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“I have no idea. Celine, if you’re ready?”
She nodded, and we got back into the car. She strapped Rose into the car seat the hotel had provided, and we drove away. I couldn’t stop staring at little Rose. She was the mirror image of her beautiful mother, with the same hazel eyes and red hair. And when she caught me staring, she smiled widely. I wondered if I’d ever get to see Celine smile so happily.
“Rosie, say hi to Marcus,” she cooed, and Rose babbled something excitedly.
I put out a hand and shook her chubby fist gently.
“Very pleased to meet you, Miss Rose.”
She took my thumb straight to her mouth and chomped on it viciously.
“Rosie, no! Sorry, I think she’s teething. She’s turned into a regular barracuda,” said Celine sheepishly, offering me a tissue.
I wiped my thumb with a laugh and Rose laughed with me, a joyful, drooly laugh that said she liked me. She clearly had better taste than her mother. It was far too early for paps, so we weren’t spotted as we took her up to the suite. Celine unpacked her stuff while I asked the butler to arrange for a crib as soon as possible. Within minutes, there was a crib with toys hanging from it set up next to Celine’s bed.
We ordered breakfast and Rose stared around her wide-eyed as her mother fed her some porridge and fruit. I wondered if Maddie would like to meet her.
“My brother has a five-year-old daughter, Maddie. Maybe she and Rose could have a play date,” I suggested. “Maddie has a lot of those.”
“Maybe,” said Celine doubtfully.
“I’ll… I’ll leave you to get her settled,” I said, clearing my throat. “And I’ll go for that run.”
She nodded, looking relieved, and I didn’t blame her. Just because we were forced to stay in the same suite didn’t mean I had to force my company on her.
“You can ask the butler to arrange a spa day for the two of you. Like a massage or something,” I suggested awkwardly.
“I’ll figure it out, thanks,” replied Celine. “I might take her to the Park.”
I waved at Rose and got out of there before my brain began to dream of babies and families.
When I got back an hour later, the suite was quiet. I wondered if Rose was taking a nap, but then, I remembered that Celine was planning to take her to the Park. I caught up with my emails at the desk in the sitting room and buried my head in my laptop for a bit. When I surfaced, I was surprised to see that it was past two in the afternoon. And there was still no sound from Celine’s bedroom.
I knocked on the door softly to check if she wanted me to order some lunch, but there was no reply. A feeling of foreboding came over me, and I turned the doorknob slowly.
The room was empty. As were the cupboards.
Celine and Rose had left.
I rang for the butler and tried to be calm as I questioned him.
“Did Ms. Kramer ask for a cab?”
“Yes, sir. She left a while ago,” he replied. “Soon after you left for your run.”
“Did she take her bags?”
If he was surprised at the question, he was too well-trained to show it.
“Yes, sir. I carried them down to the cab for her.”
I tried to force a smile.
“Great! Do you have any idea where she went?”
He shook his head sadly.
“That will be all, thank you,” I said absently, as I wondered where she might have gone.
