead, sits in one of the chairs, and looks out at the nightlife before us.
Loosening my bow tie, I undo my top button before shrugging off my jacket.
“That feels so much better,” I sigh before pouring us both a glass of champagne. I don’t mind wearing suits. I’m used to them as the O’Reilly’s made us wear them as uniform most of the time, but when you are stuck in a packed room, which makes you feel claustrophobic anyway, they just add to your discomfort.
“If you can lose the tie, I can lose the shoes.”
I watch Chelsea lift her dress from around her feet and start to unstrap her stiletto heels.
“How the hell did you stand in them all night? They’re huge!” I exclaim, picking up the shoe she has just removed and looking at the heel. “These must be at least five inches!”
“Six. I thought it was best with you being so much taller than me,” she shrugs before letting out a sigh of relief as the other shoe is removed as well. I turn my chair a little and pat my thighs.
“Put them up here.”
Chelsea frowns at me, and I can see she’s not going to, so I reach down, grab her feet and place them on my lap. I hand her a filled glass and hold out my own to her, and we toast before taking a small sip each.
“Thank you for all your help down there. You made the whole thing so much easier,” I tell her as I sip my drink.
