Page 7 of Hang the Moon
“N—no.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder, her suitcase visible through the glass window of the lobby. “I was inside and then it stopped raining so I decided to come back out here because it wasn’t... raining.”Wow.Brilliant. She cleared her throat, suddenly jittery. Probably thanks to the quad grande latte she’d sucked down on an empty stomach. Yeah, that must’ve been it. “I, uh, really appreciate you coming all the way over here to drop off the key. I hope I didn’t interrupt your evening.”
He fished inside his front pocket, withdrawing the key to Darcy’s apartment. One hand grazed the small of her back as he stepped around her. She stood up straighter. With a quick wave of the key fob, a sensor flashed green and he opened the door, moving aside to let her pass. “Nah, I’m happy to help.”
She smiled sheepishly. “I guess this is what I get for flying into town without checking with Darcy first.”
He followed her inside the lobby, trading the key for her suitcase. She smiled gratefully and shouldered her purse, following him to the elevator.
“How long are you in town for?”
“Two and a half weeks.” She joined him inside the elevator. “Roughly. I fly back on the thirteenth.”
He punched the button for the ninth floor and whistled. “I wish I got two and a half weeks off.”
She tutted, starting to regain her bearings. No longerquiteso topsy-turvy over the difference eight years made. “Ah, the plight of Mr.ForbesThirty Under Thirty.”
He grinned. “Been keeping tabs on me, have you?”
Heat crept up the front of her throat, a startled laugh spilling from her lips at Brendon’s brazenness. “Darcy brags.”
He hummed, rocking back on his heels. “Did she tell you I made theFortuneForty Under Forty list, too?”
“She forgot to mention how humble you’ve become.” She pressed her lips together, smothering a smile as she stepped out of the elevator and to the side, letting him lead the way. She didn’t know which unit was Darcy’s.
He stopped in front of the third door on the left, apartment 909. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, blinking at the sudden brightness when Brendon flipped the switch.
“Thanks.” She took her suitcase from him, wheeling it over the threshold and inside Darcy’s foyer, her blasted back wheel proving itself a bitch once again.
Darcy’s apartment, while minimalist in design, was cozier than any hotel room Annie could’ve picked on the fly, and far more spacious. Annie spun in a quick circle, getting the lay of the land. “Nice place.”
He lingered in the doorway, one hand tucked in his pocket. “Other than Darcy’s allergy to color, yeah.”
She swallowed a laugh. The placewasmonochromatic. “I’m guessing the guest room’s—”
Brendon jerked his head to the left. “Down the hall, second room on the right. There’s a Jack-and-Jill bathroom shared between the two bedrooms and a half bath across the hall. Linens are in the bathroom closet and spare toiletries are under the sink.”
Darcy had already given her that spiel, but Annie appreciated the reminder. Not that Annie needed spare toiletries. Her collection of travel-sized shampoos was getting out of hand. “Thanks. Let me just put this in my room. I’ll be right back.”
She wheeled her suitcase down the hall, careful not to scuff the baseboards as she turned the corner. Like the rest of the apartment, the guest bedroom was simple and streamlined, with dark wood floors mostly covered with plush white rugs and white walls unadorned, save for the occasional piece of black and white art that probably cost a fortune.
Annie left her suitcase beside the queen-sized bed—she couldn’t wait to faceplant onto it as soon as she showered off her travel grime—and returned to the foyer. Brendon tucked his phone back inside his pocket and smiled. “Anything you need before I let you get settled?”
Not that she could think of. “Nah. I’m just going to clean up and unpack.” Her stomach gave a growl that made him laugh. She smiled wryly. “Okay. First I’m going to raid Darcy’s fridge andthenI’m going to clean up and unpack.”
Brendon made a face, lips twisting and drawing to the side. “You can look, but knowing Darce, she probably cleaned out the fridge so nothing would spoil.”
“I’m sure I can scrounge something up.” Hopefully.
He scratched his jaw. “Orthere’s a place on Sixth Avenue that has great dim sum. If you’re interested.”
What else was she going to do? The protein cookie buried at the bottom of her bag wasn’t going to cut it.
Her stomach gave another grumble, making the decision for her. “I’m in.”
***
“Two whole weeks in Seattle. What’s on your agenda?”
“Aside from visiting Darcy, I don’t really have one.” She reached for her wine, swirling it thoughtfully. “I don’t know. See the Space Needle maybe?”
