Page 13 of Up All Night
We hear a tap on the glass door.I don't turn around, since I'm still drooling over the details on this page Lucy sent me.
"Come in, Lark."Lucy says.
Lark?What the fuck kind of a name is Lark?I turn around and see this chick walk in.She's all business in a tidy bun, a tailored pants suit and smart shoes.But it's her ass.Man, when she turns around to close the door, my eyes go straight there.
"Lark, this is Stone Lawson.Stone, this is Lark Daniels, she's my colleague."
"Nice to meet you."She says, giving me a healthy and professional handshake.
"Likewise.How come I've never seen you around this office before?"I ask conversationally.
"Probably because you two have never crossed paths."Lucy adds, unimpressed."What can I do for you, Lark?"
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's a guy here that's adamant to see you, and I told him that you were with a client, but he's not budging.Some Clark Langdon?"
Lucy's face immediately changes.Recognition comes first, slowly, and then she breaks into a smile."Jesus, Clark Langdon?"
"An old lover, Luce?"I tease.
This is the first time I've seen her cheeks turn pink."No."She lies."He moved away to Mexico years ago.I lost touch."
"Well, it looks like he found you."Lark chuckles."Do you want to say hello, or should I tell him to hit the bricks?"
"No.No, um, Stone, do you mind giving me five minutes?"
"Not at all.Take as long as you want."
Lucy pinches her cheeks."Lark, show Stone the property over on Diesel St., will you?I won't be a minute."She rises, as if in a trance, and leaves.
Lark walks over to the laptop on the desk and types in her login information."So, what's the property for?"
"A hotel."
She raises her brows."Well, I don't have the expertise in commercial properties that Lucy has, but I can at least show you the details."
"You're just into residential then?"
She nods."Um hm.Is this your first hotel?"
"No."I try not to sound too pompous."I own a chain of them in South Carolina."
"And you're expanding?Leaving the state?"She asks in a motherly fashion, not being judgmental.
"Yes.It's been on the back burner for a few years, but it's time.I've got enough investment capital now."
"You have investors?"
"Yes."I answer tactfully."Hungry investors.One that wants to put a casino in one of the hotels, in fact."I add.
"Yeah?And you're interested in that?"
"Not myself, no.I don't gamble, but I need to do more research on that score.I'm not sure how sketchy that sort of an establishment would be.My hotels are safe, tasteful, and serve the elite.The last thing I want is for card sharks and the like inhabiting my business."
She seems to be only half listening, as she does a search on the database."The land on Diesel Street isn't posted to the public yet, but I'm guessing that Lucy's been in the business long enough to get a leg up on things ahead of time.It's in her secret file here."
"Lucy's got a secret file?"I ask, impressed."Well, what else is in there."My tone is playful and conversational.
Lark grins slightly."There's a lot you don't know about Lucy.She may give off innocent vibes, but she's a force to be reckoned with."
