Page 58 of Crashing Into Me
“Of course not, I’m not an idiot,” Lana responded.
“Well, we have to get you out of here. Kayden’s waiting.” Paula turned to leave the room.
“He knows?” Lana asked, her heart racing for very different reasons this time, as Paula smiled at her.
“Yes, honey, he knows everything,” she said proudly.
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
The grin plastered across her face hurt her cheeks. She could barely contain the excitement and anticipation of seeing him in flesh and blood again. A month of wondering if this day would ever come had finally arrived, and she felt almost lightheaded with the anticipation of it all.
“Let’s go,” Lana said way too loudly, walking out of the bathroom.
“Wait,” Paula commanded, stopping her. “I’m going to take you to him, and later tonight we’re gonna bust my mom. But you have to stay hidden until then. We can’t risk her playing defense beforehand.”
Lana nodded, understanding everything Paula said to be true. Even after she met up with Kayden, it still wasn’t quite over yet. If Maureen got wind that Kayden was on to her, she could screw with the company merger, KDN, the opening tonight, everything. Not to mention Kim’s own personal vendetta, she’d play it safe and smart for all their sakes.
“Now, how do we sneak you out of here?” Paula asked, looking at her.
“I doubt your mother would ever take the stairs,” Lana guessed.
“Smart girl, we just make sure the coast is clear and make a beeline for the stairwell.”
Lana nodded again, and they headed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Paula cracked open the hotel room doorand stuck her head out carefully. The hallway was utterly silent and empty. She walked down the hall over to her mother’s room and put her ear to the door. She couldn’t hear anything and wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign.
Waving Lana out of the room, she popped her head out the door, then ran as silently as she could to the staircase door, opening it as quietly as she could. When she stepped in, the door slammed behind her unbelievably loudly. She stood in the stairwell, not sure what to do, as everyone on the floor definitely heard that. Like a track racer at the starting pistol, she took off down the stairs before anyone left their room in search of the source. Paula, on the other hand, was still in the hallway when Kim came out of her room to look down the hall.
Paula knocked on her mother’s door, pretending to be going to see her. At least this way, she had an excuse to invite her to the dinner party later. Kim walked back into her room, closing the door behind her. Maureen’s door opened, and she stepped outside in her robe, but not before Paula could see Heathcliff in the background with no shirt on.
“Really, Mom, the Captain?” She asked as Maureen put on the best smile she could manage.
“Paula, what a lovely surprise,” she stated.
“Mom, after the reopening tonight, I’m throwing Kayden a congratulatory dinner, and I’d like for you to be there.”
“That sounds lovely, dear, but are you sure you want me there? After this morning, I got the impression you weren’t exactly happy with me,” Maureen pointed out.
“I’m sorry, Mother, that was more about Kimberly. I apologize. I also want to apologize to her as well—I could’ve handled it better,” she lied.
Maureen looked at her daughter suspiciously. She wasn’t sure how to respond to such a random act of forgiveness so soon after the earlier altercation.
“Are you sure that would be wise, dear?” She asked again, the smile plastered on her face like a painted porcelain doll.
“Yes. I spoke to Kayden, and he asked me to make nice,” she lied again.
“Well, in that case, I would be delighted,” she said, giving Paula a quick hug.
“And invite your new boyfriend,” she replied and winked at her mother as she walked away.
Maureen let out a semi-embarrassed laugh and watched her daughter disappear down the hall.This was actually great news,she thought. Kayden’s insistence on Kim’s appearance showed that perhaps he was ready to move on, finally. Maureen turned and re-entered her room, closing the door behind her quietly.
HEATHCLIFF LAYON his side in the bed, his arm propped under his head.
“What was that about?” he asked, smiling slyly at her.
“How would you like to come to a private dinner party with the Capshaws tonight?” She asked and walked over to the bed.
