Page 27 of The Perfect Lie
Reyna was two steps in front of me, which caused me to pick up my pace so I could take her hand. Even though there hadn’t been any word on Salko, I wasn’t about to take any chances that his men wouldn’t be lurking around. For that reason alone, Patton was close by. Even though I told Reyna that he wouldn’t be coming with us, which technically was the truth, I instructed him to watch for anything out of the ordinary that would threaten her safety, while keeping his distance, of course.
Once we got to the entrance, I was comforted when I looked around and spotted one of our SUVs across the street. All the SUVs owned by Cross enterprises have special tires and rims. Therefore, I knew it was Patton.
Showing an abundance of excitement, Reyna was the first to step up to an aquarium employee accepting money for the entrance tickets. “Two, please,” Reyna said as I reached inside my back pocket and pulled out my wallet to pay.
“That will be seventy dollars.” The aquarium employee smiled, and two tickets popped out of the dispenser.
Handing her a hundred-dollar bill, I waited for her to give me the change. Before I had the money in my hand, Reyna was already off and running exploring the exhibits. She was quick, and if I wanted to remain near her, I needed to make sure not to let go of her hand
Grasping her hand, I squeezed it gently. “Reyna, princess. Even though the aquarium has security, you still need to stay close to me. We have plenty of time to see all the exhibits.”
“I know. I’m just so excited.”
There was no doubt that she was excited, and I wanted this day to be one she would never forget. But I also didn’t want anything to happen to her. Giving her a tender kiss on her lips, we moved past a large glass aquarium filled with tropical fish.
Our first stop was the dolphin exhibit. The aqua blue glass enclosure held a handful of the friendly species appearing to be smiling back at us. Reyna pulled a pair of headphones from the podium for herself while handing me a pair as well. “Isn't this exciting, Davian?” she said as she placed the headset over her ears.
“Absolutely,” I replied as Reyna pushed the information button, and we listened together to the voice on the other end explaining the bottlenose dolphin characteristics.
I thought I had firsthand knowledge about the friendly mammals, having had the opportunity to swim with them in the Caymans, but it was fascinating to learn that they consumed about five percent of their body weight and swallowed their food whole. I had no idea. No wonder they weighed anywhere from four to six hundred pounds. That was a lot of fish.
After seeing most of the exhibits, Reyna surprised me when she inquired about the ‘sea creatures' diving experience. I had no idea she was interested in diving. Disappointingly, she didn’t have the right credentials to swim with the sharks. It saddened me that she wouldn’t be able to experience everything she wanted. Feeling guilty, I suggested she enroll in the Georgia Aquarium’s specialty scuba class. Once she completed the certification course, she could get up close and personal with the whale sharks, manta rays, or any other sea life. It was another excursion we could do together, since I was already certified.
We ended up spending more time at the aquarium than I wanted to. After grabbing a quick lunch at a nearby restaurant, we headed back to the hotel. The longer Reyna was exposed with minimal protection, the more danger she was in. I hated the unknown, and without knowing for sure where Salko or his men were, I couldn’t take a chance on something happening to her. It was a risk leaving the hotel, but I wanted to let her know she wasn’t a prisoner. Based on her excitement, taking the risk was well worth it.
As I drove away from the restaurant, I glanced over to Reyna to find her still smiling. She must have sensed that I was looking at her because she placed her hand over mine. “Thank you so much for today. It was really nice.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I smiled, beyond thrilled that I gave her a small piece of enjoyment. “You know,” I began. “It doesn’t have to end. I would love nothing more than to watch some of those sappy romance movies you’ve been talking about.”
“Really. I never took you as the type of person to watch chick flicks.”
“There is always a first, princess.” It was a first for me. If the program didn’t deal with business or the economy, I rarely watched television. If I did, it was only because I needed noise.
∞
I carried Reyna’s books for her as we headed into the hotel lobby. Her hands hadn’t gone without; she was holding two bags of souvenirs from the aquarium. I couldn’t deny that she had an extra bounce to her step as we walked through the lobby toward the set of elevators. I wasn’t looking forward to what my evening would bring, but as long as it made her happy, I would brave hours of watching corny one-liners, break-ups, and the inevitable happily-ever-after endings.
When we reached the suite, I looked down the hallway to find that Sean was no longer standing guard in front of Gwen’s door. I held back my concern until Reyna was safely inside the suite.
Dropping the two bags of books on the floor near the door, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed his number. The call went to voicemail, which still didn’t cause any need for alarm. I knew Sean well enough to know he was reliable and wouldn’t just leave. He was probably inside Gwen’s suite, lining her out.
When Reyna headed to the bedroom, I walked to the living area and picked up the hotel phone. I could have dialed Gwen’s suite directly, but I couldn’t chance Reyna getting wind that I called her after last night. Gwen would find a way to profess her feelings toward me, and I wasn’t in the mood to have my evening with Reyna ruined.
“Front desk, how can I assist you, Mr. Cross?” the desk clerk responded with a courteous tone.
“Could you please dial Gwen McCall’s room to see if she there?”
“No problem, Mr. Cross,” she replied before placing me on hold with music coming over the line
As I waited for the hotel clerk to dial Gwen’s room, Reyna stepped up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist when the clerk came back on the line. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cross, but there is no answer. Would you like me to connect you so that you can leave Ms. McCall a message?
“No, that won’t be necessary.” I now had a reason for concern. Turning my body to face Reyna, I kissed her on the lips and said, “Look through the movie list and find something smutty to watch. I need to check in on Sean.”
“Is everything okay?” I would never tire of her display of affection toward me. As much as I wanted this interlude to continue, I had to find out for myself what was going on with Gwen and Sean.
Instead of causing Reyna to worry, I kissed her on the head and made up an excuse she would accept. “Everything is fine, princess. I just want to let Sean know we’re back.”
I convinced myself that it wasn’t a complete lie as I gave her one last kiss before I opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
