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I shrugged at Gun. “Worth a try.”
Gun groaned. “Fine. I’ll take a stroll and enjoy all the sparkly window displays.”
“Sorry,” I said.
“I’ll survive. Passing the time is basically part of my job description.”
The guard grunted. “You and me both. Do you work security, too?”
“In a sense,” Gun said.
“Oh, here, Miss Clay. You need this.” The guard handed me a keycard. “You won’t be able to operate the elevator without it. Just drop it in the slot over there on your way out. Works like a hotel keycard.”
“I’ll meet you out front when you’re finished,” Gun said. “Take a few selfies for me, so I can live vicariously through you.”
I wasn’t sure that was ever a good idea, but I nodded anyway.
I pocketed the card and headed to the left. Even the elevator doors were fancy, lined with the same Greek key design as the Eternity logo.
The doors parted, and I used the keycard to activate the button for the eighth floor. I instantly recognized the music as an instrumental version of ‘Holding Back the Years.’ My grandmother had been a fan of the original song by Simply Red.
Before I could stop it, a memory took hold. My grandmother grabbed Pops by the hand as he walked by and pulled him into a slow dance embrace. Neither of my grandparents had been big on expressing emotion, but I still recalled the way they’d looked into each other’s eyes in that moment. The love between them had its own pulse. It must have been so difficult for him to lose her. I knew how hard it was for me, and she wasn’t the love of my life.
I forced my attention back to the present moment. Living in the past served no purpose except to undo me, and I already had Kane loosening the knots of my carefully constructed persona. I had to stay focused on what I could control.
I fixated on the directory instead. Floors eight through twenty-eight were dedicated to the offices of Eternity. No small operation in a building this size.
The doors to the eighth floor opened, and I shut my eyes, momentarily blinded by brightness. Once my eyes adjusted, I stepped out of the elevator into a gleaming white space. Marble flooring. Marble columns. Floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the morning light. No receptionist desk. No sign of anyone, in fact.
“Hello?” I said. My voice echoed.
I turned to check the floor number, thinking I might’ve made a mistake.
“Not to worry,” a voice said. “You’re in the right place.”
A statuesque figure burned a hole in the brightness. It was as though she’d been carved from a beam of sunlight. Everything about her was golden. Hair, dress, spiked heels. Even her eyes seemed to glow with the energy of two small suns.
“Miss Clay, I presume.” Her voice was surprisingly youthful. It seemed to conflict with her more mature appearance.
“Please, call me Lorelei.”
“Lorelei, I’m Chloe. It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you.” She extended a pale hand. There was something otherworldly about her, and I didn’t want to discover the details the hard way.
I offered a self-deprecating laugh. “Trust me, you don’t want to touch this. My hands are filthy from the subway,” I lied.
She withdrew her hand, unfazed. “I understand completely. I carry cleanser wherever I go for that very reason. I prefer my hands as pure as a newborn’s skin.”
I couldn’t picture Chloe riding the subway. She struck me as the type of woman who only traveled in a black executive car with tinted windows.
“Is your office under renovations?” I asked.
“Oh, no. This is the private floor where my sisters and I work. We prefer to keep the space clear and bright. Keeps those creative juices flowing. Speaking of juices, may I offer you a refreshment?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Let me know if you change your mind. Kindly step into my office and we can get started. I’m sure you’re a busy woman with much better things to do than try on dresses.”
I pictured myself at home, fixing the lever in the toilet tank. “It isn’t often I get to dress up, so I appreciate the opportunity. My friend Gun persuaded me this would be a good opportunity to wade into the feminine waters.”
